First Stop for a Return Trip to Hong Kong! I Recommend You Go This Way!

Hong Kong, long time no see! Hong Kong, long time no see! Maybe we've been to Hong Kong 30 times, but this time we've been apart for more than 1,000 days.

Hong Kong and the mainland have fully resumed cross-border travel, and the mask mandate was lifted on March 1! The Walking Sisters immediately dispatched Youcaihua and Doufuhua to take you on a vibrant reunion journey.

‘Hong Kong Goodies’ Visitor Consumption Vouchers

Now, to travel to Hong Kong we no longer need a nucleic acid test or a reservation quota; with a valid endorsement, you can go anytime. The first thing to do upon arriving in Hong Kong is to receive the host's sincere welcome—the ‘Hong Kong Goodies’ visitor consumption vouchers. The Hong Kong Tourism Board, together with various sectors in Hong Kong, has prepared over 1 million copies of ‘Hong Kong Goodies’ visitor consumption vouchers. These vouchers can be used for a welcome drink at designated bars, restaurants, and hotels; or for instant cash discounts or exchanging for exquisite gifts at designated restaurants, retail stores, and attractions. Visitors can pick them up at the following Hong Kong Tourism Board designated visitor centers:

- Hong Kong International Airport Visitor Centre: 🏢 Arrival Hall Buffer Zones A & B, Terminal 1, Hong Kong International Airport, Lantau Island ⏰ Daily 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM

- Kowloon Visitor Centre: 🏢 Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon ⏰ Daily 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM

- Hong Kong West Kowloon Station Visitor Centre: 🏢 Arrival Hall, B2 Floor, West Kowloon Station, Kowloon ⏰ Daily 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Lunch break: 12:45 PM to 2:00 PM)

- Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (Hong Kong) Visitor Centre: 🏢 Ground Floor, Passenger Clearance Building, Hong Kong Port, Lantau Island ⏰ Daily 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Lunch break: 12:45 PM to 2:00 PM)

- Heung Yuen Wai Visitor Centre: 🏢 Outside the Arrival Hall on the 2nd floor of the Passenger Clearance Building, Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, New Territories ⏰ Daily 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Huahua entered Hong Kong via West Kowloon Station this time and received an exclusive offer at the visitor centre! The super detailed guide is here👇

Step 1: Collect the ‘Hong Kong Goodies’ voucher at a designated HKTB visitor centre, then scan the QR code on the card with WeChat.

Step 2: Click to claim the voucher and enter the selection page.

Step 3: Choose any offer from the e-voucher list. After selecting your preferred voucher, click ‘Add to Wallet’.

Step 4: You can see your exclusive benefits in ‘My Wallet’.

If you don't know how to proceed during the redemption, you can ask the staff at the centre; they will patiently answer your questions.

Hong Kong has numerous cultural relics, and revitalizing these historical treasures is a very important task. The Red Brick House at Shanghai Street in Kowloon is a very successful example. The Yau Ma Tei Red Brick House has played an important role in Kowloon's century-long history, witnessing the development and modernization of the Kowloon Peninsula. In the late 19th century, the then Public Works Department decided to build the Yau Ma Tei Pumping Station, and the predecessor of the Red Brick House was the engineer's office of the old pumping station. After more than a century of changes, the main building of the Yau Ma Tei Pumping Station complex has long disappeared, but the Red Brick House still stands tall, becoming the oldest surviving pumping station building of the Water Supplies Department and was listed as a Grade I historic building in 2000. We can still see the characteristic features of the Red Brick House's exterior, including the red brick facade, cast iron downpipes, cast iron rainwater heads, arched verandas, and granite components. Recently, the Red Brick House is hosting a mini interactive exhibition titled ‘Canton Odyssey in Time - Yau Ma Tei Playground’. In a small space, explore how the Yau Ma Tei Theatre was revitalized from a neighborhood theatre into a dedicated venue for Chinese opera, and learn more about the stories behind the theatre.

Red Brick House Address: 8 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Current Exhibition: ‘Canton Odyssey in Time - Yau Ma Tei Playground’

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 1pm - 7pm

If the Red Brick House reflects the traditional and pure side of Hong Kong, then 618 Shanghai Street showcases the retro and innovative side of Hong Kong. Located in Mong Kok, 618 Shanghai Street is a creative mall opened in 2019. Before restoration, the buildings here had corroded steel bars everywhere. After more than four years of restoration, 14 tong lau (tenement buildings) from the 1920s to 1940s, along with 13 granite columns that have witnessed the vicissitudes of time, have been revitalized while retaining the unique arcade style. The 13 round granite columns supporting the entire row of arcades at the entrance are all made of granite. If you look closely, you can still see the shop names of the old tong lau businesses, making the bustling street scene of the past come alive. Nostalgia and fashion, retro and modern are the main themes here. The seemingly mottled walls of 618 Shanghai Street house many local creative boutiques, blending old architecture with new culture. Historical elements full of memories are displayed in various forms here: mural graffiti on the walls, dazzling signs, and unique retro tiles all exude a strong sense of the times. There are many local specialty shops here, such as nostalgic shop Mei Wah's, Japanese culture house variety store, antique shops, etc., as well as occasional creative cultural themed events. If you like artsy things, don't miss it. After shopping, you can go to the Silver Cafe on the 3rd floor and order a classic iced yuenyeung and snacks to experience a taste of Hong Kong life.

Address: 600-626 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok

Broadway Cinematheque

Hong Kong's film culture has always been legendary. The Broadway Cinematheque in Yau Ma Tei wraps the glamour of cinema in this pure white building. The Broadway Cinematheque is one of the cinemas under the Broadway Circuit, and it is the largest in the circuit, with 4 screens and a total of 460 seats. Ticket purchase is simple: online, at the box office, or via self-service kiosk. Unlike common cinemas located in large shopping malls, the Broadway Cinematheque is situated next to Chun Fai Garden in Yau Ma Tei, quiet like an ordinary community center, forming a subtle neighborly relationship with the surroundings and attracting groups of film and art lovers to wander and explore. It is also one of the few cinemas in Hong Kong that shows non-mainstream films, and regularly holds special screenings, film festivals, and events. Over the course of a year, you can enjoy many excellent and niche world art films. This not only brings a continuous impact of film culture to Hong Kong but also plants deep seeds of love for cinema that will blossom in the hearts of viewers. At the other end of the cinema is a bookstore named ‘kubrick’, named after film master Stanley Kubrick, selling books and magazines on film theory, aesthetics, and culture. While waiting for the movie to start, you can take a look here.

Address: 3 Tung Fong Street, Yau Ma Tei (Chun Fai Garden)

The Fringe Club in Central is another expression of Hong Kong's colorful life.

Located at the junction of Lower Albert Road and Wyndham Street in Central, the Fringe Club was originally the Old Dairy Farm Depot built in 1890. In 1983, the Fringe Club took over and renovated it, transforming this Victorian-era historic building into an art exhibition and performance venue. In 2001, the Fringe Club received the Heritage Award from the Hong Kong SAR Government, and its main building was declared a Grade I historic building in 2009. The former ‘Dairy Farm’ where the dairy company sold milk is now the only jazz and cabaret-style theatre in Hong Kong, a small performance venue that was popular in the folk scenes of Paris and Berlin in the 1930s. The interior of the theatre retains the original 1913 terrazzo floor tiles, high windows with wooden shutters for light control, ceiling fans, etc. It can accommodate about 80 seated or 150 standing, with a bar at one corner. As one of the most dynamic performance venues in the city, Huahua happened to catch the ‘The Big Band Express 7th Anniversary Concert’ held here. The advantage of a small theatre is that no microphones are needed; you can hear the true sound of the instruments and see the musicians performing with great effort up close, making the atmosphere even more intoxicating. Interested friends can check the performance schedule on the official website. Since space is limited, if you want a seat, consider arriving a bit early.

Address: 2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong Island

Food is Hong Kong's calling card. Dai On Tea Cafe, a tea restaurant of the master level, is a true heavyweight among the old brands. Opened in 1969, Dai On Tea Cafe is located near the Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market, serving authentic cha chaan teng cuisine. Most of its customers are local residents, and Dai On is an integral part of their work and life. However, in 2021, the owner planned to close down. Tiffany, who works in old district conservation and revitalization guided tours, learned of the news and could not bear to see local specialty old shops close one after another, so she decided to take over the business, striving to preserve the original appearance of the tea cafe and continue the local food culture. The shop still retains the gold signboard above the door beam and the wooden booths, and has been renovated according to the original style to restore the original layout and atmosphere. So even now, we can experience the nostalgic decor of the 1970s. The ‘Welcome’ sign on the wall, wooden booths, and ceiling fans are all as a cha chaan teng should be. But when you open the menu, you will discover the unique taste of Dai On. After the renovation, Dai On Tea Cafe did not stick to the old ways; instead, it combines cha chaan teng with specialty coffee, innovating the dishes to cater to a more diverse clientele, continuing memories in a new way. For example, the five-spice diced pork with scrambled eggs on toast that looks like a small mountain, the very Hong Kong-style lemon tea cookies, fried crispy egg and beef rolls, Western lemon chicken with butter lemon sauce pasta, and so on. Based on the classic original egg tart, they have developed a series of desserts such as molten caramel egg tart, chocolate lava egg tart with wine, and coconut taro sago egg tart.

One small thing to note: they only accept cash and Octopus card, so please prepare in advance.

Address: G/F, 830 Canton Road, Yau Ma Tei

Business Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9am - 6pm

Payment Methods: Cash, Octopus

We missed you, so we came! The surprises that Hong Kong brings us after a three-year absence are still many. The advancement of classic and modern, the seamless switch between busy and leisure, the elegant revelry of early coffee and late alcohol—Hong Kong is still Hong Kong; but Hong Kong, every day, makes your travel joy never the same.

Are you ready to reunite with Hong Kong?