Travelers Get Educated Abroad

Published: 11:48am, 24 Jun 2014

If you want to experience short courses, Hong Kong is one of the most diverse places for travelers. Travelers visiting Hong Kong don’t just come for the nightlife and skyscrapers, but many also seek out educational or cultural experiences.

Tourism in is on the rise every year in Asia’s World City. In 2013, the Tourism Commission reported that over 54 million visitors came to Hong Kong, a leap of 11.7% from 2012. The largest number of of visitors are coming from mainland China, with well over 40 million in 2013. An average length of stay is about 3 to 4 days, well enough time to take part in a variety of short courses in Hong Kong. The biggest challenge can be deciding what kind of courses to take in Hong Kong and how they will benefit you.

Many visitors are interested in language courses. Although English learning is at an all time high, tourists are seeking an authentic language experience and some tourists already have a grasp of English. Learning Cantonese can be a joy. It can help you communicate as you get around and allows you to get to know locals on a more intimate level. The Hong Kong Institute of Languages is the perfect school to practice your Cantonese. They have language classes seven days a week for adults, teens or children, in case you bring the entire family. They also offer evening classes, so you can partake after a day of sightseeing.

As for other type of short courses, Hong Kong is a mecca for foodies. Cantonese cuisine is world famous; its influence stretching from Thailand, all the way to the United States and Canada. Once you get to Hong Kong, take the four hour Fun Cuisine Course at The Chinese Cuisine Training Institute. At only $880 HKD, you’ll be given a thorough introduction to the delightful tastes of Cantonese cuisine. Another very popular school is Martha Sherpa’s Cooking Classes, named in Gourmet Magazine as one of the top cooking schools in Asia. There’s a wide range of cooking classes, from BBQ wok style cooking, to how to make dim sum -- a long rooted cuisine rich in culture and tradition. There is even a class on Hong Kong desserts.

Another aspect that travelers can explore are the many cultural classes that Hong Kong has to offer. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Hong Kong Tourism have teamed up to bring awareness to Chinese culture by offering a large number of cultural courses. Some popular ones are touring museums or cultural centers on subjects like the history of tea ware in Hong Kong and the legend of Bruce Lee. You can even take classes in Cantonese Opera, which could be taken hand in hand with your language courses. Some people don’t realize that Hong Kong’s development has been the gift of merging the modern with its ancient culture. There are historical classes on how the modern postal service developed or even Feng Shui.

There are many types of travelers that come to Hong Kong. There are the ones who enjoy the restaurants and shopping centers or some who want to island hop and soak in the many atmospheres found on the islands. There are also those who want to reveal all the layers to a place. Hong Kong has such a varied and rich history, it’s no wonder that there are so many short courses for the traveler to learn from and enjoy.

*Image courtesy of noppasinw / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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