Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [151]
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NEW TERRITORIES
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Sai Kung Town
POETS Map Pub
2791 7993; 55 Yi Chun St; 5pm-1am Mon-Fri, 3-4pm-2am Sat & Sun, happy hour noon-9pm Mon-Fri; 92, 299
This friendly workaday pub with literary aspirations is a pleasant place for a pint and serves typical pub meals, such as pies, chips and beans for $58.
DUKE Map Pub
2791 6255; Ground fl, 42-56 Fuk Man Rd; noon-2am, happy hour noon-9pm Mon-Fri, noon-7pm Sat & Sun; 92, 299
This popular pub, just up from the waterfront, has darts, free pool and sports on the TV. Cocktails range from $35 to $60 and there’s snack food, such as curried fish balls ($25) and marinated chicken kidney ($30).
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OUTLYING ISLANDS
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Lamma
Yung Shue Wan has several cosy waterfront boozers worth checking out, which serve very much a local crowd in the evenings (mostly expats). In theory you may have to sign a members’ book, as some operate on club
licences.
DIESEL’S BAR Map Bar
2982 4116; 51 Main St, Yung Shue Wan; 6pm-late Mon-Fri, noon-late Sat & Sun, happy hour 6-9pm Mon-Fri; Lamma (Yung Shue Wan)
This place next to the Lamma Bistro attracts punters with big-screen TV during sports matches.
FOUNTAINHEAD DRINKING BAR Map Bar
2982 2118; 17 Main St, Yung Shue Wan; 5pm-2am Mon-Fri, 3pm-4am Sat & Sun, happy hour all day Mon-Fri; Lamma (Yung Shue Wan)
The cheerfully no-frills Fountainhead has a good mix of Chinese and expats in regular attendance, decent music and beer at affordable prices.
ISLAND SOCIETY BAR Map Bar
2982 1376; 6 Main St, Yung Shue Wan; 6pm-late Mon-Fri, noon-late Sat & Sun, happy hour 4-8pm; Lamma (Yung Shue Wan)
The Island remains the bar of choice for long-term expats living on Lamma, so if you want the lowdown on what’s up, head here.
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Lantau
CHINA BEACH CLUB Map Bar
2983 8931; 18 Tung Wan Tau Rd; noon-10pm Thu & Fri, 11.30am-10pm Sat & Sun, happy hour all day Thu-Sun; Lantau
This pleasant bar-restaurant has a 185-sq-metre rooftop and an open-air balcony overlooking Silvermine Bay Beach. Staff are friendly and helpful, and the food is good as well. The two-for-one cocktail ‘hour’ can go on well into the night.
JK’S CLUB Map Bar
2984 0220; Ground fl, 20 Lo Wai Tsuen, Pui O; 6pm-late Tue-Sat, 4pm-late Sun; 1, 2, 3M, 4 or A35
This place is conveniently located just off the main road in Pui O. The beach is right across the street.
CHINA BEAR Map Pub
2984 9720; Ground fl, Mui Wo Centre, Ngan Wan Rd; 10am-2am, happy hour 5-9pm Mon-Fri, 5-8pm Sat & Sun; Lantau
The China Bear is the most popular expat pub-restaurant in Mui Wo, with a wonderful open bar facing the water. It’s right by the ferry terminal, making it the perfect spot for your first and last beer in Mui Wo, and for those in between perhaps.
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NIGHTLIFE
Energetic Hong Kong has long enjoyed a big night out, and while the economic turmoil of recent years may have taken the edge off things, the locals party on. It’s best to approach a night out in Hong Kong as a movable feast flitting between a number of intimate (and free) little bar-cum-club venues and then later on perhaps hitting some of the more traditional clubs that charge a door fee.
There’s a good spread of clubs in Hong Kong, including in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, although Central and Soho dominate for sheer number of venues.
Most of the club nights take place on Friday and Saturday, but there are some good midweek venues as well. Cover charges range from $100 to as high as $500 when a big-name foreign DJ is mixing or an internationally recognised band is on stage. On some nights you may get in free (or for a cheaper cover) if you are among the first 50 or so through the door, you’re dressed in ’70s gear (or whatever) on theme nights, or you’re a woman.
Karaoke clubs are as popular as ever with the city’s young citizens, with a sprinkling of clubs in Central and a clutch of smart places springing up on and around Minden Ave in Tsim Sha Tsui.