Myths and Misconceptions about Hong Kong

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When you hear “Hong Kong,” what do you think of? If you’re anything like me, you probably just think of a vagueeee political connection to China somehow but aren’t really sure how it all fits. You might have even heard some myths and misconceptions about Hong Kong sprinkled in between. And if that’s all you know, that’s fine! CUZ YOU’RE ABOUT TO LEARN TODAY!

How did I end up in Hong Kong in the first place

I booked my trip to Hong Kong on a whim. I would be in Singapore (2018), and Hong Kong was an easier (and cheaper) stop-over on my way back to the West Coast USA. Basically zero planning went into my trip and zero preparation. But when I actually-actually got there, I WAS BLOWN AWAY.

The rich history, the thriving culture, and the quirks and ticks of the streets and alleys of this multi-island region. I fell in love with all of it. But that said….I am LITERALLY a tourist with no personal connection to Hong Kong, AND I only visited for four days. In the grand scheme of things, I really don’t know ANYTHING about Hong Kong.

That’s where Nam comes in. I’ve enlisted the help of my blogger friend Nam and Hong Kong local to show you what Hong Kong is REALLY like and debunk all of the myths and misconceptions about Hong Kong underneath all of the political news lines. Because a place is more than its headlines!! And it’s important to know that.

Nam, the founder and curator behind Laugh Travel Eat, is a Hong Kong blogger and content creator. She was born and raised in Hong Kong, and Nam now works full time as a travel writer, tour guide, and blogger along with her twin Wing (who is often the photographer and trip planner behind the scenes), and a team of highly skilled individuals to round out the blog.

NOW LETS START LEARNING

If you’re new to my blog, then hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! I’m Kay. And this is the part where I ask all of the “dumb,” and “obvious,” and “potentially ignorant??” questions about a country to a local so that YOU DONT HAVE TO! So I think it would probably be best to start with the question on everyone’s mine, and the one that was the most baffling to me…

1. So liiiike…is Hong Kong part of China??

Nam: Yes, Hong Kong is part of China ever since it was returned in 1997 from the UK after a ‘100-year lease’. However, we (Hong Kong) still have our own immigration system, currency, economy, and government.

In the distance, you can see Mainland China (the city of Shenzhen) across the Hong Kong-China border.

Kay: This was so hard for me to…grasp, I suppose, because when I was in Hong Kong, EVERYTHING was so different and distinct from China-China. Hong Kong citizens have their own passports, Hong Kong has it’s own flag and passport stamp and everything. For example, USA citizens do NOT need a visa to visit Hong Kong. However, they DO need a visa to visit mainland China.

Buuut, TECHNICALLY at this second on paper, it’s a China-Chinese city. So Hong Kong’s current status is a totally different concept of Hong Kong than how our parents and older generations knew of it.

2. So what changed? How did Hong Kong develop independently from China?

Kay: “Hong Kong” has been around and inhabited since literally the Stone Age. It became “part of China” -or rather the Chinese empire- with it’s very loose inclusion during the Qin dynasty in 221-206-ish BC. It was mostly a fishing and farming community.

Hong Kong Island viewed from Kowloon across Victoria Harbour

Nam: However, Hong Kong was leased to the UK in the early 19th century through the Nanking Treaty, ending the First Opium War. With its deepwater harbor and strategic position, Hong Kong quickly became an important trade spot and flourished under British rule.

Eventually, China leased more land to the British in 1897 that encompass the whole of Hong Kong we know today for 100 years. There was a brief period of Japanese occupation during WWII, but in general Hong Kong thrived in the commercial and financial industry for Britain.

-and thennnn the 100 year lease was up-

Eventually, it all came to the end in 1997 when the lease was over and Hong Kong was peacefully returned to Mainland China. HOWEVER, when the British handed over Hong Kong to China, there was (and still is!) an agreement that Hong Kong should retain autonomy for 50 years (until 2047). Hence, Hong Kong continues to be its own autonomous region, but with influence from China.

3. Do people from Hong Kong consider themselves Chinese?

Nam: If you ask someone from Hong Kong about their ethnicity, we are going to say that yes, we are Chinese. But we make the distinction with the fact that we are from Hong Kong.

Tourists from China has a bad reputation – even here. Generally, because of their lack of regard for personal space, hygiene, and politeness.

Another difference is that Hong Kong speaks Cantonese. It is the official language of Hong Kong. While Cantonese is also spoken around Guangdong province, the majority of mainland Chinese tourists do not. Mandarin and Cantonese are completely different languages. We also speak better English here, in general, because we learn English in school.

4. Soooo….Hong Kong speaks English??

Nam: Most citizens of Hong Kong start learning English as early as three years old in Kindergarten (equivalent to “preschool” in other countries). It WAS a British colony after all.

So most people who GREW UP in Hong Kong speak a decent level of English. All of the signs and public transport in Hong Kong will have Chinese and English translations. We also learned Mandarin in school, but to a much lesser extent, so a lot of people in Hong Kong are trilingual. That said, there are a lot of people from mainland China who immigrated to Hong Kong, so their English is not as strong.

Kay: I am an American who speaks absolute zero Cantonese. Or Mandarin for that matter. I did perfectly fine in Hong Kong with just English.

5. What was it like growing up in Hong Kong?

Nam: Growing up in Hong Kong was great! The stereotypes of strict Asian parents are mostly true, and we are expected to get good grades. With both of my parents working, my grandparents played an important role in raising me and my sister. Once we started primary school, we were also put in half-day care so they can pick us up after school. That kind of multi-generational care and involvement is pretty common in Hong Kong.

Growing up (and even to this day!), we ate dim sum with the extended family for brunch on Saturday and catch up with everyone. For fun, my parents took us to the theme park for big occasions, but usually just to a park or the beach on our days off.

YES, Hong Kong has a beach.

Nowadays, hiking is a lot more popular for family and friends.

6. Is the air in Hong Kong super polluted?

Nam: No! – at least not to the extreme you are probably thinking. Aside from the busiest stretch of roads, the pollution in Hong Kong isn’t bad at all. However, we are plagued by the pollution that blows down from China from time to time.

Personally, I live in a more rural region of Hong Kong and we don’t have any pollution here at all! The majority of the manufacturing factories in Hong Kong have moved to China to reduce costs, so aside from traffic, the pollution sources in Hong Kong are limited.

Kay: Speaking as a Californian who grew up in Los Angeles, the smog aint that bad.

7. Is there ANY bit of nature in the city or green places to escape into?

Nam: The biggest misconception of Hong Kong is that it is a concrete jungle. But actually almost 65% of the country is made up of parks, beaches, and mountains.

Hong Kong’s urban density is high and concentrated in pockets of areas, but we have so many amazing hiking trails and beaches. Hiking has become one of the favorite pastimes for locals and tourists are beginning to see this other side to our city. So come for a hike when you visit to experience Hong Kong in a greener light!

8. Is Hong Kong just one island?

Nam: No, Hong Kong is made up of many islands, which includes Hong Kong Island, where the British first settled. The airport, for example, is actually located on another island called Lantau Island.

Many of the islands are populated and a popular destination for a day trip, such as Cheung Chau and Lamma Island. Personally, my favorite is Sharp Island offshore from Sai Kung, which is a tombolo and home to the beautiful Half Moon Beach.

9. What are the MUST EAT foods in Hong Kong?

Nam: Dim sum is one of the most famous food in Hong Kong and Tim Ho Wan is the number one choice for me. It is Michelin recommended and very affordable, with the location in Sham Shui Po being the best.

Egg Waffle is also a favorite of mine, a street snack that originated from Hong Kong. In fact, I like it so much that I have a whole article on the best Egg Waffle in Hong Kong and where to get them!

10. Are those tall apartments “the ghetto” of Hong Kong?

Nam: Most people in Hong Kong live in apartments. Hong Kong apartments are much smaller than in most other places in the world. And since the population in urban areas is very dense, it is very common for apartment buildings to have forty floors! Most apartments form “estates,” consisting of five to twenty (or even more) blocks of apartments, with security and even lobbies for private estates. It’s basically its own mini housing community.

Montane Mansion – a famous Instagram spot and housing estate

However, Hong Kong still has small villages too! As well as richer neighborhoods where people live in individual houses or villas. Did any of you read the last book in the ‘Crazy Rich Asian’ trilogy? THEY lived in individual houses.

As for the ‘ghetto’, these coffin-sized homes are famous. One, for being on Transformers. But also the living situation is unique! To reduce rent, apartment owners subdivide their ALREADY SMALL apartment into smaller living spaces and rent them out to others.

There are definitely housing issues in Hong Kong. Most young adults live at home because the rent is simply unaffordable. BUT, these apartments are not equivalent to what Western countries know as “the ghetto” or “the projects.”

Kay: Just to put it in perspective. I went into a real estate office while in Hong Kong. I know, I do weird things on my vacations haha. Anyways, ONE of these apartments costs over (the equivalent) of ONE MILLION USD. And it was the size of my studio in Portland, Oregon. SO no, it’s not where the few “the poverty line” demographic folks live.

11. Do Hong Kong citizens travel frequently?

Nam: Hong Kong people love to travel! THEY LOVE IT. The most popular destinations are Taiwan, Japan, and Thailand, which are within easy reach and have cheap flights.

In particular, Taipei, Tokyo, and Bangkok are among the top favorite cities for both their delicious food and abundant shopping opportunities. Oh yeah, did I mention? We love to shop too.

When I was in primary school, my parents would take me and my sister on an overseas trip every summer, which is a common thing for families to do. Family travel is a popular way for us to travel, especially for the older generation, because it’s likely to be cheaper and you don’t have to plan an itinerary by yourself.

12. What is one thing you want people to know about your country and the people there?

Nam: While it might not look like it at first glance, people in Hong Kong can be very friendly, passionate, and helpful! All you need to do is break the ice and ask. I would say 80% of the time you’ll find a kind soul to help you.