To start off, Hong Kong wasn’t even in my to go list for travel. I was just going because its always nice to go somewhere with friends. Apparently, that was a very very WRONG choice.
It must be my personality that I rather travel to places closer to nature than to another metro city so I always see myself going to Thailand, Malaysia and other parts of SEA. Yeah… anywhere outside Asia is too off budget. The reason I agreed to Hong Kong was that I am going with friends, first time and might just be the last unless I find someone who really really really click with me or I doubt I will enjoy my trip.
Firstly, Hong Kong is highly populated, as a tourist, I feel more stressful in Hong Kong that Singapore. Buildings are tall, rooms are extremely small, way of living is fast. I don’t think I am that much of a slow walker, but still, I get ‘excuse me’ ALOT. I feel pressured there, like a concrete jungle, I really don’t want to describe how badly I feel about Hong Kong or I will deter people from going there.
Well… if you are fine with touring a metro city very much similar to Singapore, there is still no harm going there. I do enjoyed a day or two out of the 8 days there…
There are nice places such as Nongping 360. That’s where the big Buddha is, and its shown in the Hong Kong Special of Running Man. LOL. Anyways, you can either hike up the mountain which I think will take you the entire day or take a 30min cable car ride. We bought the tickets in advance at our hostel. It’s a few dollars cheaper (about SGD 20) and you save alot of time queuing for the tickets especially when its the peak of the tourist days or weekends. In my opinion, there is nothing much up there unless you are a Buddhist. But if you are thinking of a nice trek of some sort, there are actually quite a number of nature trails up there. If I go for a 4D3N trip to Hongkong, I might want to try trekking up the mountain and cable car down. Don’t think I would have the energy to climb down after that that.
The super well-known Avenue of Stars was totally a let down. I don’t know what I was doing there the whole night. The night skyline is pretty similar to that of Singapore Marina Bay. I think ours is nicer :P
Macau is boring. We went there to explore the casinos though. My first time into the casinos. Seriously… the whole place smell of smoke –_- really bad experience :(( But if one day you happen to drop by Macau… just some tips. There is this shop that sells the Macau goodies like peanut candies, almond cookies and stuff like that. Tour groups always go there to buy the goodies. I suggest you just go in for a round of food tasting and then continue touring Macau. There are like much more cheaper Macau goodies that are nicer than the well-known brand. If you still prefer the well-known brand, its EVERYWHERE in Macau and they even have branch in Hong Kong. So, my advice… don’t buy first. I felt really cheated buying abt SGD50 worth of almond cookies back.
For big appetite eaters, the buffet that we had at Grand Lisbola Hotel (The one that is GOLD plated and look very much like a standing trophy) is awesome!! It’s about the price of a high class buffet in Singapore, abt SGD 60 per pax. The butter scallops are awesome! Beef steak! Yummy! Free flow servings of expensive food like Sashimi, Oysters, Scallops, Abalones and stuff like that. If you are a big eater, its super worth your money and always leave some room for their wide range of desserts!
Ok. My food photog skills is not vry good. :/ oh… and if you want to have dinner there, go make reservation if you are able to call them, or make reservations the first thing when you reach Macau.
Macau, not a place that I will visit again. BORING >.< Just some tip: you can use HKD in Macau but not Macau money in Hong Kong. Just make sure you spend your money wisely :) and ship tickets are about SGD50 if it’s your birthday month and each passport can buy 2 tickets.
Disneyland was my most AWESOME day in that whole god damn Hong Kong trip. It’s really a relive of childhood. I love my every minute in Disneyland! Its way way way much better and bigger than USS and although the rides are crappy, it’s DISNEYLAND!!! It’s for kids :)) The shows are superb! It’s really DISNEYLAND, a place where happiness is. But I spend like SGD 200 over there. Things are crazily expensive. Entrance tickets cost abt SGD 60 (I think) but still worth. Jincha Daebak!
Disneyland is my another must go place if I ever return to Hong Kong. This time, I will buy a 2-day pass which is like abt SGD 17 top up. No need to rush, can take your time. I have deduced with yanting that going Disneyland between Tues to Thurs is the best. Why? Cause weekends are like the super peak where there are like alot of tourist. Mon and Friday are pretty pack cause Hongkong trips are usually 4D3N so most likely spanning between Fri to Mon (like that only need to take 2 day leave :P) so at any of the days, the tour group will sure go Disneyland. So, Tues to Thurs is the best time to go especially off peak seasons.
Victoria Peak was so-so only. Took the tram up which is pretty scary after our electrical engine genius talked about one wire bringing the entire tram up to the peak which is moving about 45 degrees uphill and as the side of the hill. Victoria peak will be the Wax Museum and the Peak.
The wax museum is just like that. I don’t recognise about half of the people there. But there’s LKY though. Hahaa. We bought the package from our hostel (tram, was museum and peak tickets) which is abt SGD33. So I think its still reasonable. There is a horror trail (which you have to pay additional SGD1 to go in) which is totally boliao. Don’t go, even though it’s just 1 buck. Not scary at all… I did have a unique encounter at the museum too.
If you recognise this guy… I don’t really know who he is… but he is the leader of X-Japan. We saw his Saseang fan there. She stood there for like 1hr with like bags of stuff toys taking picture with this wax figure, adjusting his hair, taking every single feature of this guy. I wonder what’s gonna happen if this guy flesh and blood stands right in front of her… GOD.
The peak is just some place for you to see the sky line for Hong Kong again. Nothing much. But cause it’s winter when we went… so it’s ultra cold up there… BRRRR~
This pretty much wraps up my trip on attraction :))
The food is super nice there! a million times better than Singapore. We keep walking into random shops in Hong Kong and the food is still good. Light eaters have to beware that their breakfast is ALOT. The set usually comes with toast, a drink and noodles/porridge. So can share. And don’t be too surprise if you are eating on the same table with a stranger. For people who have been to Hong Kong, they always come back recommending this one star Michelin Tim Sum Restuarant (Tim Ho Wan). We queued for 1.5hr to get seated only to find the reason why the wait for so long is because the shop is god damn small.
Another reminder of why I don’t like Hong Kong… we need to eat fast too… and I feel indigested after every meal :(( The dim sum was so quickly served that I had to stack the “longs” over each other instead to spreading them out to eat. Cause it’s really NO SPACE. Anyways… The dim sum is really nice!! Except for their chee chong fun which I order some weird fillings one which taste even weirder. The Char Siew Su is REALLLYYYY GOOOOODDDD!! That three buns in the picture. It’s a must have!
Hong Kong has a local fast food restaurant called Da Jia Le. It serves decent Hong Kong food, fast and at reasonable price. No harm trying if you can’t find places to eat. HAH.
Hong Kong’s tourism slogan is “买东西吃东西”not wrong at all. We did shopping around Mong Kok area which is the Ladies Market. It’s like KL’s Chinatown and the things they sell are repetitive. Prices can be bargained till half of the initial price. The best is if you can speak canto. Try not to speak English and Chinese at the same time there or you will hear the question “You are from Singapore or Malaysia” and if you happen to be asked that question say Malaysia or you will be cheated. Tips: You cannot try the clothes there so have to be careful cause they might cheat you like what they did to me :((
That more of less wraps up my Hong Kong trip. I will say again, not my kind of place but if I go back again, its gonna be a short trip for food, shopping and Disneyland. Anyone who shares the same sentiments? We might be compatible travel buddies :))
I love to travel, but I have yet to find someone I am close and comfortable with to travel with. Travelling with family is nice cause my dad always brings us for snorkelling in Thailand… but being with friends is way much better isn’t it?
My next destination: China, Vietnam and Bangkok!
My to go list: Thailand (Other than BKK), Malaysia and Indo (more nature places), Korea, Russia, Maldives, Switzerland, Some country in the continent of Africa (yes. I still remember someone who said Africa is a continent, not a country! Just I don’t remember who) and the list goes on….
