Soak up the culture
Eight great funky fortune-telling and weird wellness experiences when in Hong Kong
IN CHINESE culture, the number eight is the luckiest of them all. Discover Chinese culture and traditions in its pure form with a trip to Hong Kong.
1. Embrace the elements
A detox treatment at Chuan Spa begins before you even enter the room, with a quirky questionnaire to determine which of the five elements – fire, earth, wind, water or metal – you lean towards. I am fire and my flames shall be fanned accordingly. The 150-minute detox treatment begins with a body scrub followed by a seaweed wrap; back, neck and shoulder massage; before a facial finale. chuanspa.com.hk
2. Drink with a difference
At Fang Fang, one of Hong Kong’s hottest dining spots, order a cocktail according to the five elements. The evocative menu provides detailed descriptions of the characteristics you are most likely to possess and then you simply order to match your mood. As I am fire, I order the Omikuji Girl, a concoction of Chili Tequila, Barley Sochu, Yuzu, Cardamon, Shiso and Five Spice. It comes with a flaming piece of paper, upon which I must make a wish, before blowing it out and drinking up. It is believed harmony is restored when the five elements are balanced. fangfang.com.hk
3. Sip sugar cane
For this eclectic experience I join a guide from WalkinHongKong and take a three-hour Old Town Central Walking tour. It’s hot and hilly and by the time we reach Kung Lee Herbal Tea I am bursting for the cold, sweet sugar cane juice here. The Chinese believe the benefits of this drink are enough to get you through the four seasons. facebook.com/WalkInHongKong
4. Banish your villains
What could be more enjoyable than paying a complete stranger to grab her old shoe and bash the living daylights out of your enemy? For the past 50 years, Chinese women have been gathering at the Ngo Keng Kiu flyover at Wan Chai, considered the ideal feng shui spot for banishing evil. Here, you hold some incense sticks, write down the name of your enemy, and your personal “villain hitter” will chant and vanquish them for you.
5. Enjoy a twist on tradition
Hong Kongers love a good cuppa, but they’ve never seen anything like this. You’ll spot Flamingo Bloom from its bright, pink flamingo outside and its equally vibrant decor inside. This sassy salon serves four base teas – jasmine green tea from Fujian, Highland oolong from Taiwan, chrysanthemum pu’er from Yunnan, and honey orchid black tea from Sichuan. Drunk hot or cold, they are, frankly, blooming lovely. flamingobloom.com
6. Enter the dragon
You’ll find a cool street art mural of Hong Kong’s favourite son, stunt man and movie star Bruce Lee, around Sheung Wan. Head to the Dragon Noodles Academy at nearby Central for an entertaining dining experience. Here, it’s more like entering a kung fu studio than a restaurant. dragon-noodles.com
7. Pick up sticks
The philosophy at Wong Tai Sin Temple is simple. Here, you pay for a cylinder of 100 wooden sticks, each of them numbered. You kneel before the temple on a cushion, ask for your wish, and then shake the cylinder until one stick drops out. You then take this stick to a fortune teller for interpretation. Mr Tommy tells me my number 78 is an “extremely good stick” and this year looks good for me for love. But I must act now. If I want to know more, I should also buy his book. I thank Mr Tommy and leave, as I have no time to waste.
8. Discover your fortune
Most Aussies visit the famous Temple Street Night Market for shopping. Consider going for a face and palm reading, which will probably last longer than your rip-off sunglasses. I choose Englishspeaking Grace, who first calculates my numbers based on my birth date, year and time. She then surveys my palms and face, telling me I have a kind heart. According to my high ears and forehead, I will go abroad for work. The bad news: I need to stop drinking and thinking so much. templestreet-night-market.hk