# London to Hong Kong- general living advice



## SamG (Oct 30, 2012)

Hi,

I am 23 and live in London. Just resigned from my job to move to Asia in January 2013 as fancy a change while young.

A few questions which I would greatly appreciate if you could help with:

1) Lifestyle- do people tend to stay in HK over weekends etc or get out and see China and other neighboring countries? What is the nightlife like (heard very good) and what is the food like... general info useful.

2) Salaries/ Pay packages- I will be in commercial real estate and so do companies tend to pay towards accommodation or is it just the same as London with a salary and you spend as you wish?

3) Expats- are there English/ expat bars and clubs people go to? Are there certain areas dominated by expats living there?

4) Shanghai is my other option but never been to either city so very hard to make an educated decision. Has anyone lived/ been to Shanghai who could offer advice on lifestyles, differences and general opinion?

Any help would be gratefully received.

Thanks
Sam


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## c_uk (Oct 24, 2012)

Hi Sam, I used to live myself in Hongkong and I can assure you there are many great bars to choose from. I have lived in the mid- level area, (central) and also Kowloon side. The local food is good and you should try. There are many restaurants in HK- both Asian and Western. There are many Brits expat as well as other nationalities living there. I am now in UK but visit HK every year on way to UK. Good luck! I'm sure you get more advice here..


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## c_uk (Oct 24, 2012)

SamG said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am 23 and live in London. Just resigned from my job to move to Asia in January 2013 as fancy a change while young.
> 
> ...


I forgot to add, yes there are clubs and bars . There is also LAN Kwai Fong where many expats as well as locals hang out. I use to go there before and has good bars and restaurants. HK is a paradise for bars and good restaurants so no worries there. 

At weekend we either go to Macau or the neighbouring country like Philippines or Thailand for a weekend break or join a club. There are the outlying islands to go to but very busy at weekends. 

The night life is good and transport are excellent. Buses, taxis, mass transit railway are cheap. You will enjoy it!


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

SamG said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am 23 and live in London. Just resigned from my job to move to Asia in January 2013 as fancy a change while young.
> 
> ...


1)There is PLENTY in HK to to keep your interest at weekends and Macau & mainland China are only a ferry or short rail trip away.

Nightlife? Well that's endless

Food ? pick any country in the world and somewhere in HK you'll find a restaurant that serves it's food.

2) that has to down to your negociating skills and what you want. Housing is generally based on a budget and you pick and choose what you want,within that budget. Personally, I prefered the company dealt with rental as it meant they dealt with the landlord any any problems were given to the HR/ general affairs dept. to get it sorted. (that is what they get paid to do,so you can get on with your job)

3) some places like Discovery bay, are expat dominated, but you'll never get the true feeling of HK if you isolate yourself.to expat communties.

4) can't say honestly about Shanghai. Some people love it and others hated it with a passsion reserved for taxmen, Ryanair and traffic wardens.


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## holly920 (Nov 17, 2012)

SamG said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am 23 and live in London. Just resigned from my job to move to Asia in January 2013 as fancy a change while young.
> 
> ...



Hong Kong ppl sometimes goes to nearby cities like Taiwan and Korea for holiday or on weekends.


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## Chatmat (Nov 15, 2012)

How did you get around moving to there? I've been looking to for ages but can't find any decent info on how to.


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## SamG (Oct 30, 2012)

Sorry fella, didn't realise that was a question for me. Quite a vague question if I may say so.

I am just doing it off my own back so have spoken with recruitment companies in my filed of work and sent emails directly to companies. It is extremely difficult to find work in HK or anywhere abroad without getting there to meet people so it is a bit of a gamble. I am flying out for NY and will be getting a roomshare for a few months to a) have someone who knows the city and b) have cheaper accomodation than using an agent. See websites below.

easyroomate
hong.kong.asiapat

I genuinely think you just need to put your balls out the bath and go for it- employers will appreciate your determination.

I hope that helps a bit.


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## Beardan (Nov 30, 2012)

There are plenty of bars but i would recommend trying to get employment before you get here. If you are confident enough try your luck after you arrive. China is not easy because of visa reasons but Macau is a good option as well as seeing a bit of HK. You will probably get be attracted to Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai given you are only 23 and will forget about China once you get here.


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## SamG (Oct 30, 2012)

Beardan, your condescending tone aside, thank you for the advice. I will look at those areas.


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## lorgnette (Dec 19, 2010)

What is your speak/understand/read level in Mandarin or Cantonese?

Unless your level is fluent, negotiating for services or goods is off the radar. Bargaining in HK is a well-tried and happy experience for locals and visitors alike. If you enjoy street stalls shopping, rather than malls, without a competent level in any Chinese dialects (esp Cantonese), you might encounter locals' condescending tones however with a reasonable dialect knowledge it will turn out to be a memorable few minutes of your stay. 

Of course, storekeepers will know you are a foreigner by looks and attire, but if you speak the dialect convincingly, they might consider you a seasoned hands-on local shopper and offer you a competitive cut from original price. 

HK is a gateway in Asia where the best exists.


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## SamG (Oct 30, 2012)

Thank you Lorgnette. My Asian language skills are none existent so I imagine I will pay full whack for quite some time, but I will learn whilst there. I will certainly shop at street stalls regardless.

Thanks again


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