Hong Kong

Macau – A Quick Guide

April 29, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Macao

Another day trip that you can make whilst in Hong Kong is Macau, also known as the “Las Vegas of Asia”. Macau is on mainland China and was a Portuguese colony until 1999.

To properly see Macau, you will need three of four days because there is a lot to take in – from modern Casinos to historic Portuguese architecture, but you may also visit just for the day.

To travel to Macau, take the MTR to Sheung Wan MTR station and then take a ferry from the port to Macao, which takes about an hour.

When you arrive in Macau, you will most likely be approached by lots of tour guides trying to sell you their tours of the city, which you may like to do. Alternatively, walk out of the port and you will see a collection of shuttle bus terminals. You can take a free shuttle bus to many of Macau’s hotels or Casino from here. If you are just in Macau for the day, you may want to visit the Casinos, which are open 24/7 or surrounding area. Here you will find a new development of shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and even a replica of the Eiffel Tower!

Macau Centre

In the centre of Macau, you will find both Chinese and Portuguese historic architecture and even the road signs are still given in both languages. In some areas, you will be forgiven for thinking you are in the centre of Lisbon, as the architecture is predominantly Portuguese. Even the pavements in some areas have the classic Portuguese wave patterns that you will find in Brazil and throughout the cities and towns of Portugal.

If you are feeling adventurous and are wanting an adrenaline rush, head to the AJ Hackett Macau Tower Bungee Jump, which holds the world record for highest commercial bungee jump at 233m / 764 ft. Jumps may also be made at night for that extra special adrenaline fix! There is also a 360 degree revolving restaurant at the top of the tower offering stunning views over Macau.

Useful links

A guide to Hong Kong

Where to stay in Hong Kong

How To Travel In Hong Kong By Public Transport

April 11, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Hong Kong Transport

One of the first things that you should do upon arrival in Hong Kong is to get yourself an Octopus card to use on the public transport systems. This card will enable you to take the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) or underground train and is the quickest way to get around Hong Kong. Quickest because you won’t get stuck in traffic jams, which can be horrendous sometimes. You can buy an Octopus card at any MTR station except the racecourse station. If you have arrived in Hong Kong by air, you can purchase a card at the MTR Airport Express terminal at the airport.

Most people will have transfers booked for their hotel though, so you can pick up an Octopus card at the nearest MTR station to your hotel.

Octopus cards may also be used on buses and trams. Currently Octopus cards cost $150 HK or about $19 US, which include a refundable $50 on return of the card and $100 stored value to use on transportation. Top up your Octopus card as necessary at the many machines or customer service kiosks in the MTR stations. Use your Octopus card by just swiping it on the consoles at the stations, buses or trams.

There is a useful MTR app called MTR mobile, which you can download to your phone from an app store. The app has a route planner, station exit info, bus information, traffic news, tourist information and much more. A really great feature of the app is the Tourist information, which lists attractions and how to get there.

Pay attention to the exit information in the tourist information, because most Hong Kong stations have many exits and it is easy to get lost if you take the wrong exit.

The buses and trams can be a better way of seeing some of the streets if you are not in a rush. The bus route from Central Exchange Square to Stanley Prison gives an excellent view of Repulse Bay. The trams are a little slower than the buses, but again they are a great way of sightseeing if you have plenty of time.

There are also ferries that run between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon which are great for watching the symphony of lights. You can also catch a ferry to Macao in mainland China.

Useful links

Where to stay in Hong Kong

Hotels recommendations for Kowloon

Central & Lan Kwai Fong Hong Kong Island

Ngong Ping, Po Lin Monastery & The Big Buddha On Lantau Island

Things To See and Do On Your Short Trip to Hong Kong

Symphony of Lights Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade

Lan Kwai Fong & Central Hong Kong Island

April 9, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Lan Kwai Fong

Lan Kwai Fong is known for it’s party atmosphere and here you can enjoy a few leisurely drinks at one of the many bars. There are some excellent restaurants in Lan Kwai Fong and you will find cuisine from all over the world – Chinese, Portuguese, Mexican, European, Brazilian, Thai, Japanese etc. You really don’t need to spend a lot of money to eat well in Lan Kwai Fong and there are some excellent restaurants where you can dine outside on a street called Wing Wah Lane. Wing Wah Lane is off D’Aguilar Street. The Thai restaurant called Good Luck Thai Food is particularly good – walk to the end of Wing Wah Lane, where you will find an alley way. This is where the restaurants are located.

For bars and restaurants, take Exit D2 from Central Station and head to Lan Kwai Fong.

Central

Central is located on the North side of Hong Kong island and is the main business district of Hong Kong. Probably the best way to travel there is on the MTR. Here you will find many shops, shopping centres, restaurants, bars and most of the things you will find in city centres around the world. This area is especially impressive at night with lots of large digital screens placed on the side of buildings.

Useful links

Where to stay in Hong Kong

Hotels recommendations for Kowloon

How to travel in Hong Kong by public transport

Ngong Ping, Po Lin Monastery & The Big Buddha On Lantau Island

Things To See and Do On Your Short Trip to Hong Kong

Symphony of Lights Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade

April 8, 2019 By admin 1 Comment

Hong Kong Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui

Symphony of Lights

One of the most spectacular sights that you can see in Hong Kong is the symphony of lights.

Every night at 8pm many buildings on Hong Kong island adjacent to the Victoria Harbour display a light show of coloured lights and beams. Not only do you get to see the very impressive Hong Kong island skyline shimmering in the dark, but you get to see it in literally a symphony of lights!

Probably the best place to view this spectacle is from the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade in Kowloon. To get there, take the MTR to Sha Tsui station Exit E or take the Ferry from Central or Wan Chai. There are plenty of signs for the promenade, so it’s not hard to find. At this location at 8pm music is also played to synchronise with the light show, which adds another dimension to the vista.

Useful links

Where to stay in Hong Kong

Hotels recommendations for Kowloon

How to travel in Hong Kong by public transport

Central & Lan Kwai Fong Hong Kong Island

Ngong Ping, Po Lin Monastery & The Big Buddha On Lantau Island

Things To See and Do On Your Short Trip to Hong Kong

Lantau Island – Ngong Ping, Po Lin Monastery & The Big Buddha

April 7, 2019 By admin Leave a Comment

Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Lantau Island

You will need a full day really for this excursion. First head out on the MTR to Tung Chung station on Lantau Island. From there you can take the cable car to the Po Lin Monastery. Be warned, there will probably be a massive queue for the cable car and it is normal to have to queue for hours! To beat the queue, there will be people selling previously bought tickets to save queuing up for them, but they will be more expensive than the tickets from the ticket office.

It’s your choice really. Even if you buy a ticket from the vendors near the queue, you will still have to queue for the cable car, which should take less than an hour.

The cable car journey takes about 25 minutes and is a fantastic journey with some great views over Hong Kong city and the surrounding area. Look out for the Kong-Zhuhai bridge – you can see the bridge disappear under the sea for 6.7km to allow ships to pass over it.

Kong-Zhuhai Bridge from Lantau Island — Kong-Zhuhai Bridge

Ngong Ping & Po Lin Monastery

At the end of the journey, you will arrive at Ngong Ping. There are many restaurants and cafes in this area, where you can eat and drink. If you venture further into the park near to the monastery area you will find some more restaurants and cafes, which offer better value and there is also a vegan eatery. You can walk around the monastery and take photos, but some areas are barriered off.