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3 days in Hong Kong - recommendations


nanourw
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First decision is where do you want to stay, Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. You might do a search on trip advisors to help you decide. We normally stay on the Kowloon side.

 

For hotel we have stayed the YMCA Salisbury, close to the Star Ferry. see

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294217-d305913-Reviews-s1-The_Salisbury_YMCA_of_Hong_Kong-Hong_Kong.html

 

 

We took the HOP On Hop Off bus, two day pass. One advantage was that the price includes admission to Victoria Peak tram, (you skip the lines to buy a ticket to the tram.)

 

https://www.bigbustours.com/en/hong-kong/hong-kong-bus-tours

 

 

You might also consider a trip to Macau, a Portuguese settlement with a lot of new Casinos. However, there are a couple of interesting site to see. If you want to go, I would suggest booking a tour. Finding the right ferry can be a challenge and it can be very crowded if you go on a weekend.

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Highly recommend a day trip to the Giant Seated Buddha.

 

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/us/see-do/culture-heritage/chinese-temples/big-buddha-and-po-lin-monastery.jsp

 

Easy to get to the island it is located on by Ferry from Hong Kong Island, then a bus ride from the ferry terminal to the site and Po-Lin monastery.

 

Have lunch at the monastery - pay extra for the VIP version - you will get you own table (not shared) and upgraded food. It was great and didn't cost but a couple dollars more. The meal is vegetarian, but very tasty.

 

Plan on spending a 1/2 day or more....

 

Joe

Edited by JoePDX
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We stayed on the Kowlon side in Tsim Shain Sha Tsui on our last trip to Hong Kong. I got an upscale Hotel through hotel.com at a good price and it was beautiful. The hotel was the Prince. It was right in front of Kowloon Park which was a beautiful green oasis that we enjoyed several time, we enjoyed walking about and the pink flamagooes in a pond. I think the first thing you should visit is the Hong Kong Museum of History. It gives you a good sense of Hong Kong and its culture and history. We spend another day going out to Lantau Island and visiting the Tian Tan Buddha which is a giant Buddha. We went there to see the Buddha and stumbled upon the Po Lin Monastery with several lavishly decorated temples. We ended up eating a Cantonese vegetarian meal at the monastery, the food was simple but just sitting in this big room filled with Chinese pilgrims was awesome. I tried to say hello and thank you in Cantonese and was friendly corrected to how to say it in Manderin which is the language of the People's Republic of China. This was an authentic cultural experience. Because we purchased our meal we also received a voucher to climb the stairs of the giant Buddha without having to buy a separate ticket. While there I bought a religious charm from a middle class Chinese woman in a stall supporting the monestary and I asked her about the language of Hong Kong. She said it was Cantonese. So I think there is an effort in Hong Kong to retain their local Catonese language and another effort to make it Manderin. TO get to the big Buddha, we took the metro out to Tung Chung MTR station and then brought a round trip gondola ride on the Ngong Ping 360 sky ride, which was a little expensive but a nice ride. It was foggy and slight rain so the view was obstructed, on a clear day the view is probably gorgeous. The metro is easy to use and navigate. We brought an octopus card to use on the metro. You can also bypass the gondola and take a bus. After several hours here we took the gondola back to Tung Chung MTR station. Right next to the train station is several high rise apartment buildings, we went into one and found there food court and had upscale Asian fast food and watch many families including a number of expats eating dinner. It was a wonderful day.

Edited by Ferry Beach Kayaker
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I have been to HK three times and love it. I always find more to do there.

 

Start here, check out these tours

https://www.viator.com/Hong-Kong-tours/d14-ttd?pref=204

Top Attractions in Hong Kong

 

 

1. Victoria Peak (The Peak)

Victoria Peak (The Peak), Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read one of our reviews for Victoria Peak

 

Victoria Peak is a classic Hong Kong attraction, offering one of the most recognizable views in the world of Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong Skyline and Kowloon Skyline.

 

This is the spot of many postcard image photographs of Hong Kong. However, the value of your visit is highly dependent on air quality and sky conditions. Being flexible with your itinerary while in Hong Kong can afford you better opportunities to see the outstanding views from Victoria Peak.

 

Victoria Peak is best visited by riding the famous Peak Tram but can also visited by using bus number 15 which services The Peak from the lower Central District.

 

2. Peak Tram to Victoria Peak

Peak Tram, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the Peak Tram.

 

The historic Peak Tram is an iconic Hong Kong attraction and a downright fun way to make your way to Victoria Peak. You start your journey from the Peak Terminus but do be aware of the crowds, which can be very long (easily 1+ hours) so best to start early if you want a more leisurely visit.

 

3. Ding Ding Tram (One of the ten best trolley rides in the world)

Hong Kong Tramways (Ding Ding), Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the 'Ding Ding' street tram.

 

National Geographic calls the Hong Kong 'Ding Ding' one of the ten best trolley rides in the world, and its easy to see why. This is a great way to travel between Central and Causeway Bay, riding a slow 'Ding Ding', like passengers have done here for over 100 years.

 

This is something visitors can do very quickly and easily and is an activity that children can enjoy as well. Just board the ding-ding at one of the many hop-on, hop-off stops with HK$2.30 (adult) or HK$1.20 (children) in hand or tap your Octupus Card and off you go!

 

We much prefer to ride on the top level, in the front is the very best but those seats are very frequently taken. Best to have your camera ready as there always seems to be something to take a picture of when looking out the Ding Ding windows.

 

4. Causeway Bay (HK's Shopping Mecca)

Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of Causeway Bay as a shopping hotspot in Hong Kong.

 

There is no better place in Hong Kong to spend your time, effort and money shopping than in Causeway where you encounter and endless collection of shopping malls, centers, street markets and literally thousands of shops, all within a short walking distance. This is one of the two best shopping areas in HK, along with Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.

 

While most come to this area of Hong Kong to shop, the dining in Causeway Bay is also recommendable.

 

5. Happy Valley Racecourse (HK's Premiere Horse Racing Track)

Happy Valley Racecourse, Hong Kong, China

Horse racing is the unofficial sport of Hong Kong and the historic Happy Valley Racecourse can make a great day out for those interested in this sport.

Located in Wan Chai District, Happy Valley is easily accessible from most parts of Hong Kong with race days usually taking place here on Wednesdays. Sunday races are held at the Sha Tin Racecourse in the New Territories.

 

6. Stanley (Relaxing Seaside Community)

Stanley, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review for the seaside community of Stanley, a great place to spend time away from the chaos of Hong Kong.

 

While many come here simply for the famous Stanley (day) Markets there is actually quite a lot to see and do in Stanley making it a great place to spend 1/2 a day or longer.

 

1. Stanley Markets

2. Stanley Promenade (row of restaurants and bars)

3. Historic Murray House

4. Blake Pier

5. Stanley Plaza (more nice dining and mall shopping)

6. Tin Hau Temple

7. Stanley Military Cemetery

 

Stanley is well connected the the Central and Admiralty districts in Hong Kong and is best reached by taking buses #6, 6A, 6A , 65, 66 or 260 which each make there way to or have drop offs at Stanley.

 

Stanley can also be visited part of a combined day trip with Ocean Park. In this case, visit Ocean Park early and try to visit by early afternoon. Bus transportation onward to Stanley is another 30 minutes and the Stanley Markets begin to close up around 6 to 6.30pm.

 

7. Ocean Park Theme Park

Ocean Park, Hong Kong, China

Click the link above to rear our review for Ocean Park, one of the best ways for a family to spend a day in Hong Kong.

 

Located near Aberdeen, Ocean Park is our locally owned and managed Theme Park that is the most popular individual attraction in Hong Kong in terms of visitor numbers received. After several years of renovations and a massive upgrade of the theme park, you can ow enjoy some very good wildlife experiences alongside fun and exciting rides and games.

 

Like our other major attractions, its best to start early before the crowds swarm into the park.

 

See the Ocean Park website for information about animal feeding and performance schedules, maps and opening times.

 

8. Victoria Harbour (One of the Finest Harbours in the World)

Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of for Victoria Harbor

 

Victoria Harbour separates Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon Peninsula. Its deep waters were instrumental in the establishment of a British colony in the early 19th century and its presence has served to greatly shape the evolution of modern day Hong Kong.

 

Today, vast numbers of skyscrapers line its shores while traditional junks, ferries, cruise ships and even tankers ply its waters, day and night.

 

During Chinese New Year

Victoria Harbour also hosts world-class fireworks displays, the most famous being the annual 23-minute display held during Chinese New Year. It is illuminates the skyline at night, allowing lasting memories and excellent photos to be made of one of the world's finest harbours.

 

9. Star Ferry ride from TST (Kowloon) to Hong Kong island

Star Ferry, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the historic Star Ferry.

 

The Star Ferry, which National Geographic has called it one of the 50 visits that should be made in one's lifetime. It is considered a heritage and cultural treasure for Hong Kong, a symbol of the island nation's history and rise to prominence during the 20th and early 21st centuries.

 

Like the Historic Ding Ding, rides are very cheap as well at HK$2.50 per adult and HK$1.50 for children. Where else can you cross one of the world's finest harbors, admiring the finest skyline in the world for the price of loose pocket change?

 

A ride on the Star Ferry should be on everyone's To Do list when visiting HK.

 

10. Hong Kong Skyline (World's Best Skyline)

Hong Kong Skyline, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the Hong Kong Skyline, which is best viewed from the Avenue of Stars area of the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade.

 

CNN, calls the Hong Kong Skyline the world's greatest with only one true rival, being the Manhattan Skyline in New York City. While daytime views are most impressive, it is what you see at night that can take your breath away, especially when the air conditions are ripe.

 

The Hong Kong Skyline is a real source of pride for our city.

 

11. Avenue of Stars along the TST Promenade

Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read one of our reviews for the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade where you will find the Avenue of Stars

 

This is the best spot in Hong Kong to view the world class Hong Kong Skyline and there are three times of the day when we most enjoy views from the location. Read the above review for details.

 

Overall, the TST Promenade is one of the few places that we recommend to all visitors that plan to visit Hong Kong, regardless of their intended length of stay, and we usually suggest visiting at least twice during your trip, once during the day and again at night.

 

12. Afternoon High Tea at the Peninsula Lobby

The Lobby at the Peninsula Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the Lobby at the Penninsula.

Not for everyone but for others, no visit to Hong Kong would be complete without a sitting for afternoon tea the Lobby in the iconic and historic Peninsula Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.

 

While regulars complain the the experience is not what it used to be, the environment is elegant, refined and the tea remains superb.

 

13. Hong Kong Museum of History (Best Museum in Hong Kong)

Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the Hong Kong Museum of History, our overall best museum experience in Hong Kong.

 

The Hong Kong Museum features eight galleries of reconstructed homes, sampan boats and what seems like an entire small village of early 20th century Hong Kong style shops makes for a very fun and interactive way to learn about Hong Kong. There are often some wonderful special exhibitions like the recent Terra Cotta Exhibition.

 

The HK Museum of History is best visited early in your trip, helping to build context for what you will experience in Hong Kong.

 

Cost: HK$10, free Wednesdays.

Opening Hours: 10am to 6pm (M-F), 10am to 7pm (Sat and Sun), closed Tuesdays

Location: Tsim Sha Tsui (TST or Hung Hom MTR)

 

14. Hong Kong Science Museum

Hong Kong Science Museum, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the Hong Kong Science Museum, which we consider to be the best overall, family-friendly attraction in Hong Kong.

 

Here over 650 exhibitions are presently on display, with over 500 of them being interactive, meaning the children (and curious adults) have hours of different things to try in this museum. Many exhibits are simple while others are more engaging and interactive. They can easily occupy your time for several hours. This is an excellent attraction on rainy days

 

Cost: HK$25, free Wednesdays, closed on Thursdays

Opening Hours: 1pm to 9pm (M-F), 10am to 9pm (Sat and Sun)

Location: Tsim Sha Tsui (TST or Hung Hom MTR)

 

15. Mongkok Markets (HK's best street market scene)

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Click the above link to read our trip list for how to best visit the Mongkok (Fab Five) Markets.

 

Where other areas of Hong Kong have long grown tiring and less interesting to us, Mongkok always has something new and different up its sleeve, never failing to surprise - even as local residents to Hong Kong. This is why on free evenings, we still find ourselves frequently heading into Mongkok to take in the endless stream of sights, smells and tastes.

 

A fantastic way to spend some time in Mongkok as a visitor is to following the walking trail that takes between 2-4 hours and hits all of the major street markets:

 

1. Fa Yuen Str. Mkt. (30-45 min) 2-2.45pm

2. Flower Market (30 min) 3:00-3.30pm

3. Bird Market (30 min) 3.30-4:30pm

4. Goldfish Market (45 min) 4.45-5.30pm

5. Dinner in one of the 100s of good local restaurants in Mongkok

6. Ladies Market (60-90 min) 6:30-8:00pm

 

There are plenty of open walking streets in the Mongkok area jammed between Nathan Road and the Mongkok East MTR area, you can spend countless hours wandering these busy streets and will be glad to have done so as a visitor to Hong Kong.

 

16. Chi Lin Nunnery (Excellent Surprise)

Chi Lin Nunnery, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read one of our reviews for the Chi Lin Nunnery, which is one of our very best monastery visits available in Hong Kong.

 

The Chi Lin Nunnery, along with the accompanying Nan Lian Gardens is now regularly considered a top ten attraction in the city, a place where one can find beautiful courtyard lotus ponds and numerous shrubs, plants, trees and bonsai,which are very well-manicured and maintained.

 

Location Diamond Hill MTR, just follow the signs for a short 2-3 minute walk.

Cost - Free Entrance into the Chi Lin Nunnery.

 

17. Nan Lian Garden (Most beautiful spot in Hong Kong)

Nan Lian Garden, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read one of our reviews of the Nan Lian Gardens

 

No longer a hidden gem, the Nan Lian Garden is now regularly considered a top ten attraction in Hong Kong and is often called the most beautiful spot in all of Hong Kong.

 

Location Diamond Hill MTR, just follow the signs for a short 2-3 minute walk.

Cost - Free Entrance into the Nan Lian Garden.

 

18. Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Man Fat Sze)

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Man Fat Sze), Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read one of our review of the 10,000 Buddha Monastery in Sha Tin, which is locally known as Man Fat Sze.

 

Man Fat Sze is one of our very best temple visits in Hong Kong. It is one of the genuinely unique places to visit in Hong Kong, beautifully featuring over 13,000 buddha statues.

 

The walk up the hill to the monastery is steep so its often best to start early if you intend to visit in the hotter months. Make sure to bring your camera, fully charged batteries and extra memory space. You can take a lot of pictures of the thousands of interesting and often beautiful Buddha statues.

 

Location: Sha Tin (Sha Tin MTR), follow the trail behind the IKEA building.

Cost: Free Entrance into Man Fat Sze

 

19. Hong Kong Heritage Museum

Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read one of our reviews for the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin.

 

The Heritage Museum is actually the largest museum in Hong Kong and the very best outside the main city area. This museum is similar to the Hong Kong Museum of History but with more concentration upon the New Territories instead of general Hong Kong.

 

Cost: HK$10, free Wednesdays

Opening Hours: 10am to 6pm (M-F), 10am to 7pm (Sat and Sun), closed Tuesdays

Location: Sha Tin (Che Kung MTR station)

 

20. Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong Disneyland is the smallest of the Disney parks around the world. This has left some disappointed with their visits but most still find reason to enjoy their visit to Disneyland, one of our truly good family friendly attractions in Hong Kong.

 

Since 2011, Disney has opened the The Toy Story Land and Grizzly Gulch attraction areas and they will continue to expand in upcoming years making it much larger and enjoyable for visitors.

 

Ticket information is available on the Hong Kong Disneyland Website.

 

21. Ngong Ping 360 (Cable Car to see the Giant Buddha)

Ngong Ping Village (Ngong Ping 360), Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the Ngong Ping 360 attraction on Lantau Island.

 

Ngong Ping 360 has had a bit of a troubled past, having been shut down on more than one occasion after major technical failures. However, when it is in operation, this is one of the genuinely unique attractions in Hong Kong. The cable car ride is Ngong Ping Cable Car is a 5.7 kilometres long can be an enjoyable way to visit the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery.

 

The village at the top of the hill is very touristy but seeing the Giant Buddha makes up for that. The long return cable car ride helps remind that this is a unique experience to spend so much time in a cable car traveling slowing up and around hilltops. The glass floor makes the viewing quite good.

 

Ticket Information is available on the Nong Ping 360 Website for details.

 

22. Big Buddha

Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha), Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review of the Big Buddha on Lantau Island

 

This 34 meter tall statue of Buddha is a very nice attraction on its own. Combined with a visit the attractive Po Lin Monastery and a ride on the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, makes this a genuinely good day trip and one of the best temple visit experiences in Hong Kong.

 

Location - Lantau Island (Tung Chung MTR), take Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car

Cost - No fee to visit the Big Buddha. However, there is a fee for riding the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. See Ngong Ping 360 Website for details.

 

23. Sai Kung (Relaxing Seaside Community)

Sai Kung, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read one of our reviews for Sai Kung.

 

This seaside fishing village is a great way to get away from the speed and chaos of the city. The feature attraction in Sai Kung is the promenade area where you can find traditional Chinese seafood restaurants, bars and watch local fisherman selling their live fish, shellfish and other exotic things from the sea to local buyers. This is very interesting to watch and photograph. Junk boats and trips to the area Geo Park.

 

Sai Kung is also a hot spot for good 'Western' restaurants, Thai and there is even a good Sri Lankan restaurant to be found. Alfresco style dining is quite a norm in this area as well, making it very pleasant for evening meals, especially when the weather is nice.

 

For hikers, Sai Kung has some nice opportunities for spending a day out in the bush.

 

24. Day Trip to Macau

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Click the above link to read our trip list for Macau's Top Attractions.

 

Being regular visitors to Macau, we have written up this travel list, which features what we believe to be the most important and interesting attractions available to visit. This is something we hope will prove useful to others researching and planning their visit to Macau, especially those intending on make a short visit.

 

While we prefer overnight and multiple night stays in Macau, the day trip from Hong Kong is very popular and potentially worth considering when visiting this part of the world.

 

Cheung Chau Island is a small out of the way island that is like going back into the 19th Century. No cars there.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294217-d1367748-Reviews-Cheung_Chau_Island-Hong_Kong.html

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Lots of great information from 4774Papa. Just a word of caution, Avenue of the Stars and Science Museum are closed at the moment. We were there last Tuesday to Thursday. Looked like they will be closed for a little while for some construction work. Check before you go.

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6. Stanley (Relaxing Seaside Community)

Stanley, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Click the above link to read our review for the seaside community of Stanley, a great place to spend time away from the chaos of Hong Kong.

 

While many come here simply for the famous Stanley (day) Markets there is actually quite a lot to see and do in Stanley making it a great place to spend 1/2 a day or longer.

 

1. Stanley Markets

2. Stanley Promenade (row of restaurants and bars)

3. Historic Murray House

4. Blake Pier

5. Stanley Plaza (more nice dining and mall shopping)

6. Tin Hau Temple

7. Stanley Military Cemetery

 

Stanley is well connected the the Central and Admiralty districts in Hong Kong and is best reached by taking buses #6, 6A, 6A , 65, 66 or 260 which each make there way to or have drop offs at Stanley.

 

Stanley can also be visited part of a combined day trip with Ocean Park. In this case, visit Ocean Park early and try to visit by early afternoon. Bus transportation onward to Stanley is another 30 minutes and the Stanley Markets begin to close up around 6 to 6.30pm.

 

 

If you choose to do this try to catch the #6 bus over, and try to sit upstairs right at the front. This bus goes over the top of the island, rather than through the Aberdeen tunnel. The views are fantastic. It's one of my favourite things to do in Hong Kong.

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I encourage the OP and everyone to save/print 4774Papa's thorough list of HK things to do/see - I did most of what is on it on my long visit to HK (including Macau which I made into an overnight at a South China Sea beach resort) and enjoyed every single thing on this list! I did high tea at the Mandarin Oriental on Hong Kong Island but either place is absolutely lovely.

 

And if High Tea isn't quite the event but you're into tea or into the fact that tea is so much a part of the culture, another place to consider visiting is the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware in Central on HK Island. Might sound dull but it isn't (highly rated on Trip Advisor) and admittedly I went into it to escape the heat but was fascinated by what I learned and saw inside - quite a pleasant surprise. Also, the building is gorgeous - unexpected British Colonial style in a park within the very glass/steel corporate buildings of Central district. All the many facets of HK represented here....

 

Again - echoing the wonders of all the items on 4774Papa's list - they won't all fit into 3 days that the OP has but the idea I'm trying to convey is that there are no wrong choices here - it's just a matter of there are different things to suit everyone's various interests :) Enjoy fascinating and wonderful Hong Kong!

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If you like walking consider a ferry ride over to Lamma island and walk from one port to the other. Then have lunch at one of the many seafood restaurants.

There are a couple of beaches also and a small artistic community.

 

Back in hk proper - is the nighttime light show still done? If so a great free attraction best watched from the Kowloon side

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums

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Thank you for the reply Loeb

 

"First decision is where do you want to stay, Hong Kong Island or Kowloon. You might do a search on trip advisors to help you decide. We normally stay on the Kowloon side.

 

For hotel we have stayed the YMCA Salisbury, close to the Star Ferry. see

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...Hong_Kong.html"

 

 

We had look at the YCA Salisbury and they quoted HKD2,600.00 per night so might need to look at somewhere else! Always good to go on recommendation :).

Edited by nanourw
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Thank you so much 4774Papa for all the info.

All printed and will really help planning our stay.

 

You are welcome.

 

I do have some thoughts on key items to visit.

 

Victoria's Peak is at the top of the list.

A half day city tour will take you to Aberdeen Harbor, Repulse Bay, as well as other sights on HK island.

The Star Ferry is interesting and taking a ferry is an option. I took a ferry to Cheung Chau Island in 1981 and it was like going back into the 19th Century. No cars on the island.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294217-d1367748-Reviews-Cheung_Chau_Island-Hong_Kong.html

 

On Kowloon, the Nan Lion Gardens are amazing, the Diamond MRT stop is near as well as the Chin Lin Nunnery.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294217-d1645928-Reviews-Nan_Lian_Garden-Hong_Kong.html

 

The giant Buddha on Lantau Island may be worth a stop, it is closer to the airport than the rest of the city. We didn't visit there since on our last two trips there we had seen many Buddhas and Buddhist temples earlier on our trips.

 

I did the hydrofoil trip to Macau in 1981 and didn't find Macau that interesting, mainly Casinos, however, some people might like it. There is a lot more than I highlighted. HK is a unique mix of South China and European culture.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Salisbury YMCA is great, top position, great rooms and facilities, we stayed 3 nights there last year, but prices have shot up to AU$350 per night. So post QM2 in March have booked Novotel on Nathan Rd with breakfast, total AU$450 for 3 nights, do us and has good reviews.

 

BTW great list from 4774Papa, have printed it off. Done some of those things, but plenty more on there !!

 

I actually lived in HK - New Territories in the mid - late 1950's as my soldier - father was stationed there with British Army. My how it has changed, no resemblance to what it was back then.!!

Edited by NSWP
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I actually lived in HK - New Territories in the mid - late 1950's as my soldier - father was stationed there with British Army. My how it has changed, no resemblance to what it was back then.!!

 

Sek Kong?

We were there in around '55 - '57, same circumstances.

Went back a few years ago. and found the quarters we lived in - still there. now Chinese army married quarters but possibly fallen into disuse.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@22.4269451,114.1087799,3a,75y,254.75h,84.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sv1AhGMv7OM66_SxdqMGIRw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

But yes, changed a whole lo. Fast new(ish) road from Kowloon, but got the driver to go via TWISK (remember it? Tsuen Wan Into Sek Kong) over Tai Mo Shan, & that's not changed.

Happy days :)

 

JB :)

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I was there in August for a conference and the heat and humidity were brutally hot. Like Memphis in August on Steroids!!! 4 days to tour, 5 days for the conference.

Highly recommend the Ho Ho bus-2 day pass gets you a lot of bang for you buck.You get to bypass the line to Victoria Peak and the other route takes you to Stanley which is lovely. Don't pay money to go the observation deck at the Peak. There is a nice paved walkway down from the mall which gives you wonderful views for free and its less crowded. We were lucky and had a completely clear day for the peak so plan alternative things to do in case of rain/fog.

Take a comfortable back pack and water bottles with you.

Highly recommend the Big Buddha on Lantau Island.

Agree the Po Lin nunnery and Nan Lian gardens are divine and free.

If you arrive by plane to Hong Kong you can get your Octopus card at the airport and take the airport express train into the city-uber cheap and fast. You can also get your tickets to the tram up to Big Buddha at one of the tourist kiosks in the airport too.

Try to get an Octopus card-the mass transit is soooooo cheap,clean and very convenient and taking a bus will waste a lot of valuable time. You can use that card to buy snacks,water,etc at a lot of places so it's a great value-you can decide how much money you want to put on it and get the remainder refunded to you-but in Hong Kong dollars not US. There are several kinds of Octopus cards so google it to see which one you want to buy to save time once you get on land.

We felt very safe at all times(3 sisters. Not everyone speaks English especially in Kowloon but if you need help finding stores or restaurants look for younger people as they are fluent in English.

The street markets in Kowloon are incredible to walk through-Ladies market,Goldfish market,Flower market and Bird market. Bring an extra empty suitcase to put lovely and inexpensive things you will definitely find. Beautiful chopsticks sets,silk/satin embroidered purses,lingerie bags,shoe bags,pajamas,robes,etc. You can get all of your Christmas shopping done there. Stuff is really reasonable,decent quality and worth paying for an extra suitcase fee on your airline. I wish I had bought more things when I was there. Yes, you can negotiate prices-they expect it.

Designer shoes and handbags are hundreds of dollars more expensive than in the US-my sister found that out and walked away.

Try to see the Symphony of Lights in the Harbor from both the Kowloon and Hong Kong Island side-its free and is about 15 minutes around 8ish every night.

You also should pack lots of hand wipes,alcohol gel and most definitely toilet paper when you leave your hotel-we were glad we did for sure especially walking around the Kowloon area which is not as clean or pristine as Hong Kong Island.

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Have to disagree about the vegetarian food at the Buddha. I thought it looked pretty awful and the place was not clean at all. It truly looked like vomit.

We brought tuna salad kits from home with us for our touring days plus bananas from the hotel buffet and applesauce plus granola bars.

I am not an adventurous eater, would never eat the street food either-one of my colleagues did that and get pretty sick for a few days.

Bathrooms at the Buddha were the worst-some stalls just had a hole in the ground in the ladies room. So, you are forewarned. Most bathrooms we did visit(and we tried not to go often) in Kowloon did not have TP. Guys,you are lucky!

There are tons of high end shopping malls everywhere and they do have bathrooms up to US and UK standards.

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More things to remember(and a prior poster gave you some GREAT ideas and info)

1. Check to see the dates that the Nong Ping cable car is out of service-usually 3-4 times a year. If you don't have a bad fear of heights take the glass bottom car!!

 

2. Octopus card-you will both need your own card to enter and exit the metro-you can't just swipe through and hand it to your companion. The metros are also a neat touristy thing to do-very clean,really interesting ads and always some snack shops or little bakeries to grab food. BUT you cannot eat or drink on the metro-huge fine if you are caught.

 

The Hong Kong dollar doesn't vary much from the US dollar-its about 7.75 HKD to buy 1 US dollar.

 

3. Jade markets-maybe we went to a crummy one but I was not impressed. Most of it looked fake and made of plastic.

 

You will really have more to see than you have time but you will not get bored that's for sure. Really good walking shoes are a must-one day we walked over 7 miles exploring the markets! Bring a travel umbrella too.

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  • 1 month later...

Bathrooms at the Buddha were the worst-some stalls just had a hole in the ground in the ladies room. So, you are forewarned. Most bathrooms we did visit(and we tried not to go often) in Kowloon did not have TP. Guys,you are lucky!

 

Many Chinese (and other Asians) think our western toilets are unhygienic which is why public rest rooms usually have both squat and sit toilets. ;)

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  • 10 months later...

We will be in Hong Kong one evening. Ship is docking at Kai Tak :(

any suggestions for the evening ... not necessarily for dinner... we can eat on ship before leaving.

We watched the laser light show one night the last time we were in Hong Kong.

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What are some of the things you are looking for ... after dinner on the ship ? Keep in mind that the MTR (subway trains) stop running shortly after midnight till 6 AM, bus routes & PMB continue 24/7 along with taxi when returning to the ship, for your 3 days docked there.

 

You're there previously & probably done the most popular things like Star Ferry, Victoria Peak, Nathan Road, Ladies Market (blah ...) and Temple Street, etc.

 

What about checking out the laser show on top of 108 story (118 floors) ICC @ West Kowloon above the Mall/Airport Express Station ... a new laser lightshow is on and with the holiday lights, worth checking out. Causeway Bay to checkout SOGO & variety of food. Seafood @ Lee Yee Mun and/or Sai Kung (also known for its nearby hiking trails) Day 2 or 3, you can obviously do Stanely, Aberdeen & explore south side of HK Island before returning to Central to check out Lan Kwai Fong, the int'l watering hole for all the expats.

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Has anyone taken a day trip to Shenzhen from Kai Tak cruise terminal?

Any particular places of interest - attractions - etc. in Shenzhen to see, visit, etc. ??

 

From KTCT, take the free mall shuttle or mini bus or #5R bus to transfer to the MTR line to Kowloon Tong Station for the KCR Railway to cross the border - assume you have valid PRC visas to enter (unless rules had changed lately, haven't been following it closely) - if you have to apply for them & pay the fees, not really - IMHO - worth the time/money to do so. But, if you are planning to do a land visit or post-cruise stay/tour @ Beijing or Shanghai, etc. - then, make good use of your multiple entry visas.

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Any particular places of interest - attractions - etc. in Shenzhen to see, visit, etc. ??

 

From KTCT, take the free mall shuttle or mini bus or #5R bus to transfer to the MTR line to Kowloon Tong Station for the KCR Railway to cross the border - assume you have valid PRC visas to enter (unless rules had changed lately, haven't been following it closely) - if you have to apply for them & pay the fees, not really - IMHO - worth the time/money to do so. But, if you are planning to do a land visit or post-cruise stay/tour @ Beijing or Shanghai, etc. - then, make good use of your multiple entry visas.

Thanks for the info. Yes we do have multiple entry visas.

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