Quittin’ Time
50 better things to do after work than hitting the bottle.
Healthy Diversions | Get Creative | Musical Endeavors | Relax | Learn Something New | Volunteer | Join a Sports Team | Still Want a Drink?
Healthy Diversions
Go Skateboarding
The skate park in Mei Foo, known among the local skate community simply as “The Foo” (olds, don’t even try it), is where you want to put your wheels down. Remember to bring along a helmet and pads; the park authorities require it. Lai Chi Kok Park, Lei Wan Rd., Lai Chi Kok, 2307-0429.
Go Bowling
If you find you need a drink to steady your hand, try Olympian Super Fun Bowl, which has 22 lanes, disco music, alcohol and stays open until 1 am on weekdays, 2am on weekends. Shop 148, 1/F, Olympian City 2, 18 Hoi Ting Rd., West Kowloon, 2273-4773.
Play Ice Hockey
Asia Sports runs both an adult and a minor (ages 5-18) ice hockey league. Most games are played at MegaBox in Kowloon Bay, the city’s only professional-sized rink. For details, contact Keith Fong on 9181-7662. Asiasports, Suite 21B, Hong Kong Garden, Seymour Rd., Mid-Levels, 2521-9922.
Golf Driving Range
Looking for a less strenuous after-work sporting activity? Try hitting the golf driving range. If you don’t want to lug around a ton of equipment all day, most vicinities provide club rental onsite. City Golf Club, 8 Wui Cheung Rd., Jordan, 2992-3333. Bays $50 per half-hour; Clubs $10 with $50 deposit per club.
Round up a bunch of fellow detoxing colleagues and head out to the Paintball Headquarters in Kowloon Bay, which allows you to fire balls of ink at your enemies until 9pm every night. It’s just $250 per person, and also includes rental of all your gear plus 100 paintballs. Playing time varies according to the number of players who sign up. Unit 2-3, Po Lung Center, 11 Wang Chiu Rd., Kowloon Bay, www.paintballhq.com.
Try the awesome climbing wall at the YMCA (3/F, Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2268-7099). There’s a three-hour climbing assessment course ($170), after which, sessions are $80 (not including harness rental) Or try the three breathtaking walls at Pure Fitness for $250 per day (3/F, Two IFC, 8 Finance St., Central, 8129-8000, www.pure-fit.com)
If you lean towards the couch more than outdoor activity, you might need to sign up for boot camp. You’ll be too distracted by the activities to notice you’re dying inside, and contrary to its name, there won’t be any yelling-until-they-break-you going on. Bootcamp: Group Exercise, Hong Kong Cricket Club, 137 Wong Nai Chung Gap Rd., 3511-8698, www.hkcc.org.