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Less hectic areas within easy commute to WKCD?

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Posts
    4

    Thank you all for these helpful comments! So, far, the options seem to be:


    • Gold Coast/ So Kwun Wat
    • Yuen Long
    • Sham Tseng
    • Tsuen Wan
    • Olympic
    • Tung Chung (Lantau)
    • Discovery Bay (Lantau)
    • Ma Wan
    • Lamma Island


    This definitely gives us a good starting point. We are planning to do what @GentleGeorge said anyway, and get an airbnb/ temporary apartment for the first month or so, so we can check out all these places and make our minds up.

    One other thing I probably should have mentioned, is that my wife and I are both women. So we'd want to live somewhere reasonably LGBT+ friendly. My understanding is that general attitudes towards gay people, particularly f/f couples, are kind of OK in Hong Kong, although gay marriage is of course not recognised other than for tax and entry visa purposes. But since we're looking at less urban areas, it's probably something to bear in mind. We wouldn't want to inadvertently move to an area where we'd be likely to get "frozen out" or face a lot of daily hostility.
    Last edited by Volein; 04-06-2021 at 09:39 PM. Reason: typo
    GentleGeorge likes this.

  2. #12

    Science Park vicinity has a lot of new sea view apartments but you would need cars. (Tai Po On Tolo gated development).

    Last edited by angeluscomplex; 05-06-2021 at 12:15 AM.

  3. #13

    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    2,267
    Quote Originally Posted by Volein:
    Thank you all for these helpful comments! So, far, the options seem to be:


    • Gold Coast/ So Kwun Wat
    • Yuen Long
    • Sham Tseng
    • Tsuen Wan
    • Olympic
    • Tung Chung (Lantau)
    • Discovery Bay (Lantau)
    • Ma Wan
    • Lamma Island


    This definitely gives us a good starting point. We are planning to do what @GentleGeorge said anyway, and get an airbnb/ temporary apartment for the first month or so, so we can check out all these places and make our minds up.

    One other thing I probably should have mentioned, is that my wife and I are both women. So we'd want to live somewhere reasonably LGBT+ friendly. My understanding is that general attitudes towards gay people, particularly f/f couples, are kind of OK in Hong Kong, although gay marriage is of course not recognised other than for tax and entry visa purposes. But since we're looking at less urban areas, it's probably something to bear in mind. We wouldn't want to inadvertently move to an area where we'd be likely to get "frozen out" or face a lot of daily hostility.
    I wouldn't worry about it in HK, you might get some old uncle angry stare but anyone looking different (as in not Chinese) will get it. HK is not a violent place unless you wave an independence flag, in which case you get beat up by the police.

  4. #14

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,323

    I don't know of anybody caring about two women living together. They will probably think you are just friends unless you make public displays of affection, which are not common here for any couples except kids.

    jgl likes this.

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Tuen Mun
    Posts
    2,074

    At least for the first little while I'd give Palatial Coast a miss. By HK standards it's in the middle of nowhere. It might run a residents' bus convenient to work, but that's about it. Not so much as a 7-11 within easy walking distance (let alone other shops or restaurants), no public bus routes at the gate. The beach at the bottom of the hill is ungazetted, which means it is uncleaned of all the garbage that gets chucked off passing ships.
    Although there several bus stops further out, places like Gold Coast, Aegean Coast (not to be confused with The Aegean) or even Avignon are much more convenient and closer to a nicer beach.

    mucaari likes this.

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    26

    I’m surprised no one has mentioned Sai Ying Pun or Kennedy Town on HK island. With the pandemic now, the specified budget would be enough for a decent 1-bedder in a building with a lift at least, these days it can come with a waterfront view too. While it certainly might not be as spacious as the other districts, it should certainly be comfortable for two.

    The real upside from from what I see is that the commute to WKCD should take around 30 mins or less by MTR or by buses 904/905 which take you directly there. And on weekends/PH/WFH days you’ve got the convenience of all the expat-oriented restaurants/bars/cafes around. Much easier meeting friends too.

    The serviced apartment/Airbnb idea would do some good as no one knows you better than you do yourself (wait, maybe google does).


  7. #17

    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Beautiful Britain
    Posts
    2,089
    Quote Originally Posted by Cancellara:
    I’m surprised no one has mentioned Sai Ying Pun or Kennedy Town on HK island. With the pandemic now, the specified budget would be enough for a decent 1-bedder in a building with a lift at least, these days it can come with a waterfront view too. While it certainly might not be as spacious as the other districts, it should certainly be comfortable for two.

    The real upside from from what I see is that the commute to WKCD should take around 30 mins or less by MTR or by buses 904/905 which take you directly there. And on weekends/PH/WFH days you’ve got the convenience of all the expat-oriented restaurants/bars/cafes around. Much easier meeting friends too.

    The serviced apartment/Airbnb idea would do some good as no one knows you better than you do yourself (wait, maybe google does).
    It's all relative I know but I wouldn't classify these areas 'quiet'
    chingleutsch likes this.

  8. #18

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    26
    Original Post Deleted
    Wow, why didn’t I think of that? Yeah, that should be nice and cosy for a couple!

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Jun 2021
    Posts
    4

    you guys crack me up When we were first discussing the possibility of moving to HK, my partner wanted to watch some youtube videos about living there, and one of the first ones that came up was about cage homes, with this old fella who got kicked out by his relatives and had to live in a "bedspace apartment". He was trying to put a brave face on it and saying it's only temporary while he's waiting for social housing, but man, it was brutal. Needless to say, it didn't exactly sell the idea of Hong Kong living to my partner.

    In all seriousness, while I won't rule out any area at this point, and some of my future colleagues in the same wage bracket do live on Hong Kong Island, it's probably not quite what we're looking for. I do look forward to exploring it, though!