Little fun fact about myself -- I LOVE animals probably more than anyone I know haha, and no species are excluded. If you love them too, you should pay a visit to the Kam Shan Country Park for the monkey trail!

Immediately after getting off the bus, monkeys are everywhere! They're not shy so getting close isn't a problem but if you "accidentally" bring bananas like I did, watch your back! The monkeys know and are not afraid to snatch them from you.

Victoria Peak (a.k.a. "the peak")
Anyone who has ever searched the web for things to do in Hong Kong has found this among the top results. It's one of the main attractions as it is the tallest peak on Hong Kong Island and features a beautiful view -- especially at night. They say it's best to get up there right before sunset to watch the sky darken.

There are several hiking trails you can take to get to the peak, one of them starting at the HKU campus. We, however, were lazy one night and took the Peak Tram. The Peak Tram is close to the Central station (3 stops from HKU) and takes you straight to the top -- no work required! (haha). Once you get to the top, I was surprised to find that a shopping mall type of building occupies the peak and you have to pay extra to get to the rooftop area where the best view is. Instead, we walked around the building and found lovely views anyway.

Chinese Dessert
OK so not even exaggerating --> Chinese dessert is a game-changer! I've never had a big sweet tooth because I don't like feeling yucky after eating a big piece of cake or bowl of ice cream so I very rarely want or seek dessert. Chinese dessert, however, is not only delicious but light and (somewhat) healthy!! Here are two of the most popular:

The Mid-Autumn Festival
I'm sure most people have heard of the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, which is a celebration of the new lunar year. Chinese people also celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival! Around the city, there are several events to celebrate and there are many traditions that come with it. It's customary to eat mooncakes and watch the dragon dance on this day. We went to Victoria Park for these festivities -- great energy and happiness all around.