Hong Kong Family Holiday- 6 Days

[Knightsbridge]

We’ve ( 2 adults and 1 7 year old) just returned to Thailand from our first Hong Kong trip… and it was great. I’m hooked on the place! Thank you to you those who shared their thoughts beforehand.

I'm impressed -mod urban asia that's well organised and reaonably clean, environmentally aware...

I’d thought I’d share some useful bits of information.

China visa info: We shot off to the border (Lo Wu) on the MTR East Rail Line partly out of curiosity to look across to China, partly to visit the cheap-cheap shopping centre for 2 hours, and partly to see if the Chinese authorities had eased up since the Olympics…well that was a BIG mistake… once there we learnt that the Lo Wu shopping centre was on the Chinese side of the border…a Hungarian lady fluent in Chinese and teaching English in China (returning from holiday) encouraged us to go though immigration to see what the Chinese would say (no harm done, just be turned away and come back). Well the Chinese immigration insisted we return to HK, pay over $HK1000 for a 5 day visitors visa and then come back again! And then It took over an hour to go back through HK immigration!

Oh well….another time ….

Hotels: After hearing about the risks cheap hotels we stayed at the Prudential (Nathan St, above Jordan MTR), Metropark ( across from Price Edward MTR), and Hollywood (Disneyland). So very nice but at a price. Rooms are small, but not so claustrophobic. Expect a squashed bathtub! The décor and comfort really make up for it. Staff were very polite and helpful although I did struggle with the accents. Next time I’d like to risk the lower end hotels.

Food: Our meal tabs (for 2 adults and a fussy 7 year old) ranged from HK$80 to HK$450 altogether (no alcohol) depending on class of restaurant. And really, one plate or bowl was enough for 2 or 3, so although a little pricier than Thailand it panned out somewhat equal. Mostly staff didn’t speak English but always had English menus on hand. And they were very helpful.

We found a couple of lower middle class, no frills, but very clean ones along Nathan St and surrounds that served up quality local tastes – congee, soybean milk, Chinese buns, dumplings, stirfried rice, soups…so very good….

Just on the other side of the road of Prudential were 2 upmarket (but not so pricey) restaurants. These one had typical large round tables. The ground level one served up delicious dumplings as well poultry and rice meals. The 11 the floor one served up a delicious Peking duck extravanganza s well as many other great dishes – it even produced a lovely HK jelly dessert – little red Chinese herbs within … mmmm…

The most expensive restaurant was Hollywood’s which had a yummy Indian buffet at the time and my daughter ordered a pizza the size of the sun!

And surpisingly Disneyland served up fantastic meals at reasonable prices …

Also look out for a restaurant chain – Shaba-Shaba- serves an incredible variety of Chinese meals - including duck and goose – and drinks (I savoured a soybean-ginger -and -aloe tea ( my tastebuds went wild) and drinks plus some Jap sushi.

Oh, and 7 elevens abound!!! Convenience for the kids.

Fantastic tea kiosks in the MTR stations –pricey, although deliciously soothing - $20 for a standard cup!

Transport and places we went to : Get all bus and MTR timetable brochures at the airport and you’re away! So easy to follow. Purchase Octopus cards ( $100 value plus $50 refund - $7 services when returned is the norm) and tourist travel cards (great for extensive 1 or 2 day MTR travel, but excludes buses which is a pain).

Plan routes carefully as various places of interest close for a day during the midweek…

Be aware bus lines charge the full route value even if you travel some of the route.

Double Decker buses great for views…

Some routes and places we did and went to :

The Peak: Jordan MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui ( walking distance really) by bus – Star ferry – Admiralty to Lower Peak tram by bus – tram to The Peak. The walk on top and down to the Midlevels very shady but steep down … great sights of everything …

Ocean Park: Jordan MTR to Central MTR to Wan Chai MTR. Then by Double Decker bus to Ocean Park entrance. See the green peaks , racecourse, sports fields on the way. Once there number of good rides, great aquarium, fantastic island and coastal views, super cablecar travel, ride the world’s longest outdoor escalator, see the pandas, enjoy some shows in Mandarin and Cantonese, watch the kites prey on smaller birds and sea creatures- overall great for the kids and those who love natural scenery….beaches of Aberdeen look beautiful …

Sam Tung Uk Museum – now here’s some incredible history about HK – beginnings as a rural pocket of Asia to a rapidly growing urban gem of China. Historical artifacts, recorded interviews with folks, furniture, restoration work… deeply connected with China. Boring for the kids, but I was gobsmacked … how to get there? Take the Tsuen Wan MTR line to Tsuen Wan! Follow the general direction of signage inside and out the station …a few hundred metres up the road…easy… and then afterwards enjoy the local supermarket and shopping centre. Browse the fascinating walkway within the skyrise residential complex too…

Ching Chung Koon Temple – classic Chinese religious architecture set far outside the busy commercial district. Take the camera for ultra colourful pics. Watch Taoist priests do their bit. Kids need to be quiet though as it houses a resthome for the elderly. Take the light rail (505) from MTR Siu Hong (West Rail line). The rail line is quite an eye opener as you’re deep within the skyrise residential area – see the laidback HK family or unemployed individual at their best. And watch out – work out the light rail ticketing

[Knightsbridge]

This a follow on - part 2 as it were .....

Ching Chung Koon Temple – classic Chinese religious architecture set far outside the busy commercial district. Take the camera for ultra colourful pics. Watch Taoist priests do their bit. Kids need to be quiet though as it houses a resthome for the elderly. Take the light rail (505) from MTR Siu Hong (West Rail line). The rail line is quite an eye opener as you’re deep within the skyrise residential area – see the laidback HK family or unemployed individual at their best. And watch out – work out the light rail ticketing machine systems as they’re different from the usual MTR – we basically got free rides as we swiped our octopus cards on the wrong machines!

Also in the area is a natural wetlands (HK Wetland Park) we didn’t get to see as it was closed on a Tuesday – get off at Tin Shui Wai and follow the clear stations’s signage. A must for next time.

The West Rail Line – get to see the green (yes, green!)hinterlands complete with small rice paddies, hilly Chinese graveyards, and craggy peaks as you journey up to Siu Hong. Also pockets of unkempt residential areas. One can also see the tall residential buildings either side in the far distance - Weird feeling.

The Ladies Market – off Nathan road – shopped at Chatuchak market in BKK – well, similar sort of things, but reasonably cheaper - the wife got a fake Tommy Hilfeiger watch and the kid got a fake Bratz one! Just for fun. Bargaining petty easy.

Disneyland –can only compare with Dreamworld in BKK… Disney is so insurpassable – fantastic! A must go for anybody. A definite 2 day outing for the family. We stayed at one of the resorts hotels (Hollywood) and got another day’s entrance FREE! Plus as they hadn’t kept back the cheapest room – Garden View – we had booked online, they upgraded us to the best – SeaView – wow!

Prices

Prudential – special at $1235 per night for 3 nights, thereafter $1400 (!!!??)

Metropark - $1170 per night Hollywood - $1600!!!!

Airport bus to Nathan road - $33 each!!!

Taxi Disneyland to airport -$114 altogether

Wan Chai to Ocean Park by bus - $22 each

700 ml bottled water in a supermarket - $4, in a 7/11 - $6

Peking duck on 11floor Nathan road - $150

One stop light rail - $00.70

Cheapest one stop MTR on Octopus - $3.50

Daypasses for Disney and Ocean Park – so very reasonably priced when can have unlimited goes for a day or 2 ….check on internet sites for prices…