sggolf

Might have a free weekend coming up and trying to decide whether to spend it in Hong Kong or Taipei? Any suggestions?

dtsm

Hmmmm....interesting question.

What are your interests, e.g. Taipei has THE museum for chinese art, etc. and you could spend one entire day there (suggest you also get english speaking guide for first few hours), night market(s), a couple of temples, monuments.

HK - well, it's HK, one of the great international cities of the world -I'll leave it to others to give you tips as I usually spend 24-36 hrs only for business. This is not to slight it as a great destination.

Food - this will certainly elicit comments from both sides. Cantonese food - by far HK, hands down.

silverkris168

As someone who's lived in both places - the answer depends on what you're looking for.

Hong Kong has the fantastic skyline, harbor, instant recognition and energy. Probably a bit more cosmopolitan as well given its status as a regional financial center.

Taipei isn't as aesthetically pleasing or landmarked - but it's real strengths are really underneath the surface. It's arguably more "traditional" Chinese than HK, and the real appeal is the people per se, who are more "down to earth" in my opinion.

For food - Hong Kong is better and best for Cantonese food (and Shanghainese, IMO). Taipei has more and better selections for most other regional Chinese cuisines, especially the northern ones that you are hard-pressed to find in HK. Also, there are probably more cheap eats as well.

HK may be a bit easier to navigate for the English speaker given its legacy as a former UK colony, and its denser geographical layout.