Groceries in Hong Kong

There are plenty of grocery stores around Kowloon Tong and City University, here are a few that standout.

TASTE (Festival Walk)

Pro's: Lots of familiar western products, good bakery, good place to purchase "housewares". "Taste" is in the same Mall (Festival Walk) as the MTR train station, so it's very convenient to stop in after a day out when you are returning to residence.

Con's:  More expensive than other groceries, generally busier.

If you are looking for western products you'd see back in North America, then "Taste" at Festival Walk is the best option. They carry some similar products and brands that you'd see at a normal grocery in Canada. While I didn't do my grocery shopping at Taste, I did buy laundry detergent, facecloths, and soap at Taste.


Vanguard (Chak On Estate)

Vanguard is personally my favourite grocery store near City University!

Pro's: Large selection, less expensive than "Taste", good soups, snacks, fruit, cheap drinks and kitchenware. After shopping, it is an easy (downhill) walk to the student residences.

Vanguard, at least to me, seems like a more authentic experience, common Hong Kong people shop there, and it is right in the middle of a local housing estate, so it's neat to see locals going about their everyday activities

Con's: No one really speaks English so if you are looking for something you can't find, it may be a struggle. Despite this, I found the staff at Vanguard super friendly and welcoming.

The store is located in the Chak On Estate about a 10 minute walk from the CityU Residences.
It is open from 8:00am to 9:00pm every day.

Map to Vanguard from City U Residences.

Wellcome (Shek Kip Mei)

Pro's: Probably the cheapest option (similar price range to Vanguard), large selection of snacks and drinks, have quite a lot of sales. 

Con's: It is the furthest of the three from CityU Residences. It is located in Shek Kip Mei (about a 15 minute walk from Campus). When returning, it is a steep uphill walk carrying groceries. 

Using your phone in Hong Kong

Of course you will take your phone with you to Hong Kong. Remember to take your SIM Card out before leaving Canada. This will save you from being charged roaming fees. 

Once on the ground in Hong Kong, consider buying a pre-paid SIM Card.  While I didn't use texting or calling while I was in Hong Kong (I used WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to call and talk to friends and family), SIM Cards are super handy with their Data packages. In Hong Kong, where wifi zones are spotty, having Data is great to stay connected with friends and to help you with directions. 

While in Hong Kong, I purchased a prepaid SIM Card from Sun Mobile-Telecom Digital. 
I got a "Always of Data" monthly plan. It came with unlimited texting within the network and 15 GB of data (which is more than enough!). It costs about $120 HKD a month ($19 CAD). Go to a Sun Mobile branch (they have them nearby City U at Sham Shui Po and Tai Wai). 

So how does the plan work?

-You go to a branch every month to renew your plan if you like, otherwise the month will just end and you will be off the plan.
-Sun Mobile won't charge you outside of the monthly payment. You are only contracted to the plan at a month at a time. 


This plan was super handy and I definitely recommend it. Sun Mobile was friendly, not too overwhelming, they let me test the SIM Card in my phone before purchasing, and someone also spoke English at their branches. Definitely recommend! 

Here are directions to get to Sun Mobile at Tai Wai: 

- Take the East Rail Line (Light Blue) to Tai Wai Station. 
- Exit the train and go to exit D
-When you leave from exit D, you will see a row of shops across the street from the station. Along there, is Sun Mobile. 

Map of Tai Wai

Power Bank 

**In addition to getting the phone plan, I would also suggest buying a power bank for your phone. The battery on my iPhone drained much quicker compared to when I used it back in Canada. Often times, I would charge my phone at night and would need to recharge it by about 3pm the following afternoon. I purchased a TP Link power bank (about 10000-12000 mAh) and it worked well for me.

TP Link Power Bank (purchased at Sham Shui Po)