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Header image courtesy of Nathan Dumlao (via Unsplash)
Originally posted by Sophie Pettit. Last updated by Jen Paolini and Celia Lee.
Whether you’re planning that all-important first date, celebrating a milestone in your relationship, or simply planning for something different this Valentine’s Day, it can be tempting to play it safe and go with the whole dinner and a movie cliché. Whilst we’re not dissing the classics, why not shake things up a bit and make it a real night to remember with your partner? After all, Hong Kong is full of weird and wonderful things to do. We promise these fun ideas will score you major brownie points as well.
Hong Kong is known for its impressive festive displays. After the visual extravaganza of Christmas, New Year’s, and Lunar New Year displays, now is the time for romantic Valentine’s displays around the city. One of our all-time favourites can be found at Discovery Bay.
This year, find the seasonal Love Lock Promenade at DB North Piazza and intertwine your fates together with a bespoke love lock. Take a stroll along the romantically decorated Tai Pak Beach and snap a picture with your loved one, enjoy some quality music at the Busking by the Sea performance, before surprising them with a handmade gift from the Sunday Market.
DB North Piazza, 92 Siena Avenue and Tai Pak Beach, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island
Why not win over your date at one of the city’s vibrant comedy clubs? With fresh-face performances and guest appearances by well-known names from the global comedy scene popping up on the regular, there are plenty of opportunities to laugh the night away with your beloved.
Feeling brave? Why not buck up the courage and take to the stage at an open mic night and dazzle your date with your wits? Make the crowd yours at popular joints such as TakeOut Comedy Club and Bar 109. For information on all the funny happenings in town, click here.
TakeOut Comedy Club, 34 Elgin Street, Central | (+852) 6220 4436
Bar 109, 109 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai | (+852) 2861 3336
Go for the ultimate cheesy option and whisk your date away on a magic carpet ride at Hong Kong’s very own Disneyland. It’s the truth—our city’s theme park might not be as big as others around the world, but its attractions are no less swoon-worthy when you’re visiting them with the right person.
Whether you’re casually strolling down Main Street hand-in-hand with your date, taking a ride on Cinderella’s Carousel, embarking on a supernatural adventure at Mystic Manor, or fighting nanobots at the newest, Ant-Man and The Wasp-themed attraction in Tomorrowland, your date will go smoothly within Disneyland’s enchanted bounds.
An attraction that’s guaranteed to win over your date: take them to see the final, 6 pm showing of “Festival of The Lion King” at Adventureland. Don’t forget to get cosy with your date during the musical theatre reimaging of Simba and Nala’s blossoming love while Elton John’s Can You Feel The Love Tonight plays with a stunning aerial dance performance. Complete with the exit into a romantically lit or sunset-soaked theme park after the show, there’s nothing that can top an end to a date as this... except maybe the fireworks.
Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island
Wind down with your date at these water therapy spots! Take your date on a dreamy adventure inside your very own zero-gravity sensory deprivation pods and enter a suspended state away from the sounds, smells, and sights of the busy city. Centres that offer sensory deprivation treatments include Float Co., the first to offer this kind of treatment in Hong Kong. Not sure if 60 or 90 minutes of sensory deprivation is your thing? Head over to other top-quality spas in the city and pamper yourself and your date in these urban sanctuaries.
Float Co., B/F, 89 Caine Road, Mid-Levels, Central | (+852) 2548 2844
If your date loves food as much as they love animals, then why not take them to one of the city’s many pet-themed cafés? From adorable cats that jump at the sight of a treat, to adorable bunnies and feisty shibas, find your perfect wing animal at these cafés this Valentine’s Day.
Nothing beats a breath of fresh air and the sights of nature in the company of your crush. Just minutes away from the bustling district of Central, Hong Kong Park is a beautiful oasis of exotic birds, plants, and plenty of space to roam around with your loved one. Enjoy a stroll together over the wooden paths perched high among the trees and see how many colourful birds you can spot. Not only a fun area but a great spot for taking lovely photos, this place will complete your date to remember.
Be a cheeky monkey and take your date to see the orangutans, gibbons, macaques, and lemurs at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Nestled among the lush greenery on the northern slope of Victoria Peak, this garden is one of the oldest zoological and botanical centres in the world, and is also home to raccoons, flamingos, tortoises, and turtles.
Hong Kong Park, 19 Cotton Tree Drive, Central | (+852) 2521 5041
Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Albany Road, Central | (+852) 2530 0154
Nothing breaks the ice like spending an hour jumping around on over 7,000 square feet of connected, world-class trampolines. Hong Kong is blessed with a giant spring-loaded urban playground to let loose in. If your date is the adventurous type, then hop into their good books at Ryze Ultimate Trampoline Park, where you can explore over 40 trampolines, including the famous angled walls and launching decks. Drop by Theme Night Thursdays and jump away to 1980s, dubstep, or hip-hop music, or rock up in your PJs if you dare—just remember, it’s probably a good idea to save dinner and drinks until after you bounce!
Ryze Ultimate Trampoline Park, 1/F and 3/F, Kodak House One, 321 Java Road, North Point
Enjoy some quality time with your loved one and get to know each over some craft workshops this February. From scented candles to rugs, to traditional and unusual crafts, you can find just about every kind of arts and crafts workshop for the perfect date in Hong Kong. If your special one has a kick for some good old-fashioned DIY, check out our round-ups of the best candle-making and tufting workshops in town.
Are you a budding artist just dying to get creative and show your date your artistic side? If so, why not spend an art jam session getting to know them over a palette of paint at one of the city’s quirky art studios? Get messy and creative in these studio spaces complete with refreshments and drinks at some locations to keep your creative juices flowing.
If you fancy something a little stronger, some of these ventures will allow guests to bring their own drinks and be the DJ to their own jamming sesh to inspire you both as you paint away. Be sure to book your spaces ahead of time to ensure your easels will be set side by side. You never know, your date could be the next Picasso!
Glide over one of the city’s indoor ice rinks and unleash your inner Torvill and Dean – or Bambi! Whether you’re a natural in the skates or an adorable disaster, you’re on a winning streak because you’ll have someone to catch you when you fall (sure, that was an accident!). Take your pick of winter wonderlands around town and glide, spin, twirl (and fall) to your hearts’ content. We can already hear the rom-com soundtrack playing in the background! Find the best venue with our guide on where to go ice skating in Hong Kong.
What could be more romantic than sipping on martinis and kicking back to some live music with your favourite human? Our vibrant city is blessed with fantastic venues that are guaranteed to get your toes tapping and your heart aflutter. If your love is an old soul, treat them to an unforgettable night at one of these joints where you will be transported back to the golden age of cocktails and jazz in an intimate venue. For a more casual affair, head over to other locations that feature some of the city’s top musicians and singers.
What could be more romantic than watching the sunset over the mountains, or taking in the dazzling city lights under a starry night sky? Come day or night, there are dozens of hiking routes in Hong Kong and on the outlying islands to take you and your date to great heights. From a gentle beach jaunt to a more challenging mountain trail, there are various distances and gradients to suit your fitness level and experience the great outdoors together. Check out our plethora of hiking guides here.
Covering the hottest new eats, the best places to play, offbeat takes on local culture, and so much more, Localiiz is every Hongkonger’s destination for how to live a well-rounded life in our vibrant city. Why the strange spelling? Well, Localiiz is designed to be your “local eyes”—and for that, you need two i’s.
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