Hong Kong is synonymous with top-notch cuisine, incredible shopping, bright lights and lots and lots of money. It’s one of the places we’ve wanted to visit together for a long time. We’re sisters, and one of us—Kyra—has used a wheelchair ever since a car accident several years ago left her with an L1 complete spinal cord injury. That’s a fancy way of saying that she uses a wheelchair to get around—and get around she does, all over the world. We’re both avid travellers, and with much determination, patience and ingenuity, we have taken every possible opportunity to enjoy the wonders of the global village.

Hong Kong is a world of contrasting values—on one day, you can wander serene Buddhist temples and beautiful gardens, and the next, you can indulge in the shopping mecca of Tsim Sha Tsui. Hong Kong also has breathtaking vistas. Gazing from Kowloon across the harbour to Hong Kong Island, you’ll see fast ferries, working junk boats and floating restaurants, backed by an amazing metropolitan skyline and overbearing mountain.

Sitting at China’s southeast coast, Hong Kong is just under 1,100 square kilometers (nearly twice the size of Toronto), but teems with almost seven million people. It is divided into four main areas: Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and the outlying islands. Hong Kong has been officially called a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China since the islands were returned from British control in 1997.

Our one-week visit allowed us to explore Hong Kong’s highs and lows, from the heights of Kowloon peak to the depths of Jade Market.

After arriving at Hong Kong International Airport from Vancouver ($1,200 in low season; $1,400 from Toronto), we needed a way to get to Kowloon. We weren’t looking forward to the usual inconveniences of self-transferring that are necessary with cabs and buses (especially after a 14-hour flight!), so we found the high-speed train appealing. Boarding was easy thanks to the level access, separate baggage areas and reserved wheelchair seating near the automatic sliding doors.

Once in Kowloon, we transferred to one of the ubiquitous British-style cabs because the shuttle bus (included in the price of the train ticket) was not wheelchair accessible. Bringing a bungee cord was a wise move, as we frequently needed it to keep the trunk of our cab secure when transporting Kyra’s wheelchair.

The YMCA in Kowloon, just off Nathan Road, is known for its clean rooms, great location and inexpensive rates. We were lucky to secure an accessible room when we arrived at dinnertime — without a reservation! (Of course, it’s a good idea to book as far ahead as possible.)

As anyone who has visited Hong Kong can attest, space is at a premium, so we were thrilled to find that our room was about twice the size of most rooms, which made it easy for Kyra to navigate in her chair. It had a big bathroom with a roll-in shower and removable shower head. This is a huge improvement over the first time my sister stayed in Hong Kong—she was ushered to a guest house that was the size of a cubicle, and her wheelchair had to be taken apart just to fit inside the door.

Across the street was the famous (and pricey!) Peninsula Hotel. One absolute “must do” is spending an afternoon sipping exquisite cha out of fine bone china, delivered by white-gloved servers, at the daily high tea held in its gorgeous lobby. It will set you back about $25 per person, but the ambience and delectable goodies are worth every penny.

Many hotels offer buffet breakfasts, which are a great way to fuel up before a long day of wandering or, in our case, shopping. We highly recommend the international fare offered at the Kowloon Hotel’s breakfast buffet, which includes many kinds of bread, cheeses from around the world and authentic Chinese cuisine. After a feast like that, for lunch, we usually had something small and inexpensive at the Temple Street Market. There is no better way to immerse yourself in Hong Kong culture than chowing down on seafood, egg tarts and Tsingtao beer on a wobbly table in that part of town. We enjoyed flavourful soups and every kind of noodle dish imaginable at Kowloon eateries.

Rolling around Kowloon is a breeze. It is relatively flat and costs are lower than on Hong Kong Island, and it has a lot of day and night markets. Most curbs are wheelchair friendly. In fact, it is easier to manoeuvre and cross the streets in Kowloon than in many places in Toronto, with their deeply pitted streetcar tracks.

Crossing the harbour to Hong Kong Island is like stepping into another part of Asia. It’s a bustling metropolis, comparable to the big city business districts typical of major North American cities. To reach the island, we took the Star Ferry, which has ramps and helpful English-speaking employees. After disembarking, we found that assistance by a strong, able-bodied person is a must to access the markets lining the island’s steep alleys. We were able to reach some of these areas, but it took a lot of muscle power and determination.

Hong Kong is a shopping mecca. The quality and variety of goods—everything from kitschy souvenirs to antique Asian furniture—is outstanding. You’ll also find high-end designer shops and more commercial buildings than you can shake a chopstick at.

Of course, Hong Kong shares the problems of large cities all over the world: traffic congestion, great crowds of people, noise and pollution. Space in Hong Kong is expensive, so shops and restaurants can be very small—a wheelchair will not fit everywhere. It is important to check accessibility beforehand if you want to visit a specific place. (See “If You Go,” page 25.) Despite encountering some structural obstacles, we were able to find wheelchair-accessible washrooms in malls and near Stanley Market.

Stanley Market, on the far side of Hong Kong Island, was the highlight of our shopping experience. At first, we had expected to spend a small fortune to take a taxi there, but at the visitor information centre beside the Star Ferry terminal in Kowloon, we were thrilled to learn that Hong Kong has wheelchair-accessible buses, complete with lift and reserved seating. We caught a bus that dropped us off at the entrance to Stanley Market.

We coasted down the winding, accessible paths through the market for hours of browsing and buying. When we left, we struggled to get Kyra’s wheelchair — and our multitude of purchases — back up the hill to catch the bus. We must have been quite a sight!

By the time we left Hong Kong, we were deeply impressed by its cosmopolitan sights, sounds and tastes. The level of accessibility was a bonus, and we recommend that all wheelchair users consider Hong Kong for their next getaway.

IF YOU GO

SURF

Hong Kong Tourism Board
Hong Kong International Airport

READ

Hong Kong Access Guide for Disabled Visitors
Contains helpful information about hotels, restaurants and cinemas.

A Guide to Public Transport for People with Disabilities
Read by clicking "English," then choose "Service for People with Disabilities," or pick up a copy at visitor centres in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay.

Lonely Planet Hong Kong & Macau by Steve Fallon, $26.95

CONTACT

Easy-Access Travel (EAT) Ltd.

Launched in 2003 to promote Hong Kong as an accessible city, EAT can arrange accessible transport services, accommodations, tours, conferences and access to medical supplies. It has also organized trips to Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Mainland China.

YMCA of Hong Kong
41 Salisbury Rd., Kowloon
Phone: 852-2268-7000

Multilingual Visitor Hotline
852-2508-1234

Society for Accessible
Travel and Hospitality (SATH) SATH’s mission is to raise awareness of the needs of all travellers with disabilities, remove physical and attitudinal barriers to free access and expand travel opportunities.