Beat the Heat in Hong Kong

July in Hong Kong was arguably one of the hottest and most humid months I have ever endured. Spend even a few minutes outside and you can find yourself drenched in sweat from from the combination of soaring temperatures and incomprehensible humidity levels. And the locals keep saying that August only gets worse. So far, this has held true.

Thankfully, I've found plenty of ways to stay cool in Hong Kong while the temperatures (and humidity) soars.

Here are my favorite ways to beat the heat in Hong Kong:

• Hit the beach - Bet you didn't know that Hong Kong's got a number of beaches to cool off at! I certainly didn't when I arrived here over eight months ago. Now that the sun's shining, the city's heating up and the sweat's dripping, the beach is the perfect place to cool down. The city provides excellent changing facilities with showers and bathrooms at most beaches, making it easy to go from city center to flat out on the sand in no time. The beaches aren't always the cleanest and unless you head further afield into the New Territories or outlying islands, you won't get much in the way of pristine waters, but it's the beach and it's hot. You can't complain. 

• Frozen Yogurt treats - Much like the frozen yogurt craze that overtook NYC a number of years ago (Pinkberry, anyone?), it would seem as though just about every street in Hong Kong has at least one frozen yogurt shop on it. That's next to heaven for me! Step into the air-conditioned frozen yogurt shops and order up a refreshing cup of fro-yo to cool down, inside and out! My favorite combination of toppings: fresh strawberries, crushed Oreo cookies and a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. Nom nom nom! 

Refreshing and cold frozen yogurt is perfect for summertime

 

• Plunge into public pools - The public pool facilities in Hong Kong are AWESOME and if you're not using them, then you're sweating for no good reason! For a mere $19 HKD, payable only with your Octopus card, you have access to lap pools, diving pools, changing rooms, showers and $5 refundable lockers for storage! Now that's a luxury everyone can afford!
  

• Stay indoors - Perhaps the coolest option to staying cool in all of Hong Kong is to simply stay indoors. The air conditioning is CRANKED UP TO THE MAX anywhere inside so it's easy to escape the heat. Just remember to bring a light sweater! I'm telling you, the air conditioning is really on over-drive!

• Take your junk out - Hong Kong's full of traditional junk boats, ready to be hired for boozy cruises around the islands. Prices will vary, depending on what type of boat you're looking for and how long you want to hire the junk out, but affordable options can be found/made with larger groups.

Nighttime boat rentals are a great way to cool down

The heat may be unavoidable in Hong Kong, but at least there are some fun ways to keep my cool until the temperatures start to drop!

Do YOU have any other suggestions to beat the heat in Hong Kong?

© Connie Hum 2011