MALAYSIA'S sweetheart Elfira Loy recently welcomed her second child. The 28-year-old has been in the Malaysian film industry since she was 12. She is also a TV presenter, entrepreneur and social icon.
As well as being a proud mother to three-year-old Rayyan, Elfira often shares her experiences on social media with her fans. They include quality moments and healthy food choices to leisure activities like selecting family and Muslim-friendly travel destinations.
With social norms making a comeback, Elfira has spent Raya month with family and friends. Now that travel is allowed, she also reminisces about the times they went on holidays.
I’ve always been a fan of Hong Kong…
Elfira, now also a Hong Kong Superfan, is part of a community initiated by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. This is where social media influencers with a strong passion for Hong Kong are recruited to share their love for the city as part of its post-Covid plan.
Elfira has been to Hong Kong three times – in 2010, 2013 and 2018. “It’s not only my favourite place to visit, every trip I had to Hong Kong was a meaningful travel experience for me,” she said.
“The first trip in 2010 was with my family. I was pretty young then, but I remember we walked on the streets and had halal food. I remember the best part of the trip was that we spent the entire day at Hong Kong Disneyland.
"My siblings and I had so much fun! I went on my second trip to Hong Kong when I was 19, This was the most meaningful trip for me because it was my first overseas trip alone with only my siblings! The four of us went to Hong Kong for the filming of Destinasi Ria. We were so young, and we were so excited to go to Hong Kong Disneyland again, this time just by ourselves!” she recalled.
Elfira shared that they stayed at the Hotel and spent the whole day at Hong Kong Disneyland. There were facilities provided where they could pray and find halal food. Aside from that, the four siblings also toured around the city at night with the Big Bus Tours.
“I still remember how amazing it was to tour around the city and watch the light sparkling from the buildings in Kowloon. My brothers, sister and I were sucked into the panoramic views of the bright lights and bustling energy of the city."
As a melting pot of different cultures, Hong Kong’s well-known diversity also made Elfira comfortable as a Muslim tourist. She described it as one of the easiest destinations for her to explore, especially with her needs as a Muslim tourist.
“It feels like home away from home, really; we did not feel out of place, and it did not feel like we needed to look hard for halal food or facilities. Locals are really friendly and helpful if we needed help or directions. There’s also a huge Muslim community there where you can easily ask for assistance if need be.”
With a community of 300,000 Muslims living in the city, Hong Kong is home to many beautiful mosques. Each mosque has its rich history and significance. They are popular tourist landmarks and have a large selection of halal eateries, shops, and markets.
“There's a lot of halal food that you can find easily in Hong Kong. One of my favourite food places in Hong Kong is Islam Food in Kowloon City. What to order? Their veal goulash is the best!”
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Another one of Elfira’s favourite halal eateries in Hong Kong is the Islamic Center Canteen at Masjid al Amar, best known for its halal dim sum and Cantonese food.
“These are the two places I must eat at every time I visit Hong Kong.”
“My last trip to Hong Kong was in 2018. Again, I felt very comfortable like it was my second home. It was a work trip, but it was special because I celebrated my 24th birthday there.
"I went full-tourist mode – I visited Sky100, took the Star ferry to visit the Jamia Mosque, I visited the largest mosque in Hong Kong, the Kowloon Mosque. I went to The Peak by tram to absorb the breathtaking Hong Kong landscape by day.
"I also visited Avenue of Stars in the evening to immerse myself in the Hong Kong night skyline and enjoy the light show.
"In addition, I visited Islam Food and Islamic Center Canteen, and of course, I did a lot of shopping,” she cheekily added. As a wife and a mother now, Elifra has to plan for her family’s needs. This includes travel itineraries to work around prayer time, eating schedules and activities for everyone’s interest.
“This is why I feel that Hong Kong is one of the best places for Muslim travellers. With halal food easily found, iconic mosques for prayers, and surau facilities equipped at theme parks, it really makes it convenient.”
Whether you like city life or nature, theme parks or museums, street food or premium dining, Hong Kong gives you the best of both worlds as well.
“I will definitely return for the fourth time.
"Especially with our family growing, Hong Kong is a good choice as an international destination but not too far and long in flight.” Halal tourism has always been a focus of Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Hong Kong is a Muslim Friendly travel destination, so plan your halal holiday like Hong Kong Super Fan, Elfira Loy.
For more information, visit www.discoverhongkong.com/seasia/explore/muslim-travel.html. – The Vibes, May 30, 2022
