From Kowloon Streets to Victoria Peak: Falling for Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

For years, Hong Kong was always just a blur on my travel map - a skyline seen from an airplane window, a layover I spent pacing around the airport, or that one whirlwind day in 2018 when I tried to see “everything” and saw almost nothing. I’d always told myself I’d come back properly, not as a passerby rushing to my next destination, but as a traveler ready to sink into the city’s rhythm.

This year, I finally kept that promise. Hong Kong wasn’t just a stopover, it was the destination. The first pitstop in my 2 month long North East Asian workation. I had carved out five full days in Hong Kong before heading to Macau, and somewhere between my first steaming basket of dim sum and my last moonlit walk along Victoria Harbour, the city completely stole my heart. Super expensive, but it still did heart stealing for sure.

I made Kowloon my base for the entire trip, and honestly, I could have stayed there forever… well, except for my hostel. What surprised me was how “backpackers” here translated into “cramped sardine in a tin.” I’ve stayed in some questionable places before, but never have I had a worse hostel experience in terms of comfort - tiny bunks wedged into every possible corner, narrow hallways pretending to be common areas, and barely enough space to swing your backpack without hitting someone. It was all part of the adventure, I told myself… but one I won’t be repeating. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).