I love Hong Kong – I’m often told that Singapore and Hong Kong are very similar, but is that really so?

These days, I travel regularly for work and I spend most of my time in Hong Kong. I’ve learnt to be creative with the smaller living space, picked up basic Cantonese, and met new people from all over the world.

There are many reasons why I love Hong Kong and these are my top 5:

1. Vibrant City with Great Outdoors

Hong Kong is the New York of Asia. It is the city that never sleeps. It is fast-paced, intense and full of energy. Even though it took me a while to get used to the smaller living space here, it comes with its perks. Lesser space means lesser unnecessary stuff, more mindful shopping, lesser time required to clean and tidy, and ultimately, more time to stay out and enjoy the city and its great outdoors.

One minute you’re hustling in the bustling city and the next, you’re exploring the outlying islands, beautiful beaches, quaint villages, and hiking trails. I haven’t had enough of the great outdoors in Hong Kong. There is just so much to explore!

2. Food & Dining Experiences

When you think of food in Hong Kong, dim sum, street fish balls, and wife cakes (老婆饼) may be the first few that pop up in mind. But is that all? Fortunately, Hong Kong is more than that. You can enjoy a wide variety of quality food and cuisines from all around the world, in this city.

Hong Kong has no lack of street stalls, interesting bars, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Till date, I’ve never ran out of places to discover and eat. There’s always a new kid on the block and another long-standing restaurant that I’ve yet to try.

3. Convenience & Efficiency

I love the public transportation in Hong Kong. Because this city is so compact, I can walk to the nearest MTR station, bus/tram stop, supermarket, laundry shop and eating place just within minutes from home.

The Octopus card is very much all-in-one. Not only can I use it to pay for public transport, I can also use it to pay for my food, groceries, bills and even online shopping.

Even though most taxi drivers can be rather curt and impatient in Hong Kong, they’re very efficient. Most of them have no interest to make small talks but to send you to your destination as quickly as possible.

Services are generally very fast and efficient in Hong Kong. Time is money and nobody wastes time here. You can get a lot of things done very quickly in this city.

4. Changing Seasons

Coming from a 24/7 sunny Singapore, the changing seasons in Hong Kong make a significant difference to my life here. I can finally shop for autumn and winter outfits! Having the chance to wear and layer different outfits every day throughout winter is a different experience from a typical winter holiday. Although there is no snow in Hong Kong, the cold weather is refreshing. I’ve learnt to appreciate summer better too.

5. Location

Need a quick getaway? Hong Kong is within 40 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes away from Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Myanmar, Brunei, South Korea, Malaysia, Bhutan, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and Mongolia – You get my drift.

Airlines like Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Express, Hong Kong Airlines, EVA Air, Vanilla Airlines offer great deals to these places. You can even skip the ferry and take a helicopter to Macau if you’re feeling fancy.

Because Hong Kong is so close to China, I receive my Taobao goods very quickly, with minimum shipping fees too. In fact, I only discovered the true value of Taobao after moving to Hong Kong. Who doesn’t enjoy beautiful and quality products that look expensive, yet cost a fraction of the price?

So these are my top 5 reasons why I love Hong Kong.

What about yours? Do you feel the same as well? Or are there other compelling reasons why you love Hong Kong?

Share your thoughts with me by leaving a reply below, or share this with your friends!