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Ken Abroad looks back on four weeks exploring Hong Kong and Macau and answers questions about his choices, discoveries and plans. He wanted to experience East Asia and authentic Cantonese food, and found Hong Kong more organized and clean than he expected. He contrasts the city's reserved public behavior with experiences in Southeast Asia and says he regrets not exploring more mountains and islands. Ken describes research using Google, forums, blogs and YouTube, with help from a researcher, while leaving room for spontaneous discovery. He talks about choosing busy street-food stalls that cook fresh food, visa applications for mainland China, wearing a mask to follow local customs and working off camera on editing and trip planning. He compares Hong Kong's cost of living with Southeast Asia and Western countries, and says he plans to return to Hong Kong and Macau and travel to mainland China and Taiwan.
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Four weeks in Hong Kong and Macau
Ken Abroad reflects on four weeks traveling through Hong Kong and Macau and answers questions from viewers. He chose the destinations because he had spent time in Southeast and South Asia but had not yet visited East Asia. Hong Kong and Macau were easy for him to travel to without a visa, and he wanted to try authentic Cantonese food. He enjoyed Hong Kong's organization and cleanliness but regrets not exploring the mountains and islands more, including hiking and visiting some of the outlying islands.
Ken compares Hong Kong with Southeast Asia, describing people as more reserved and public life as organized and efficient. He initially imagined Hong Kong as a concrete jungle but found mountains, rural villages, beaches and islands as well as dense urban areas. He says the city felt cleaner and more orderly than many Southeast Asian cities and compares it favorably with Western cities. The mix of urban infrastructure and natural landscapes changed his initial impression.
Research, food and future plans
For travel research, Ken uses Google, travel forums, blogs and YouTube guides to identify places to see, local markets, areas to stay and activities such as hiking or boat trips. He also works with a researcher who helps find places. He balances advance planning for food, attractions and accommodation with spontaneous discoveries after arrival. When eating street food, he chooses busy places where many locals are eating and the food is cooked fresh, avoiding stalls where meat has been sitting out for hours.
Ken discusses Hong Kong's pros and cons: he likes the food, reserved culture, organization, cleanliness and public transport, while the cost of living is high. He estimates prices at roughly twice those in Southeast Asia, though still below Western countries. He says tourist visas for mainland China are being issued but may require an application rather than being available on arrival. He plans to travel to mainland China, including Shanghai, Beijing and rural areas, and also hopes to explore Taiwan by motorbike.
Ken shares his favorite food experiences, explains that he wore a mask because many locals were still wearing them and he wanted to follow the custom, and describes his off-camera routine: editing videos, posting on social media, answering emails, researching, planning trips and booking hotels. He confirms he wants to return to Hong Kong and Macau, especially to explore Mong Kok and more mountains and islands. The vlog closes with his reflections on living in Hong Kong as a potential base and the trade-off between its high costs and food and transport advantages.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Why did you choose Hong Kong and Macau?
- A: Ken had spent time in Southeast and South Asia but had not yet visited East Asia. Hong Kong and Macau were easy to reach without a visa, and he wanted to try authentic Cantonese food.
- Q: What's your biggest regret?
- A: He regrets not exploring the mountains and islands more, and says he should have joined hiking tours and visited some islands.
- Q: What's different between Southeast Asia and Hong Kong?
- A: Ken finds people more reserved in Hong Kong and describes daily life as more organized and efficient than in some Southeast Asian cities.
- Q: How did you find interesting places?
- A: He uses Google, travel forums, blogs and YouTube, and also works with a researcher who helps him find places to visit.
- Q: What are the pros and cons of Hong Kong?
- A: Ken likes the food, reserved people, organization, cleanliness and range of activities. The main drawback he names is the high cost of living.
- Q: Have you ever gotten sick from street food?
- A: Ken says he has not had major food poisoning. He chooses busy places where food is cooked fresh and avoids stalls with meat left out for a long time.
- Q: Will you travel to mainland China?
- A: Yes. He is curious to see more of China, including Shanghai, Beijing and rural areas, and wants to look beyond Western media portrayals.
- Q: Why did you wear a mask?
- A: Many locals were still wearing masks, and Ken thought it was respectful to follow the local custom.
- Q: What do you do when you're not filming?
- A: He edits videos, posts on social media, answers emails, does research, plans trips, books hotels and walks around to explore his surroundings.
- Q: Is Hong Kong expensive?
- A: Ken says it costs more than Southeast Asia but less than Western countries. He estimates prices at about twice those in Southeast Asia.
- Q: Will you return to Hong Kong and Macau?
- A: Definitely. He wants to see more of Hong Kong's mountains and islands, and he enjoyed his time in Macau as well.
