GBA Lifestyle News
Going out on a date this Christmas with someone outside your Covid bubble? If you don’t feel like going out for coffee or drinks — or similar activities that require taking your masks off in public indoor areas for an extended amount of time — we present to you five socially distanced Hong Kong date ideas that allow you to get to know each other in person, while keeping your masks on most of the time.
We’ve all been spending so much time at home that it’d be nice to look at some nature — and going to the flower market is an easy workaround as it doesn’t require any uphill trekking. The open-air market covers about four streets, all lined with flower shops and wholesalers selling various plants, flowers as well as pots and planters. You can appreciate all the delicate colors from imported flowers and local varietals, talk about your favorite flowers while enjoying some fresh air in the relatively calm Prince Edward neighborhood. The best way to get there is via the MTR (Prince Edward, Exit B1). Consider this one of the most easy, breezy socially distant first Hong Kong date ideas.
Mong Kok Flower Market, Flower Market Road, Mong Kok
The weather is cool enough that biking along the Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk route is a breeze — so that you can keep your mask on if you prefer. Straight out of the Tai Wai station, you’ll find bike rental shops. It’s best to choose a shop that’ll allow you to return your bikes at Tai Mei Tuk. Follow the biking trail which will lead you straight to Shing Mun River. Once there, you’ll soon be biking along Tolo Harbour next to the Science Park. The trail will take you to Tai Mei Tuk in five hours max. It’s nice to start the trail right after lunch, then you can enjoy the idyllic sunset hours while appreciating the view of the lake near the main dam of Plover Cove Reservoir at Tai Mei Tuk.
Tai Wai Station (Exit A), New Territories
Enjoy some private studio time together as the two of you get creative and make your own pottery under the guidance of a ceramics artist. Touch Ceramics at Tai Kwun hosts private workshops with various themes. You can choose to make sake ware, experience traditional Cantonese Kwon-glaze, create tea or coffee mugs, or do some porcelain painting. The studio will prepare all the necessary materials and complete the final firing process after the workshop.
Touch Ceramics, Shop 203, 2/F, Block 3 Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Rd, Central
It’s hard to beat the night views along the Victoria Harbour, and now that the trails along the harbourfront are better developed, it is a truly pleasant walk to do in the evening. It’s an uninterrupted walk from the Central harbourfront to Wan Chai’s Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Stop at Admiralty’s Tamar Park to take in the night sky, or enjoy a quiet picnic in the open air. If you’re a bit more ambitious, start at Kennedy Town, go past Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park in Sheung Wan, then take a slight detour and go along Connaught Road Central or Des Voeux Road Central before heading back out to the Central Piers.
Opened in 1991, the Hong Kong Park is one of the biggest parks in the city, with an aviary, a conservatory, a clock tower, a lovely vantage point, and various little gardens, ponds, and green spaces. Take the escalators from Admiralty’s Pacific Place, and you’ll find yourself in this underrated urban gem. The aviary is the largest of its kind in Hong Kong, housing about 550 birds of 70 different species. Next up is the conservatory, with three themed rooms including one for humid plants and another for cacti and succulents. There’s even a dainty little museum of teaware (which is currently closed due to Covid-19 measures). Don’t forget to head up to the vantage point, where you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the entire park.
Hong Kong Park, 19 Cotton Tree Drive, Central
