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Living in Tai Wai

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    Living in Tai Wai

    Hi there...am thinking about moving to Tai Wai in August or September. How's the expat community there, where do people go, what's there to do (drinking, eating, hiking etc)? How's the grocery shopping and transport to places like Mongkok, TST and central, particularly by bus? Will I want a car? I'm mid twenties, female and would love to get in touch with anyone, local or expat, who could give me advice or even better, show me around. I'm moving from HK island.

    Thanks.

    dannycat likes this.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2005
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    Sai Kung
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    Living in Tai Wai

    Good morning from Tai Wai! What can I tell you about the place?

    Well Tai Wai is mainly a Chinese area although there are quite a few ex-pats that live here. You find that you have to talk to them though as most people pretend they haven't even seen you here! You can live Tai Wai Village / Mei Lam side or over on Sun Chui side. Tai Wai Village mainly has older style apartments, as does Mei Lam but they are building new apartments slightly south. Sun Chui side has a mix of apartments such as Green View Gardens and Golden Lion Gardens and spanish style villa apartments in places such as Sun Tin Village and Kak Tin.

    Transport links here are excellent. You are right on the KCR line which in one stop has you at Kowloon Tong, less than 5 mins. Mongkok is 2 stops, Hung Hom 3 and TST East 4 stops. It's just over 10 mins to TST East. Obviously you can change to MTR at Kowloon Tong and go direct to Central. I can usually make it to Wan Chai or Causeway bay in just over 30 mins by train. Northwards you can take the Lo Wu train up to places like Tai Po and all the way upto the border. The Ma on Shan line also goes from Tai Wai station. Bus links are also excellent. 89c takes you down through Kowloon Tong down past Prince Edward on to Yai Ma Tei, Jordan and TST. Other buses such as 184 take you down into Central. We use a local taxi driver if we are down in Central to the early hours who always charges us £HK100 only to get back to Tai Wai including the tolls! Oh and it's about 45 minutes by bus to the airport.

    Drinking here is mainly local, there are quite a few bars. Shatin central is nearby as are places like the Riverside hotel. My main drinking hole is in Jordan though which again is a locals bar, although I have many chinese friends who showed me. I actually prefer the local bars as the chinese are so friendly when they know you. Eating here is fine, lots of local eateries, all your usual McD's, Pizza Huts etc. Up in New Town Plaza you have Ruby Tuesdays and a mix of Sushi bars, Thai food, lots of low end and high end Chinese restaurants. We often eat in TST, Mongkok and Kowloon Tong as well. For grocery shopping you have the usual Park n Shop and Wellcome stores. There is a Park n Shop superstore near to New Town Plaza, and of course Taste in Kowloon Tong where you can buy lots of western foods and is my favourite supermarket in HK by far! There are also Gyms and Swimming Pools nearby.

    From here you can go hiking up in Lion Rock Country Park, or hire a bike and take the river route up to Ma On Shan or Tai Po. Makes a great day out. Shatin Park and the Hong Kong Heratige Museum is close by to.

    Moving from HK island you will find things quite different although you will be experiencing the real HK. It is much quieter here and of course cheaper. If you want a car you can have one although to be honest you wont need it because transport is so good. If you want to take a day out to look around give let us know and you would be more than welcome.

    Best of Luck

    Jk

    Hugo85 likes this.

  3. #3

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    Jan 2005
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    Thanks

    Thank you JK, that was really very great and useful information. Much appreciated!

    I know the trains pretty well but was hoping there were bus alternatives, glad to know there are plenty...am assuming from your comment about taking a cab from Central that none run overnight though, yes?

    Sounds like a great place. I'm excited about the prospect of living out there, being closer to work, being more immersed in local culture etc. Will definitely get in touch close to moving time.


  4. #4

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    Laplaya, you're more than welcome.

    I don't think any of the buses run at night apart from the night buses to the airport. Apart from that there is a huge bus station opened at Tai Wai now and it is on one of the main transport routes so you can pretty much get buses anywhere during the day.

    One thing I did forget about was things like Doctors. There is a place called Union Hospital here where there is a Chinese doctor who grew up and studied in England so easy to communicate when ill! Also the other doctors around speak great English. Simple thing but important!

    Let us know closer to the time and we'll show you around!

    JK


  5. #5

    Tai Wai! haha.... I did this volunteer thing at a church there tutoring english to the kids. The 2 other tutors have been there for like 10 yrs and they know practically the whole Tai Way community. Thru them I know about 1/3 of who they know. But yea... whenever I go to the McDs there, every time I go something weird happens. It's crazy. And I like the Tai Wai innards meat shops (don't know how to call them) that are outside the Tai Wai KCR station. It's like the MK meat innards shops, but I never got sick from them. mm.. yummy.. those extra hot curry fish balls... I can still taste them.. too bad I'm in Vancouver now, and gonna head to NJ later to work.


  6. #6

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    Mar 2005
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    TST is only 20 mins away from Tai Wai by train. Change at Kowloon Tong/ TST for MTR, or get off at Hung Hom and cross the harbour by bus going to Central right outside the tunnels.


  7. #7

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    Laplaya,

    Just did a check and there are night buses going back from Central. The N182 leaves every 20 mins throughout the night and will take you to Tai Wai. Doesn't take too long either.

    JK


  8. #8

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    Jan 2009
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    Is Tai Wai a safe place?


  9. #9

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    Jun 2005
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    Everywhere in Hong Kong is safe.


  10. #10

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    9

    Hey PDML, thnx for the prompt response. I know HK is far safer than anywhere else I have ever been to... But, recently I heard some ppl telling me some places in NT are getting less safe, lots of migrants etc... Maybe it is just some paranoid rumours, but I wanted to know whether anyone heard of any actual criminal cases.. well, i guess no.. thts cool.


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