Vacation with 13 month old in HK - basic questions

[miu]

We are going to Hong Kong next week with our 13 month old daughter. The guidebook we have doesn?t really provide a lot of kid info, so here are a few questions we hope someone knows the answers to!


1. What are general attitudes to taking babies along for dinner at more upmarket restaurants? (I?m assuming more everyday type places wouldn?t mind)

2. Do restaurants in general agree to prepare something simple for children to eat? Like steam a few vegetables? We don?t want her to eat sugar yet, and I know there is sugar in some chinese dishes. She?s not fond of canned baby food and is accustomed to eat what we?re having. Loves rice :).

3. Where is a good place to shop for quality kids clothes/toys, preferably not things you could find in Europe? Any "typical HK or chinese" toys/items you could recommend? This is mainly for gifts to our daughters cousins (2 yrs & 6 mo old), but we?d like to get her something too, a special memento from this trip that she can keep even when older. When we went to France we got her a wooden Barbapapa mini bank, just to give you an idea of the type of thing we?re after.

4. Are there perfume and lotion free disposable diapers, and can they be bought anywhere or just at certain shops?

[southside852]

Answers:

1. I think it depends on your child and what restaurant. if your child can sit in a highchair quietly or be engaged with something then it's fine. If your child needs to run around etc..then I might say to ask your conceriege to call the restaurant to ask or we just usually were the first people to open up the restaurant and the first ones out of there.

2. Yes, restaurants are usually really good about making kid friendly food or will have a kid menu....if are you are eating at more local chinese places it might harder b/c of the language and things are sometimes already pre-made.

3. Best place for kids clothing is Stanley Market on Old Stanley Street. They also have little souvenirs throughout the entire market. I would say becareful with local toys made in china as sometime the paint is toxic, small parts etc...

4. diapers are in all markets and drugstores like Watsons - pampers, huggies etc....that will not be a problem.

[carang]

1. if your child is well behaved you should have no problem. but if she is screaming her head of, there could be some evil eyes headed your way.

2. virtually impossible in a local restaurant. remember REAL chinese food is VERY different to what they serve in europe.

3. i would also say, stanley market for clothes. for toys, not much is "special" to hk or china.

4. yes, diapers are available everywhere, but you may have a problem looking for a specific type. ie. perfume free for more specialised diapers, you have to head to BUMPS TO BABES. it is just above shanghai tang store on PEDDAR St in CENTRAL.

[Sazzy]

How about a Chinese style jacket / dress as gifts??

[starbucks2]

Or some Chinese style/print silky pajamas. My family have bought those for gifts to take home. Stanley have some lovely cotton jumpsuits with the Chinese style toggles down the front which would be lovely for a 6 month old.

For your daughter - you could get her a chop (carved stamp) with her name on it (a bit old for her but a souvenier for later) or the same silky pajamas. Also the teddy bears and pandas at Shanghai Tang on Pedder Street are lovely but not really THAT particular to HK/China (except maybe the panda).

Definitely recommend Stanley for good priced and good quality kids clothes.

[karmah1]

3. Check out Shanghai Tang on Pedder Street in Central, its can be expensive but they have some really different and modern/funky Chinese stuff, including kids clothes, books etc. I got my son a gorgeous Panda on sale!

Shanghai Tang

[miu]

Wow, thanks, so many great tips! We will definitely get her a carved stamp, that?s a wonderful souvenir. And check out Stanley market & Shanghai Tang.

You wouldn?t know if it?s possible to find a portable UV beach umbrella, or a UV beach tent somewhere? The kind that collapses small enought to fit into a suitcase. After Hong Kong, we will be going to the Philippines, and unfortunately here in Sweden the shops are not selling any beach stuff right now. Despite the fact that many Swedes travel to Southeast Asia for Christmas.

[Neha]

U will easily find it in Phillipines so dont worry