Adventures in Asia, Part 1: Hello, Hong Kong!
- Feb 4, 2017
- 4 min read
Welcome back! I know, I know, it's been a while. I've been off traveling, one of my greatest joys in life, particularly when I get to do so alongside my lovely Zack. The weeks leading up to this epic trip were filled with lots of research, planning and packing (And unpacking and repacking...and so forth. Eleven days with just a carry-on is no easy feat!)
We've been wanting to travel somewhere in Asia for a few years, and we finally decided on Thailand. It seemed like the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation—which it totally was. And coming from New York, everything was really inexpensive, which made it even more enjoyable. Though the flights are pricey, food, activities and shopping are much less expensive than anywhere you'd go for a warm-weather getaway in the US or Caribbean. Bottom line: I HIGHLY recommended Thailand. The people, the food, the culture—it was such an amazing adventure.
Our trip technically began Tuesday evening, as we headed to the airport for our flight to Hong Kong, the first stop on our itinerary. Once I realized we could not fly direct to Bangkok, I thought it would be fun to extend our layover and enjoy a day in Hong Kong. I regret not staying over one night, but we still had the day to shop, eat and explore. Because of the time difference, we lost all of Wednesday and arrived bright and early Thursday morning (though it's never really "bright" in Hong Kong, given all the smog).
Getting from the airport to Hong Kong Island was very easy—they have a train called the Airport Express which brings you right to the island, where we decided to spend the day. And thanks to a friend's recommendations (thanks, Kabes!), we knew exactly what areas to explore. It was still early when we arrived, so we stowed our luggage, conveniently located in the city's train terminal, and headed out on foot in search of breakfast. After a quick refuel (re: coffee) at a Marks & Spence (lots of British influence throughout the city), we wandered around, grabbing some fruit and little nibbles, stopping every 200 feet to take pictures. We explored Lan Kwai Fong, Victoria Harbor, the Financial District and Soho before making our way to a delicious (and very authentic) dim sum lunch. We contemplated taking the tram to Victoria Peak, but it was quite foggy, and we really wanted to see daily life in the city.
Ironically, we had a hard time finding a place for dim sum—I think because we were there during the week (it's more of a weekend activity) and we are also hungry quite early. I had researched several places, but most opened at 11, or even later. Never-the-less, we finally stumbled upon Treasure Lake Seafood Restaurant. And what a treasure it was! I was secretly very excited to be the only westerns in the restaurant...which, according to my own methodology, implies that the food must be very good. As it was! We tried all sorts of things but my favorites were the Chinese Broccoli and a Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll. Disclaimer: I'm sure it wasn't 100% gluten-free, but luckily I didn't get sick. (And sadly, the one photo I took is rather unappetizing, so no photo evidence of our dim sum feast)
After lunch we wandered a bit more, made our way back to the airport, and continued on to Bangkok, which was a very easy two hour flight.
By the time we arrived at our hotel, we were exhausted. But not too tired for a foot massage! In case you didn't know, Thailand is known for their massages. That and Mango Sticky Rice. (Truly, what could be better than a vacation that consists of constant massages and carb-laden sweets?) After an effortless check-in (Hotel Muse FTW) we headed out to explore the Langsuan neighborhood and surrounding area in hopes of a foot massage to kick off our Bangkok stay. This first place was booked for the night (at 10:30 pm they were still going strong!) but luckily there was another spa about 300 feet away. Jasmine Massage was everything we could have hoped for after 24 hours of travel: clean, easy, hospitable and inexpensive. After a quick doze mid-massage, we headed to bed.
I have so much to share about our incredible trip, so I've decided to break up my recap into 4 parts. Check back soon for a recap on our first full day in Bangkok, an incredibly lively city that I thoroughly enjoyed!
Quick note on Hotel Muse: I did a lot of research on hotels, but ultimately there are SO many that it's a bit overwhelming and hard to pick. We were able to use our credit card points for several nights of our trip, so we opted for something on upper-end of the mid-tier range. I absolutely loved this boutique hotel! Some may think the decor is a bit cheeky (it's got dark interiors with a slight faux-prohibition/speakeasy vibe) but I enjoyed it! The service and amenities were all great, and I found the location to be fantastic. It's a bit a ways from the major tourist attractions (Wat Pho, Weekend Market, etc.) but I liked that it was less chaotic and a little more laid-back. It's also just two blocks from the metro, and if you enjoy walking and exploring, as we do, it's easy to access Siam and the downtown area.
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