Coming from Tokyo, one major thing you need to realize is that transportation here is much more convenient than in Tokyo and distances are much shorter.
Ex: going from Shatin to Central is like going from Shinjuku to Shibuya
So dont hesitate to go visit places that seem remote but are actually very close and convenient to Central.
My recommendations:
- Sai Kung / Clearwater Bay: expensive but great living conditions. You would need a car though. The best place to live in HK.
- Gold Coast - Sham Tseng areas: very affordable rents, little known to Expats with large housing allowances, and hence quite local or 'localized expats', but great seaviews, proximity to nature parks, low density of population and convenient transport to anywhere in Kowloon and Central. Considered a 'secret garden' by locals, due to the limited number of developments there, the reputation as being a 'cheap place' but who cares, great living conditions...
- Kowloon Tong: much more expensive and 'chic', but low density and spacious houses/flats available.
Very local. Almost too quiet and boring. Good for wealthy Chinese who want to show off a good address.
One more '2 cents' - coming from Japan, I would avoid high density areas (I saw Boris recomendation on Tai Koo) - awful, it is like being in the middle of Shinjuku Station at 8:45am - and in HK you will get tired of shopping after a few months....you can do that anywhere across the whole HK territory...
I lived in Shatin on top of the New Town Plaza for a few years and got really depressed by the stress of seeing thousands of noisy people every time you step out of your flat.
To maintain your mental health, you need air and space in HK.
Pick a greener location to live or you'll get burn out.
And if u dun mind travelling a little more than 3o mins to work .. u can try Discovery bay where I first stayed or what about the local new districts like Tiu Keng Leng, Quarry Bay, tseung Kwan O, Po lam, Kowloon Tong etc etc....
Things are slighty cheaper but its a hassle to go home after partying....
I'm in the same predicament as the original poster. Also coming from Tokyo.
I am considering Whampoa /Laguna Verde. Can someone tell me if it's a good middle ground for busy-ness and what it's like commuting out of this area to Shatin?
I'm with psampras88 on gold coast it's very pretty, but you might not like the commute to hung hom.
Tsing Yi is close by, it's not nearly as fancy or pretty but the rent is cheaper and there is the mtr very close. (With goldcoast you have to take a bus or cab to an mtr- but you get a beach!)
Tsing Yi to polytech is about 20 minutes to kowloon station and then a 7 minute minibus- if you time it right.
You get the fresh air of new territories without the depression or the solidarity of shatin. I understand them recommending it to you due to Hung Hom being your final destination but I could not live there- too crowded and sad looking.
Olympic isn't a bad place either. They've put some beautiful complexes in there and they're not too expensive. It's about 15 minutes to central from there by mtr with easy access to hung hom.
OLD THREAD ALERT
Yeah - they are divorced now and still full of bitter acrimony and loathing. I think the bloke is in the OCH.