Today’s guest blog is written by Ava Apollo - a lover of travel and a social media blogger at Super Blogettes

I have often heard the slogan “East meets West” thrown around to ascribe an identity to chic new hotels,  fusion restaurants, and trendy travel destinations.  While certainly trendy, Hong Kong truly is the indisputable perfect merging of East and West – offering both high-noon tea and beef noodles within arm’s reach of one another.  In few other Asian destinations can one experience a one-stop-shop of old vs. new, Chinese vs. English, and crumpets vs. dim sum.  For those looking for a truly unique travel experience, Hong Kong is sure to impress.

While initially, Hong Kong can seem like a bit of an overwhelming, bustling city (which I can’t deny it is), once one gets a chance to visit the extraordinary attractions it has to offer, it becomes easy to appreciate its true uniqueness among other Asian destinations.   The following are my top five reasons to experience the awesomeness that is Hong Kong:

Green Beams of Light

Victoria Harbor, which can be viewed via access bridge directly in front of the Intercontintenal Hotel, is a great place to be at 8pm when the buildings on the Kowloon side  of Victoria Harbor light up.  They put on a Guinness-World-Record-holding performance of green beams of light radiating across the harbor and dancing to synchronized music.  Around the Christmas and New Year holidays, an even more spectacular show can be viewed every hour on the hour.

If only a photo could do it justice

The Peak

Victoria Peak is one of the most famous and often-visited destinations in Hong Kong, and it’s easy to see why.  Most jaw-dropping and awe inspiring photos of Hong Kong are taken from there.  This vantage point provides a panoramic view of the city while allowing for a momentary break from the madness as well as a history lesson on your way up.

Additionally, time of day has everything to do with the experience.  In the morning, before the city starts buzzing, the sun lights up the sky scrapers that Hong Kong is so famous for, providing an excellent photo op.

By Jason Weaver

During the evening, the city lights come on and provide yet another exhilarating photo opportunity.

By Jason Weaver

Tea and Crumpets

Noon tea at the famous Peninsula hotel is an experience all its own.  The lobby is richly decorated in gold and cream - which serves as a preview of what you can expect from the tea spread.  Be prepared for loads of sugar and creamy goodness from the tower of treats that accompanies the flavorful and piping hot tea.  During the holidays, you can even get some nice spiked egg nog to help it go down.

If you’re like me, and you can’t quite afford to make this hotel your home during your stay in Hong Kong, at least give it a visit for tea time, if nothing else, just to sneak a peak at the grandeur inside.  Sidenote: get there early so that you can get a table!

By Bryan Allison

Shop ‘Til You Drop

Hong Kong is very well known as a shopping mecca not only for Asia, but for the world. It’s both the home of haute cuture retailers and just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the famous fakes of Shen Zhen – meaning it truly has something for every spectrum of the financial rainbow.

My main shopping favorites include the malls and shops sprinkled around Kowloon, and Pacific Place when I feel like spending a pretty penny.  When I want to be more thrifty, I hit up some of the street markets.  Causeway Bay is a good spot for trendy fashionistas looking for something unique.  Lastly, just take a walk down any major street and you’ll be asked if you’d like a fitted custom suit.  I have not personally bought such a suit, but I’m guessing it’s a steal for those in the market.

What Else?

Depending on what kind of experience you are after, other sites of note include Hong Kong Disney or Ocean Park theme parks.

If you want to delve even deeper into local culture, visit a religious site such as Tian Tan Buddha monastery to view a giant Buddha statue.  Chi Lin Nunnery is an equally famous site complete with pristine lotus ponds and bonsai plants.  These are just my two favorites out of dozens of religious sites to see in Hong Kong.

If you’re looking for a slightly more sinful experience, head over to nearby Macau, which is regarded as Asia’s Las Vegas.

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While it’s hard to narrow Hong Kong down to just five attractions, these are my favorites.  What’s more, Hong Kong, unlike China, does not require a visa from most visitors.  So, if you find yourself in Asia, don’t miss this spot.  It’s the most likely to remind you of ease of home with widely spoken English and least likely to disappoint in terms of excitement.

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Visit my home blog for more Ava.

Day Signs, originally uploaded by globetrotterI.  A quiet back street in Kowloon is virtually unheard of.

Kowloon hosts several famous day and night markets that draw people in, but we decided to spend our time in the Mongkok District, which is frentic at any time of day. It’s one of the busiest shopping districts in Kowloon. It has everything from clothes and shoes to kitchen supplies and jewelry boxes. We thought it was great. This is where you want to come if you’re looking for fake designer watches and handbags.

Vendors attract customers by posting currect magazines featuring the latest accessories. No dealing occurs on the street. If buyers are interested, they’re asked to go to an upstairs apartment to inspect the goods closely before bargaining and making a purchase.

I can’t say I was entirely comfortable about being led into filthy stairwells, down dimly lit corridors and into private rooms that function as a showroom by day and bedroom by night.  Then again, I’ve got a six foot nine giant to protect me.  In reality though, we were perfectly safe.  We were asked to have tea with one elderly man while we salivated through Dior handbags, Chanel sunglasses, Louis luggage and Bvlgari watches.  We bargained hard and left with far more than we had promised ourselves.  By the end of the day, we had gone though all of our money, had treated ourselves royally and were feeling awfully proud of our new acquisitions.   Shopping in Hong Kong is totally out of this world. 

Promenade, originally uploaded by globetrotterI.

We stayed at the Kowloon Hotel Harbor Plaza in Tsim Sha Tsui in the hub of Kowloon. Our accomodations were pricey for such small quarters, but we weren’t too disappointed. We had a great view of the city. Our room was clean and well-stocked. The staff were most helpful in loading us with maps and pointing us to the nearest and most reputable visa office and we couldn’t have been more centrally located.  We were a ten minute walk away from the Promenade and we found the MRT right outside our door.

Nathan Road is an entrancing and exotic mix of Western and Eastern cultures. In addition to a wide variety of restaurants, pubs, bars and electronic shops, it’s a major shopping district that blends old eastern charm of nightmarkets and street vendors with haute-couture and high fashion storefronts. Hong Kong also offers an enormous variety of food from around the world. We enjoyed the wide and unusual varieties of food as much as we enjoyed our own particular favorites from back home.

Scintillating Hong Kong Island, originally uploaded by globetrotterI.

Hong Kong is in a class all on its own. We traveled there this summer and honestly, I’ve never been to another city like it. After spending three years in China and having recently moved to Taiwan, I knew I would be ready for the constant bombardment of all things Chinese – the lights, the noise and pollution, the crowds of people and unfamiliar food. What I wasn’t prepared for was the duality of both worlds co-existing in this big, beautiful city. It really is a pulsating blend of East meets West.

Victoria Harbour, by day or night, is simply marvelous. I could go there every day and never get tired of the view of Hong Kong Island from the promenade. This, folks, is where people come to capture Hong Kong’s incandescent skyline. It’s a superb place to people-watch. Locals, expats and visitors all gather here to find their own special niche in this unique place. Even with hundreds of other admirers, I still got the feeling that we were on our own. We had a wonderful time strolling the promenade and looking at all the gorgeous boats and watercraft in the water. The magical hour here is 8pm, when an eye-dazzling light show starts. For a few minutes, the flashing multi-colored skyline breaks the sky into a million pieces. The light show is currently the largest of its kind in the world.