Mainland Chinese authorities recently announced that non-Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents, irrespective of nationality, can apply for a new permit to visit Mainland China they can use for multiple 90-day trips for up to five years. Applications for the permit, which is issued in the form of a card, opened on July 10, 2024. Here’s everything you need to know about how to get the new permit, from the documents you require, to the wait times, and how much it costs. What is the new permit for Hong Kong Permanent Residents to visit Mainland? Officially known as the Mainland Travel Permit for H ..read more

Indoor playground specialists Momoland recently opened their second space in Tsuen Wan West, spanning 12,000 square feet. The new rainbow-themed play area located in OP Mall is touted to have Hong Kong’s first grid battle zone — 160 square feet of motion-sensing screens that change colour and can be used for team games. The newest Momoland branch has light-up building blocks and a grid battle zone. Momoland’s Tsuen Wan branch is the only such space in the city that has play options for kids aged up to 16 years old. So there’s everything from light-up building blocks, to a ninja maze with chall ..read more

The prestigious Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 ceremony took place yesterday at the Rosewood Hotel. Although the event was not open to the public, it marked a significant moment for the F&B industry. This was the ninth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, the regional version of World’s Best Bar, highlighting the region’s vibrant cocktail culture. Hong Kong secured the top spot for the fourth year in a row, and had nine bars in the Top 50. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, Coa topped the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list, but there is a new winner this year! Bar Leone has supplanted Coa as Asia’s Best Bar. Opened in ..read more

The forthcoming Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Half Marathon will be held on January 5, 2025 on the Hong Kong section of the longest bridge-and-tunnel sea crossing in the world. The 21-kilometre-long race will be open to 8,000 runners, and will last three hours, taking the participants along the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Link Road, through the Scenic Hill Tunnel, and past Sha Lo Wan, before they turn around and head back to the start point. The course map for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Half Marathon in January 2025. Registrations will open in two rounds. Priority entry for runners wh ..read more

In collaboration with Cherry Bobbins* Ever since she was a teenager, Cherisse Kofod was clear about what she wanted to do – have her own fashion brand. But it took her a while to get there and to zero in on a niche that worked. “It was my dream at 15 to move away from my hometown, study fashion in Sydney, and then start my own label. But after I finished studying, I realised I didn’t really have enough knowledge of fashion and how to create a brand. So I went and worked for other people because I really wanted to learn the business side, how to market, and how to build a brand,” says Cherisse ..read more

The Hong Kong Observatory says that the city may experience its second typhoon of the year over the weekend or early next week. According to a bulletin issued by the city’s meteorological body, satellite images show “two sets of obvious convective cloud clusters in the central and southern South China Sea and waters east of the Philippines” that, according to some models, could form an area of low pressure and develop into a typhoon. The path probability prediction map showing the low-pressure area in the South China Sea (© Hong Kong Observatory) The local forecaster stated that it is generall ..read more

Taxi charges in Hong Kong will increase by as much as 10.92% from July 14, after the government approved fare adjustments earlier this year. Flag-fall rates will go up by HK$2 for urban (red), Lantau (blue), and New Territories (green) cabs for the first 2km. In addition, there will be hikes in incremental fares of HK$0.1-HK$0.2 for all three taxis, as well as changes in waiting time charges. However, additional charges levied for luggage and pets will remain the same. TAXI TYPE CURRENT BASE FARE NEW BASE FARE Urban (red) HK$27 HK$29 New Territories (green) HK$23.5 HK$25.5 Lantau (blu ..read more

Hotel Icon is bringing back Hong Kong’s largest durian festival at which diners can sample the ‘King of Kings’ in the durian world, as well as uncommon and low-yield types of the fruit. The Malaysian Durian Festival, which is on from July 20-August 24, will celebrate the King of Fruits with a wide spread of durian-infused creations, along with authentic Southeast Asian live stations, chilled seafood. As part of the festival, the hotel will host weekend brunch and dinner buffets and serve 15 new durian dishes that infuse six Malaysian-origin durians into savoury Chinese plates and western-style ..read more

Water World Ocean Park Hong Kong is hosting a two-month-long summer party from July 6-September 1. The Frenzy Summer Party Time has Olympics-inspired sports battles, as well as exhilarating rides and attractions, eye-catching photo spots, and surfing demonstrations. The park will also broadcast this year’s Olympic Games at Horizon Cove for sports enthusiasts to cheer their favourite teams. Visitors to Water Park can compete in special sports like water volleyball, basketball, and tug of war at the park’s premier wave pools — Big Wave Bay and Horizon Cove. There will also be an array of water b ..read more

Life comes with its fair share of challenges, and sometimes it can all get quite overwhelming — whether it’s relationship concerns, self-esteem issues, or workplace difficulties. And it doesn’t hurt to seek professional help in troubled times and get support for mental health issues. Here are some organisations and individuals you can reach out to for therapy and counselling services in Hong Kong. Counselling Hong Kong* — Central Counselling Hong Kong is led by Sebastian Droesler, who works with adults, individuals and couples  (© Counselling Hong Kong) Counselling Hong Kong provides holi ..read more