My son is coming home (from Thailand to US) for a visit next week and he's got a long layover in Hong Kong during the night. Right now he's planning on taking public transportation into the city from the airport and spending a few hours there.
Any suggestions about neighborhoods to visit or to avoid? He's a city boy, having gone to high school in NYC, so if its reasonably safe he'll be OK.
Re: Visiting Hong Kong
hk is pretty safe I wouldn't worry about him stumbling into the wrong neighborhood for such a short visit, old timers walk the street super late at night, hard to find trouble unless you go looking for it ( then its easy 
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The harbor is nice late at night, both the hk island side and kowloon side are good, make sure he eats some staple hong kong dishes like bbq pork with bok choy
)The harbor is nice late at night, both the hk island side and kowloon side are good, make sure he eats some staple hong kong dishes like bbq pork with bok choy
Re: Visiting Hong Kong
When is he coming in? I'm currently in Europe, but from Hong Kong (and went to college in NYC).
Re: Visiting Hong Kong
jayinhk wrote:When is he coming in? I'm currently in Europe, but from Hong Kong (and went to college in NYC).
This was a last minute question as he's arriving this Monday at 10:30pm Hong Kong time and he's not leaving for NYC until 9:20am the next morning. I assume he'll need to pass through customs to leave the airport so that could slow him down.
Which college did you go to?
Re: Visiting Hong Kong
Nassau Community, NYU and I worked at one of the CUNYs for a year or so too. He should be just fine on his own in HK as it is indeed a very safe city, as long as he avoids girly bars. 
I think clearing customs should take him until 11:15pm at the very latest, and the high speed train into the city will have him there in about half an hour. Not sure how much exploring he's going to want to do at that time though!
I think clearing customs should take him until 11:15pm at the very latest, and the high speed train into the city will have him there in about half an hour. Not sure how much exploring he's going to want to do at that time though!
Re: Visiting Hong Kong
We have "girlie" bars in NYC also and he knows better than to visit them so he should be ok. I think he's planning on 3 or 4 hours in the city and then catching a taxi back to the airport. Apparently the public transportation to the airport shuts down during the night.
I went to CUNY many years ago, to Brooklyn College. I didn't travel as far as you to get there as I grew up in Brooklyn.
I went to CUNY many years ago, to Brooklyn College. I didn't travel as far as you to get there as I grew up in Brooklyn.
Re: Visiting Hong Kong
There are buses to the airport that run all night and cover pretty much all of Hong Kong, but a taxi should only run him US$50-60 from Hong Kong Island. The Airport Express does shut down at night, however, and IMO that's the best way to get back and forth from the airport.
Asian girlie bars are a different breed, although it appears their extortionist tactics have been exported! The HK girlie bar scene sprouted up specifically to cater to the US Navy's needs during shore leave in HK during the Vietnam War. The navy still stop off in HK when China isn't playing political games and preventing their ships from docking in HK. I would say thats when the Wanchai bars (and the girls who work there) make the most money!
I would give almost all bars in Wanchai a wide berth after we were drugged by a bartender in December '12.
As far as travel, I spent my entire youth jetting somewhere or other, and had spent a lot of my summers in Manhattan, Queens and NJ, so it wasn't too much of an issue moving to NY (especially with family there). I do miss it, but I think Europe might just be the place for me now.
Asian girlie bars are a different breed, although it appears their extortionist tactics have been exported! The HK girlie bar scene sprouted up specifically to cater to the US Navy's needs during shore leave in HK during the Vietnam War. The navy still stop off in HK when China isn't playing political games and preventing their ships from docking in HK. I would say thats when the Wanchai bars (and the girls who work there) make the most money!
I would give almost all bars in Wanchai a wide berth after we were drugged by a bartender in December '12.
As far as travel, I spent my entire youth jetting somewhere or other, and had spent a lot of my summers in Manhattan, Queens and NJ, so it wasn't too much of an issue moving to NY (especially with family there). I do miss it, but I think Europe might just be the place for me now.