My Hometown: A High-Low Guide to Vancouver with Actress Olivia Cheng

Explore the city like a local.

By Phoebe Neuman

In this installment of Full-Time Travel’s My Hometown series, actress Olivia Cheng, who plays the formidable Ah Toy in Netflix’s action-packed Warrior (which was picked up by the streaming platform earlier this year after debuting its third season on Max in 2023), shares her favorite spots in Vancouver, Canada. From the best chicken wings in the city to a celebrity-favorite spa and a beach with some serious local flair, here are her insider picks for Van City visitors.

The most special thing about my hometown is its unparalleled proximity to nature! Rainforests, oceans, mountains, hot springs, and vineyards are all either a stone’s throw from downtown or within a day’s short road trip.

The coolest neighborhoods in my hometown are Kitsilano and English Bay because you’re close to great shops, restaurants, downtown, Stanley Park, and the ocean. I love Main Street as well, because it’s got a boutique shopping culture that’s very local—you won’t find any big-box brands here.

When you’re in my hometown, you absolutely need to get a Coconut Lover’s dessert from BaBa Tang on Robson Street. It is a fresh coconut filled with coconut juice jello and coconut cream that you can top with a variety of fresh fruits and sago pearls. It’s so fresh and delicious—the perfect treat for anyone with a sweet tooth like me.

When friends visit my hometown, I always take them on the Aquabus to explore various points on the seawall. It blows their mind that Vancouver has this public boat service, and sometimes we’re the only ones on it so it feels like a private boat ride. It’s a fun way to take them to the artisan villages of Granville Island, the restaurants of Yaletown or Olympic Village, and the beaches of Kitsilano or English Bay.

If you are looking for something a bit more adventurous, check out the zip lines in Whistler. This is such a great day trip out of Vancouver and a really fun way to bring friends into the mountains. Not everyone knows how to ski, but everyone can definitely strap in for a zip line! I highly recommend packing a picnic and taking your time getting up to Whistler. There are so many incredible stops along the way with waterfalls, stunning lakes, and quick trails.

I spend far too much money at the Skin Girls spa on Cambie Street. They take care of a lot of the actresses who come into town for production. They have a long list of services, but the one I’m always going in for is called the Celebrity Facial. It’s basically exfoliation and hydration, hydration, hydration, which is exactly what I need because of how much I travel and fly—my skin always takes a beating!

When you’re in the mood for some “me time,” head straight to the seawall. Walking or biking along the water always clears my head. I like the people watching too, and putting my bare feet into the sand or onto some of the boulders that line the shore feels like it energetically resets me.

My secret obsession is Shorba Bone Broth by chef Mithalee Rawat. I found her at the Vancouver farmers market, and then went back a week later and bought 10 packs at once. Her bone broth is Ayurveda-based, which is great for gut health, and hearing how much care she puts into it makes me feel really good drinking it. It's also so easy to freeze and pull out when I’m tired and want a simple meal.

Something only locals know about my hometown is that Wreck Beach is the best beach in the city. Tourists never seem to have this place on their radar, and it is a little hard to find if you don’t know where the entrance is via the UBC campus. But it is well worth the trek down the long set of stairs to get to the sand. The beach is beautiful—it’s sheltered from the wind by the horseshoe-shaped cliffs that surround it—and, because it is an optional nude beach, it is definitely an experience! You don’t have to go nude, but get ready to see the human body in all of its forms. Oh, and be sure to never, ever pull out your phone to film or take photos…You don’t want a naked angry hippie scolding you for harshing their vibe.

Don’t end a trip to my hometown without checking out the chicken wings at Phnom Penh in Chinatown. Locals line up to fight for a table there…if you know, you know.