One Fast Day in Hong Kong: Walking Down Nathan Road in Kowloon

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If you’ve never been to Shenzhen or Beijing, have an extra day and a China Visa, it is super simple to take a train from the Kowloon side of Hong Kong to Shenzhen. Get off the train, go through Immigration, walk right into Lowu Commercial City shopping mall and shop until you drop. This was my bright-eyed busy tail morning idea since we had a China Visa before mulling it over to decide it was too much of a hassle having Immigration stamp us out of Hong Kong, filling out an Entry Form for China, and then going through the entire process on the way back.

Currency is the Hong Kong dollar (HK$). I use an ATM for the best rates and they are chock-a-block in Hong Kong, Asia’s business capital on both sides of Victoria Harbor, in MTR subway stations and even Star Ferry concourses.

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Hong Kong is a mix of old and new. There are ramshackle buildings, uber-modern high-rises, a mixture of the former British colony’s culture and some of Asia’s richest people; Stephen Hung is just one example. His company bought 30 Rolls-Royce Phantoms, for $20 million to use at his new casino in Macau to transport guests! The widening gap between rich and poor in Hong Kong was just one impetus for demonstrations during our visit. The demonstration also put a crimp in touring Hong Kong Island and we stayed on Kowloon.

map shows Nathan Road, Kowloon

statue near Kowloon Park

take-away food on Nathan Road, Kowloon

There is more than enough for visitors to see and do on the Kowloon side and after ingesting enough buffet breakfast calories to keep a weight lifter going for days, we left the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hotel and began making our way through side streets to Nathan Road. Nathan Road is the first road built in Kowloon in 1861 and still its main thoroughfare. Once known as the Golden Mile, the total length of about 3.6 kilometers/2.2 miles is lined with shops and restaurants.

Nathan Road Mall, Kowloon

Nathan Road, Kowloon

food on Nathan Road in Kowloon

Walking, window shopping, looking at what few older buildings that still remain, we eventually got to Argyle Street where several blocks were blocked off by the same protest taking place on Hong Kong Island which began in September, 2014. Demonstrators peacefully sat in the streets watched by police and news people, locals wheeled their baby carriages, business people kept on their way, but all traffic was diverted. We ordinarily wouldn’t go anywhere near any kind of demonstration, peaceful or not, but it had become a “gawker’s site” with tents, medical supplies, and food for the demonstrators.

2014 Hong Kong protest, Kowloon side

We looked, turned around and on the way back to the hotel, noticed a store called Lush Fresh Homemade Cosmetics. I was floored by their cosmetics which at first we both thought was food and only learned recently that there are over 150 shops in North America (including one not five miles away from home) supplied by two cosmetic kitchens in Canada!