Before we begin the journey, I’ll share some background information about myself. I'm Parker, a 19-year-old trans man with a passion to explore different environments and cultures all over the world. I have been wanting to start travelling for years and with no-one jumping at the opportunity to join and finally being at an age where it is easier to travel alone, I decided to give solo travelling a try. With Hong Kong being a direct and cheap ticket at the time, I booked it with a month spare to prepare and plan my trip.
Truth be told, I’m a big procrastinator and ended up booking the majority of my plans after I arrived, while focusing primarily on the language and cultural do's and don'ts during the month leading up to my departure. The thought of going alone to a different country surprisingly caused me little to no worry, in fact it didn’t hit me that I was travelling alone at all until I was standing in the Hong Kong International airport without anyone to help guide me where to go.
It is important to remember that everyone can react to experiences differently – so if the thought of solo travel makes you feel anxious, read on and I hope I'll be able to assuage some of that anxiety.
Always keep in mind that even though you are alone physically, there are so many people willing to help all around you!
Now, on to Hong Kong. It is a special administrative region of China and has a population of around 7.5 million people, making it the fourth most densely populated region in the world. It is commonly known as a paradise for shoppers, with over 700 shops located only within Tsim Sha Tsui, however I found on my journey that it’s more than just shops and has something that every type of person will enjoy.
From British-inspired, Hong Kong cuisine for foodies, to more modern Hong Kong-style dishes and light and aromatic traditional Cantonese food there are incredible tastes around every corner.
To keep you busy during the day, you can try hikes with breathtaking views of the panoramic cityscape, bustling city streets and peaceful monasteries.
I’ll take you on my trip around Hong Kong with some helpful tips and guidance for other LGBT+ solo travelers.
Is Hong Kong Safe and LGBT+ Friendly?
Hong Kong is generally considered an LGBT+ tolerant destination and I definitely felt that way too. During the week I spent within the city, I felt incredibly safe and welcomed, and often ventured out at night with no problems or predicaments with locals or other tourists. Whenever I ate out at restaurants and went shopping, the locals were incredibly kind and often helped me choose what was the best food to have or places to go.
Hong Kong has a low violent crime rate, but like anywhere you may encounter pickpocketing or petty theft. Due to how crowded it can get within the cities and trains, make sure to always keep your personal belongings close and your wits about you.
It is important to recognise that Hong Kong still does not recognize same-sex marriages and has limited legal protection for sexual orientation-based discrimination. I never experienced any altercations during my stay, but I would advise caution for how openly you express yourself and minimise PDA if you bring your partner as it can attract stares.
Another thing to keep in mind is how you’re getting there. Some flight routes have layovers in countries which are not LGBT+ friendly so please keep that in mind when booking your flights.
How to get around?
There are three main regions in Hong Kong: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and the New Territories.
My accommodation was within Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, and to be able to get around the whole of Hong Kong I only used the MTR (the mass transport railway). With around 5 million people using it daily, The MTR is the go-to way to get around Hong Kong by both locals and tourists. It has a very well-designed network and runs smoothly with little to no cancellations or train delays.
It can be confusing for the first time with all the different routes, so using the MTR App to plan your journeys, see timings, and the costs of the trains is extremely helpful. Once you understand how it works, it is the cheapest and easiest form of transport to get you around Hong Kong.
However, the MTR may not be able to get to the more rural areas and the new territories. For these, another quick and cheap alternative would be buses, all the bus routes/timings and costs would also be on the MTR app.
An Octopus Card which you can get off Klook, an online app, for £9 and collect from the airport, is a safe, convenient way to make payments when you’re using public transport.
Both Uber and Taxis are available to get as well in case you find the public transport overstimulating or if you need a quick pick up/drop off.
How long do I stay for?
I spent 7 days within the city and as someone who can get overly stimulated with loud noises and people, I believe around 3 days would be more than enough time to allow you to visit monuments and monasteries whilst also checking out the famous shopping malls like K11 and Harbour City.
The bustling and crowded atmosphere can be strenuous after 3 days if you aren’t used to busy streets, so island hopping or taking a trip around the new territories make a good addition to your trip. With over 200 islands to choose from you’ll be spoilt for choice! I regret not taking advantage more of the rural islands as I stayed mostly in the more populated areas.
Attractions to visit and activities to attend:
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Tours - I attended two tours during my stay. One tour was around Central Hong Kong and was centered around learning the culture as well as getting to experience a traditional dim sum restaurant lunch. While the other tour focused on exploring Lantau Island’s fishing village, visiting the Big Buddha and then getting the Ngong Ping 360 back to Central Hong Kong. Tours are a great thing to incorporate into your stay if you get anxious exploring by yourself, want some extra structure to your day, or if you simply want to get some local insight into Hong Kong’s past and its hidden gems.
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Lan Kwai Fong Bar Crawl - A sure way to meet people during your stay is to go on a bar crawl. If you want to meet other travelers and enjoy a drink in the process, I would highly recommend booking one. While meeting a group of strangers and engaging in conversation may seem incredibly daunting, you end up meeting people from all over the world and having some priceless moments and memories. After your bar crawl, there are many gay/Lesbian bars in Hong Kong which you can attend, such as Bing Bing and L’Paradis. I sadly did not have time after to attend these as the last train back to where I was staying was at midnight, however the reviews speak for themselves. (As always, make sure to be safe and keep your location on for a friend or family member with regular updates.)
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Victoria Peak – Victoria Peak is a mountain that looms over the skyscrapers within the city, at a height of 552 meters, it is the tallest point in all of Hong Kong. By taking a tram, which is the fastest and cheapest way up, you will encounter landscape views of the city which are unparalleled.
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Dragons Back Trail – Dragons Back Trail is an 8.5-km-long trail which takes between 2 and 5 hours to complete depending on your fitness level. It is located around the southeastern corner of Hong Kong Island. Make sure to pack snacks and drinks as there are no restaurants along the trail! The views on clear days are extraordinary but due to this you may come across a lot of people.
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Star Ferry - The Star Ferry is a passenger ferry service with its main route going across Victoria Harbour linking Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The views at night across the Ferry are beautiful and with prices from around £2-£5 it's a must-see attraction.
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Nan Lian garden & Chi Lin Nunnery - Nan Lian Garden is a classical Chinese garden with a souvenir shop and a vegetarian food restaurant on site. Right next to the garden, connected by a footbridge over the road, is Chi Lin Nunnery which is a large Buddhist temple complex dating from the 1930’s and a charitable organisation since 1963. Inside you’ll find Tang Dynasty architecture and Buddhist relics. The closest MTR station to these destinations is Diamond Hill.
Where to eat?
Breakfast: My Cup of Tea/Australian Dairy Company (only accepts cash)
Lunch/dinners: Ding Dim 1968/Dim Dim Sum/Chin Sik
Sweet food/drinks: Mammy Pancake/Bakehouse/The Alley
Vegetarian options are available, but Vegan options are limited to none.
Where to stay?
If you want to meet others and make friends on your trip, a hostel is an affordable and great option. There are private rooms available too if sharing a room doesn’t sound appealing. You can use search filters when searching for hostels/hotels such as LGBTQ+ Friendly to ensure you have booked a place which will make you feel safe and comfortable. There are many hotels within Hong Kong when looking on Booking.com, but don’t forget to check out Airbnb for any deals!
Important note: passing privilege
It’s important to recognise that even though I am a trans man, I am far into my transition and pass quite well. I may have been treated differently if I went at the beginning of my transition or if I were a trans woman for example. We all have different and unique experiences, and my experiences may not reflect those of other LGBT+ travellers views on Hong Kong. If you feel comfortable, please share your experiences of travelling as a trans person in the comments. We would love to hear what you think.
Extra Tips:
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Book your Tours and activities through ‘Get Your Guide’ or ‘Klook’.
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Use Google maps to save places you ‘want to go’; this makes planning your day easier.
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Helpful Apps; Klook, Get Your Guide, MTR (I cannot stress how useful this app is if you’re planning on taking public transportation), Google translate, Booking.com, Airbnb.
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Get a Sim or an E-Sim to allow you to use google maps outside of your accommodation.
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You can get an app for your Octopus card online to add money whenever it is needed rather than having to transfer money onto it with cash at the MTR, however it is only available for iPhone 8 and above.
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There is an airport express train which links the urban area with Hong Kong International Airport. It's faster, safer and quieter. The only downfall is that you arrive at Hong Kong main station and then need to find MTR or get a taxi or shuttle to your destination.
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During my stay there were lots of other solo travelers wandering around – this helps you feel less lonely ironically!
Comments
This was a fantastic blog, Parker! I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences when travelling around Hong Kong; it sounds like a wonderful destination to explore.