8 Things Only People Living in Hong Kong Will Understand
Ah, Hong Kong: the (not so) fragrant harbour, the Pearl of the Orient. With a highly dense population of seven million people, sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the cosmopolitan city and forget the little things that make Hong Kong one of a kind.
Here are 8 things categorised under the four big necessities of life — 衣, 食, 住, 行 (Clothing, Food, Living, and Transport) that only people living in Hong Kong will understand.
衣 / Clothing
1. Street Markets
Forget Forever 21. From socks, to knock-off designer bags, to Halloween costumes, street markets are your go-to for cheap clothing and accessories.
2. Mini Malls
The hidden gems of the shopping world, mini malls like Island Beverly and Argyle Centre are your one-stop shop for clothes, manicure, and even piercings.
食 / Food
3. Convenient Stores
Did you know that 7-Eleven has 950 stores in the 1.16 square kilometres of Hong Kong ? Never fear, 7–11 is near.
4. Street Food Vendors
The best smell of winter is the smell of roasted chestnuts. Also, shout out to the egg waffle and fish ball guy on the corner for always saving me from starvation.
住 / Living
5. Expensive Real Estate
Looking for a new apartment? Say goodbye to your entire savings account.
6. Multi-Purpose Buildings
Only in Hong Kong would small shops, budget hotels, and restaurants be your next door neighbours. Think Chungking Mansions: great exchange rates, delicious Indian food, and (shady?) accommodation all in one place.
行 / Transport
7. Minibuses
Having to scream “yau lok” from the back of the bus so the red minibus driver can hear you and stop driving at 100mph. And that relief from anxiety when he puts up his hand to acknowledge your desperate cry was received.
8. The MTR during rush hour
Don’t lie. It’s happened to the best of us.
About HiStreet Hong Kong
Ever shop along the streets of the dense city, only to realise you can’t find what you need? Here is where the HiStreet mobile app comes in. We manually collect shop information into one handy directory, so you’re never lost.
