Good spots to live in HK

[krankin]

Hey All,

Hoping to get a HK based job and am wonderibg where the good places to stay are near the Airport.

Wouldnt be made of money but would be comfortable. Would be myself and my Girlfriend so no family to worry about.....

Have been looking at Disco Bay, Kowloon, and some others. What do you guys reckon?

Cheers!!

K.

[superfrozo]

You gotta come to DiscoBay - I'm tired of seeing the same mingers (not suggesting your gf is a minger mind you!) at the "swap meets".

Definitely need some new talent here, so come on over & bring your keys.

"Disco Bay, where all your troubles can be golf-carted away!"

:}

[AAIGUY]

you know, for all the swapping I'm aware of in HK, relatively little of it goes on in DB.. would love to know how that rumour got started.. Way more in Sai Kung.

Now, if you want your Mrs. poached WITHOUT your consent, then DB is perfect.
Lots of gent's happy to mow your lawn whilst your away..

[broadband circuit]

Now, if you want your Mrs. poached WITHOUT your consent, then DB is perfect.

Just hang on a minute AAIGUY, he didn't say he'd be working for CX as an SO!

However, krankin, if you are about to join CX, then steer clear of the DB marina. There's a CX pilot-manager there that you don't want your wife to meet.

[iMad]

krankin, all jokes aside (well actually they arent jokes...sad), based on the limited info you're giving, the only advice i can give u is if you're joining CX as an international cadet, you would want to take a long hard look at what you'll be living in. At what they're paying C-Scales (no housing), you'll be looking at a 1-2 bedroom shoebox in Tung Chung - the only residential area next to the airport, and if its decent-sized you'll be paying at least half your salary for rent.....and thats in Tung Chung!!

[Ghost_Rider737]

If you're working in Hong Kong or the Middle East then there is a strong possibility that your GF/wife will BAIL !!! (well very strong possibility if ure an expat) Stay away if u can......

Expat lifestyle is crap if u have a GF or Wife (thats not local). If u really need the job and there is no wher else to go then i suppose u got no option.

I know the money may be good but there is a reason for it !

Goodluck

Personally I think there are better spots in the world than HKG !

[krankin]

Thanks for the variety of views guys!

I wasnt too keen on using the Mrs as a trading tool and was quite happy to keep her to myself so i might give disco a miss (this isnt the only place i have heard of these shenanigans).

Seriously, wtf is going on over there? Is it THAT boring?

Anyway, not coming as a CX cadet so i have that on my side i guess. The money woudnt be great but would be enough to live on. What about mixing with the locals? Anyone lived in the non expat parts of town?

[AAIGUY]

I live in Kowloon in a reasonably local area dude, rent is still 40K for about a 1000sq feet. Unless you're moving to Shatin or something, ANYTHING you'd consider living in would start @ about 12-14K in Tung Chung, and go up from there.

[N1 Vibes]

You could live in the office - that's free.

Or you could move to Tung Chung and get the annual "Hong Kong Cough", the season for which is starting just about now, judging by the number of furballs baing hacked up around here at the moment...

If you want the cleanest air in HK and an expensive expat life, then Sai Kung is the place, but it can take 45 mins to 1.5 hrs to get to the airport.

Good Luck,

N1 Vibes

[hongkongfooey]

Krankin, I am guessing HKA/HKE or corporate ? either way, unless you are a DEC, you will not be putting too much into the savings account my friend.

Hope you did'nt fall into the popular traps up here :

1) If working for HKA/HKE they would have quoted you the max amount you can earn per month, and promised you a command in 6 months

2) converting the pay to Aussie dollars, this is not Oz !! and almost everything except phone, electricity and beer, cost significantly more ( yes, I realise they are really the only 3 things you need to live )

3) you can make a fortune in property, well now you need a fortune to get into a 1000sqft flat

4) the pollution is not as bad as the greenies make out. ( ask the 1500 people a year that die of it, on second thoughts, ask the people that visit the doctor 6,000,000 times anually because of it, And no, that is not one person )

The 1000sqft mentioned for 12-14K in Tungers ( Tung Chung ) is about 1/2 the size of a small house in Oz, on the plus side you can look out the window and stare at work all day, on the days that the viz permits .
Disco Bay you need to spend closer to 25-30K for that size, but the missus is likely to take a lot longer to go around the twist in DB. There is that other problem tho.............

Still, I guess there is no talking you out of it, so, good luck :ok:

[Ex Cathedra]

Thanks for the variety of views guys!


Wait. What else did you expect on PPrune? At least you know to avoid DB like the bubonic plague now.

But if you roughly told us your budget and lifestyle expectations we might, just might, be able to help.

Or try the HK expat forums if you want to exchange with normal human beings.

[krankin]

Sorry guys, i have an interview for AHK and just want to get a feel for what is going on.

The budget would probably not exceed 30,000 for accomodation per month. Would i be right in saying that this amount would probably not include rats??

Thanks guys.

[fire wall]

Krankin, 15-20 k coin will get you a nice place in Db, people are way cool if you get in the right scene and the BS you have heard (especially the golf cart key chain farytale is based on noise and previous indiscretions which in their singularity cannot possibly be considered the norm, except for the bent few who continually post their sewage on an anon site ). I have lived here for 9 years and, ignoring the loud mouth variety of canuks and wallabies ( which I would have done where ever I lived, given that i am an Australian married to a girl from Saskatchewan) you can have a great life if you don't live you life based on the company's latest missive, or the bent out of shape crap posted by the previous respondents. They all have one think in common, big mouth = little brain. Enjoy.

[Ex Cathedra]

That budget gets you a really nice place above Kowloon station, in one of the residences there. It's got an Airport Expres station and easy and quick connection to the rest of the city.

There's also Tsing Yi. Also convenient with MTR, Airport Express and a nice mall. Bigger place for the same money.

You can probably a nice rooftop duplex in tung Chung for that money, if you don't mind the constant reminder of the misery that your new career with a Hong Kong airline promises to be... :E

I see FireWall has definitely put the nail on DB's coffin, but if you enjoy that kind of lifestyle, you can try Park Island. It relatively close to the airport, well connected, has a beach and good clubhouses, with no annoying gossip or MILFs driving golf carts like maniacs menacing to run you over between dropping off the kids to school and visiting their boyfriends.

...:}

[seventy-seven]

Simple, if your single then its livable. If you are married or have a girlfriend stay away, its that bad! The air quality alone will kill you.

[CrazyStuntPilot]

I recently went to Hong Kong for an interview and I really liked the city in the 2 days that I visited after the interview. Now from what I've experienced and seen I would have no problem taking my wife to live there. Why are you guys saying having a wife or a gf is a problem when moving there? My guess is that it depends on the girl.

[Dan Winterland]

You're correct, it has to be the right woman to get on here. This place puts a lot of strain on any relationship. I'm lucky, as my wife likes living in HK. But beware, the divorce rate is high.

I would strongly suggest you do as I did, bring her on a trip first. Look at the areas you may want to live (in your price range!) and get her to talk to some people in similar circumstances.

[hongkongfooey]

) you can have a great life if you don't live you life based on the company's latest missive, or the bent out of shape crap posted by the previous respondents. They all have one think in common, big mouth = little brain. Enjoy.

A scaler ? ( and not very fluent in English, " think " " live you life " (sic) )

A good life style on 8K USD/month ( 62000HKD ) ? 15-20K gets you a shoebox in any decent area, thats not " bent outta shape " thats the real estate market, bright spark.

Krankin, your girlfriend will not be able to work here ( legally ) unless she has a profession that will prompt someone to sponsor her. HK does not recognise defacto, in fact she will have to leave every 3 months as she will only get a tourist visa ( that will get old with immigration real quick ).

Feel free to PM me if you want any more " bent out of shape crap "
or just put on your rose ( grey ? ) coloured glasses and join old mate above.:)

[an3_bolt]

in fact she will have to leave every 3 months as she will only get a tourist visa ( that will get old with immigration real quick ).

Are the unmarried and not working other halves still propping up the Macau ferry services?

[AAIGUY]

After the second time (6months) my friends GF was pulled aside and told 'no more'. They flagged her and said they knew what she was up to and wouldn't be allowed in a 3rd consecutive time. They got married @ City Hall a few weeks later. Whole ceremony took under 2 minutes...

I'd HIGHLY recommend you marry her in HK, give the paperwork to the government for the visa and then throw it away. Don't tell anyone in your families. She'll be a 100K tax deduction for you, and won't have to leave.. in fact she can legally work easily (friends wife got on with telecom company as she was skilled in area back home and now makes 40k a month).

[A. Le Rhone]

As far away from the pollution as possible?.........Canberra!

Sorry, smarty-pants answer (but it's true, well maybe Sapporo or Darwin).

15k in DB no problem but you're in the thick of the smog there. Not a real happening place either unless you're in to smelly nappies/diapers etc.

[Ex Cathedra]

Priority number 1 is being as far away from the pollution as possible, noting also that the accomodation budget will not be much higher than 15k per month (33k salary). What can you get in discovery bay for that price?

Oh well, as long as you're not being unrealistic... :hmm:


Rent a cheap pad in TC. If you're willing to live in HK on a monthly budget of 18k (good luck with that), I assume you have no wife & kids. In which case DB has nothing for you (it wouldn't anyway).

But if you're serious about it I suggest pitching a tent in the mountain somewhere behind the golf course, far enough that you won't get evicted by the guards of course. Nice views from up there...
Maybe a cheap flat in Mui Wo?

PS: You can't get away from the pollution anywhere in HK.
PPS: Welcome to hell.

[broadband circuit]

Your profile says you're from Canberra, so the simplest description would be "The Manuka of Hong Kong"

[jonathon68]

The big issue is the cost/availability of good school places, if you have kids already or plan to have them in the next decade.

PM me if you have a specific question.

[NoseGear]

Roxy....I'm going to make a leap of faith here...if your a chick, and you're HOT....you will have a great time! PM me for more....:ok::E

[Get-a-raise]

Tung Chung's main residential apartments are the Tng Ching Crescent, Seaview Crescent, Carribbean Coast and Coastal Skyline, all of which I are managed by the MTR. In terms of size, the indiviudal units range from around 450-2000 sq ft, but most are around 450-800 sq ft, with some around 1000 sq ft. So you have to decide if that is too small or just right for you.

The main advantage (and also disadvantage) is that Tung Chung is close to the airport, which will save you travel time. The upside is that there are some decent public parks bulit around the residential estates, this open space you won't find in Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. The main downside is the air pollution, as the place is exposed to the Pearl River Delta's factories emission, which often hits Tung Chung first.

There use to be fair number of pilots living in Sai Kung back in the Kai Tak days, but of course the airport was alot closer to Sai Kung then. In terms of scenery, it is the most green place in the city. Also some nice hiking trails.

You could also try those village houses that are scattered around Lantau Island. Those on the South side of the land has slightly less pollution and some great beach views, although public transportation may not be as convienient as the rest of the city.

[hongkongfooey]

PS: You can't get away from the pollution anywhere in HK

But you can move to Sai Kung and kid yourself your away from it, only 240,000ppm compared with 300,000ppm in DB ( average day ).
60,000 is the WHO limit BTW :ugh:




PPS: Welcome to hell

That's a bit harsh !!! Hell is nowhere near this humid ! ( or polluted )

[pill]

Roxy, as grim as this sounds, becomeing the second or third wife of one of our older gentlemen captains (over 55 years of age, can't live with the thought of '"not continuing to give something back to aviation" but sitting on stacks of cash), sounds better than living anywhere in HK with 14k left over a month. Thats living on 500 Aud a week in one of the worlds most expensive cities. Doable, 80% of the locals do it, but hardly "living the dream".

[hongkongfooey]

, becomeing the second or third wife of one of our older gentlemen captains

I think a certain Captain Parker may be receptive to this idea after the macing he recently received ;)

[cxlinedriver]

Good luck with AHK.

When it was proposed that apartments be built in Tung Chung, an air quality specialist at HKG Uni said that due to air flows around Lantau and the pollution from the Pearl River Delta, that the air is too bad for humans to be exposed to without serious health problems. The apartments were built and the government collected its stamp duty.

Since then the air is a whole lot worse (China's economic miracle - f$%k the world).

[Bye Bye Baby]

To be completely honest, I wouldn't make pollution a deciding factor on where you live in HKG. It is simply degrees of filth, will it kill you in 12 or 15years, one thing is for sure it will shorten your life span. Just hope your bag loads of cash make an early death worthwhile.

[etrang]

as the place is exposed to the Pearl River Delta's factories emission, which often hits Tung Chung first.

The factories are largely electronic assembly or garment/textile. They don't release pollution into the air.

[404 Titan]

etrang

Three questions:

1. Where do you think the power comes from to power these factories?
2. Also where do you think the power comes from when the power fails, as it frequently does on the mainland, to power these factories?
3. Lastly how do you think most of the workers from these factories heat and cook in their squalid living quarters?

[Runway101]

When it was proposed that apartments be built in Tung Chung, an air quality specialist at HKG Uni said that due to air flows around Lantau and the pollution from the Pearl River Delta, that the air is too bad for humans to be exposed to without serious health problems.

Says who? Your dad's friend?

[etrang]

Titan, 3 answers

1) Coal fired power stations are indeed a major source of pollution in china. But light manufacturing is not energy intensive. Countless millions of air-cons, fridges and TVs in Shenzhen and Guangzhou are more to blame. Which is a shame because the factories are steadily moving inland in search of cheaper land and labour. The cities will only grow.

2) It doesn't fail often, which is ironically not such a good thing as diesel powered generators are generally less polluting than the power stations.

3) The dormitories i've seen are not squalid, and if necessary heated by electric fan heaters. A fire in the room would be a sacking offense - dead workers is bad PR, causes problems with the authorities and delays production. The workers eat in the canteen. They use gas to cook and the food is usually not bad.

[hongkongfooey]

Etrang, the last 20 times I landed in CAN, maybe bar once or twice, the vis was around 3000m in pollution, so where does that come from ? Or maybe like 1/2 of Hong Kong you just like to pretend it's not there, or maybe it's fog ? and who really gives a crap, if the pollution producers move to the extreme north of China it will still reach hong kong.
Also, I guess the reason there are so many suicides by factory workers is that they live in paradise.

Bye bye baby, seek immediate help, you sound exactly like me ;)

[goatliner]

Hi guys,

I'll be moving to Hong Kong end of the year and I am thinking about moving to Tung Chung because of the distance to the airport.

I have done my homework looked at the net to see the rental prices.
My budget is between 15000 and 30000 hkd.

Which are the better condos there, what size of condo do i have to expect and which agencies can you recommend.?
How many months security deposit do i have to pay?
How much does the real estate agent get?
I am living there with my girlfriend , which is working too.

Any places or ares you would recommend?

THKS
GL

[404 Titan]

etrang

I think you need to do a little more research regarding the chronic electrical power shortages and outages on the mainland, particularly in the Pearl River Delta region. Power outages are averaging twice a week lasting several hours at a time.

Most of the mainlands electrical power comes from coal fired power stations. Most of these power stations use poor quality local coal which is higher in sulphur content and they also lack completely the particulate separators and scrubbers which are mandatory in most western countries.

Most people living in the Pearl River Delta region actually heat and cook their dwellings with coal fired heaters and stoves. There are two reasons why they have to do this. The first is they couldn’t afford the power and the second is there isn’t enough electrical power supply to provide them all with this luxury even if they could afford it.

[NoseGear]

I've been to a number of mainland Chinese cities, and it is a common sight to see the coal markets, for lack of a better term, small trucks all lined up, must be hundreds of them, loaded with coal and all the locals from miles around trooping to get their daily coal requirements. Now multiply that by a billion....:rolleyes: Its one of those days here today in fact, as its been a bit cooler lately, so in rolls the "HZ" or "FG":rolleyes: I read somewhere there is a new coal fired power station built every week on the mainland, and anyone who has flown the Northern route to Europe over China has gazed down on a country completely blanketed with pollution.:yuk: Its just one reason my kids are moving home, both of them having had more than one serious bout of Respiratory illness. Its just not worth it.:(

[Capt Toss Parker]

Here's my two cents worth future "Cadets"

If you think living like a chicken couped up with your family in a small box is bad, wait till your training starts.

I have a sinister dislike towards anyone not from a military background and I make that point known very early in the peace. Unless you are a psychic mind reading pilot, I will end up berating you for the entire flight. Nit picking you to death for the shear pleasure and my own ego gratification.

You will need to predict the future - then read my mind and then from the mind reading ... perform a task or give me an answer that is inline with MY WAY OF THINKING.

I have this delusion that this is (my airline) .... all other training, procedures and information is inferior to what I have to offer. I'm happy make that known on the flight deck as well.

You'd rather be in a Austrian dungeon with Fritzel, than on a training flight with me.

Join the Air Cadets and practice your salute that's the best preparation you could make before coming to the far east.

Must dash I have a photo shoot of (me) in my old military regalia ... kind of a then & now expose so to speak ... toodaloo chaps :ok:

[etrang]

Most people living in the Pearl River Delta region actually heat and cook their dwellings with coal fired heaters and stoves.

But we were talking about the factories, and they are not the main cause of pollution. If you think the air is bad in HK or Guangdong, don't ever go to Wuhan.

Back on topic, if you don't have to get to the airport every day I would go for Sai Kung.

[404 Titan]

etrang

But we were talking about the factories

Yes we were but I was replying to your quote:

The dormitories i've seen are not squalid, and if necessary heated by electric fan heaters.

If you honestly think factories aren't one of the main causes of air pollution in China then you are kidding yourself.

Environment of China (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environment_of_China)

Chinese Air Pollution Deadliest in World (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/070709-china-pollution.html)

AIR POLLUTION IN CHINA (http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=392&catid=10&subcatid=66)

[Get-a-raise]

Most of the pollution comes from the coal power plants and the vehicle emissions (due to the exploding number of cars in China). Factory emission is relatively less or actually declined. However, as the no. power plant and vehicle emission (i.e. carbon monoxide) are on the increae and those catalylic converters in Mainland cars are either non-existent or malfunctioning, leading to incomplete combustion, the total volume of pollution is increasing.

As for the factory condition, it depends. My bro works at a multinational company with factories in the PRD. The larger firms tend to offer better working conditions then the smaller firms, as the big companies do not want to be critcized for sweat shop labour conditions. So most of the big firm's factories have fairly reasonable working conditions. Foxconn, the Taiwan firm responsible for making Apple's ipod and ipads, has 300,000+ employees, so an occassional suicide cannot be ruled out due to the sheer size of the company. However, the smaller local firms with tight budgets and profit margins are another story, they are willing to cut cost and corners in areas you don't want to know...

All in all, if it weren't for the pollution, Hong Kong is actually not a bad place to live, the public transportation is clean and efficient, crime rate is low and there is wide usage of English. The ever worsening pollution from the north however is a serious problem.

[404 Titan]

Get-a-raise
Factory emission is relatively less or actually declined.
Actually 70% of all electricity produced in China in 2009 was consumed by the manufactoring and industrial sector and it is getting worse.

Chinese industry scores very poorly in energy efficiency. Chinese steel factories use one-fifth more energy per ton than the international average. Cement needs 45 percent more power, and ethylene needs 70 percent more than average, the World Bank says[2]. A lot of the pollution in China nowadays is generated for producing the cheap products that fill stores in the United States and Europe.

Damaging air pollutants include sulfur dioxide, particulate matter—a mixture of extremely small particles and water droplets—ozone, and nitrogen dioxide. China accounts for roughly one-third of the global total for these pollutants, according to Krzyzanowski.

The combustion of fossil fuels—whether to power China's many automobiles, its burgeoning factories, or its expanding megacities—is a primary source of outdoor air pollutants.


Coal is the number once source of air pollution in China. China gets 80 percent of electricity and 70 percent its total energy from coal, much of it polluting high-sulphur coal. Around six million tons of coal is burned everyday to power factories, heat homes and cook meals. Expanding car ownership, heavy traffic and low-grade gasoline have made cars a leading contributor to the air pollution problem in Chinese cities.

[Get-a-raise]

The factories consumed, not emit the pollutants. But that's just a matter of semantics, either way the factories are indirectly responsible because of it's reliance on the coal plants and the vehicles that transport it's goods. So the pollution is getting worse and worse I totally agree, even if the exact % of the pollution source varies.

However, if one think about it, we are also indirectly reliant on those same pollution-spewing factories. I forgot the exact figure, but CX, KA and HX relies on a big chunk of it's business on those amoral businessmen with interest (and factories) on the mainland. We fly them here and they take ferries from the skypier and go on the various points on the PRD, be it Dongguan, Guangzhou or Zhuhai. Now if we removed those factories, those businessmen will not have a need to fly to PRD or take CX, KA or HX. Pax. traffic will suffer and our jobs won't be so secured then.

So we are, indirectly, abetting and relying on the very same pollution spewing factories we complain about?!! Good grief, or am I losing my mind having worked at CX for too long?

[hongkongfooey]

All in all, if it weren't for the pollution, Hong Kong is actually not a bad place to live

Agreed, but the pollution is only going to get worse, it HAS to for China to keep growing.
So the only question remaining is : What is your and your family's health worth................

[etrang]

From your own link Titan

Chinese steel factories use one-fifth more energy per ton than the international average. Cement needs 45 percent more power, and ethylene needs 70 percent more than average, the World Bank says[2].

Its things like steel and cement production which consume most energy and cause most pollution. NOT the sports shoe and mobile phone assembly places which are typical of Guangdong. :ugh:

[404 Titan]

etrang
Its things like steel and cement production which consume most energy and cause most pollution.
Have you actually looked to see what the major industries are in the Pearl River Delta? The main industries are:

1. Shipbuilding
2. Engineering
3. Cement
4. Chemical
5. Electronic
6. Transportation

All the other are minor, including textile.

[dRAGON hEAD]

Funny how the discussion gets so far off topic and so irrelevent sometimes. To answer the original question, try Kennedy Town on the HK island. It's an up and coming area with a new MTR station coming in a couple of years which is sure to raise the values. And the current prices are quite reasonable for being 5 minutes away from central. It's a good livable area too. I just bought an investment property there myself so I'm not just preaching.

[jmp10]

Kennedy Town is a good spot, and always has been. Happy Valley is also a nice area in many parts, and has good communication links and the air pollution is not as bad as many places.

[jmp10]

I though the pollution was worse a few years ago, and with the world recession output may well have reduced, as well as the opening up of other areas of manufacture, away from Shenzen, etc., but I'd like to see stats on that. I remember when it was clear, and the pollution was minimal (80s and much of the 90s) and changed in the space of a few years as Zuhai SEZ and Shenzen started to boom incredibly.
The pollution varies, in the winter though the climate is them comfortable, the prevailing wind changes,and brings more pollution, and during the summer, by contrast, it is hotter though the amount of pollution coming from the north is lower, however ozone is a problem due to the heating of exhaust fumes in the inner-city areas.

[kulchashock]

GL,

In response:

15K - 30K is a reasonable expectation for the TC area.

A Seaview Crescent G Flat: 1170 sq' is around 14K/month, 3 bedrooms (realistically 2 bedrooms and a study), 3 bathrooms (realistically 2 bathrooms and a shoebox with a sink....which makes for a good size storage area, and not a helper's quarters for which it was designed...).

Agencies: Midlands has a chap here who is very helpful...arranges internet, cable, electricity etc. as well as realistic negotiations with the Landlord.

Security deposit: negotiable, but one month was the standard....not sure if this has changed of late.

Agent Fees: are also negotiable...

Girl Friend: not sure if you meant the relationship is working (good for you...) or that she is working....sorry to digress...

Anyhow, hope the above helps. If you need further contact info pm me.