Going to HK alone. Yay or nay?

[thegirlnextdoor]

Hey all..Just would like to get some opinion.
I'm chinese by race but I can't speak a word of chinese. I'm planning to travel to HK early next year by myself, and my friends have been telling me not to do it. Basically, they said I shouldn't go alone without learning the language. I've had a notion that everyone would speak english there, so apparently not?
For someone who's never been there (who would rely on research and travel books), how feasible (or difficult) is it to get around and explore the city by herself without a word of chinese?

Thanks!

[nakatago]

if for a holiday, you should be fine. usual travel tips apply (e.g. have your hotel name in chinese written down for cab drivers, ask people for directions, etc). not everyone speaks english though.

[budse]

i think it should be ok. however where do you plan to visit/go while you are in HK?

if you just go to tourist attraction, i think it should be easy cause most of the tourism attractions are near from MTR station.

but the challenges mostly when you wanna order your meal in resto or wanna buy somethings from the shops.

[Girl_Next_Door]

If you are eating in the tea/cafe place, they will speak Canto. Often, they also have a menu in English, so you can simply point.

If you are heading to a fancy restaurant (which they have a lot of michelin rated ones!), they will definitely be able to converse in English.

However, my question is why HK? Most of the things available, in HK are also available in SG. Why not a more exotic place like Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia? There would be more sight-seeing to do there.

[QRM]

I lived in HK for a big chunk of my life and "Eurasian" by race but dont speak a word of Chinese apart from the Dely-no-more etc, which admittedly is not heard so often these days. It never been a problem, if going any where, before you set off ask a local what the address is in Chinese.

BTW what sort of friends have you got? with that view of only visiting countries where they speak English, their travels must be seriously dull.

[thegirlnextdoor]

Thanks all for the replies. I did it! Yesterday I just spontaneously booked the ticket..It's still sometime next year so I figure I can do lots of research and perhaps learn a word or two of chinese. I'm nervous but excited!

Yeah, I was asked the same, "Why HK?" Apart that I've never been, I thought I wanna check out Macau too, and going there from HK is very convenient, right? The thing is, I've been to those beaches and resorts and just feel like I wanna visit a different 'city' for a change. Plus, I found this relatively cheap ticket.

@ QRM: I know, right? I'll definitely get lost, but that's part of the fun!