Setsuko Yasuda

For expats, Hong Kong has often been compared to 'University 2.0'. With hordes of young, single professionals flocking to the city, a sudden increase in salary, and a safe, liberal society, Hong Kong provides lots of great social opportunities. People love the freedom that Hong Kong offers: the freedom to drink where you want, to party all night, to wear silly costumes and attend crazy events, and to meet new people constantly. If you're single and in Hong Kong, this is the opportunity of a lifetime to broaden your horizons in so many different ways---including your love life. Rest assured, if you arrive in Hong Kong single, you likely won't be single for very long. Of course being single you probably already have a Tinder account right? But if you're looking to break into the world of bored housewives (and husbands) in Hong Kong, then you might want to give Ashley Madison a try. Where to meet people Work Your office is a great place to meet a future mate. The best way to do this is to take part in the frequent (i.e. daily) opportunities to go out for lunch. Hong Kongers work really hard, so going out to lunch is a very popular social activity and stress reliever. Ask some colleagues out and make it a regular thing. Happy hour after work is even better, but guys should be aware that Chinese girls tend to not be into heavy drinking. Don't shy away from company events. Go to everything---every lunch, every office event, tryouts for the company dragon boat team, whatever. Accept all invitations. Just. Go. Out. Bars You've probably made new friends in Hong Kong pretty quickly, and if they're anything like you, they love to party. People in Hong Kong tend to be gregarious and open to meeting strangers. And there's no shortage of amazing places to go drink, like rooftop bars, secret jazz clubs and insane nightclubs. It's a rite of passage to go partying in the holy trifecta of Lan Kwai Fong, Soho and Wan Chai. Be sure to also go to Happy Wednesdays at the Happy Valley Racecourse. When you see someone who catches your eye, take that shot and go play the odds. Clubs and meetups There are loads of meetups and social clubs in Hong Kong for things like sports, eating out, language exchanges, sightseeing, photography and so forth. For example, the Hong Kong Hiking Group on Meetup.com has more than 25,000 members! You'll be amazed at how many people join these clubs simply to meet new partners and socialise. Whatever you're interested in, find the club and join it. Junk boat trips Nothing makes people more excitable than boats, alcohol, music, and that warm South China Sea. Once the weather heats up, gather a group of friends, get them to invite more friends, and next thing you know you're partying on a gorgeous boat with free-flow booze, food, inflatable unicorns and dozens of hotties. You can also find junk boat trips to join through Meetup.com if you don't have a group to go with. Online hookups People in Hong Kong are busy and work long hours, so online dating sites and apps are very popular. For some good old fashioned online dating, Hong Kong Cupid and Lunch Actually are great for people actually looking for love and long term relationships. Also check out Inner Circle, which does its best to make sure people are serious about finding someone for a relationship rather than just a hookup. If you're tight on time and prefer swiping on your phone, Tinder remains the most popular hookup app in Hong Kong, but it's getting competition from Bumble. Though similar to Tinder, Bumble is especally popular with female users, since they are the ones who make the choice about whether or not to start a conversation. For the more hardcore stuff, Craigslist of course has a wide variety of people searching for other people to... do stuff with. Or to. Or have stuff done to them. Who knows. Just be warned that Hong Kong is a SMALL place and you often run into people in public, so try to be discreet. The seedier side of things Simply looking for a good time with no strings attached? Sure, there are girly bars, sexy spas and even escort services—and the most obvious place to go is Wan Chai, home to Hong Kong's small but prolific red light district. We, however, recommend you avoid those services and establishments altogether for a number of reasons. First, and most important, is that the line between an independent sex worker and trafficked sex worker can be seriously blurred. Second, while prostitution is legal, activities related to it are not (like running a brothel, soliciting sex, etc.)—so you don't want to get caught up in an unlawful situation during you time in Hong Kong. Lastly, these services can end up being quite expensive. For example, at girly bars, you'll be charged an arm and a leg for the drinks, and then more to talk to the girls, plus more to go further. Karaoke bars There are, of course, legit karaoke bars where you and your friends can go and have some fun drinking and singing. And then there are the other kinds of karaoke bars, where guys tend to go after business meetings to 'let off some steam'. Korean karaoke bars, or KTV, are actually hostess bars, which can be innocent enough. However, most of them are a front for prostitution. The 'Mama-san' who runs the place brings gaggles of girls to the rooms and you can then decide if you'd like to go to a private room. Note that these karaoke places do charge quite a lot. Many of them also have massage rooms available. Adult stores The biggest adult shop in Hong Kong is Taketoys, which has 11 shops all over the territories, selling a mind-boggling assortment of intimate toys. You can also order online for discreet delivery. Pink Pussy Cat is also a long-time leader in the adult toy market, with multiple locations. Salty Corner Sex Shop and the Wan Chai Sex Shop are conveniently located near to the red light area of Wan Chai. You can even find an erotic toy section at one section of the Temple Street Night Market, near to some gaudy neon-lit saunas. For vibrators, Osuga is a good online shop to check out. Their designs get rave reviews from users. (Insider tip: Those looking for some inspiration can also check out a true hiddem gem--- Hong Kong's only Erotic Museum--- run by the owner of Taketoys.) Love hotels Love hotels are especially easy to find on 'Kowloon side'. Mong Kok in particular, especially the area around Dundas Street, is full of hotels offering hourly rates, or discounts for 'overnight'. Any time you see a sign advertising a hotel with the words 'short stay', you know what they mean. Though most love hotels offer a basic service, i.e. a place to rest your head and do what you have to do. Some of the most well known love hotels include Essex Lodge, Beverly Hotel, the Windsor Palace Hotel, and Hotel Victoria. There are a few that go above and beyond, and some that have amazing themes to fulfil your secret role-playing fantasies. For example, ML28 in Mong Kok has themed rooms like Hot for Teacher (set in a classroom), Secret Garden (complete with a tent), Bondage (no explanation necessary), or Metro, where one room is decked out like the inside of the MTR. Now how's that for taking a ride? Many a tourist has accidentally found themselves staying at the very nice and seemingly unsleazy Mingle hotels, where indeed you can rent a room by the hour. With prime locations in Central and Wan Chai, Mingle is used by office workers and high-salary professionals who would rather not venture over to Kowloon for a quick tryst. Birth control and sexual health Hong Kongers are very pragmatic, and rarely prudish. As a result, condoms, lubes, and other fun paraphernalia like vibrating cockrings are on sale at every convenience store, right at the cash register. Ladies can also buy a variety of birth control pills at the pharmacy over the counter without any need for a prescription (though it is still best to see a doctor first before taking any new medication). For all your sexual health needs, the Family Planning Association in Wan Chai is a treasure trove of services, including birth control, pregnancy termination, vasectomies, erectile dysfunction treatment, sex therapy, and more.

Setsuko Yasuda

Hooking Up in Hong Kong: Your Guide to Dating, Sex and Fun

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