Menu
Home
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Home
Forums
Starting Out
New Blog Posts
Home for the Holidays: Finding Peace and Quiet in Hong Kong
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
Reply to thread
Message
<p>[QUOTE="asthejoeflies, post: 147510, member: 345"]</p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-finding-peace-quiet-hong-kong/"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5216.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5216-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5216-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>Home…for a time</p><p></p><p></p><p>As you may have gathered, Hong Kong can be very crowded. But there is definitely peace and quiet to be had, if you’re willing to look. On this trip (and in the past), we’ve sought out locations of peace and solitude. Here’s what we’ve found.</p><p></p><p><strong>Discovery Bay</strong></p><p></p><p>My cousin mentioned to me that he had visited Discovery Bay with his wife and son on one of his off days during the break. We needed to find some space so we decided to pay it a visit. We grabbed a ferry from the Central Piers (Pier 3) and took a short twenty-five minute ride to Discovery Bay.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5255.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5255-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5255-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>Discovery Bay ferry</p><p></p><p></p><p>It turns out Discovery Bay is home to a ton of expats. It’s also very beautiful and very empty. There are restaurants, a nice beach, and some paths to walk. You can’t actually go too far unless you’re a resident. Doesn’t sound too great?</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5270.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5270-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5270-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>A picture without any random people in the background? Unheard of.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Maybe not, but when you are surrounded by thousands of people all the time in Hong Kong, Discovery Bay feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s obviously it’s own little world – people speak English by default, tons of obviously rich foreigners – but it’s still tough not to enjoy it despite it not feeling like “authentic” Hong Kong.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5310.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5310.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5310.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>What is this feeling in my toes?</p><p></p><p></p><p>M had a great time at Discovery Bay. She got her first taste of walking on the beach and seawater. I think anyone who has kids has experienced this – kid hates sand, kid starts getting used to sand, kid starts enjoying sand, kid <em>really</em> enjoys dipping toes in water. We had a great time.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5287.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5287.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5287.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>I may or may not have later pushed her down…face your fears, kid!</p><p></p><p></p><p>There was also a nice playground on the beach with a huge slide that I may or may not have pushed M down. She enjoyed it. <img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /> But we mostly just spent our day walking around, enjoying the sunshine and space. There are also a few shops to browse if you’re tired of the outdoors.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5300.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5300-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5300-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>Enjoying the weather</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Kowloon Park</strong></p><p></p><p>Just a short walk from our hotel was Kowloon Park. To be honest, Kowloon Park can be kind of crowded, but it’s still a nice green space in a busy city. It’s also huge. There are nice things like ponds with flamingos and the like, and it’s a nice place to walk without bumping into people every two seconds.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_175530.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_175530-576x1024.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_175530-576x1024.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>The park is actually a few stories above street level</p><p></p><p></p><p>But our real discovery was something called the Harbour View Observation Deck. We found it just by wandering and wandering since M was asleep in the stroller again.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_182602.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_182602-600x338.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_182602-600x338.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>Look for this sign</p><p></p><p></p><p>The sun was setting and the deck boasted some incredible views of the harbor at dusk. It also was super quiet, there were barely any people there. Basically it was a peaceful little corner where you could enjoy the skyline of Hong Kong without a crush of people like at the Avenue of Stars. It was near some of the cruise ship terminals so the view wasn’t totally unobstructed, but it was still well worth a visit.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81321.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81321-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81321-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>The Harbour View Observation Deck was the only place where we got this view without a million tourists climbing all over us</p><p></p><p></p><p>One drawback to Kowloon Park is the only elevator access is at the north end (near Jordan instead of TST). We carried M’s stroller all the way up three flights of stairs to get up there. Something to bear in mind if you’re thinking of visiting.</p><p></p><p><strong>Hong Kong Wetland Park</strong></p><p></p><p>A little caveat for this one. We visited this in the Summer of 2010 in the searing heat, so it <em>could</em> have been quiet because of that. But it’s pretty far out and you need to take the light rail so I think it’s probably never super crowded. Not like TST at least.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0906.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0906-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0906-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>Lilies at the Wetland Park</p><p></p><p></p><p>Anyway, the ecological park is just a large botanical garden, complete with ponds, flowers, and a lot of wildlife. It’s beautiful and a really relaxing place to walk – a tiny slice of nature. Really all of the New Territories are much less crowded than the city and worth the exploration.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0914.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0914-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0914-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>Look at that wildlife!</p><p></p><p></p><p>When I lived in Hong Kong, my dad used to make us go hike around reservoirs all around the New Territories. There are a lot of places where you can get out and enjoy nature – don’t feel like you just need to be confined to the city.</p><p></p><p><strong>Riding the Waves</strong></p><p></p><p>I’ve already written about how much we enjoyed the Star Ferry. One more note if you’re trying to get away from the crowds – grab a ferry to somewhere, anywhere, during the middle of the day – and you should be able to find the peace and quiet you might be seeking.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81131.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81131-600x450.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81131-600x450.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>If you go at the right times, it’s easy to score views like this in relative peace on sea rather than on land</p><p></p><p></p><p>Hong Kong is a beautiful harbor city, so getting out on the water is great way to enjoy it while avoiding the crowds.</p><p></p><p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></p><p></p><p>Sometimes Hong Kong’s crowds can get overwhelming. If you’re looking for some space, feel free to try out one of these options. Every time we manage to find space like this in Hong Kong it just makes us enjoy the city even more. Enjoy stepping off the beaten path!</p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg"><img src="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg" data-url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg" class="bbImage " style="" alt="" title="" /></a></p><p>Dusk at the Harbour View Observation Deck</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>Other Posts in this Series</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-introduction/">Introduction</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-26-hours-taiwan-toddler-part-united-domestic-first-lax-star-alliance-lounge/">United Domestic First and LAX Star Alliance Lounge</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-26-hours-taiwan-toddler-part-2-eva-royal-laurel-class-review/">EVA Royal Laurel Class Review</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-using-public-transportation-taiwan-toddler/">Using Public Transportation in Taiwan with a Toddler</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-visiting-taipei-zoo/">Visiting the Taipei Zoo</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-eating-taipei/">Eating in Taipei</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-grand-hyatt-taipei-king-suite-review/">Grand Hyatt Taipei King Suite Review</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-tough-flight-toddler/">A Tough Flight with a Toddler</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-public-transportation-hong-kong-toddler/">Public Transportation in Hong Kong with a Toddler</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-typical-hong-kong-tourist-activities/">Typical Hong Kong Tourist Activities</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-hong-kong-disneyland-toddler/">Hong Kong Disneyland with a Toddler</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-finding-peace-quiet-hong-kong/">Continue reading...</a></p><p>[/QUOTE]</p>
[QUOTE="asthejoeflies, post: 147510, member: 345"] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-finding-peace-quiet-hong-kong/'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg[/IMG][/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5216.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5216-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Home…for a time As you may have gathered, Hong Kong can be very crowded. But there is definitely peace and quiet to be had, if you’re willing to look. On this trip (and in the past), we’ve sought out locations of peace and solitude. Here’s what we’ve found. [B]Discovery Bay[/B] My cousin mentioned to me that he had visited Discovery Bay with his wife and son on one of his off days during the break. We needed to find some space so we decided to pay it a visit. We grabbed a ferry from the Central Piers (Pier 3) and took a short twenty-five minute ride to Discovery Bay. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5255.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5255-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Discovery Bay ferry It turns out Discovery Bay is home to a ton of expats. It’s also very beautiful and very empty. There are restaurants, a nice beach, and some paths to walk. You can’t actually go too far unless you’re a resident. Doesn’t sound too great? [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5270.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5270-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] A picture without any random people in the background? Unheard of. Maybe not, but when you are surrounded by thousands of people all the time in Hong Kong, Discovery Bay feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s obviously it’s own little world – people speak English by default, tons of obviously rich foreigners – but it’s still tough not to enjoy it despite it not feeling like “authentic” Hong Kong. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5310.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5310.jpg[/IMG][/URL] What is this feeling in my toes? M had a great time at Discovery Bay. She got her first taste of walking on the beach and seawater. I think anyone who has kids has experienced this – kid hates sand, kid starts getting used to sand, kid starts enjoying sand, kid [I]really[/I] enjoys dipping toes in water. We had a great time. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5287.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5287.jpg[/IMG][/URL] I may or may not have later pushed her down…face your fears, kid! There was also a nice playground on the beach with a huge slide that I may or may not have pushed M down. She enjoyed it. [IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif[/IMG] But we mostly just spent our day walking around, enjoying the sunshine and space. There are also a few shops to browse if you’re tired of the outdoors. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5300.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_5300-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Enjoying the weather [B]Kowloon Park[/B] Just a short walk from our hotel was Kowloon Park. To be honest, Kowloon Park can be kind of crowded, but it’s still a nice green space in a busy city. It’s also huge. There are nice things like ponds with flamingos and the like, and it’s a nice place to walk without bumping into people every two seconds. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_175530.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_175530-576x1024.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The park is actually a few stories above street level But our real discovery was something called the Harbour View Observation Deck. We found it just by wandering and wandering since M was asleep in the stroller again. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_182602.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_20150101_182602-600x338.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Look for this sign The sun was setting and the deck boasted some incredible views of the harbor at dusk. It also was super quiet, there were barely any people there. Basically it was a peaceful little corner where you could enjoy the skyline of Hong Kong without a crush of people like at the Avenue of Stars. It was near some of the cruise ship terminals so the view wasn’t totally unobstructed, but it was still well worth a visit. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81321.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81321-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] The Harbour View Observation Deck was the only place where we got this view without a million tourists climbing all over us One drawback to Kowloon Park is the only elevator access is at the north end (near Jordan instead of TST). We carried M’s stroller all the way up three flights of stairs to get up there. Something to bear in mind if you’re thinking of visiting. [B]Hong Kong Wetland Park[/B] A little caveat for this one. We visited this in the Summer of 2010 in the searing heat, so it [I]could[/I] have been quiet because of that. But it’s pretty far out and you need to take the light rail so I think it’s probably never super crowded. Not like TST at least. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0906.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0906-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Lilies at the Wetland Park Anyway, the ecological park is just a large botanical garden, complete with ponds, flowers, and a lot of wildlife. It’s beautiful and a really relaxing place to walk – a tiny slice of nature. Really all of the New Territories are much less crowded than the city and worth the exploration. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0914.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_0914-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Look at that wildlife! When I lived in Hong Kong, my dad used to make us go hike around reservoirs all around the New Territories. There are a lot of places where you can get out and enjoy nature – don’t feel like you just need to be confined to the city. [B]Riding the Waves[/B] I’ve already written about how much we enjoyed the Star Ferry. One more note if you’re trying to get away from the crowds – grab a ferry to somewhere, anywhere, during the middle of the day – and you should be able to find the peace and quiet you might be seeking. [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81131.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_81131-600x450.jpg[/IMG][/URL] If you go at the right times, it’s easy to score views like this in relative peace on sea rather than on land Hong Kong is a beautiful harbor city, so getting out on the water is great way to enjoy it while avoiding the crowds. [B]Final Thoughts[/B] Sometimes Hong Kong’s crowds can get overwhelming. If you’re looking for some space, feel free to try out one of these options. Every time we manage to find space like this in Hong Kong it just makes us enjoy the city even more. Enjoy stepping off the beaten path! [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg'][IMG]http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/01/IMG_8127.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Dusk at the Harbour View Observation Deck [B]Other Posts in this Series[/B] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-introduction/']Introduction[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-26-hours-taiwan-toddler-part-united-domestic-first-lax-star-alliance-lounge/']United Domestic First and LAX Star Alliance Lounge[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-26-hours-taiwan-toddler-part-2-eva-royal-laurel-class-review/']EVA Royal Laurel Class Review[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-using-public-transportation-taiwan-toddler/']Using Public Transportation in Taiwan with a Toddler[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-visiting-taipei-zoo/']Visiting the Taipei Zoo[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-eating-taipei/']Eating in Taipei[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-grand-hyatt-taipei-king-suite-review/']Grand Hyatt Taipei King Suite Review[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-tough-flight-toddler/']A Tough Flight with a Toddler[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-public-transportation-hong-kong-toddler/']Public Transportation in Hong Kong with a Toddler[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-typical-hong-kong-tourist-activities/']Typical Hong Kong Tourist Activities[/URL] [URL='http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-hong-kong-disneyland-toddler/']Hong Kong Disneyland with a Toddler[/URL] [url="http://saverocity.com/asthejoeflies/home-holidays-finding-peace-quiet-hong-kong/"]Continue reading...[/url] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Preview
Name
Verification
What is the name of Joe's Podcast?
Post reply
Home
Forums
Starting Out
New Blog Posts
Home for the Holidays: Finding Peace and Quiet in Hong Kong
Top