The HHWT Team visited this bustling city over the Labour Day weekend and were blown away by how beautiful and Muslim-friendly this country is!
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Hold on to your seats as we bring you 10 awesome reasons why Hong Kong is the perfect destination for you ?
1. Delicious halal local food
Gone are the days when halal food was difficult to find. Now, there is a wide variety of authentic halal local food that tastes so good, it will keep you coming back for more? In the land of Dim Sum, it's almost a travesty not to have a dim sum feast? Be sure to try the best halal Dim Sum at Islamic Centre Canteen! Here, you can find almost every type of Dim Sum including Siu Mai (烧卖), Har Gow (虾饺) and Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken in Lotus Leaf (糯米珍珠鸡).
Apart from having the best halal Dim Sum, Hong Kong is also home to the the best duck rice! Imagine brown crispy skin and super tender duck meat that melts in your mouth? Heavenly! The flavour and aroma of Wai Kee's roast duck is something we're sure you'll never forget.
#HHWT Tip: It might be a little confusing finding the halal eateries in Hong Kong so we highly recommend purchasing a WiFi device on Klook to find your way around easily! Not only does it fit nicely into your pocket, the device comes hassle free - you can conveniently pick it up at Hong Kong Airport.
We loved the authentic halal local fare so much that we tried each food place at least twice! The food is definitely one of the things we miss most about Hong Kong ?
2. The only Disneyland with halal-certified food
Visiting Disneyland is probably on everyone's travel bucket list, but Muslim travellers might be put off by the lack of halal food at Disney parks around the world. There's no need to worry about that here, as Hong Kong Disneyland is the only one in the world with halal-certified food ?
But wait. Before you can enter this paradise, there's one thing in your way - the possibility of long queues for entrance tickets ? Our team did not want to let the long queues dampen our high spirits so we decided to get our tickets in advance on Klook! It's an easy and fast way to enter Disneyland, especially as we went during the peak period! All you need to do is scan the barcode on the e-ticket when you enter. If you prefer to keep the physical ticket (for keepsakes ?), you can simply exchange the e-ticket at the AutoMagic Tickets machine!
Once you're inside, you'll be taken in by so many rides and activities that it's almost impossible not to feel hungry. Replenish your energy at Tahitian Terrace Restaurant or Explorer’s Club Restaurant which offers a wide range of cuisines from Korean food to Indonesian food! Great for those who wish to try different delicacies or for those craving for a taste of home ?
Of course, no trip to Disneyland is complete without enjoying the amazing display of fireworks. And Hong Kong Disneyland has the most spectacular fireworks bound to blow you away ?
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You're assured of a full stomach and a well-spent day here. The best part? There's no need to rush back to your hotel to pray, as this Disneyland has a dedicated prayer space for Muslims! Check out Point 6 ? to know more ?
3. There's something for everyone!
Hong Kong's attractions do not stop at Disneyland. In fact, there are so many more amazing sights to see and activities to indulge in that there’s definitely something for all types of travelers!
Families will enjoy Disneyland, Ocean Park, visiting The Peak, meeting stars in lifelike waxwork at Madame Tussaud’s and having some fun at the Trick Eye Museum! We highly recommend getting the 3-in-1 Fast-track combo or the 4-in-1 Fast-track combo. You’ll get instant confirmation when you purchase it on the Klook app, which really helps save time (and money), especially during peak periods!
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Nature lovers, on the other hand, would love some peace and quiet at Dragon’s Back Trail. The trail boasts some stunning views of Hong Kong! And if you’ve always wanted to hike, but are afraid to start (ehem, me ?) – this is the best place to do so, as you and all your needs will be taken care of in a private hike tour with an English-speaking guide.
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But if all these do not appeal to you, then you must be a shopaholic and Hong Kong has just the right places for you too ? Do some street market shopping at Fang Yuen Street and Ladies’ Market, or head over to MOKO for some luxury shopping!
Don’t miss out on Old Town Central - akin to Singapore's Bugis Street - for a feel of the most hipster vibes in Hong Kong, old streets and to shop for some awesome Chinese souvenirs.
Also located in Old Town Central, the Police Married Quarters (PMQ) is a must visit for beneath it's hipster shopping front is an intriguing history! It cannot get anymore hipster in Hong Kong than at PMQ ?
Regardless of the type of traveller you are, we highly recommend a visit to The Peak for the best view of Hong Kong. The view is sure to dazzle you ?
Riding the famous Peak Tram is the best way to arrive at this Peak! Be it day or night, the view from this point is bound to take your breath away. In short, Hong Kong is lit ?
#HHWT Tip: This is one of Hong Kong's main attractions so the queues are often really long. And it's not just 1 queue we're talking about, but 2 queues - the ticket queue and the tram queue! So we highly recommend getting the Peak Tram Fast-Track Combo as you would not have to queue for tickets, and you'll also be in the priority line for the tram. From our personal experience (we visited during the peak period), the fast-track combo saved us a lot of time!
4. Strong Muslim community
The Muslim community in Hong Kong might be small, but it is strong! Religious classes and gatherings are held at Masjid Ammar (Ammar Mosque) and it is the place for Muslims from all around the world to gather. If you visit this mosque, you'd see many people from the local Muslim community along with many Muslim tourists so you know where to head to, should you need a friend or two ?
It is in this mosque (level 5) that you can find the best halal Dim Sum in Hong Kong, as mentioned in our first point. The staff here are really warm and friendly, creating a warm environment for an enjoyable meal ?
#HHWT tip: Aside from this mosque, Hong Kong has 5 other mosques – Jamia Mosque, Kowloon Mosque, Stanley Mosque, Chai Wan Mosque and Ibrahim Mosque ?
5. Accommodations for every budget in popular areas
If you want to be near halal food (we chose to stay really close to halal dim sum and roast duck), the great news is that it is easily available in popular tourist districts - Tsim Sha Tsui and Wanchai. The best part about these districts? Regardless of whether you're looking for budget accommodations or luxury ones, there is a huge variety for every budget!
6. Plenty of prayer rooms
Aside from the mosques, designated prayer spaces are available in Hong Kong! Disneyland itself has a prayer room that is just next to the halal-certified restaurant, Explorer's Club Restaurant.
It's all about comfort and convenience here, as they equip you with top notch wudhu facilities. We don't even have these in Singapore ?
Hong Kong Airport also has 2 designated prayer rooms complete with wudhu facilities!!
7. Extensive public transport
We took a mere 24 minutes to reach the heart of Hong Kong from the Airport via the Hong Kong Airport Express Train. We even enjoyed free WiFi onboard the train ? Get the cheapest Airport Express tickets in Hong Kong right here!
The express train is testament to how well-connected and fast the transport system in Hong Kong is. And it doesn't just stop there. The public transport here is so extensive that it's painless to travel around with the MTR, buses and trams.
#HHWT Tip: We purchased the Airport Express & MTR Travel Pass as we knew we were only travelling around by the MTR. The pass includes a single or return ride on the Airport Express into the city and 3 days of unlimited travel on the MTR system ? So if you're planning to travel around via the MTR, we highly recommend getting the pass at a discounted price!
Hong Kong is undoubtedly at the forefront of technology and they implement this even in their public transport spaces. Some MTR stations have iCentres which have a huge WiFi router with computer terminals for easy internet access! You can also charge your devices here - ideal for those whose portable chargers have run out of battery ?
If you foresee travelling around by both MTRs and buses, you’ll need the Tourist Octopus card which you can purchase in advance on Klook! It comes with HK$50 of preloaded credit and you can also use it while shopping and dining! In short, this tap-and-go is all-encompassing ? The best part is that you can take the gorgeous card home as a memorable souvenir of your time in Hong Kong!
8. Perfect for a short getaway (long weekends!)
It takes less than 4 hours to travel from Singapore or Malaysia to Hong Kong, making it the ultimate place to go for a short getaway (cue: long weekends!). Our team travelled to Hong Kong during the Labour Day long weekend and we managed to cover all the main sights and attractions in that short span of time while getting our fill of local food ?
Whether you're looking for a short breather from your daily life, an adventure or a shopping spree - this beautiful country offers anything and everything you need ☺️
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9. Something for every kind of shopper
Speaking of shopping...Hong Kong has plenty of shopping places for every kind of shopper! For those looking for sports gear and shoes, head over to Fa Yuen Street which is also known as Sport Shoes Street or Sneaker Street ? With over 50 shoes selling sport shoes, you will not be able to leave this place without buying a shoe or two (or maybe even more?) ?
If sport shoes are not your thing, perhaps this Ladies' Market is! Don't worry, men, they don't only sell things for ladies ? In fact, this market has over 100 shops of clothes, accessories and souvenirs for people of all ages! The trick to getting the best deals is to haggle your way there ?
But of course, Hong Kong has air-conditioned malls for those who prefer to be indoors rather than in the hustle and bustle of street markets. We recommend heading to MOKO - a seven-storey tall shopping mall, home to many luxury international brands! And if you ever get tired of shopping, head over to the IMAX located in the mall or bring your kids to the outdoor children's playground for a huge dose of fun ?
#HHWT Tip: Be sure to get the Tourist Octopus card to get easy access to the shopping places in Hong Kong as most shopping malls are well-connected to MTR stations!
10. Don't have to travel far for cooler temperatures
Air-conditioned places or not, Hong Kong, in general, is cooler than many countries in Asia - Singapore and Malaysia, especially. So if you need an escape from the 31 degree temperature here, you don't have to travel far! Hong Kong is simply incomparable in terms of distance and weather ?
With so many reasons to visit Hong Kong, it's hard for Muslim travellers to dismiss this beautiful country as a travel destination. In fact, we really enjoyed our time here and can’t wait to return!
And if you're looking for the best deals on attraction entrance tickets, transportation passes and more, book them from Klook! Use our promo code TRAVELHHWT to enjoy S$5 off your first booking. You don’t have to worry about forking out any extra money as the prices you see are all you have to pay! No hidden costs. At all. So you can plan your budget in advance ?
It's time to start planning your Hong Kong trip NOW ?
This article was brought to you by Klook.