| J Mcknight |
07 October 2004 |
Stayed at Concourse, Hotel - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
Using the subway was best to get around. Saw the sky tram(?) view couple of times. Visited the IFC buildings & Bank of China. No rides to the top, only observation rooms. IFC buildings allow no picture taking outside of it or inside except for the observation room. Went to HK Park & Botanical/Zoo area. Some brochures explained to me that the Art museum
in Tsim Tsha Tsui stayed open late but it actually closes around 5-6pm. My advise is to get there early. On my last day, it was closed so I didn't get to see it. Saw the Avenue of Lights & the City of Lights event. I got there early to City of Lights & sat on the rail. This is important to get there early as the light show draws a crowd, which will block the view of your camcorder recording, so you want to get a good position so it isn't interrupted by people's heads.
HK ppl don't like having their picture taken. When I got in the subway, I'd pan around my camcorder & they didn't seem to like that. But nobody ever complains, they just kind of stair away. Occasionally, I'd ask a few people for
shots & they didn't have a problem.
Nobody speaks a lick of English, I had a tough time conveying ideas to locals. They know about as much English as I do Mandarin or Cantonese: a couple words & phrases. Bubble gum tastes kind of medicine-like & Viagra costs $40 US for a 4 pack (for those that are curious :). I spent late nights 2-4am wandering the streets of Kowloon alone near the hotel since I couldn't sleep & nobody bothered me. A pretty peaceful & polite city considering the number of people that live there.
No problems with food. Be careful picking your fish. My friend's wife picked out a $100 US sea bass that we ate & didn't know the price of it until after we ate it. The price wasn't a big concern for my friends who picked up
the tab. Pretty good fish over all. It would've been nice to receive some kind of 1-hour orientation on how to get around in HK. For 3 days, you don't have much time to navigate & you're still recovering from jet lag. I had bad jet lag & it felt like the city was having an earthquake when I walked around but it was just me remembering turbulence from the flight.
|
| J Yong |
17 September 2004 |
Stayed at Ibis North Point - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
Must do(s):
1) Have yum cha for breakfast.
2) Take ferry to the Kowloon side and spend a day shopping along Nathan Road and Harbour City Shopping Mall (largest in HK).
3) While in the Tsim Sha Tsui area, visit the Peninsula Hotel.
4) Take ferry (central) back to HK island and go to the tram terminal for a nice ride up Victoria Peak. Have pre-dinner drinks up the peak and watch the sunset and the colorful lights below light up.
5) Dinner at Yung Kee restaurant, located near Lan Kwai Fong.
5) After dinner, party into the night at Lan Kwai Fong if you are not knackered by then!
|
| N Salter |
12 September 2004 |
Stayed at Empire Hotel Hong Kong - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
We crammed a lot in; Friday night on arriving we went up Victoria Peak, and had a very pleasant meal with an awesome view. Saturday; went to the CBD, Connaught Road, the 'travellator', Hollywood Road + Mon Mo temple, the outdoor (side street) markets, star ferry, Stanley Market, temple street night market, and had dinner. Sunday we went to Ocean Park and walked some more, took a tram,MTR, and the Star ferry again. Good for children, although obviously very hilly in places.
|
| M Jardine |
29 July 2004 |
Stayed at Renaissance Harbour View - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
Try the Pink Dolphin watch trip on 2984 7799 for a relaxed Sunday morning boating in the Pearl River estuary. It leaves from the Mandarin lobby so if you get there early you can take breakfast at the buffet. Expensive but good. Leave the Dolphin tour at Tung Chung Pier and follow with a bus or taxi up to the big Buddha at Po Lin then take a bus or taxi down to Ooh La La on Pui O beach for Dinner and Tango dancing 2546 3543. Round off with a moonlight cruise on the back deck of the slow public ferry from Mui Wo to central.
|
| D Sytnikov |
30 June 2004 |
Stayed at New World Renaissance - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
Hong Kong is what you can imagine. If you think it is China you are completely right. This is definitely the East. Think it is UK look at streets and see British style in buses, left side movement, chic hotels. Think it is exotic go to Voeux Road West to see what I have no idea about (I recognized just dried snacks:)) Looking for adult entertainments open Hong Kong guide in your hotel where all the AD is occupied by massage and more
offers. Want to make electronics shopping no problem. By the way the electronics here is cheaper then in Taipei. Want antiquities? Go to Hollywood road. What about oriental dressing? Walk through Southern Kowloon. I found excellent Chinese style silk wardrobe for as much as $400 HKD (about $57 USD) and silk women Chinese top for $290 HKD (about $41). The same things could be sold for 2000 HKD and more but if you are not looking one for museum consider the reasonable price. While arriving to Hong Kong take the free brochures and maps at the train station or airport. I found it very useful to pick my route. Other way you will have some troubles to communicate with locals who (that looks very strange!) hardly speaking English.
Some prices: Taxi Airport Kowloon 300 HKD; Taxi Airport Giant Buddha 150 HKD; Taxi (any place in Kowloon from Avenue of Stars) from 50 to 150 HKD; Left Luggage in the airport 50 HKD for a piece (5 hours). Good dinner in the city 60 70 HKD. Underground railway 4 to 9 HKD per 1 route. Water 6 8 HKD. Coffee 12- 20 HKD. Jade stone handicrafts 90 HKD and more.
And finally it was really nice to visit Shenzen in China (45 min. by train plus customs). Prices 2-3 times lower, skyscrapers growing up and up, new buildings, new factories. But still it is China with red flags, communistic symbols and feelings of uncertainty. So back trip to Hong Kong was like run away to freedom.
|
| K Lee |
15 May 2004 |
Stayed at Evergreen Hotel Hong Kong - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
We did all the usual tourist attractions but what stood out on this trip was the free Junk Boat ride provided by the Hong Kong Tourist Board (read details about it on their website as well as how to get ticket for this). The boat ride last one hour around the harbor. We took it from the Kowloon public pier and docked on the Hong Kong island Central pier. It was great and my whole family loved it.
|
| A Bell |
15 May 2004 |
Stayed at Wesley, The - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
Use the Airport Express & taxi to reach the hotel. If you have the time to spare get out to Tap Mun Chau - trains to Sha Tin, bus to Sai Kung, bus to Mong Shek pier & ferry to Tap Mun. Chance to see another side of HK & enjoy some solitude - set aside a day.
|
| M Hartley |
04 May 2004 |
Stayed at Caritas Bianchi Lodge - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
A21 bus gets you there for HK$33 from airport. Drops you almost at door!
Good place to go is Hong Kong side, up on the Peak. Don't just visit the Peak Tourist trap but walk around the peak - takes an hour but very quiet with excellent views all around the island. You walk right arould the top of the Island in an hour and see all there is to see. Surprisingly quiet!
|
| B Macdonell |
23 April 2004 |
Stayed at Panda Hotel - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
Hong Kong is an exciting city to visit with lots of things to see, shopping you can't beat and restaurants to meet every taste. The MTR and the bus service was easy to use and when in doubt jump in a taxi. The horse races at Happy Valley were a great experience - The CAFE DECO at the peak was a great place to end the day with a great meal and a fantastic view. The ride up in the tram was worth it alone. Take the number 6 bus to Stanley - ride upstairs at the front. Great views and a thrill of a ride for a couple of dollars. Eat at EI CID CARMAR - a spanish restaurant in Murray House. The shopping in the market is fun with some great bargains.
|
| M Tisson |
15 April 2004 |
Stayed at Charterhouse, The - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
|
Getting around in Hong Kong was very easy. Just take the subway/underground metro. You can buy a 1 day mtr tourist pass for just 50 HKD and you can take the mtr as much as you like (excluding the express airport mtr) but everything is stated in their conditions of use. Regarding tours, I can recommend the dolphin watch tour. The pink dolphins are very unique and dolphins are just fun to watch.
The peak tower you should also visit. Just take the mtr to Central en follow the sign to the peak tram then by return ticket for the peak tram (or for those who like to walk you can go by foot) (return ticket: +/- 30 HKD) at the victoria peak you will find shops and lots of other things but the view from upthere is very beautiful (you can see over Central Hong Kong Island and Kowloon) very nice! And at the peak you will find Mme Tussauds (wax museum) and Mr Ripley's Believe it or not and lots of other stuff...just visit and you will find out!
Hong Kong is very safe to walk around, friendly people.
|
Traveller's Tales: Things to do in Hong Kong
