Living in the Mid-Levels (Pro/Cons -- Yet Another "Where should I live" Thread

[yetanotherlogin]

Hi all,

Sorry for posting another in a seemingly endless series of the "where should I live" genre but I'm moving to HK at the end of the year and would like to get some advice on locations. Specifically, with a budget of about 37.5K/month HKD, what do people think about the mid-levels?

I've heard mixed things and my personal experience isn't all *that* positive (for some reason, in my memory, the mid-levels always seem very dark and old)...if my major form of entertainment is NOT the pub scene - are the Mid-Levels a poor choice?

To be specific about the comparison - I've heard very good things about Happy Valley but am a bit of afraid that the commute will be a huge pain.

Cheers!

[jimbo]

Where will you be working?
Just you moving?
Maximum commute time?

[yetanotherlogin]

Where will you be working?
Just you moving?
Maximum commute time?

Will be working in Central and have a wife who is also moving. No kids or dogs or horses or anything like that. In terms of commute time, I don't mind commuting as long as it's comfortable (i.e. - I don't want to arrive drenched in sweat).

[mid_gen]

You would have to try quite hard to make any commute 'a real pain' really. Where do you work? Don't like mid-levels myself but it's down to personal taste.

Arrange a serviced apartment for the first month and check areas out yourself.

[threelittlepigs]

Pros
- close to expat restaurants and bars;
- close to work, lots of buses , minibuses
- generally flats are more geared towards expats - ie instead of 600 sft 2 bdr it would be 1 bdr
- all daily amenities are close - laundry, groceries, - and people speak English

Cons
- buildings are all close together (especially in western midlevels); much better above HK Park, Kennedy Rd, Macdonnel Rd area. As a result flats don't have much views and darker. There are many exceptions just that you have to pay fo it.
- difficult to get taxis during rainstorms
- if you want cheap HK food, there are not that many restaurants in Central
- lots of congestion, cars, construction - therefore, noisier, dustier
- lots of light pollution
- generally everything is more expensive - food, groceries, etc

Kennedy Rd close to Wan Chai and CWB is a nice area. Happy Valley is also nice but 5 min further away - feels like a little self-contained village. Bus 1 takes 1/2 hr to get to Central. If you live in upper Happy Valley, then you will need to take more taxis, but it is just a minibus ride from CWB so very convenient. Another area to consider - Tin Hau - think of this as Happy Valley lite. Or go the other way and like in Pok Fu Lam. Some other people willrecommend Kowloon and Sai Kung - but since I don't live there, i cannot recommend anyplace.

[Skyhook]

Some other people willrecommend Kowloon and Sai Kung - but since I don't live there, i cannot recommend anyplace.

Nah the topic is about living in mid levels, not SaiKung.

We are full and very inconvenient to get to and from. Plus grocery costs in saikung are amongst the highest in Hong Kong. The op will hate it here.

Stick with mid levels and enjoy your singledom.. You ll be a third wheel out here in the Kung and looked upon as odd. Get freaky in the mid levels, thats what its there for... Providing you have a scotch budget.



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[Beanieskis]

I live in Mid Levels, on Park Road on a high floor.

I find it quiet (at night, it's probably busy during the day but it's quiet at night) and my view is open. My building also has an entrance on Bonham, which has excellent bus routes to Central, Admiralty and Causeway Bay.

It takes me 10 mins to get to work in Wan Chai, and 15 mins to walk to Soho bars.

Within 7 mins run of my flat I can be on paths in the forest that lead to the HK trail and Pokfulam Country Park all off road.

I like it, and find it a good balance of peace and quiet and convenience. Not everywhere in Mid-Levels is like this though!