Hong Kong is a great place to visit either as a destination on its own, or, as many people do, as a nice 2 day stop over between flights. I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 8 years, so . . . I’m biased . . . but also keen to share some tips to make sure you get the best from the place
The biggest overall tip I can give – many people when they think of Hong Kong think of the skyscrapers, the busy neon light lined streets, the sheer hustle of one of the most densely populated places on earth etc etc – and it is indeed all of these things. But it is also 75% undeveloped and 40% national park. In short, it is a world class city, with a tropical paradise a short ferry / taxi away. That is why, for this review, I am focusing on some of the more unusual things to do in Hong Kong for a first time visitor
Okinawa offers a very different style to the rest of Japan. Yes you still have the politeness, cleanliness and things, well, just working. But its all within the backdrop of semi-tropical trees and a culture quite different to that of mainland as the Okinawa island chain used to be the former Ryukyu Empire and only joined Japan in the 1870s
Not many places in the world have that developed vibe in the tropics, so it’s definitely worth a trip, especially if living in this part of the world and fancy a weekend away. Worth also picking up a few of the local’s habits – Okinawans are some of the longest living people in the world!
Dubai gets a slightly bad reputation for being a bit fake, manufactured, crude etc. The thing is, it is all of these things, yet it is exactly because it has gone so far toward the non-authentic end of the spectrum that makes it such a fascinating place to visit. I’ve enjoyed Dubai each of the 3 times I’ve visited – loved the fountain performance of the world’s tallest building the Burj Khalifa, sitting on the beach by the world’s only 8 star hotel the Burj Al Arab drinking cocktails, seeing the giant aquarium in the world’s largest mall in the Mall of the World, taking a boat over to the Dubai Old Town and would have LOVED to experience the skiing! But I’ve visited mainly for work or in a time before we had the simplicity of taking photos on the phone. For these reasons, I don’t think I can really do the place anywhere near the justice it deserves by writing a full review, so haven’t shared photos and tips. Instead, I’ve given it a score based on how I found it – can’t miss out on such an obvious global city stop in the ratings
