What to do on a 3D/3N Travel to HK & Macau?

I'm sure most people who have a restless feet have been to Asia's City, Hong Kong with a little side trip to Macau.

Hong Kong is just a 2-hr flight from Manila. Nowadays, it's easy to travel from Manila to Hongkong due to relatively low price offered by different local airlines.



Initially it was just I and my parents who planned to go but then my sister decided to join. Luckily, months before this trip I was able to check for a piso fare offered by a local carrier. We just paid an estimate of Php 11,500 for me and my parents with MNL-HKG-MNL route. YES! YES!


YES 11,500 was what we paid for 3 persons.
YES it's a return flight.
So imagine, we just paid a total of Php 3,830/rt ticket per person.

Planning to write a separate blog post regarding our expenses that only slashed off our money for 15,000 pesos (or less).

Meanwhile, on this blog I'll share with you how a group of 4 explored places of Hong Kong and Macau.

DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO ASIA'S CITY-- HONG KONG!

Our flight was so on time that we are so rushing to go to the aircraft. Our expected departure is 7:10 PM and happy that we left on time and arrived Hong Kong on time past 9 in the evening. My sister took a different flight and she arrived half an hour early so she waited for our arrival at the arrival area. After doing all the necessary procedures, we bought our Octopus Card in one of the desk near the Mcdonald's (if I remember it correctly)

By following the signages, we used our Octopus card and took a bus ride (A22) going to our accommodation. The place where we stayed is conveniently near MTR Jordan Exit B2. I found this at Travelmob. Based on the instructions of my contact person, it would take 40-45 minute bus ride from the airport to the place where we'll stay.

Past 11 PM when we arrived at our accommodation. Rest Time.

DAY 2: HK CITY TOUR. MACAU

GOOD MORNING HONG KONG (and MACAU!!) On our second day (Technically 1st day), our plan is to go to Avenue of Stars followed by a travel to Macau.

• By 8:30, left our place and hop to the next station after Jordan MTR which is Tsim Sha Tsui.(follow the signs that shows which exit you should take that will lead you to the Avenue of Stars.) Stroll around the avenue. 
• Star Ferry ride to Central Hong Kong pier from Tsim Sha Tsui
• Brunch at Filipino shop at Worldwide Plaza. Meeting up with Mama’s friend.Walk to Sheung Wan for a ferry ride going to Macau. 
• Ferry Ride to Macau via TurboJet by 11:15 AM
• Arrived at Macau.
• Rode a free shuttle going to The Venetian Hotel.
• Stroll inside The Venetian Hotel; Roamed around the Venetian Canal. Tried the casino.
• Rode the The Venetian free shuttle service back to Macau Ferry  Terminal.
• Rode the bus no. 10A (Rua do Almeida Ribeiro) **They accept HK coins as well for easy payment.
• Arrived at Senado Square. Late lunch/dinner at nearby shops with Macanese cuisine.
• Walk along the uphill road going to the Ruins of St. Paul. **Along the way try some of the free samples of beef jerky. 
• Back to Senado Square to buy some pastries and stroll Macau at Night. 
• Rode the free shuttle service of Grand Lisboa Hotel going to Macau Ferry Terminal.
• Ferry ride going back to Hong Kong by 
• MTR back to MTR Jordan.
• Rest Time. We call it a night.

At the Venetian Hotel Macau

Ruins of St. Paul

DAY 3: HK DISNEYLAND with PARENTALS. MONG KOK at NIGHT

Here I got nothing to itemized on our day. We started our day with a quick breakfast right outside the Inn. Hop on to the train from MTR JORDAN alighting at MTR CENTRAL transferred to Orange line/Tung Chung Line. Alighted at MTR SUNNY BAY station and transfer to the unique Disneyland Resort Line/Pink Line. And at last, we're back to our kiddie self once again (including Mama and Papa).

An ideal tour at Disneyland should be done for 2 days. But with a limited time and money, a day tour should be fine. Just make sure to come in this place as early as 10 in the morning to catch everything including the parade which happens every 3:30 in the afternoon where all Disney characters are present in entertaining all people. They sing in both Chinese(not sure though which Chinese language) and English.

** Don't miss the chance to have a picture taken with the Mickey and Friends. 

The Disney Parade.

One of best thing not to miss out is the Golden Mickey.

After a day as a kid at Disneyland, we went back to the city and enjoyed a little strolling/shopping at Mongkok area specifically the Nelson Street.

So from Disneyland, you just need to board the same Pink line going to MTR Sunny Bay station then alight at MTR Central. After a transfer to red line, just board the train towards Tsuen Wan and alight at Mong Kok Station. Take the exit E2Nelson street is just two blocks away. We just had a quick dinner/snack on the road and hop back to the MTR going back to Jordan to get a rest and call it a day.

DAY 4: CABLE CAR. BIG BUDDHA. LAST DAY   =(

On our last and final day, we don't have much places to visit. I planned to go both at Ngong Ping and The Peak. But due to lack of time, we just made it to Ngong Ping. Ngong Ping is located at Lantau Island. The biggest Buddha located at Hong Kong lies above the Ngong Ping Village which is known as the Tian Tian Buddha. To get here, we just follow the same path as the Disneyland, but instead of alighting at MTR Sunny Bay, this time we alight at the end station which is the MTR Tung Chung.

Upon alighting at Tung Chung station, we were a bit lost as we can't find the way going to the cable car terminal. But then it hits me and just followed the flow of people. You will see once you exit the Tung Chung line  there's a signage that says going to cable car terminal and just follow it. It would be 3 minute walk going to the Tung Chung cable car terminal. The cable car ride going to the Ngong Ping Village would take 20-25 minutes, this would be enough time to savor the view from which you can see the whole Hong Kong area including the HKIA ( Hong Kong International Airport).

Once we arrived at the village, it was colder than I expected. I wasn't comfortable then as I was wearing light compared to my family's outfit. Before going to check the Tian Tian Buddha, one can enjoy the view of the Po Lin Monastery and the stray dogs that believed to be taken care of by the monks.

Going to Tian Tian Buddha will take 3-6 minutes of your time and you need to take 268 steps in order to enjoy the majestic view from above. Tian Tian Buddha is a version of Buddha sitting on top of a Lotus flower. Lotus is believed to be a representation of purity of the heart by Chinese culture.

 

I, with the Big Buddha behind me. Almost there!

We just stayed at the Tian Tian Buddha for another 20 minutes before finally leaving the place.

Going back to Tung Chung station, we decided to skip the cable car and rode a bus instead. Bus no. 23 is what you need to rode back to Tung Chung MTR station. It took us about 35-40 minutes travel time back to the station. It is very cheap compared to cable car ride but if you're on a limited time, this is not an option. Before going back to the city we feel really hungry and so decided to take our breakfast/lunch at Food Republic located beside the Citygate Outlet Mall. Since its food republic it's quite reasonable to eat there as selections varied from noodles to meat to vegetables.

Once we're done, we hop back to the MTR and rode back to the city. I really wanted to make it to the Peak. And so we still alight at MTR Central and exit at J2. It was a long walk going to the Peak Terminus. As we are so worried we might be late for our check-out (which was already moved to 4PM), we decided to skipped the Victoria Peak and decided to go home instead and arranged our things.

We left the inn exactly 4PM and board the MTR Jordan going to  MTR Central. From MTR Central just followed the signs to MTR Airport express. It's the fastest way and perhaps the most convenient way going to the airport. We paid for HK$250 for 4 persons which is cheaper as this was a promo for group of 4. It was almost just a 20-30 minute ride to the airport which only stops at 2 stations, Tsing Yi and Kowloon before finally stopping at the airport.

We were 2 hrs early before our departure. So we still got time to enjoy the airport and spend a few of our remaining HK$. Our flight back to Manila was 7:30PM. It was half an hour delay but nevertheless it was smooth flight going back home.

So as a summary of the places/experiences we've been for in 3d/3n here it is:

1. Avenue of Stars
2. Experience of Star ferry ride
3. World Wide Plaza
4. Macau side trip (Venetian Hotel/ Ruins of St. Paul/ Senado Square/ Grand Hotel Lisboa)
5. Disneyland
6. Mongkok
7. Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car ride
8. Ngong Ping Village
9. Tian Tian Buddha
10. Stroll around Central

Hope this post will help. Till my next blog.

Ciao!


Disclaimer: The information posted here was just based on my personal account. Any changes on travel time, prices, and/or timing may differ. This travel happened last November 10-13, 2014. It would be best to check the official website of Hong Kong here.