How Speaking Cantonese Made Our Hong Kong Honeymoon Magical
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On this blog, I share practical tips, resources, and methods for learning languages—drawing from my own experiences to help you choose the best path for you, making language learning both effective, motivating and fun.
However, the reason we learn a language goes deeper than words, sounds, and structure of the language—it’s about understanding and connecting with a different culture and its people in a way that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.
One of me and my wife’s most precious memories is our Honeymoon in Hong Kong. Whenever we look back on it, we feel incredibly grateful to have had such a special experience. And a big part of it was one thing:
I speak the local language—Cantonese.
In this post, you’ll get a very personal window into our honeymoon in Hong Kong, and specifically how me knowing Cantonese opened up memorable experiences, blessings, and authentic connections that transformed our trip into something far more magical.
This is definitely one of the most personal posts I’ve ever written, and quite different than what you might be used to on this blog. But then again, this is what learning a language is all about.
You’ll find more pictures in this post than usual, most of which have never been shared before. I’ve included them so you can get a glimpse into this special and personal journey, as well as the wonder of Hong Kong. (Just a heads-up: there will be more pics of my wife than of me, because she’s just so much cuter!)
It All Started in Hong Kong Back in 2017…
When we were deciding where to go on our honeymoon, we explored different countries to find the perfect place for such a unique and special occasion. One day, my (then soon-to-be) wife, Heta, said:
“Why don’t we just go to Hong Kong?”
Right! Why wouldn’t we?!
It’s a place she has wanted to visit since she was a teenager, and she sure didn’t have to convince me to go. I had already fallen in love with the place back in 2017.
In fact, in late November 2017 I was Hong Kong, staying at the most incredible hotel I had ever stayed at. One that had the coziest rooms, out-of-this-world breakfast, and the friendliest and most helpful hotel staff I had ever encountered.
(A trip that ended up being completely life-changing, that started my journey of learning Cantonese. To read more about this journey, check out the post: How My Love Story With Hong Kong and Cantonese Began)
While sitting in this beautiful hotel room, I thought: ‘It would be a dream to take my future wife to a place like this for a honeymoon.’ At the time, I was single, with no one on the horizon. I hadn’t even met my wife yet.
As a Christian, and now looking back, it’s amazing to see how the Lord led this entire journey, even without fully understanding just how significant it was at the time.
How We Got Double-Upgraded at a 5-Star Hotel
Only days after our magical winter wonderland wedding in Finnish Lapland and a wonderful afternoon in London, we arrived in Hong Kong. We grabbed one of the famous Hong Kong area-colored taxis that would take us to our hotel.
Remember that 5-star hotel I had stayed at last time? Well, two years later—almost to the day—me and my wife stayed at that same hotel for our honeymoon. A hotel called Hotel ICON, which is located in Tsim Sha Tsui, East Kowloon. Talk about having very specific dreams come true!
As we arrived at the hotel and having our luggage discreetly taken care of, we were greeted at the front desk with:
“Mr. Tapper, in honor of this very special occasion, we have arranged a VIP check-in for you on the 28th floor.”
In true Hong Kong service fashion, one of the hotel attendants escorted us to the elevator and up to the VIP check-in on the 28th floor. There, the receptionist offered us a room upgrade with a special honeymoon discount, which we couldn’t resist accepting (because, well, it was our honeymoon!).
I began speaking Cantonese, and the jaw of the receptionist nearly hit the floor—she was so impressed that she double-upgraded us to one of their large suites!
The room was incredible—spacious with a separate living room area and two bathrooms. It was even bigger than our apartment back home in Finland! (and if you know Hong Kong, you know how rare this kind of space is).
While it’s possible we might have still received this upgrade, the connection we made with the receptionist through Cantonese likely inspired it.
The bedroom area of our Hotel ICON suite.
The living room area of our hotel room.
The spectacular view we saw every time before entering our hotel room.
Stunning Harbour Views at Breakfast
East meets West, in typical Hong Kong-fashion at ‘Above and Beyond’, overlooking Victoria Harbour.
Because of our upgrade, we were also granted the option to have exclusive breakfast on the 28th floor at their restaurant ‘Above and Beyond’, with a stunning view over Victoria Harbour.
We also loved eating at the regular breakfast restaurant, the award-winning ‘The Market’, and enjoyed alternating between each restaurant for different experiences.
The ‘Above and Beyond’ restaurant had the best views, but we loved the relaxed vibe and incredible selection of ‘The Market’.
Our typical breakfast mix at the award-winning breakfast restaurant ‘The Market’.
We quickly became friends with one of the waitresses who served us at breakfast.
Not only was it our honeymoon (which makes you stand out among other guests), but the fact that I spoke her native language, Cantonese, made a big impression. She gave us some good local food recommendations (partly about what to avoid, which is just as helpful as what to get).
Interacting with her made our breakfasts a warmer and more personal experience.
Luxurious Afternoon Tea on the 28th Floor
With our room upgrade, we were also granted complimentary ‘Afternoon tea’ every day between 3pm and 5pm on the 28th Floor.
This turned out to be one of our favorite parts about our Hong Kong stay. Every day there was a selection of sweet and savory to accompany delicious, quality teas.
It was the perfect afternoon break after a day of walking and discovering Hong Kong, before heading back out to explore the streets again.
It had a cozy and quiet atmosphere, super attentive staff, and breathtaking harbour views. It was just the greatest experience.
A selection of sweet and savory with the Afternoon Tea at Hotel ICON’s ‘Above and Beyond’ restaurant.
Navigating Hong Kong Like a Local: When English is Not an Option
Since Hong Kong is a former British colony, it might seem like knowing Cantonese isn’t necessary. I mean, everybody speaks English, right? While quite a few do, particularly at hotels and in the younger generation, a surprising amount of people actually don’t speak English at all.
There were several times where me knowing Cantonese was not just a plus, but essential.
How Cantonese Transformed Our Taxi Experiences in Hong Kong
Taxi drivers typically do not speak English in Hong Kong.
For that reason, it’s best to either have written down the destination beforehand or have someone else tell the taxi driver where you’re going.
Me being able to speak Cantonese was immensely helpful, as I could always talk to them about where we were going. That way, we could adjust our journey along the way, or ask for recommendations.
Not only that, but some of our taxi rides led to conversations with the driver—about what life is like as a taxi driver in Hong Kong, among other topics.
This made our taxi rides more meaningful, compared to the more surface-level experience you’d normally have as a tourist.
Ordering Street food like Local Hong Kongers
Another instance where it might be surprising that the locals don’t speak English, is when ordering street food.
Street vendors often only speak Cantonese, and many menus are often only in Chinese with no English translation.
You could probably find someone to help you order, or simply point to what you want. However, as a Westerner, you might have no idea what some of these dishes are.
Not only did we see the street vendors' faces light up when speaking their native language, leading to some fun chit-chat, but we were also able to ask about the dishes. This helped us choose what we actually wanted to try, rather than ending up with something unexpected.
Discovering the Hidden Gems of Hong Kong
During one of our afternoon teas at Hotel ICON, a staff member recommended we visit Stanley, a seaside village with a completely different vibe from downtown Hong Kong. We took the bus there and had a wonderful time strolling along the beach, shopping for beautiful hand-painted Chinese porcelain bowls, wooden chopsticks, and gifts for our family. It was a peaceful, laid-back place, and quite a contrast from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.
While you can certainly get these types of recommendations without speaking the language, this one came to us naturally through a Cantonese conversation with the staff at Hotel ICON—something that might not have happened if I hadn’t spoken Cantonese.
Unexpected Gifts We Will Never Forget
Let’s be real, when you're on your honeymoon, you’ve got to mention it! Hotels will often celebrate the occasion with champagne, desserts, and even gifts. After all, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so why not make the most of it, right?
But what surprised us were the unexpected gifts we received at various times, thanks to the conversations I started in Cantonese.
One of these occasions was at Mame & Shiba Cafe—a spot where you can hang out with Japanese Shiba Inu dogs—where we received a soft toy dog named 柴 (“firewood”) as a gift. It’s a simple yet special reminder of our honeymoon. We still have it, and now our 2-year old son has adopted it as part of his soft animal collection.
Another day, we went to a Christian bookstore called ‘Elim Christian Bookstore’, which we were recommended before our trip.
I wanted to get a Cantonese Bible, and my wife just love stores like these in general, so we obviously needed to go there. We ended up getting my first Cantonese Bible, along with beautiful bookmarks, large Chinese scrolls, matching marriage water bottles, and other treasures you obviously want to get as newlyweds.
If I hadn’t chatted to the store workers in Cantonese, they might not have known we were in Hong Kong for our honeymoon.
This led to them giving us a special honeymoon discount and even gifting us several extra things, which was especially meaningful for my wife, whose love language is ‘gifts’ (one of the five love languages from Gary Chapman’s influential book - a must-read for married couples!)
The items we received are precious reminders of our time in Hong Kong, especially since the bookstore sadly closed down. It’s a part of our story that we hold dear, even though it’s no longer there.
Making Authentic Connections Through Cantonese
One part that made our honeymoon extra special was being able to make authentic connections with locals. The more exotic, rare, and difficult a language is to learn, the more surprised people will be that you speak it. This opens up conversations and connections with people that probably would not have happened otherwise.
Speaking the local language is the ultimate icebreaker, and the ultimate conversation starter. Here are some of our favorite memories where these authentic connections happened.
Speaking Cantonese Turned This 茶餐廳 (Tea Restaurant) into a Social Hub
One early afternoon, we stumbled upon a classic Hong Kong-style tea restaurant (茶餐廳 caa4 caan1 teng1) in Wan Chai. These tea restaurants offer an interesting mix of Chinese and Western food, with hot beverages such as ‘milk tea’ being a favorite for many (including us). It’s a casual and affordable way to both enjoy food and hot beverages.
As the waitress came to our table, I ordered in Cantonese like I always do. It not only made her impressed, but she completely lit up and started chatting with us.
It was quite a small place so other nearby tables overheard this Cantonese conversation coming from a table of these very white western-looking couple (I mean, could we look more Scandinavian?). One of the guests asked me how I had learned Cantonese and told me my pronunciation was really good.
A man at nearby-table, dressed in an office suit, told us that ‘I eat here three times a day’. People in Hong Kong sure are serious about their favorite food spots!
It’s authentic connections with people like this that make you feel less of a tourist and more a part of the culture. You get a window into the everyday life of the locals in a way that you otherwise wouldn’t.
From Browsing Clothes to Blessing a Stranger
Another occasion is a good example of how people tend to open up a lot more when you speak their language.
One day, while my wife was looking at clothes in a small shop next to one of the busy streets, I decided to strike up a conversation in Cantonese with the young woman working there.
When she found out it was our honeymoon, she was so touched. She started sharing how she was dreaming of finding a husband. I gave her some words of encouragement and casually asked if I could quickly pray for her to find her future husband. She eagerly accepted.
Meanwhile, my wife, who was still browsing clothes nearby, couldn't help but smile as she watched. It was actually the first time I’d ever prayed for someone in Cantonese, so it turned into a lighthearted moment, ending in smiles and laughter by everyone. It was probably a mix of the unusual setting in a store like that, my not-so-smooth praying skills in Cantonese, and her feeling encouraged.
It was a brief conversation, but one where we got to share a meaningful moment with a stranger, and brighten her day.
When Speaking Cantonese Turned the Hotel Staff into Our Friends
The staff at Hotel ICON were not only professional but also exceptionally warm and friendly, in a way that felt truly genuine. With us standing out both as honeymooners and because I spoke Cantonese, we found ourselves forming some wonderful connections with them.
They even sent us some special gifts to our hotel room including a traditional Chinese “wife cake” (老婆餅 lou5 po4 beng2), which represents the relationship between husband and wife, as well as prosperity and good fortune. It was a lovely gift that felt more meaningful because of the personal connections we made with them.
On our last day, the team wanted to do something special—gathering together to bid us farewell and take a picture with us. It was such a heartwarming moment that made us feel like part of the Hotel ICON family. This experience reminded us that even in a 5-star, luxurious hotel, you can still have personal, genuine connections that truly make you feel at home.
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and having fun while doing it?
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Conclusion: A Word of Encouragement
You never know where learning a new language will take you. I certainly never imagined that picking up Cantonese would eventually lead to the dreamiest honeymoon in Hong Kong me and my wife could ever have imagined.
If I didn’t speak Cantonese, would we still have gone to Hong Kong? It’s definitely possible. Would we still have had an amazing time? Absolutely. Would it have been the same, or as special? Probably not.
Without speaking the language, we would have missed out on so many of the experiences I’ve shared in this post.
Keep in mind, I was only two years into learning Cantonese at this point. I still had a lot of gaps in my ability, and was nowhere near fluent, even though I could hold conversations and make the most out of what I did know. The great thing about learning a language is you’ll will reap the benefits of speaking it way before you’re even close to fluent.
People will appreciate communicating and making an effort to try to talk to them in their native language. Especially for such a challenging language like Cantonese.
So if you have strongly on your heart to learn a language, even if it’s an obscure one—go for it.
Don’t let anyone try to talk you into learning a more “practical language”. Because even though there are many languages more widely spoken than Cantonese, our honeymoon was in Hong Kong—so no other language mattered there. Follow what stirs your heart the most. There’s a reason for that stir (as evidenced by our journey).
You never know what kind of doors it’s going to open up by learning a new language (and I guarantee they will). Even learning a less common language like Cantonese is never a waste. It turned into a huge blessing for our marriage, our journey, and our unforgettable honeymoon.
Related posts:
How I Learned Finnish (Without Studying Grammar) - Part 2 (containing parts about our wedding, just days before our Hong Kong honeymoon)
