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"There's nothing to do in Hong Kong. It's not the same as before." "Eh, go to Shenzhen instead lah." "You've never been to Shanghai. Why not fly there?" These were just some of the reactions I got from friends prior to my trip to Hong Kong in February this year. I hadn't been to Hong Kong in nearly 12 years, so I had no idea what to expect. And they were making it sound like this was a mistake even before I packed my suitcase. To be fair, my last visit to Hong Kong wasn't bad. The food was good and the service was okay. There were no rude encounters either, unlike in the 1990s. I still recall staff ignoring me when they discovered I could barely understand Cantonese and only knew how to say 'please', 'thank you', and 'excuse me'. (Image: Cheung Yin, Unsplash) Nevertheless, I didn't return to Hong Kong for many years because I was travelling to other places around the region. I found Taipei to have a friendlier and more laid-back vibe (and less of a language barrier). I grew to like Seoul because the cold and dry winters were a welcome respite from the tropical heat and humidity. And compared to the current post-pandemic Tokyo that's over-touristed, pre-COVID Tokyo was more fun and interesting, and more importantly, still had quiet spots you could relax in. Because of this, I haven't visited Japan in a few years, and I won't be holidaying there anytime soon. Meanwhile, Hong Kong is familiar, so I felt like I could always go another time. That's why my last visit was almost 12 years ago. This year, though, was different. I hadn't seen a family friend in a while and decided it was time to reconnect. This iconic view never gets old. (Image: jeresinex) Less hustle and bustle Maybe it's just me, but Hong Kong doesn't seem to be as hurried as before. That was the first surprise. Walking around Central and Wan Chai, I expected hordes of corporate types to zip past or even brush past me. Instead, I kept wondering if I was walking too fast and outpacing the locals. I found that hard to believe, since I was on holiday and in no rush. But the vibe was different. Even in MTR stations, it didn't feel like people were in a hurry. Which, of course, made walking around less stressful. Even office workers out to lunch looked rather relaxed. Service is... good? I'd been on the receiving end of the stereotypical "HK service", wherein the moment the staff find out you don't speak Cantonese, they ignore you and serve local customers instead. At least, that's how I remember Hong Kong as a teenager. Surprisingly, restaurant staff who could only speak a smattering of English did their best to communicate. Even in small establishments, I never felt that the staff were annoyed or resentful. Well-roasted char siew, properly fried eggs and tasty rice. You don't need anything else. (Image: jeresinex) I popped into a Mannings (their version of Guardian) to buy face wash. One staff member asked her colleague, who then asked another colleague if they had the particular brand we were looking for. There's no way this would have happened in the 90s. We even encountered a helpful senior citizen, who upon seeing me pointing out a directional sign to my wife, stopped and asked where we were heading. After I told him, he politely pointed us in the right direction. This encounter alone will ensure that I holiday here again. Now, I'm not about to conclude that five-star service is the norm anywhere you go in Hong Kong. But after six days in the SAR without a single bad or even mildly irritating encounter to speak of, I will say it's the most enjoyable holidays I've ever had there. Hong Kong, you've surprised me. – Jeremy