With so much to do in our city, why not start this new year with some new experiences?
Very rarely do we make it a point to veer off track from our standard routine and try something new. Although it may seem daunting to some, experimenting outside of your comfort zone can stimulate creativity or simply act as an edifying experience that enables you to learn something worthwhile. We’re here to help with a selection of the best places to try new things without feeling intimidated or overwhelmed. Enjoy these activities with long-time friends, as a means to get to know someone new or even to try solo for an exciting, inspirational and enlightening adventure. By Carina Fischer
RECOMMENDED: check out our list of Best Events in 2020, or in-line with doing new things, maybe this is your year to do things at the weekend that don't involve drinking!
Fancy a rewarding spin on the classic Hong Kong junk experience? Squid fishing may be your answer. Between June and September, enjoy a gentle summer breeze as you traverse through one of many squid fishing routes in Hong Kong waters. Most of them offer picturesque views of the harbor at night to appreciate whilst you fish. To top it all off, you will be able to instantly chow down on the freshly cooked squids of your labour, cooked on board for instant gratification.
Drinking, brewing and preparing tea is a fundamental aspect of Hong Kong culture. Yet, many are unfamiliar with the processes involved and rich history behind this beloved practice. Hong Kong hosts a wide range of specialised classes and museums that allow you to learn more about the origins of this under-appreciated art. Admire intricate tea ware from centuries past at the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea ware or take a tea tasting course at Lock Cha Tea House where you can compare various blends of teas before taking your favourite home to appreciate with your newfound understanding.
Where to do it:
Flagstaff House Museum of Tea ware
10 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong (inside Hong Kong Park)
2869 6690
Shop 01-G07, Block 1, Taikwun, 10, Hollywood Rd, Central
2276 5777
If you are looking to shape up this year but are bored of monotonous cardio sessions and repetitive, mundane movements, it may be time to switch things up. The exercise and fitness scene in Hong Kong has advanced rapidly over the past few years, with an extensive range of new and unique classes available. Boxing studio Lights Out combines energising music and dance with boxing for an enthralling nightclub vibe that is sure to help you get your sweat on. Alternatively, jump on the K-pop bandwagon and take a K-pop dance class at 4ward Fitness, the only Korean fitness studio in Hong Kong.
Where to do it:
11/F, The Pemberton, 22-26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan
2/F, MPM plaza, 11 Nelson street, Mong Kok, Kowloon
5802 0123
Although we are partial to curated galleries and exhibitions, much can be discovered from the rich and colourful street art of a city, from hefty commissioned murals to more personal, small-scale works. Take this as an excuse to explore the city whilst educating yourself about Hong Kong’s vibrant and growing street art scene right at your doorstep. Traverse the city on your own terms down back alleys and side streets for a more casual experience, or take one of the many guided street art tours for in-depth insight to the artists and history of some iconic works.
Where to do it:
This year, set some time aside for mindful meditation to cut through the commotion of hectic city life and restore some calm to the chaos. Fivelements makes this easy and time-efficient with their 20-minute Soundscapes experience. Using different electric waves, the classes provide distinctive and specific mental benefits including improving memory, expanding inner consciousness and quelling anxiety. The picturesque landscape illusions effectively transport mind and body to a place of peace, enabling you to leave the session revived and mentally reset.
Where to do it:
Soundscapes at Fivelements Habitat
Level 13A, Twr One, Times Square, 1 Matheson St, Causeway Bay
3106 2112
Sports such as football are often demanding and exhausting, which can be trying for those of us that haven’t ran since high school. Yet, team sports are a great way to spend quality time with friends while getting in a good cardio session. Our solution? Bubble football. Learn drills and strategy through the protection of a bouncy bubble shield, in preparation for the task of scoring the most goals in 4-minute rounds. Although this may not quite bring you up to scratch to play in the World Cup, this spunky activity is a wonderfully entertaining means for amateur athletes to bond through endless bouts of laughter.
Where to do it:
Bubble Soccer at Crossfire Arena
Shop 306-408, 3/F, D2 Place Two, 15 Cheung Shun St, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon
9669 0321
Hong Kong is famously known for its incredible eats of which many locals have enjoyed time and time again. Why not take your taste buds on an adventure and try unique, gastronomic alternatives at Bo Innovation. Their menu features clever spins on classic favourites, such as wagyu with black truffle ‘cheung fun’, molecular xiao long bao (which comes sans dumpling wrapper), and ‘green eggs and ham’, an exciting Dr Seuss-inspired dish combining
century egg with Yunnan ham.
Where to do it:
Shop 8, 1/F The Podium, J. Senses, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
2850 8371
Those that live in the midst of the city will understand that it is hard to catch even a reminiscent twinkle of a star in the light-polluted skies of Hong Kong. If trekking out to the more rural areas of Hong Kong armed with only a tent and sleeping bag isn’t really your thing, try ‘glamping’, for a glamourous camping excursion that takes the fuss and frenzy out of the experience. Mingle Farm in Yuen Long provides visitors with a transparent bubble-shaped ‘tents’, where you can fall asleep watching the stars from the comfort of a queen-sized mattress.
Where to do it:
Nim Wan Road, Pak Nai, Lau Fau Shan, Yuen Long, N.T.
2891 8263
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