Hong Kong and Macau: Vibrant, Unique, Contradictory — And Leaving You Wanting More

Settling Into a New School Year

We’re two months into the new school year, and it’s been a busy time. The first few weeks are always hectic, with everyone trying to find their feet — new students, new schedule, new classes, new colleagues. So, it's been an interesting start.

This blog is a catch-up on my travels during the winter vacation. In late February, Mbali and I were fortunate enough to travel to Hong Kong and Macau — her third time there, and my first!

Ruins of St. Paul's, Macau

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First Things First: A Family Affair

The day before we left for Hong Kong, my dad had a heart operation back in Cape Town. What was supposed to be a routine valve replacement operation also included a triple bypass. My instinct was to fly home since it would be such a major surgery, but he encouraged me not to cancel my plans and to enjoy the trip.

Thanks to my Mom, Irene, for taking care of Dad and keeping us updated throughout this period.

Thankfully, after weeks of recovery, he got the all-clear from the doctor. I’m incredibly grateful — to God, to Dad's healthy lifestyle, and to everyone who supported my parents during that time. Thank you to those who drove them to the hospital and brought meals. I appreciate you all more than I can say.

Back to doing what he does best, officiating at road races.

Now, onto the travel story!

Hong Kong First Impressions

I’d only ever experienced Hong Kong through airport layovers. I imagined it would be like Singapore — clean, calm, cosmopolitan, and chic. What I didn’t expect were the crowds, the buzz, and the organised chaos of daily life there.

Hong Kong has one of the highest population densities in the world — around 7,000 people per km² — and it shows. Massive residential towers loom everywhere, and yet, the streets are vibrant and surprisingly clean.

Coming from Daejeon, where sameness is common, Hong Kong was refreshingly diverse. Though I arrived late in the evening (about 9 pm), I could still get a sense of the energy of the city. Many people were roaming the streets, restaurants were busy, and buses were still operational. Mbali and I had travelled there separately, and after a day of travel for me, we finally reunited. The Airport Express train ride to the city centre was quick and efficient, with the platform only a 2-minute walk from the arrivals section of the airport. After meeting up, we grabbed a late dinner, which was super delicious and then walked the city streets to our accommodation for the night.

Tired but happy to be reunited with Mbali. Visiting our 6th country together.

My first meal in Hong Kong... wonton noodles in a delicious chicken broth. So yummy!

Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Centre — in the city centre.

The Chungking Mansions Experience

Our first night was spent at Chungking Mansions in Kowloon — one of the most fascinating (and slightly alarming) places I’ve ever stayed. Accommodation in Hong Kong is pricey, so Mbali, the savvy budget traveller, found us a couple of “interesting” places to stay. This one was by far the most intriguing. While the room was comfortable, the building itself was something to behold. Chungking Mansions (with 17 floors that make up five connected blocks) features hostels and guesthouses, South Asian restaurants, African bistros, clothing shops, tailors, small stores selling daily goods, and forex counters. It’s a multinational residential and commercial building where you can probably find anything you need. Honestly, part of it felt like home, and part of it felt really unsafe, mostly due to the hazardous electrical wiring hanging out in the open. Our room may or may not have been an illegal add-on.

The infamous Chunking Mansions

Outside the building, the streets were filled with people from all over — South Asians, Middle Easterners, Africans, Eastern Europeans, trying to sell you knock-offs or promoting their businesses inside. From this encounter, it was hard to tell who the local Hong Kongese were. And yet, that mix of people is what made Hong Kong so compelling from the get-go.

Despite the interesting atmosphere of the building (and reviews from previous guests), we slept pretty well and had few complaints. On our way out, many cuisines and delicious smells overwhelmed us, and there was no way I could leave without buying samosas from one of the vendors to snack on.

Had a lekker chicken and potato samosa. Yummy!

Macau: A Wonderous Blend of East and West

After a night in Hong Kong, we took a one-hour ferry to Macau, a Chinese Special Administrative Region (SAR) just across the Pearl River Delta. Formerly a Portuguese colony until 1999, Macau is now a blend of European charm and Chinese tradition — a truly surreal experience.

Our turbo 'ferry' to Macau waiting for us.

Crossing the South China Sea.

From the moment we arrived in Macau, it was a mesmerising experience. The signage in Portuguese and Chinese, and the blend of colonial Portuguese and Chinese traditions in the architecture, were just so captivating. Because of this very recent history, the country reflects a mix of cultural influences from Portugal and China, making it incredible to explore.

Macau's port. Signage in Portuguese and Chinese.

Opposite the port... preparing for the Macau Grand Prix in November 

Walking Through a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Historical city centre

We spent the day exploring Macau’s historical centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (landmarks and areas with legal protection under an international treaty), visiting:

St. Anthony’s Church

This is one of the oldest churches in Macao. The church was reconstructed in stone several times (built of bamboo and wood before 1560), while the present appearance and scale of the church dates back to 1930.

The Ruins of St. Paul's

The Ruins of St. Paul’s refer to the facade of what was originally the Catholic Church of Mater Dei (Church of the Mother of God) and St Paul's College, built in 1602-1640. The church was destroyed by fire in 1835 and the ruins is what's left of it.

Hundreds of tourists were visiting while we were there. It was hard to get a picture without any photobombers. :)

The back of the Ruins

Mount Fortress Park (Monte Fort)

Mbali getting her feet 'massaged' on the fortress stones.

Built in conjunction with the Jesuits from 1617 to 1626, this was the city’s principal military defence structure, and was crucial in successfully holding off the attempted Dutch invasion of Macao in 1622. The fortress was equipped with cannons, military barracks, wells and ammunition.

The views were pretty from up there.

#CanonsAndCasinos

St. Dominic’s Church

St. Dominic's Church is a late 16th-century Baroque-style church that serves within the Cathedral Parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau. It was finished in 1587 and overseen by three Spanish Dominican priests. Due to renovations and reconstruction, the current structure dates from the early 17th century. The church is one of the classified immovable properties of Macau.

Senado Square

The square was named after the Leal Senado, a meeting place for the Chinese and Portuguese in the 16th to 18th centuries. 

Some street names in Portuguese and Chinese.

Because Macau is so compact, we could walk to all of these within a short time — and each location told a story of history, cultural blending and resilience. 

Macau After Dark: East Asia’s Las Vegas

Many people might not know this, but Macau’s gambling industry is seven times bigger than Las Vegas. Gambling is illegal in many East Asian countries such as China, Taiwan and Korea, so Macau has become the weekend getaway for casino lovers.

At night, the city transforms into a neon-lit fantasy. We went to the Cotai Strip, Macau’s answer to Las Vegas, with extravagant casinos like The Venetian and the City of Dreams.

There’s a replica Eiffel Tower, and across the street, Big Ben. The Venetian Hotel also has built-in water canals to go with the Venetian theme, gorgeous bridges, and vast attractions. It’s truly spectacular. It felt like you were really in those cities. While checking out the casinos, we even tried our hand at the slot machines. While I was a bit too impatient for the slots, Mbali won us a little something!

Though we only spent two days in Macau, I’d love to return and soak up all the history and culture. The people were nice, the food was delicious, and it felt really safe. Also, the contradictory nature of the historical and cultural landscape to the flashing lights of massive casinos and upscale hotels just blows the mind. During the day, you feel like you’re in a European city walking down narrow cobblestone streets and looking at old churches and cultural sites, but then at night, it changes to this large-scale entertainment city with neon lights flashing everywhere. Also, being surrounded by Portuguese and Chinese signage everywhere, but having to try and communicate in Cantonese and English was mind-boggling. It’s a little crazy but truly awesome.

Colours of Macau

Spicy Sichuan pepper dish. Soooooo delicious!!!

Back to Hong Kong: Food, Sights, and Frenzy

Back in Hong Kong, the sensory overload returned. So much colour, noise, and movement. I'd often need to duck into a café just to regain my bearings.

We did a few touristy things:

The Symphony of Lights at the Avenue of Stars — Hong Kong's answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, featuring a massive bronze statue of Bruce Lee.

The infamous Victoria Harbour and the Symphony of Lights show.

The icon, Bruce Lee, with Starbucks in the background. :)

Hand prints honouring celebrities of the Hong Kong film industry

The Peak Tram — a steep ride offering stunning views of the city skyline.

The Peak Tram is a funicular (a cable railroad along the mountainside) railway in Hong Kong, which carries both tourists and residents to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island. Operated since 1888, it was the first funicular railway in Asia.

Gorgeous views of Hong Kong. The city on one side.

Victoria Harbour on the other side.

Choi Hung Estate — a pastel-coloured public housing complex made famous by Instagram.

Choi Hung Estate is one of Hong Kong's largest and earliest public housing estates. The housing complex spans over 5.1 hectares and consists of 11 blocks comprising 7,400 flats that provide homes for more than 17,000 residents. The massive residential blocks were surprising to see. There are various sizes of flats, with some even being considered as tiny as a box. It also illustrates the vast economic inequality that exists in Hong Kong today.

Night Markets and Food Finds

We loved the night markets such as Temple Street and Ladies Market. We haggled with sellers over scarves, bags, and more. In most East Asian countries, it’s important to haggle over the price, a bit of give and take with the sellers. 

The food was another highlight: wonton noodles, roast goose, spicy soups, samosas, street snacks (Mbali stopping for all the yummy egg tarts), egg waffles, you name it! You think you’ve had the most delicious food because of where you’ve travelled, and then boom! The next country shows the last one up. 

Trying the curry fish balls.

Fish wonton noodle soup and beef offal noodle soup

Goose roast for Mbali and spicy Sichuan pepper chicken for me. 

French toast - a Hong Kong specialty.

Mbali tried all the egg tarts she could find. This chocolate one was by far the best!

Surprisingly, because of the British influence from the colonial era, we found food familiar to home, including sausage rolls and English breakfasts. That was honestly one of the best surprises of this trip. They also offered a free tea (with milk) with most meals. On our last evening, I finally decided to try the tea coffee drink combination on the menu. Never again! It tastes exactly what it sounds like. Coffee with tea and milk. 

Coffee and tea mixed together. Like, why?!

Lan Kwai Fong and the Big Buddha

On the Satuday night, Mbali took us to Lan Kwai Fong, a lively nightlife area. After watching Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown episode on Hong Kong, I was keen to see it. It was packed with both locals and tourists — we tried to find the bars Bourdain visited, but they may have changed by now.

Cocktail hour!

On our last day, we ventured to Ngong Ping Village to see the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. A cable car ride took us over parts of the island, and we climbed 268 steps to the massive bronze statue. 

I even tried counting the steps with another visitor, but our counting did not match at some point, which got me confused. So I just asked loudly among the tourists if anyone else was counting too, and someone gave their answer, which was closer to mine, so I continued from there. That was fun. 

Trying to keep count! And failing. I got it right going back down though!

“The Buddha's right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction, while the left rests open on his lap in a gesture of generosity.” 

The views of the island from atop were also spectacular.

Final Reflections: A Melting Pot of Contradictions

Even with all these words, I don’t think I’ve truly captured what I felt during those five days.

While sitting at a bar in Lan Kwai Fong, Mbali and I reflected. For her, this third visit, after many years, brought new perspectives. For me, it was bewildering — a melting pot of contradictions.

Hong Kong was a city I couldn’t quite wrap my head around. It overwhelmed me, yet it also captivated me. First, it’s incredibly overpopulated and busy, yet the streets are remarkably clean — almost no trash in sight. That stood out to both of us, especially coming from Korea, where trash is collected daily but often left in visible piles on the roadside.

Then there was the diversity. As I mentioned earlier, it’s hard to tell who is local and who isn’t. Everyone seems immersed in the city. Perhaps locals, expats, and tourists have all melted together, creating a fascinating mix of people, languages, and cultures.

Another striking element was the openness toward different religions and cultures. On my first night, we passed a massive mosque — one of several I’d encounter during the trip, and among the few I’ve seen while living and travelling in East Asia. The diversity also meant an incredible range of cuisines, making Hong Kong a thoroughly delicious experience.

But what surprised me most was how the city made me feel — not like an outsider. Unlike other East Asian countries where your difference is quickly felt, Hong Kong made me feel like I belonged. The languages, the colours, the organised chaos, the sounds, the churches and mosques — all clashing and dancing in harmony — were disorienting, but also strangely comforting.

It was a lot, but also kind of magical. I'll surely be back for another visit.

A final word

I can't end this post without a special shout out to my sister friend, Mbali, for this trip. If you've heard the term 'passenger princess', that's exactly what I was on this trip. I arrived in Hong Kong not really knowing where we'd be staying or what we'd be doing. Arrived with everything planned by my dear friend. Yes, I am that person sometimes! Since she'd been there before I was up for anything and keen to see whatever she thought best. The only thing on my list was good food and some popular spots I'd seen on social media posts or Anthony Bourdain episodes. So she took it upon herself to make our travel plan while I just gave input when asked. 

Despite the wonderful few days of travel, it was a hard week for me with everything going on back home. My mind was not always present as I needed to check in with how my dad was doing. But I'm so thankful to have spent that week with a close friend, to not have been alone. Thanks Mbali, for another adventure and for taking care of me without even knowing it. 

As always thank you for keeping up with me.

Till next time.

Meryl Joy Burgess

Ps. When leaving a comment, please add your name (instead of anonymous) so that I know who is commenting and can respond in kind. 🖤

Some random cool things I saw in HK

The money looks like Monopoly play money!

Trams still being used in the city.

The longest escalator in the world. The system covers over 800m in distance and traverses an elevation of over 135m from bottom to top.

You can drop your library books in the train station! Game changer!

Subway advice for why not to drink alcohol... it can make you fat! LOL 

Platform crocs!

Free public showers! The lady who takes care of it showed us how it has hot water and everything. 

Advice for women in the subway station. We need more iron!

Streets named after boys from home :)

Jamia Mosque in Mid-levels Hong Kong

Presbyterian Church