Hong Kong Transit: a Day Stop in Asia’s World City
Although millions of people pass through Hong Kong every year, on their way from here to there, many of them don’t really know what are the best ways to spend a day in this exciting metropolis.
This article will show you how to cover Hong Kong’s most popular attractions in a one day stopover.
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After clearing customs and immigration, proceed to the luggage storage counter at the ‘Meeters and Greeters Hall’, where you can store your trolley or bag till you come back… Buy an Octopus Card from the Airport Express Counter at the Arrivals Hall and hop on the Airport Express Train, with which you travel all the way to Hong Kong Station.
Victoria Peak (or simply “The Peak”) is one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist attractions and probably the best starting point. Having your breakfast or morning coffee while enjoying some spectacular views is definitely a nice way to start your Hong Kong day-tour.
The Peak Tram is the most popular (and scenic) way of getting to The Peak. It operates daily, 7 am – 12 midnight and climbs the full distance in approximately 7 minutes.
A short walk from Hong Kong Station (exit C) will bring you to the Lower Terminus, on Garden Road, where you can buy the ticket and board the tram (you can also pay with your “Octopus Card”)
Pacific Coffee, near the “upper terminus”, is open daily from as early as 7:30 am, and is the best place to enjoy your “coffee with a view” at such an early hour.
Down from “The Peak” walk back towards Hong Kong Station and through “the elevated walkway” to the pier from which the Star Ferry departs to Tsim sha Tsui. This historic ferry route is very popular with tourists and has long become one of Hong Kong’s most prominent icons.
From the ferry building, turn right and walk along the waterfront to the Avenue of Stars: Hong Kong’s answer to Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, where floor plaques of Hong Kong film industry’s who’s who can be seen. This is also the best place to take photos of Hong Kong’s spectacular skyline.
From here, you can take a short walk to the Hong Kong Museum of History, where “the story of Hong Kong” is told… From the geological changes that took place hundreds of millions of years ago, through prehistoric eras, notable historical events and until present day. The museum is fairly rich and boasts plenty of interesting exhibits.
Continue to Nathan Road, Kowloon’s main thoroughfare, and proceed through Jordan Road to Canton Road, which is popularly known as Jade Street.
Jade and its products are the specialty of most of the shops along this section of Canton Road, as well of those in the neighboring <b>Jade Market</b>, and there is certainly a lot to see (and to buy…). From Jade Street. you can turn right to <i>Ning Po Street</i> where many traditional Chinese shops and businesses can be found.
The Old Tin Hau Temple, just a few minutes walk from the Jade Market, was built in the 1880s and is one of Kowloon’s oldest temples. It is dedicated to Tin Hau (Matsu), Goddess of the sea, protector of seafarers and one of Hong Kong’s most beloved deities.
From the temple, you can either walk or take the MTR to Mong Kok area, where some of Hong Kong’s best open-air markets can be found:
As its name denotes, Ladies’ Market specializes in women’s clothing, accessories, cosmetics, and the like, although you can find here more than a few stalls that sell men’s and children’s products, including toys, clothes, bags, jeans and watches, just to name a few…
Sai Yeung Choi Street South boasts shops of consumer electronic products at street level and upstairs bookstores above.
Fa Yuen Street concentrates many retailers of sports equipment and clothing, while Fa Yuen Street Market, in the north part of Fa Yuen Street, is full of shops selling bargain-priced trendy fashion and casual wear for men, women and children.
While in Mong Kok, you should also make a point to visit the Goldfish Market, the Flower Market and the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden (or just “Bird Garden”), where dozens of bird shops are located and hundreds of colorful songbirds in exquisitely crafted cages can be seen…
Mong Kok is also packed with many authentic eateries and restaurants where you can enjoy some delicious local food at reasonable prices:
Curry A La King, on 88 Soy Street, is a paradise for curry lovers, serving a wide selection of scrumptious curries from different Asian cuisines.
Satay King, on ladies market, specializes in Southeast Asian satays.
MongKok Fung Shing Restaurant, on 749 Nathan Road, is known for its superb dim-sum and delicious crispy chicken.
Lucky Corner Restaurant, on 146 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, is a rather humble eatery which has been serving some of the best Wonton Noodles in Hong Kong for God knows how many years.
Little Sheep (4th floor, 16 Argyle Street)is one of Hong Kong’s most favorite hotpot restaurants.
Fu Kei Restaurant, in King Wah Centre, is serving fabulous food from different Chinese cuisines.
That’s it… You can now take the MTR to Central, from which you link to Hong Kong Station (there is a pedestrian passage) and continue with the Airport Express, back to Hong Kong Airport.
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9 comments
dieselboy12 on December 27, 2009 at 10:38 am
Try kayak.com to search for your flight and you may also try Chinese travel agencies (if you live in the greater LA area) for special deals or Southeast Asian carriers such as Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, or even Taiwan's EVA Airways or China Airlines which have package deals from time to time.
kensey on December 27, 2009 at 10:50 am
I am going to the Philippines and Singapore! Wanna join me in my tour? We can be a group!
The John Phenomenon on December 27, 2009 at 1:56 pm
For now there only touring the US an Europe
miss_magic047 on December 27, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Baby girl, please don't do this. Nor will I assist you in doing so. I checked your past Yahoo Questions which have mostly been about losing weight quick. If you check your past weight lost history from fasting, you will see that you lost weight but only to regain it and maybe weight even more then when you started. Fasting destroys the body as well as the mind. What I mean when I say that it destroys your mind is that your thinking process for your next diet is warped: When you fasted, you lost weight, so you think of it as a "win" in weight lost, but you easily forget about the weight gain that came after. Your next diet will be even more extreme "Anorexic" for another "win" in the weight lost game (your mind processing is now twisted out of shape, lead astray, and distortion of judgment exists).
I have played this game only to lose myself over and over again. Get out while you still have time and lose weight the healthy way.
Corp M on December 28, 2009 at 8:02 am
A buddy of mine who was extended way past his retirment broke his ankle playing football while in Iraq, got him 3 months in Seatlle and then he was reassigned to an MWR unit folding towels in a gym. Bring your football with you when you go back!
(and dont listen to the neo christian conservatives telling you that you signed a friggin contract and to stay and 'fight' for their political ideology – they wouldnt know war if it jumped up and smacked them in the face…..and they could care less about you man)
Anna on December 28, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I can't help with the tour operators but there is a really classic place to visit that is really off the track. It is called the Gibbon Experience and it is in the Bokeo game reserve in northern Lao. Your hotel is in the tops of massive trees and you move from station to station by zip lines. Over rivers and valleys. One of the Tree houses is over a large water fall. Check out the web sites. Especially the testimonials. This is one of the most interesting places in the world to stay. Very edgy.
I gaurantee that you and your friends will have the best time ever and that it will be one of the trips that you remember for the rest of your life.
http://www.travelfish.org/feature/46
Grasshopper on December 28, 2009 at 3:38 pm
if i were to decide, i'd book my airfare and hotels by myself and not take package tours. i would stay in singapore longer than in taiwan not only because there are more tourist sites in singapore but more people speak english there. i saw many cruises around singapore area but never a cruise with port in taiwan. mostly they do stop in hongkong. you can get lots of help from tripadvisor.
Swimmer_ on December 29, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Some pictures from Cambodia and Angkor Wat may help you :
http://www.willgoto.com/1/024360/liens.aspx
and the related picture galleries in Dutch (language does not matter for pictures)
http://www.willgoto.com/6/144011/liens.aspx
or in French
http://www.willgoto.com/2/144025/liens.aspx
See also the travel guide to Cambodia:
http://www.willgoto.com/1/024319/liens.aspx
Are you interested by such a cultural trip ?
Does the tour extension offer enough time and support to really enjoy the tour to Cambodia?
May you have another opportunity to visit Cambodia later on?
Is it possible to replace the Laos tour with a Cambodia tour?
Above questions are probably the kind of factors you have to consider.
By the way, you find a Laos travel guide here:
http://www.willgoto.com/1/024115/liens.aspx
Mike P on December 30, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Just get your plane tickets and if you want an organized tour you can get one cheaper in Thailand. Different times of the year mean different prices for plane tickets. Christmas and New Years holidays the most expensive for hotels in Thailand. Your passport determines what type of visa you need. You can get free info from your local travel agent without any commitment. Check out a couple places to compare what they say. You can book your own ticket online if you want. Sign up for the frequent flyer program because you will get lots of miles at one time. Get your passport if you haven't got one now.
Thailand is one of the easiest countries to navigate on your own or get a tour if you want. Travel agencies in Thailand are the places you go to for tours, they will have a menu selection list of popular tours that are popular with tourists. Depending on the hotel you choose (place with air and private toilet starts around 600-700 baht) even some hotels have tour desks. Of course there are cheaper places without air and more expensive places over 6000 baht.
Transportation is cheap in Thailand. You have all sorts of choices, bus travel is cheap, train travel is neat and besides major airlines there are local cheaper discount airlines too!
Don't change any money over until you get to Thailand. You will get the best rate of exchange after you get to Thailand. In Thailand they use real banks and mini banks to change cash over to Thai baht. You have to use Thai baht. Now is the time to decide how to handle your traveling money too! Debit and credit cards can be used in ATM machines for cash. Some debit cards and most credit cards do have high fees for ATM use so take out the maximum you can at one time. Make sure you tell your bank that you will be overseas or the withdrawal may not be approved. Canadian money no problem, just take the large size bills that are in good shape. I have American Express travelers checks with me all the time, only get the highest denominations to cut down on fees (only 33 baht each check anyway.)
Google up "what to see in Bangkok or what to see in Thailand" and you will get lots of info back. When you don't know how to get somewhere you can also Google up "how to get from Bangkok to (whatever)" and the information will come back.
Stay in Bangkok for the first few days because this will allow you to take tours, see the city and purchase plane, train or make other arrangements for transportation to elsewhere. If you have a hotel near the Skytrain route you can use that rail service to get around the city. If you are really, really young you might want to stay in the Khao San Road area where you will find other young travelers. When you need hotel recommendations make sure you also mention how much you want to pay per night for that room to narrow down the suggestions.
Below is a list of travel forums that you can use for specific questions or information. You can travel on your own pretty easy in Thailand, millions and millions of people do this every year.