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where to live with 3 kinds under 4??????
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| posted by essie 942 days ago |
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Hi we will be moving to HK with 3 kids under 4 from the NL. My husband will be working in Central (max communting 30 minutes) and needs to travel overseas. As I will not have a job at first instance I would like to live in a kids friendly area, not too far from the trendy/hip areas so that I can catch up with a friend and have a coffee. We would preferably live close to kindergarten and some sort of club and would love to have playgrounds in the neighbourhood for the kids. What area would u suggest if budget is not an issue? first preference would be a townhouse. Is there a nice value for money - kids friendly area??
heard about DB, stanley and pok fu lam? what are the pros and cons of these 3?
txs in advance
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| Fundy |
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| posted by adfundum 942 days ago |
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Reading the above, definitely look at Discovery Bay first.
All of your above wishes fulfilled, except perhaps the "close to the trendy areas". (airconditioned ferry to central takes 25 minutes or so). Lotsa playgrounds, green fields, kindergartens, etc...
Check out the xpWIKI section on the left, more info there...
Veel success!
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Even sick puppies need love...
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| posted by God de Vader 942 days ago |
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Hi Essie, how about Hong Lok Yuen? just because there are many dutch people living there! mnaybe good for you and the kids, its like a semi closed community with houses, clubhouse etc.....they even have a dutch school there if im not misinformed!
i guess from there to the island however will take you about 40 minutes!
de mazzel!
I'm not under the alkafluence of inkahol that some thinkle peep I am. It's just the drunker I sit here the longer I get."
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| posted by Gum Tree 942 days ago |
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How will husband commute to work? With 3 kids you will need a car to get them around and so you will have to think about husband commuting ... 30 minutes at peak hour will limit where you can live. South of the island would be great for kids, nursery etc but not necessarily great for husband commuting and getting to the airport. Pok Fu Lam would be better ... some excellent townhouses, clubs at Aberdeen and reasonably close to Central, midlevels and southside etc.
"Marooned on a rock with 80,000 and now 90,000 alcoholics and counting"
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| posted by Waterslang 942 days ago |
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If living in DB the Airport is a 25 min.drive by Airport bus. Same island.That helps. Forget about the car.
Doei!
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| posted by essie 942 days ago |
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txs for all your input. what worries me about DB is that my life would be a bit artificial with all stay at home mothers. I really love to wander around trendy, up and coming areas and have stimulating, creative people around me (being a marketing manager for a women's glossy magazine..)- so maybe the q would be: where would creative people (advertising, artistist and media people live). i am sure that DB would be ideal for my kids given that they are so small. i will have a look at hong lok yuen as well (no idea where that is)
laturrrrrrr
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| posted by carang 942 days ago |
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i guess you need to figure out what is the most important criteria...
do you really need a place witha max commute time of 30 min?
do you really need a place with a "trendy" feeling all the time... or can you go to town for the day, then come home to relax?
do you really need a place for the kids to have activities and other kids around and playgrounds/pools/beach etc?
I've been in Hk for 11 years...i've lived in Db for the past 5... i have a one year old son, and i LOVE living here with him... it is so easy to get places... i work in central and i take the ferry every morning... guaranteed a comfortable, air-conditioned seat(as opposed to taking the train)...there are so many kids around that i know that he'll have lots of friends as he grows up.. it's easy to arrange play dates for him....
however, we are considering leaving DB for Mui Wo....that's on south Lantau Island.... simply because we can get a MUCH larger house with an outdoor play area etc. for him and our dogs...
we haven't finalised our decision yet as we really love living in DB(my husband is local, and i'm trying to convince him to leave...)
i know many people in DB that work for the SCMP and other publications in HK.....if you really want "media" people.. if you're looking for hippies though, you'd be better of on Lamma Island...
Good Luck in your search!
(PS. none of this was meant sarcastically... i know sometimes, the written word sounds harsher/more sarcastic than it is meant)
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| posted by Promo Stuff 942 days ago |
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happy valley would be a good choice for you. the area at the southern end of the racecourse is close to town, but still has a village / high street feeling about it. and has wider footpaths and roads. due to the steep hill, you tend to get more light there than other places and more fresh air due to valley winds.
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| posted by God de Vader 942 days ago |
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i thought that creative poeople live on the moon....just like i do.....
a bit a weird comment for a city like HK.........there is creativity everywhere here......just cant see it, must look for it!
i def! think DB has some of the creativest people around!
I'm not under the alkafluence of inkahol that some thinkle peep I am. It's just the drunker I sit here the longer I get."
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| posted by essie 941 days ago |
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great to read all your tips. without having seen DB what prob worries me most is the fact that I would be a bit isolated, as one always needs to travel first to central and then continue commuting to another place? Another thing that worries me that it becomes a sort of "small"world for me. How do i have to see this, is Central basically the place where one goes to find/do everyting (clothesshopping, hairdresser, browsing, visit markets, coffeeplaces, lunch cafes) and to catch up with other friends? or are these places spread out on HK island. This to me would be a very important thing to know whether or not you feel isolated. All the people i have spoken to so far are all so negative about DB and say that we really should live on the south side............my hubbie has visited DB and was really enthousiastic about it, but then again he is the one travelling to & working in Central everyday, so he will have his daily portion of vibes I guess.
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| posted by Gum Tree 941 days ago |
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Essie ... I don't have little kids so I don't know about DB. There are LOTS of people there with little ones though. I am guessing that if you wanted to get into Central etc you will have a helper (maybe two?) who would stay with them while you travel and leave them behind. I don't know what you would do if you want to bring them over ... taxis take 5 people max.
That is why I think the island is better. Or maybe Clearwater Bay, Sai Kung etc. AND a car for you at least. If husband will be away, YOU will need to have a car to get around and a helper. HK is NOT child friendly with respect to prams etc. And neighbours who can look after kids while you go to the store.
If your husband is going to be absent a lot, better that he puts up with the commuting and you and kids settle into a place you all enjoy, I think. Check out around Stanley also Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay. And Pok Fu Lam as I said before. If you get a car, these are all within driving distance either over the hill or through the tunnel or around from Central etc. But there are other places on South Side that are "meeting places" for mums with kids. Some good Montessori play groups etc.
Good luck!
"Marooned on a rock with 80,000 and now 90,000 alcoholics and counting"
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| posted by Paps of Jura 941 days ago (edited 941 days ago) |
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Essie.. just from the vibes of your posts about your lifestyle, I would say that DB is not the place for you
It is not hip, It is not trendy ... It's more like living in the Truman show. I would never live there.. just would not want to be at the mercy of a ferry everyday. Plus there are no real bars/restaurants worth shouting home about.
I would also consider the places that Gum Tree has suggested.. Stanley, Repulse Bay, Shouson Hill, Clearwater Bay, Pok Fu Lam. Also look into Mid level East (Bowen Road/Kennedy Road etc) and the peak... going up from Magazine Gap road. If money was no object, then I know that's where I would be looking.
You may not get a Townhouse in some of these areas, but you could also consider a duplex apartment
Good luck on your searching
Dib Dob nib knob
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| posted by harley 941 days ago (edited 941 days ago) |
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Essie ... now I can say Parkview is worth it - it is only about 15 minutes from Central (by taxi or bus) ... and it is like a grounded cruise ship - has like 7 restaurants and a three level gym and three pools ... I love my apartment there - just not crazy about the comples because I don't have kids so I don't have much in common with most of the families that live there - and as such it is a bit lonely for me and the husband ... but if you have kids, it might just be what you need. and there are TONS of kids at Parkview - there are playgrounds (swings and the like), a skate park for roller blading, sports and art classes, an international school right on the premises (PIPS its called) - a food store ... a dry cleaner ... lots of nannys, maid service ... though Parkview can be a bit pricey... I tend to find the apartment spaces to be on the larger side - nice again for kids... you can easily take strollers or prams out there for walks and stuff (in and around the complex - there is a winding sort of steep road up a rather large hill) ... but during the afternoons and weekends - the pools and outer areas are filled with kids - soccer clubs and the like ... halloween and christmas parties and stuffs ... might be worth it for you ... and it is a bit away from the congestion and pollution since it is in the middle of the island and on top of a hill ... it truly is quite lovely for families - if you have pets there are places to walk the dog ... very green and even in the dregs of the humid summer, there are a few refreshing breezes up at Parkview - check out the website ... www.hongkongparkview.com
I am an American - born and bred. And I wouldn't want it any other way.
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| The Maintenance Man |
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| posted by ServerGuy 941 days ago |
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I would guess price would also have something to do with where you are going to be also !!!
If you have got any problems with this site send them to Support@HKExpats.com Thanks
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| posted by essie 941 days ago |
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hi guys
txs so much for all your info, this really helps!! as i have lived in big cities before (london, sydney both without kids) I also realise that one could feel lonely in a big city, especially with 3 kids when you are not so flexible etc. This is my main worry for living on HK island as opposed to DB. As I expect to be able to meet loads of stay at home moms?? From my own perspective I guess I am definitely more a city person, but for my kids I guess space, other kids, playgrounds, green, cycling etc is very important. Would u guys advise me in my situation to joing a private club (as opposed to just hanging out in the communal swimmingpool at the apprt complex? I find it so hard to envisage my life there. Will my social life during the week (mo-fri during the day) be for a major part at one of the private clubs or do mums with kids hang out at their communal swimmingpool? i heard that joining private clubs are ridiculously expensive and more importantly, at most clubs nannies/amahs are not allowed to get in.
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| posted by Waterslang 941 days ago |
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Women!!!!
Just get
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| posted by Lady G 941 days ago |
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Essie, I think you're making this into a bigger deal than it really needs to be. Your lifestyle is whatever you make it. I have lived in HK for 20 years, in Homantin and Sai Kung on Kowloon-side, and Happy Valley and Pokfulam on HK island. Every place has its pros and cons. If budget is not an issue, then you can get huge duplex apartments at any of the upmarket apartment complexes in Mid-Levels (monthly rent HK$70k upwards) and still be in the thick of things in HK.
And DB, as Adfundum noted, is a mere 25-min ferry ride from Central, and once you get there, everything is in walking distance or a HK$20 taxi ride if you can't be bothered to walk. But if even that seems to far from "trendy" places, then for your own sake don't even think about Hong Lok Yuen or Sai Kung — or, for that matter, anywhere on Kowloon-side or the New Territories.
And if budget is not an issue, then joining a private club in addition to having facilities at your apartment complex would give you an additional option — but you're right, maids/nannies are not allowed access to these clubs.
And, btw, I have to say my hackles were raised at the negativity of your comment about "stay-at-home-mums" (in DB) — from the sounds of it, you will be a stay-at-home-mum too, so why would that make you any different from them?
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| posted by God de Vader 941 days ago |
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at clubs amahs are not allowed, and thats good! kids should be taken care of by theitr moms, and not grow up learning indonesian or tagalog form their maids!
club memberships go from anywhere between 10.000 HK$ for signing up to HK$ 1.000.000 and more depending on what you wish for. monthly fees go from HK$ 300 to HK$ 25000 depending where you wish to be seen.
do not expect clubs to be a major cool place in HK.....most clubs are quite low key...down to earth...simple
i strongly suggest that if you can afford apprantments of HK$ 70 K etc.....to fly over for a short holiday first to get accustomed to the areas and do soem appartment viewing yourself first!
I'm not under the alkafluence of inkahol that some thinkle peep I am. It's just the drunker I sit here the longer I get."
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| posted by n/a 940 days ago (edited 940 days ago) |
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Agree with GDV fly over and have a look first, i did! you will be much more settled in your mind and other people's perceptions
are not your own.You don't mention a budget for rental so its a bit hard to suggest places to rent as they vary according to area.Places close to Central are exxy. Full stop.You will need a helper I'd say with several young children and you will probably find that a boon...so then you will have some free time to travel to trendier places than the family friendly places ,like DB,Hong Lok Yuen etc posters have mentioned to relax and socialise.There are several different places you might like .but its a very personal decision ,where to live here.
Clubs?It depends what your interests are ,but there are many and I think they are pretty' trendy ', well, fashionable places to go and socialise and eat out ,swim exercise some of them .If your husband works at the airport is he involved with Cathay ?if so there is a lot of socialising and networking involved in that, if you want it ,don't worry.it ain't Holland ,its different but so long as you like shopping eating out and warm weather you will be fine...
Miss P
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