TAI O, HONG KONG'S LITTLE VENICE

Nine years here in Hong Kong before I had seen the fisherman village of Tai O. The richness of its culture and the old traditional ways that they still practice were enticing for me but along with the depths of its rivers separating the village to two forks, are the many controversial events it went thru.

Here are 10 Interesting Things
You Should Know about Tai O:

1. Tai O is called Hong Kong's own Venice since the whole village is built on a body of water. Most of the time, you need to ride the boat to get from one pang uk to another. Civilisation here started 3 centuries ago and up until now, it remains standing and still gives the tourists some scenic view.

A line of pang uk that I saw while riding the boat to go back to the village proper.

2. Fishing was the Tai O villager's number one means of living during the earlier times Back then there were still 30,000 of them. Currently, it's dying out which brought the population to only 5,000. Livelihood of the locals depend on the traditional shrimp paste and salted fish at storefronts, sought after by tourists. May it be for sale, used in a restaurant or they supply outside town, Tai O offers the most authentic products. For them, this is a gift from the sea.

The salted fish and shrimp paste are making a name amongst expats here in Tai O.
These dried goods contain sea cucumber, squid, and scallops and other rare seafood
that may only be available in Tai O that's why they may be costly at one point.

3. In reaching places, boat trip services are offered by the residents. The Tai O town is big enough to be traveled by boat. From the Tai O Ferry Pier to where the public transportation to the city awaits, it can be covered within 15mins each way. Between the boat ride and walking, I prefer the first one most especially during Summer.

leaving the Tai O Ferry Pier after seeing Tai O Heritage Hotel

It's good to book your boats in advance most especially
if you are traveling in a group.

3. Many tourists come to Tai O to see white dolphins for a price of HK$25-HK$35/head. This is because the river opens up to the South China Sea and Macau. If you stand by the lookout area of Tai O Heritage Hotel, you would see one of the bridges of Macau from this viewpoint. This may require you to leave early in the morning though as they come out mostly during this time of the day.

It wouldn't hurt to give a tip on top of the HK$25 worth of the boat trip.

4. During the Stone Age, the inlets of the rivers surrounding Tai O was believed to have been the best hiding place. It also provided the best protection from Hong Kong's unpredictable weather for smuggling and piracy operations to be done smoothly. Though it's hard to prove these claims, this may have been true since in the end, they had to put up a prison for all the illegal activities that had been going on.

The mountains surround the river that holds
perfect location for trading and exchange of merchandise.

5. To keep things in order in Tai Po, a stealth prison and a watch tower was built at the coast near the Tai O pier. This is to guard the village from pirates and people that escape from China crossing the border to Hong Kong illegally. 

The former prison is surrounded by mock up bomb launchers.
Hong Kong Heritage Foundation Limited revitalised the police station in 2009 preserving
the cell for tourists to see and adding a restaurant for guests to have a bed and breakfast experience.

A guide may be booked
for a short tour of the former
police station.

6. This prison is now transformed into a boutique hotel that has 9 rooms and a restaurant. Once, there was an Indian police that wanted to escape from duty and gunfire was exchanged inside the prison. The prison can be closed concealing access to the 2nd floor from the 1st floor so that rebels would be prevented from escaping. So, when the escapee struggled for his freedom, some shots left a mark on one of the bullet proof gates. It remained to be historical that way including the preserved cell and the watchtower. The prison now is called the Tai O Heritage Hotel.

The hotel is still in the government's actual hold. If there would come a time that a holding station may be needed for anything that may arise (war, strict red alert and suspected piracy), the hotel will submit on its demand with no contest. The restaurant may be put down and everything will go back to its original state.

As of now, it takes pride on being accredited by Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific with a Sustainable Hotel Award 2015; for being the winner of Trip Advisor's Traveler's Choice Award 2015 and many more.


7. The boutique hotel was added of a scenic overlooking restaurant where breakfast will be served to the guests as booked. It's called Tai O Lookout. It was named so because during the ancient times that it was still a serving prison, 3 people take shifts within the day to look out for any suspicious and threatening activity surrounding the open coast. According to the tour guide that described this lookout tower, it was almost entirely covered with a small opening for the guards to get in that it didn't offer good ventilation. The guards taking shifts here felt like they were bait for the mosquitoes to feast on each time. Many of whom died not because of any pirate or smuggler attack but of Dengue and Malaria.

The lookout area had been covered almost entirely to protect the guards from getting discovered and shot by the pirates.

This combo was the most famous snack.
It's Crispy Bun and Sparkling Juice.
Estimated price of this meal: HK$85

8. The Tai O lookout offers a refreshing feeling with its ceiling made of clear windows. It opens up to the natural sunlight to accentuate the wooden carved furniture that formerly belonged to China Tee Club.

When we visited the restaurant, they offered us their specialty which is the Crispy Bun that came with a burger marinated with shrimp paste. This signature dish along with the Sparkling juice that is a combination of strawberry, passion fruit, blueberry and lime are their famous snacks in the menu.


9. The boutique hotel rooms are well equipped with toiletries. Outside, it still has that serene vibe like a prison's but its sleekness and class exceeded my expectation. You would see a prison looking atmosphere outside but inside is a very warm and inviting hideout alright.

The two twin bed rooms.

How it actually looks like inside one of the hotel rooms.

10. Tai O has rich soil and promising sea.

The Sea is considered golden with the treasures it gives to the people of the 200 year old fisherman village. Besides the seafood that literally and vastly reproduced no matter how often they fished, opportunities didn't stop there for the fishermen. Drying and preserving had developed into original customs which made the village well known. It had given a local brand 80 years in the business as it attributes rich fields, clear salt and plentiful sunlight in Tai O.

Drying a bunch of mackerels under the sun.

On the other hand, the land gives out fortune thru its crops. The remarkable elixir  that is extracted from Begonia Fimbristipula is one of the most renowned companion of every family in Tai O across all generations, thru good times and bad. This remedial and protective tea is called the Phoenix Tea for it comes from the Phoenix Mountain of Lantau.

The Phoenix is known for aging, dying then regenerating to gain power. Named after it, this miraculous tea tree rejuvenates, detoxifies and fights off the years. It invigorates the digestive system that's why besides its medicinal effect, the people use this slightly acidic flavour as an essential ingredient in appetisers, soups and sautéed dishes.

Some places consider wine as healthy for the heart.
The people in Tai O considers drinking Begonia Fimbristipula
or the Phoenix Tea for the holistic effect it has for the entire body.

This is one of the tea houses where you may order the Phoenix Tea from.
We passed by this pang uk as we rode the boat back to the bus station.

The temporary prison cell
that held more than 15 prisoners at
a time without bathroom privileges.

It is such a momentous experience hearing Tai O's history and ancient culture and then seeing how it ended up looking preserved somehow. Tasting their food and seeing the prison turn into a hotel were the most remarkable for me. On the way home, I've purchased a mini bottle of shrimp paste. I'm calling out chefs who are looking for tasty shrimp paste and dried seafood to come down and check it out. I'm calling those who may want to try the elixir of life called the Phoenix Tea for its destressing benefits and most of all, check out the Tai O lookout for a breathtaking view of the South China Sea. Have a taste of a one-of-a-kind shrimp paste marinated burger and see how small the prison was that fitted 15 prisoners altogether before.

Related posts:

1. 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HONG KONG - have a share of what I treasure most about this harbour city!

2. HONG KONG HOTELS YOU NEVER KNEW WERE THERE - featuring Tai O Heritage Hotel (along with other special hotels) if you would like to know more of it.

3. 2015 BEST PHOTOS - I love taking photos and here is a line up of what I treasured dearly last 2015.

In writing this post, I would like to acknowledge, the following links:

1. www.taioheritagehotel.com

2. www.google.com

WHAT YOU MAY BE MISSING ONLINE

There's absolutely a lot to find online that can benefit us. Education, opportunities, connection. The world seem to get smaller and smaller yet ties can become stronger. There is a need though of what you are pouring your time into. Since the internet had vastly given birth to websites, sources and social networks, it also had become dangerous in the sense that should all of them be given attention?

I admit that I spend a lot of time in the internet. Instead of taking my time to rest, I always catch myself browsing over a social network's newsfeed. I cheat on making way to achieving a recipe thru pinterest and gym time is often neglected when I extend more hours working online for researching for my blog. All of these are actually not much of an issue if I would manage my time more wisely.

It's crucial to separate what is of essence with what's actually nonsense when you google. It's hard not to depend on online information most especially when it is about a review of a location you want to travel to. I guess it's right to say, choose wisely what you spend time into.

With that being said, I don't want to hold you further but I need to give out this important information you might find handy considering the things that you'd love to do or learn without compromising the beauty of connecting live to a person and/or without feeling guilty that nothing productive happened with your day.

1. There's yet another free webinar that you may find beneficial to your own learning towards investing wisely. If you are investing on stocks, this may guide you thru critical analysis, strategic approach and fundamental steps:

2. Into connecting to an audience thru your talent? Are you capable of telling a story allowing a group of people to learn from it directly? Would you be interested to do drama? How about if Kevin Spacey would be your teacher? Would you be interested?

Don't fret. Because it's all a click away. This website offers a masterclass that you may enjoy fully with the help of the professionals that you see on TV.

3. Been wanting to trying something different? Sign up for a free crossfit class in FITNESS ACADEMY HK and unleash the beast in you. No expectations, no judgements, just focus and determination and your body will thank you after a good day's work out. The box (what you call the training grounds for crossfit) may be intimidating, not until you let a day breeze thru it. This is one way to get you up your seat and ditch getting succumbed to the internet without having a productive day.

4. RAFFLES SCHOOL OF DESIGN

There's no age limit in wanting to achieve your dreams. Make it happen by committing to a driven institution. The top design school in Hong Kong offers courses that is not just limited to fashion but interior design, app design and photography, 3 of the most in demand specialisations in the industry. Rewrite your future by excelling in what you truly love. Feed your creative instincts by learning from the experts.

The teachers in raffles are more than educators. They practice as they teach embracing diversity and continuous trends. They hold small classes to make sure students are given personal attention and monitoring. They aim each of them to be recognised globally by developing their potential at its utmost momentum.

5. Would you like to get paid as you tap your android on the road? If you are the kind of person who likes to play games, wants to be the first to know about the new released apps, and answer quizzes, you'll be delighted to know about an app called Cash Gift.

Cash gift makes you earn points that may actually be converted to gift cards, free coupons and Pay Pal credits as you do tasks, namely, downloading some cool stuff, watching a video, installing and playing games like candy crush, simply passing level 5 of a certain game and voila! You earn coins.

I am not really much of the game person because I don't like overloading my phone with games. But the idea is, I just one task that says, Tap to get 20 coins and rate them 5 to get 30 coins. It's that simple. Then exit.

I've been waiting for mine to come about. And I just earned my points to redeem my second dollar from Amazon. At first, I was wary with how real this goes but I got my gift card via email and now, I'm ready to use it. US$2 is not that much but I basically just have to tap my phone and points keep on coming daily. I wouldn't mind doing that!

6. A similar rewarding system offers redemption of lifestyle coupons to use in Park N' Shop for groceries, ZALORA for trendy fashion ensembles, Maxim's for pastries and Mannings for toiletries. Just log in to www.valuedopinions.hk. How does it work?

As you join in, you will be asked about your personal preferences about, food, sports, lifestyle, fashion and recreation. This first part was actually fun because all that you have to do is tick. The system will get hold of your answers putting it into a pool of downlines that somehow calculates the surveys that may need your response to. Most of the time, as a consumer of a certain product. To share, I have answered a survey about German wines, a learning institution, importance of an insurance and something that I would be expecting in a new gadget. It is not hoax as I am HK$3 away from redeeming mine so just bear with it. It is checking your email of surveys that will actually pay you.

Enjoy surfing guys!

Related posts:

1. 10 THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG - planning to go to Hong Kong for a vacation? Here are some suggested itinerary for you not to miss.

2. CASHFLOW - a board game that will teach you how to handle finances as you anticipate real life situations.

3. LIMITLESS - a blog post featuring the 15 Richest Men of the World of Forbes Magazine in 2012. 

SILVERMINE BEACH RESORT

Hong Kong is a melting pot of tourists, businessmen, overseas workers, foreigners and locals.  It is the city that buzzes even at its unholy hour. It exudes an extraordinary energy to each person walking on it. Because of its power, I realised Hongkies, including myself, have one thing in common. After a day's work, they crave for a getaway. Last May, we eyed Silvermine Beach Resort in Mui Wo.

Hong Kong is known for its fast paced lifestyle. When you live here, you adapt to it subconsciously. It is proven by how its development could be compared to a concrete jungle since it is made up of towering apartments, sky-high buildings lining up the harbour and busy high tech mass transit railways in between. Despite the fast modernisation of Hong Kong, it is still remarkable as to how they preserve their customs by putting it into practice. Their rich culture can never be undermined as they do celebrate festivals the traditional way still that are solely their own. Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival.

Ultimately, Dragon Boat Festival is one of the most prestigious events held in Hong Kong. Supporting my husband, last May 29 and the rest of the Team Mushu, we were able to experience a staycation at Silvermine Beach Resort in Mui Wo. And in this post, I will talk about what to expect of the resort.

LOCATION:

this is the receiving area and this is where
the front desk is located

Rowing for the Dragon Boat Races is quite physically demanding as I had my own experience of a winning race with Team Mushu two years ago. My husband wanted to have a good rest before and after and thought of a good way to deal with it. And we researched for the best accommodation for our family. There popped up Silvermine Beach Resort.

Mui Wo's tranquil location is highlighted by a simple 3 storey, 33 year old hotel that faces a vast beach upfront and extends to a mountain view at the back. Built in 1983, I have observed that the renovation last 2014 had did it good since the doors use upscale technology.

The colours of the halls are bright and it had a modern feel. I loved the way its walls were in pastel colours. It lifts up the mood and most of all, I love how the terrace faces the vast horizon of Mui Wo Beach. As I sat down and sipped my coffee, I looked straight out, and I felt a hopeful energy surging in.

a terrace where I find it very good to have coffee at
while looking straight out in the horizon

Silvermine Beach Resort is situated at DD2, Lot 648, Silvermine Bay, Mui Wo, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, Hong Kong. It is surrounded with good seafood, Italian and Chinese restaurants. Unfortunately, taxis cannot go near the hotel but bus stations and the pier make it accessible to public transport. A school, a wet market, a police station, and a park  surrounds the area so retirees, writers, or anybody who needs a getaway, can find serenity, satisfaction and comfort in Silvermine.

FACILITIES:

My daughter checks out the place.

We went for an Italian dinner
which was a good 15 minute walk
from the hotel.

During our stay, the room had a water boiler complete with the tea set and a huge bottle of mineral water. The usual give away of hotels I've gone to had two small bottles only. The refrigerator was surprisingly empty. Don't expect any canned refreshments or bottle shots. Room service is available which is my husband's favourite thing to have but this time, we opted to eat outside and try one of the restaurants around the area.

The room is fully furnished. It got a working desk, a wardrobe closet and a huge bed that is the most comfortable I've ever laid on together with my Samoan husband and my not so little girl. It's bigger than a king size bed I promise you. A bedside table suffices it with an access to all the lights which I find very handy since I didn't have to move my baby away from my arms in turning them off come sleeping time.

My friend helped me book the sea view room that opens up to the beach where I had the best view in watching my husband's races from. I loved the idea that the room can be covered entirely from the sun if you want to take an afternoon nap and when you're ready to face the morning sun, the rays are allowed to uplift the entire room in an instant as you raise the blinds.

The windows that I watched some of the races from when it was too hot.
It was raining that day hence the skies were not very clear.

It is complete with a flat screen TV but there was no HDMI cable available to borrow. So as for entertainment, I greatly relied on my laptop since most of the shows on TV are in Chinese. Their internet goes prepaid. You have to buy a 24 hour connection that I found a little bit of too much for the price of HK$100 each time.

That is the huge bed that gave us comfort for 2 days.
'Nuff said!

The bathroom is complete with the basic amenities. The bedside table holds two pairs of disposable

slippers. Drawers contained a blowdryer and a bible. There's an iron and an iron stand for your convenience and a phone that is only restricted to local calls. I'm sure arrangement can be made for it to have an access internationally but may I suggest for you to use the internet instead if you are to avail of it anyway since charge is per minute for an international call.

how the bedside table
looks like

The outdoor swimming people and the kiddie pool is opened seasonally. This year, it will be open to guests daily from May 1 to October 31, from 9am to 10pm only. As Hong Kong is known for having unpredictable weather, once thunderstorm is officially hoisted, the swimming pools will automatically  be closed. Nonetheless, the fitness centre and the sauna and steam room will remain at function daily from 9am to 10pm as well.

The resort encourages guests to engage in outdoor activities to take advantage of its pride, the natural ambiance it stands from. Biking, hiking, swimming are but a few of what's available. But at the time we were there, we enjoyed the dragon boat races very much because of its intensity, energy and the camaraderie between the teams. 

The hotel has its own Blue Horizon Cafe that offers a great deal that goes: you choose any main course from over 10 scrumptious meals in the menu and you may be open to an eat all you can appetiser and dessert buffet. Their cakes are guaranteed home made but you may find their appetisers limited.

This is where they serve the breakfast also from 7am to 10pm. Variety is not that much. But I love how the place lights up every morning. After a sip of coffee, the surrounding neighbourhoods also instantly becomes lively. 

TRANSPORTATION:

Situated in the cultural part of Mui Wo, Silvermine Beach Resort can be reached in so many ways. Being 45 minutes away from the airport (via a cab), the hotel opens up to this scenery right away that's why the hotel doesn't have a drop off area for guests coming in riding a cab. That limitation goes for uber and gogovans as well. We rode a blue cab towards the hotel and it amounted around HK$180+.

It was a little bit of a hassle since I was with my weekend luggages, a stroller, and my baby and it was raining hard that day that we were going to check in. We had to walk towards the front by foot. There was no covered walk leading to the hotel.  There was no pavement to avoid the puddles nor to roll the luggages onto. It could've been a big help if those were present. Also, we had to ask from people where the hotel is as we got off the cab. I'm sure there was a sign but we could use a good big sign during a rainy day.

Mui Wo buses to and fro Tung Chung is available at a station located behind the hotel. This is for those who wanted to have an access to the MTR station. The schedule can be checked thru their website: www.silvermineresort.com. But the front desk has a posted schedule for everybody to see. Look for 3M as per public transport. Across the bus station is the blue taxi stand. So it's pretty accessible this way by land. You can check the fare for adults, kids, seniors and students by clicking here.

On the other hand, for a faster travel to the city, you can take the ferry. It costs HK$29/adult during the weekdays and then triple during the weekends. There's what they call the slow ferry which is a given. It usually takes longer to go to the city via this slow ferry than the other one but it's cheaper. 3 year olds and below are free. One way journey usually takes 30 minutes.

ACCOMODATION:

I like how tidy and well lit the halls are.

The hotel is composed of 128 rooms and the 3 storey hotel is secured with electronic doors. The halls are also secured with a main door in a way that only key holders have an access to in addition to each electronic door locks. Apart from the big bed and complete amenities, the comfort it brought to my family was fairly good.

the basic toiletries provided

The bathroom was comfortably spacious without any problems in its plumbing. It was kid friendly too with its anti-skid tiles and the sink counter is big enough to hold my make up kit and many more. I am just obsessive compulsive in terms of the toiletries I need but for a backpacker, it is truly sustaining with all the basics they provided.

There's a garden where my daughter had fun lingering in because of the swing. There are bikes that can be borrowed to go around town and a spa is available to guests starting from HK$280+ up.

Hotel policies include:

1. Check in time: 3:00 PM

2. Check out time: 12:00 PM (and then every extended hour will be charged HK$500)

3. Breakfast is from 7am - 10am.

4. Room rates are subject to 10% service charge.

5. If booking cancellation would be done 72 hours before the arrival date, no cancellation fee will be charged. But if the booking is cancelled within 72 hours (3 days) before the arrival date, one day of daily rental with the rack rate will be applied as late cancellation penalty.

Garden View

6. Room reserved or charged at discounted rate cannot be cancelled nor cannot be refunded.

7. Amendment of the booking within 72 hours before the arrival date is not allowed. One day of daily rental with the rack rate will be applied as late amendment penalty.

8. The booking can only be amended at least 72 hours before the arrival date. The change is subjected to the hotel's availability and the rate may be revised.

9. Room reserved or charged at discounted rate is non-amendable.

10. VALID HKID card or passport should be presented upon guest check-in.

11. In case of no show, Silvermine will charge first night room rental as a no show penalty.

12. All payment will need to be settled upon checking in.

13. Like any hotels, a deposit will have to be made apart from the rack rate paid upon checking in. At the time we availed of their Front Beach View room, the deposit amounted to HK$500 for the entire 2 nights stay we did.

DINING:

The hotel has the Seashore cuisine where breakfast is served daily from 7am to 10pm. Again, it can be accessed only by the guests with a room key so that's how they track those who are entitled to breakfast. Almost all of the accommodation fee includes breakfast anyways. So it's unlikely that safety would be compromised since I observed leniency on who comes in and out of the restaurant.

We just had to document my daughter's face.

I find the selection pretty limited when the ambiance completely gives the bed and breakfast vibe. I wasn't really eager to eating what I usually see everyday at work. But it seems that that's the only thing available. The view is spectacular though and their coffee was tasty. My daughter loved every minute of breakfast because the restaurant was spacious and well lit. It elated her mood.

The Seashore cuisine restaurant is open to an all-day-dining from 7am to 12midnight. They offer Afternoon Tea Set and Saturday BBQ buffet. It aims to cater to each guest's cravings by offering Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Western and fusion dishes in the menu.

me and my friend Joanne before she hits off to the races

When you step out of the restaurant to the terrace, the Blue Horizon cafe awaits where we had lunch during the day of the races. Probably since it was raining the day before, we were eaten too by bugs. Because as soon as the weather became warmer, Hong Kong releases these nasty ones.

Yes, we're being attacked by bugs right about this time.

Lastly, the Bayview lounge offers soothing music, relaxing ambiance and a wide selection of international beer. It has a bar for guests to enjoy and a vibe that will help you unwind.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES:

Swimming is the number one suggested activity of the hotel. The beach is inviting to tourists who would want to have a tan, a walk or just to get inspired. In the evening, a herd of carabaos come by to take some rest on the cool sand.

Rental bikes and maps are available for those who want to do mountain biking, trekking and hiking. Non-Motorised water sports are also available such as kayaking, canoeing, and stand up paddle surfing. At the moment we were in the area, the dragon boat races had kept everybody preoccupied.

Snorkeling, boating and scuba diving can be arranged privately but own personal equipments should be brought in.

PERSONAL CRITIC:

My daughter, securing a cozy space all to herself the moment we
stepped inside the room.

In general, for the location, facilities and service, I truly feel that the booking fee per night is too pricey. HK$700/night without any shuttle service privilege, no wifi, and no change of toiletries when we stayed there for 2 days. 

The cleaners also took a lot of time in cleaning up the room during the morning when we had breakfast. I was expecting that by the time we get back from a good brekky and a walk (most especially if I had left the door sign that says, "Please clean up room"), the room would be cleaned up. But to my disappointment, it wasn't so I had to call downstairs for the refill on tissue, toiletries and new towels.

When we availed of the semi buffet, we were asking for help with the bugs. Unfortunately, when we asked for assistance, they didn't have any form of mosquito repellant. They just shrugged their shoulders to us and just said, you can eat inside if you're in any way uncomfortable here. We really wanted to enjoy the sunset while eating by the terrace. It didn't happen for me and my friends.

The hotel policies was a little bit too much when they tried to impose it most especially the HK$500/additional hour if you check out late but in the end, it was pretty kind of them to be flexible  in consideration. A friend of ours was tied up with the races at the moment that they were supposed to check out. They understood the situation he was in when he explained so he was not charged.

For an overall rating, I give it a 6.5 out of 10. The place was nicely renovated, awarded Resort Hotel of the Year 2016 by GHM Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau General Hotel Managers' Society and most of all, feels secure but I'm sure it still needs a lot of improvement with their guest service. Though there's a competition with the carabaos in the afternoon for some space at the beach, it is the best way to get close to nature anyway. So it's all good. Hygiene wise whether it's alright to lay down on the beach without dealing with any s#!+ on the sand, or even to swim where the carabaos swim, that I can't guarantee. The good things about this experience would be, my baby felt great about our stay, my husband got enough rest and we're altogether in experiencing Silvermine Beach Resort.

Dinner at La Pizzeria, Mui Wo

Related posts:

1. PICO DE LORO RESORT AND COUNTRY CLUB - a serene, private getaway for a hardworking bunch located in Batangas, Philippines

2. ANGSANA LAGUNA, PHUKET - Still on the lookout for a place to go for honeymoon? Check out this place where my husband and I had spent ours in when we visited the beautiful Phuket.

3. THE VENETIAN - If there is something that you should experience in going to Macau, it should be, to spend time in The Venetian hotel.

FOOD TRIP

Filipino overseas workers always consider finding authentic Filipino restaurants around here in Hong Kong like finding a gem.  There are just a few. That's why, when they find a good one, words spread out like wild fire. A couple of nights ago, my friend had flown from the Philippines to attend a convention. We took her out for dinner and agreed on Food Trip, in Jordan. It was just my first time to eat there but I would rate it up as 8 because of the air-conditioned extension at the 1st floor across the building of the original location. They had to have that extra space because they're food is so good that their customers are not limited to Filipinos only.

With a hospitable team of servers, it was like eating at home in the Philippines with the vibe of positivity and fun over a good delicious feast. Filipinos are known for their warmth in welcoming guests and visitors and this is practiced in Food Trip. From work, my friends had indeed chosen a great place worth of my money and my time. I didn't have to go to work but I had a fair share of hunger with the rest. I expected and believed that Food Trip would exceed my expectations when I heard their description ... and it certainly did, ... even more.

FOOD TRIP'S LOCATION:

Situated in Shop J, G/F, No.2 Saigon St., Jordan, it may be accessed in several ways. You can order UBER and/or a cab to take you there but the fastest, cheapest and easiest way is the train. From exit B3 of the Jordan station, Food Trip is just but a 5-minute walk. For people who love exploring and who love long walks, it is worth it to put an effort finding it if you're around Mong Kok.

Jordan is known for its Temple street for shopping segue to its street dining experience right after. What Food Trip's edge is that they are able to cater to Filipinos longing of a good authentic Filipino meal. A few restaurants strive in cooking dinuguan, sinigang, and tinola just to be called a Filipino restaurant but the taste is "not quite" the same as in Food Trip. In here, you could tell that the chef got that gift of tongues,... and more. So, with that patriotic touch yet natural talent, Food Trip stays jam packed during weekdays (We went there on a Monday) too. And we had to eat at the room they reserve for big a number of people. Meaning, apart from the small corner pertaining to the picture above, there's an extension across the street that is more comfortable for everybody. So don't worry that you may have to wait a long time to settle. Before you know it, they have a table ready for you.

Halo-halo is an original
Philippine dessert. 

THE FOOD

We had ordered viands to be shared and the garlic rice had made them extra zesty at every bite. One of us had eaten dinner already so she ordered the infamous halo-halo for dessert.

The rest of us couldn't resist the temptation to get Lechong Kawali, Pancit Bihon, Dinuguan, Tinola, Karekare, Inihaw na Pusit, Bicol Express, Lumpiang Shanghai, Crispy Pata and of course, Chicken Pork Adobo. If you're a Filipino, you would understand how meticulous each dish is in terms of taste, ingredients and meat. These are the most sought after in the Philippines for every overseas worker because these are delicacies that are solely owned by Filipinos.

Overall, with each dish good for 2-3 people, the price was worth it! The total was just around 1,500+ and there's 10 of us. That means, it was HK$150 each more or less. Let's just put a range of HK$100-200/person if you are eager to go alone or with a friend. Some are quite familiar of how it goes around Food Trip, so they ordered in advance. By the time we got there, we didn't have to wait so long for the food to come. To do the same, contact the number: 2332-3643 and just let them know that you want to pre-order.

Here are some of the dishes that we have tried:

my order: Pancit Bihon

Tinolang Manok

Crispy Pata with Garlic Rice

AMBIANCE

It is quite common in the Philippines that mini-convenience stores, bakeries and small eateries are put up in street corners. Because of this kind of setup, local people catch up with their gossip while they get to finish their drink or smoke and those who stay in dormitories while finishing college are able to eat a complete meal for a very affordable price. As you can see on the very picture above, Food Trip is set up this way. So that for me, reminds me so much of how it is back in Manila.

With the secluded extension, they designed it with banderitas which signifies festivities in the Philippines and the walls are decorated with paintings of things that you would only see in the Philippines. The Mayon Volcano, the first painting from the left, is one of the majestic tourist spots in Bicol, Philippines. Next is a painting of a jeepney, the most common mode of transportation in Manila and Taal, where a volcano lies inside the mouth of another volcano, is featured with carabaos surrounding the crater, a farmer's best friend in the Philippine provinces that helps in toiling the soil of the plantation.

The music background of the room had brought us back for a couple of hours to our youth with familiar Filipino jams back in the 90's. The toilet was a sanctuary. It was huge and was very homey. Super tidy, you question if it's really for public use.

ACCESSIBILITY

You have to park at your own risk around the area, it's situated in a not so busy street so I think you won't have a problem finding space.

Jordan station is accessible thru the red and green line. So whether you are coming from the Kowloon or Hong Kong or New Territories, it's pretty much the same distance come what may.

Food Trip is open from 6pm to 5am. And in terms of payment, cash and eps (thru Unionpay) can be done. There's a lot of ATM's in the area so if you need it, it's pretty much accessible. Open Rice had set the budget to as low as HK$50/person. This can actually be given justice by their set meals. Lately, they have had a lot of requests to open earlier so they have changed it to Mon-Thursday, 2pm to 5am then Friday-Sunday, 12pm to 5am.

Any updates that may come could be checked out in their own Facebook Account under the name: Foodtrip Bedana's Filipino Restaurant. Just search this one and you'll get hold of the latest about Food Trip!

Kain tayo!

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