Sprees for tight budgets

HONG KONG

It’s known to be a costly city but Hong Kong on the cheap is easier than most people think

Shermaine Wong, shermainewong@mediacorp.com.sg

Having travelled to Hong Kong numerous times for leisure, I never fail to hear disdainful comments from my friends in response to yet another trip. “Again?” or “Not sian (bored) ah?”

They have a point — 10 trips in three years, with my latest foray just a month back, probably does make me a boring traveller. Yet, every time I visit Hong Kong, there are new things to experience. The city never seems to run out of energy, and it is this allure that makes me return.

Of course, the wide range of shopping and food options is a draw as well. Visitors can find some extraordinary bargains here, despite the city being one of the world’s top 10 most expensive cities to live in.

To shop, the best time to go is at the peak of the summer sale from July to August, when goods in just about every store are steeply discounted. On the other hand, trawling the city’s nooks and crannies for the best buys will pleasantly expose one to the real deal — experience and value-wise.

Small budget, big finds

As much as Hong Kong is known for high-end designer labels, high street knock-offs at bargain prices are widely available, too — as long as shoppers know where to go.

Granville Street on Tsim Sha Tsui (Tsim Sha Tsui station) or Fa Yuen Street (Mong Kok East station) in the Mongkok district are hubs for trendy fashion that won’t break the bank.

A pair of trendy ballet flats that cost about $20 in Singapore can be got for $12 a pair there. Knitted tops and quality cardigans are priced from $8, while jeans go for about $20 a pair.

While most of the shops sell women’s wear, men can also find factory rejects of popular casual labels such as Nautica and Abercrombie. Polo tees start from around $15. The only setback is that many shops do not allow customers to try on the clothes, though they do allow for exchanges.

Warehouses are a good compromise for shoppers who love their designer labels but baulk at the sky-high prices. Space (2/F, Marina Square East Commercial Block, South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau) exclusively stocks Prada and Miu Miu. While prices are not bargain basement, they are significantly less than those at the main boutiques.

I scored a silk Prada blouse for $140, a price I consider a steal because the label’s clothes normally cost $500 or more.

A five minute cab ride from Space is the Lane Crawford Warehouse and Joyce Outlet which are housed in the same building (25/F and 21/F, respectively, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street).

Multi-label retailer Joyce stocks brands such as Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and Anna Sui at unbeatable prices, though Lane Crawford, known as the Harrods of Hong Kong, offers a bigger selection — menswear, ladieswear, bags, shoes and even home decor. Prices are significantly lower than those in the downtown stores. J brand — a jeans label widely favoured by Hollywood celebrities such as Heidi Klum and Eva Longoria — may be hard to find in Singapore and cost about $300 a pair on the brand’s website, but it was going for $170 here. Shoe lovers will find themselves in joyland — the likes of Giuseppe Zanotti and Christian Louboutin, normally priced from $900 a pair in Singapore, can be got for $200.

For techies, the good news is that electronic goods in Hong Kong are generally 30 to 40 per cent cheaper than those in Singapore. Try Mongkok Computer Centre (8 Nelson Street) for computers, related products and miscellaneous electronic goods.

At smaller, independent stores, shoppers can get better deals by bargaining, which is a widely-accepted practice that can see 20 per cent knocked off the bill.

Eat more for less

Some of the best dining experiences to be had in Hong Kong are easily affordable.

Street food, as any seasoned traveller will tell you, often offers a true glimpse into a country’s culinary heritage. Not only is it tasty and cheap, the experience of hunching over a gritty sidewalk tearing into freshly-prepared chow is unbeatable.

In Hong Kong, stalls hawking street food ranging from grilled squid and stewed innards to the quintessential Hong Kong snack of curry fishballs can be found on most street corners. Prices start from $1.

Cha chan tengs (teahouses) are to Hong Kong what coffeeshops are to Singapore. Try the popular Tsui Wah Restaurant (15-19 Wellington Street, Central). Its menu is diverse — Indian curry, Hainanese chicken rice, comfort food such as vermicelli in rich broths and more — and portions are huge. A must-try is their soft toasted buns drizzled with butter and condensed milk. The place gets so crowded during lunch that customers will find themselves sharing tables with strangers. A meal starts from $8.

For restaurant-standard food at low prices, a dai pai dong is the tourist’s best bet. Similar to Singapore’s zi char stalls, dai pai dong hawkers once roamed the streets selling their fare by the roadside but have since cleaned up their act and moved into more sanitised environments.

Gi Kee Seafood Restaurant (Shop 4, 2/F Wong Nai Chung Municipal Services Building, 2 Yuk Sau Street, Happy Valley) is popular. Try the sharks’ fin soup, roasted garlic chicken and fresh seafood, which cost roughly a third less than restaurant prices. There is another dai pai dong beside Gi Kee and once the lift doors open, staff from both stalls will shove menus at undecided customers, so indicate which stall you’d like to patronise. The setting may be basic, but the cuisine, like the shopping in Hong Kong, will no doubt entice patrons to return.

From TODAY, Traveller – Thursday, 30-April-2009