Stopover in Hong Kong - I've got from 7.30am til 11pm in Hong Kong on Sunday Dec 3rd - what should i do?

Question

i would prefer to do an all inclusive day trip, as i probably will be a bit jet lagger. Has anyone got any suggestions? What are the key sites i should try and see?

Answer 1

Okay, here's what I would do. Get out a map and guidebook and look at it as I walk through this itinerary. First, find out what time you need to be back. This is very important if you need to check in early! While you are asking, also get someone to show you how to get back to the airport from either Central or from Tsim Tsa Tsui, because my proposed itinerary could leave you in either place at 8 PM and needing to get back fairly quickly. Second, check your bag in an airport locker. Now for the day: First stop for me would be the Po Lin Monastary which is on Lantau Island (where the airport is located). Don't take too long, though, because there's a lot to do today! Plan to just spend a couple of hours to go see one of the largest Buddhas in Asia, at the top of a mountain with neat views after a breathtaking bus ride (or cable car ride, I haven't been on the cable car). Next, take the bus from Po Lin back down to the ferry terminal at Mui Wo on Lantau Island. Try to catch a fast ferry now from Mui Wo to Central. Once you arrive at Central, it hopefully will still be only about 10:30 or 11:00 AM. Catch Bus #6 and ride out to Stanley. Grab lunch out there at one of the numerous sidewalk cafes, enjoy the scenery of the harbor and check out the Stanley Market. Now, come back a different way: take Bus 973 into Kowloon, which will take an hour but with breathtaking views. Sit on the front, left side of the bus if possible, and get your camera ready! Get off the bus on Canton Road by the Star Ferry Pier. The closest stop may be the one beside the Hard Rock Cafe. Sorry, but my proposed itinerary doesn't leave time for walking through the hawkers and crowds on Nathan Road. Take solace in the reassurance that copy watches always break. Walk down Canton Road to the Star Ferry Pier. Next, take the lower level of the Star Ferry across the harbor back to Central. At Central, for the sake of time, take a taxi to the Peak Tram. (Victoria Peak is only worth doing if it's a clear day, otherwise you won't be able to see for the haze. If it's hazy, have dinner at Hard Rock Cafe or at a Cantonese place on Canton Road and then go back down to the Harbor where the big clock is to watch the 8PM light show if you think you have time to do so), but . . . assuming you go to Victoria Peak: Hopefully it will still be daylight and you can sit at the back of the tram so you can get some great shots looking down and backwards as you ascend. Try to catch the sunset from the back side of the Peak, after you reserve a window seat for dinner at Cafe Deco. The food is very nice ($150 - $250 HKD) and the view is amazing as the city lights come on below you at night. At 8:00 PM there is probably a Christmas light show which you can watch from your table or from the observation booth at the Peak, if you have time (verify first that there is a light show). And if you have time is also a big issue. Allow 2.5 hrs to get back to the airport, so if you are on top of the Peak you should leave the light show early to beat the rush. Catch the Peak Tram to the bottom of the hill and then tell the taxi driver you want the Airport Express. When you get back to the airport, retrieve your bags and crash at your gate, ask the airline staff to wake you up if it seems you might sleep through your flight. Does this sound reasonable? I've never gone straight from the Peak to the airport -- so that part makes me just a bit nervous -- so double check with airport personnel how long that will take you and exact locations on the map so you won't be wandering lost on a deadline. If you want a more relaxed itinerary, pick just two of the four big items here. There's a great vegetarian buddhist restaurant at Po Lin that serves lunch, a nice Turkish restaurant as well as Cantonese seafood places at the town of Mui Wo on Lantau, phenomenal shopping in the IFC Mall which is the tallest building you can see across from the ferry terminal in Central. Public transportation is great, and if you get in a time bind no matter where you are, tell a taxi driver "Airport Express" and he'll get you where you need to go.

Answer 2

Sure! Technically, when you book your trip you could do a multi-leg journey with any other city before you went to Hong Kong. It sounds like you'd like a place with a nonstop - for example you could fly to Honolulu and then Hong Kong, or San Francisco and then Hong Kong. Stopping in Honolulu or SF would add 1300-1900 miles to the journey. If you're looking for a stopover that won't add much flying distance, some options are: Anchorage - just 19 miles more Tokyo - about 100 miles more Seoul - same number of miles as flying nonstop Beijing - about 100 miles more Shanghai - about 200 miles more It shouldn't cost much extra, maybe $200-300 more so you would be paying around $1500 instead of $1200 for your ticket.

Answer 3

To reinforce what other people have said, definitely go up the Peak
(special train from central Hong Kong). Try and time your visit so that you are there as darkness falls. The lights of Hong Kong are awesome. Also go for a ride on the tram. There is only one route (with a short branch to the racecourse) so you can't get lost. They are very nearly the only double deck trams in the world. From the top deck you will see all the main sights of Hong Kong Island. The fare is next to nothing. Board the tram at the back entrance and get off at the front. As you get off you place the fare in the box next to the driver. Ignore the person who said get a translator! English is widely spoken and all notices are in English as well as Cantonese. Hong Kong is definitely the most interesting and exciting place I've ever been to! Enjoy yourself.

Answer 4

the airport is quite a long way from Hong Kong island, the Peak and so on, and you would not want to be carrying your luggage around. if you can put your luggage somewhere safe then I would get the MTR (like the tube) to Tsim Sha Tsui which is a major shopping area, Nathan Road in particular, walk round and experience Hong Kong, its like nowhere else! If you are not on a budget have lunch at the Peninsula Hotel, even just soup and a sandwich is very very nice. Over the road from the Pen is the harbour, fantastic to see and the planetarium. You will enjoy the day

Answer 5

I lived in Hong Kong until a few years ago. The airport train is a bit pricey (US$15) but very fast and comfortable. It takes about 20 minutes to get to Central.

The Peak is fine, everyone has to do it. One thing, check out Statue Square (behind Star Ferry terminal) on Sunday morning. It will literally be overflowing with filipina amahs (maids) having a good time. It's a pretty amazing sight.

Shopping: Temple Street night market (off Jordon MTR stop) is a good bet, though Stanley is very nice too.

If you have time, go out to the Big Buddha on Lantau (actually I understand they now have a cable car (groan) from the airport - so you could go there first).

Answer 6

I would definitely go up to Victoria Peak around sunset. If you're a shopper, go to Stanley Market. There are a few smaller markets on the Kowloon side. Take the boat to get from Hong Kong to Kowloon. You can have a dress made in that amount of time in Kowloon. I can't think of the street, but I think the subway stop was Tsim Tsa Tsui.

Answer 7

This will help with transport and information on things to do in Hong Kong.It will give you a link to the map of the MTR to and from the airport,you should also find links on things to do there that day,you can also buy tickets on line for your trip into Hong Kong from this site.

Answer 8

hey, Alex's plan is great if you have quite a bit energy saved in your tank after the flight. Just don't forget to get a map good in details, plan your routes ahead (get the assistance from the tourist Info center right at the arrival hall, they are very helpful), and one last thing, go to the airport express center to get the octopus card (on-loan type). You deposit money (say HKD400 for the trip, including HKD 50 as deposit fee) in the card and use it in most public tansportations ie, aiport express, tram, ferry, bus, double deck tram, and MTR (subway), except taxi, and some minibuses). You get automatic discount on fares. When you return to the airpot, return the card to the train center and get whatever amount left in the card plus HKD43 deposit fee back (they deduct HKD 7 service fee as you return the card within 3 months). The card saves you money and a heck of time to find the exact change for you next connection.

If you worry about or do get some hit by the JL, you may take an easy way by joining the one day or half day tour. Look for them in the airport or the regal hotel right next to the airport (see links below). Most tours start from 9 am / !0:30am and end as late as 7pm, depending which one you are going to take. The costs are just a little bit over what you would pay for going on your own, but save yourself time and energy from reading maps, asking or wondering about directions, and waiting for your connnection to next spots. BTW, you get a tour guide.

The thing is, most of the tours are for daytime only, they won't take you to see the sunset and night lights from the victoria peak. but you can go to the harbour on your own after the tour to watch the spectacular music and light show at 8 pm. It lasts about 20 min. Then take a taxi to Kowloon Airprot express station (takes 10 min max) to go back to aiport (takes 20 min. max).

Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 9

hong kong in one day
catch a tram up to victoria peak for a good view of the city and stretch ur legs on a summit circuit.
back down at sea level , u could have lunch at the tan tan wan thai resto, do some shopping at the pacific place shopping mall in admiralty and watch the sun go down from the 7th floor of the hongkong convention & exhibition center.
after dark , wander up temple st to the night market. have some dimsum at wan loong court in the kowloon hotel

Answer 10

probably able to get a ferry ride to the city and back you would see the harbour (awesome f**k sydney) you can sample the cuisine and wonder around not much more you can do really jet lagg may get you though.