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Ellie Cohen (@ellieecohen): My Top 10 Tips for Hong Kong Newcomers
HONG KONG
Moving to Hong Kong comes with a crash course in city living, even if you've lived in one your whole life. You'll quickly learn that umbrellas are essential, air-conditioned shortcuts are worth memorising, and your favourite pair of heels will probably never see daylight again.
Eight months after making the move from London, these are the lessons, local hacks and favourite finds that have helped me feel at home.
All images are courtesy of Ellie Cohen (@ellieecohen).
1. Forget the Early Starts
Hong Kong is not an early morning city. Gone are the 5am wake-ups and 9.30pm bedtimes. Later mornings and later nights all round.
2. The Humidity Will Be Challenging, But You Will Learn to Live With It
You don't get used to it exactly; you just handle it better. You'll discover all the cut-throughs with aircon around the city, learn to perfect a slick back, invest in a lot of linen, and never go anywhere without a mini fan. My humidity survival kit is hypochlorous spray for my face, the Kerastase elixir oil for smoothing frizzy hair, and the Utena styling stick that lives in every bag I own. You can get both of those from Lung Fung. Living Proof's Advanced Clean dry shampoo is another non-negotiable; get it from Sephora or Lane Crawford.
3. Your Skin Will Break Out – But Don’t Panic
The stress of moving took it out of me, let alone the weather and the completely different food. My skin broke out badly when I first arrived, but luckily, I discovered Justine from SkinHQ early on. I now get regular facials there, and my skin has never felt better. Justine reviews my AM and PM routine regularly and tells me what my skin actually needs here versus what it needed in London.
4. You Don't Have to Go Far to Switch Off
Hong Kong is fast-paced and can be overwhelming, but escaping it is easy. There are hiking trails 30-40 minutes away, a weekend favourite of mine, especially the ones that end on a beach. But you don't even need a full hike to get away from the city. The morning trail to the Peak via Lugard Road is amazing and the views never get old. A pre-dinner walk along Bowen Road, a wander round the Botanical Gardens when I need to get out of my head and at least one harbour walk a week with a good podcast.
5. Meeting People is Easier Than You'd Think
Everyone is in the same boat and open to meeting people. Put yourself out there, and you won’t have a problem. I really recommend joining a regular workout class or run club (there are so many!). I go to a pilates class at Signature Sculpt every weekend, which is always followed by a coffee with a group of us, and I have met some great friends. There are also a lot of community events around the city too. We went to a Venner monthly Mingle when we first moved here and met some of our closest friends there.
6. Never Leave the House Without an Umbrella
I've been caught out far too many times! It rains often, and when it does, it's very random and very heavy.
7. Your Step Count is About to Get a Serious Upgrade
15-20k a day is classed as normal. One of the best things is how walkable this city is!
8. It's the Safest I've Ever Felt in a City
This has genuinely been my favourite part of moving here from London. I recently got up at 4.30am (yes, mad) to watch the World Cup with friends and walked through Central completely on my own, with hardly anyone around, and not one part of me was concerned.
9. You Will Never Wear a Heel Again
Hong Kong is stylish but never too dressy, and a night out means walking non-stop between places, so lots of hills and cobbles. I pretty much live in flip flops and ballet flats, and I couldn’t be happier.
10. You'll Eat out 3-5 Days a Week, Which is Sometimes Cheaper Than Buying Groceries
There is always a new place to try and it is just so easy to go out here, the list is always growing but here are some of my favourites. For a fun dinner with friends, Lai's Kitchen is traditional with an elevated edge. The black cod and chicken wings are unbeatable. Samsen needs no introduction. You genuinely cannot order a bad dish and the Sheung Wan branch is my favourite. I go to Terracotta on Lamma Island for a Mediterranean escape from Central, with a beautiful setting and great wine. Peking Garden in the Landmark offers the best Peking duck in the city (in my opinion). I suggest Gróa in Repulse Bay when you've got time for a long lunch. For char siu, it's a toss-up between Fat J and Chukfo Taipan, both in Wan Chai. For something quick, head to Rempah Noodles in Wan Chai, Cheung Hing Kee for their famous pan-fried buns in Central, Tsim Chai Kee for their two topping noodle and broth, and Uoya Zen in Central for Japan-quality stand-up sushi. My favourite cafes are Rootdown in SYP, which does great food too, Social Goods, and Venner for the best matcha coconut in town.
Bonus – You Have to Try a Traditional Ear Cleaning, and You’ll Want to Schedule Regular Foot Massages With All the Walking
When I first got here, I discovered the traditional ear cleaning treatment, which has become a favourite of mine every few months. I take everyone who is visiting to get one, and they absolutely love it! It’s one of those things that sounds strange until you try it. Loads of places offer it, but I go to this one: T.S. Massage Spa (1/F, 49 Kamming House, Queen's Road Central). For foot massages, that same spot is good. I also like Soho Relax, just off the Mid-Levels escalator or Yun Sun Massage on Mosque Junction – I always ask for it to be softer because it can sometimes be really firm!
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