Guides and tips for first-time tourists can be found in the internet. You can also get free information materials once in HK. To augment your pre-visit knowledge and help you prepare for the trip, I am sharing here some of my own pointers and suggestions.
Here they go.
Booking a Plane Ticket:
Travel has become affordable nowadays because of promos offered by local airlines. Cebu Pacific, in particular, offers discounts and promos year-round to and from HK and Macau. You can get cheaper tickets if you travel Clark-HK-Clark, but I advise you book Manila-HK-Manila if the price difference is not that big. It is a hassle to travel from Manila to Clark especially if your flight to HK is too early and from Clark to Manila if your return flight is scheduled at night (that is if you are commuting).
Travel preparation:
Know the weather in HK on the dates you will be traveling so you will know what clothes to bring. Do not rely on a plain jacket if it’s cold weather, you need thick or multiple clothing to keep warm. If it’s hot, you know what to wear as you experience heat in Manila.
Book a hotel in HK in advance. There are several options depending on your budget. You search the internet for the kind of accommodation you want. You need a credit card to get a reservation. Highly suggested for budget travelers is Golden Crown Court (HK$350/night) in Tsim Sha Tsui or Railei Hotel (almost same rate) in Mong Kok. I prefer Golden Crown because of its very strategic location. If you plan to visit Macau for a day or two, book a hotel there too. I suggest Royal Hotel (HK$700/night) because it is not too expensive yet it is classy. They also have good freebies. You can find cheaper accommodations, of course, if you search the internet.
Exchange your pesos to HK dollars. Make sure you go to a trusted money changer. (I suggest you go to Edsen Money Changer along Mabini St. in Malate near Hyatt Hotel.) A budget of P20,000 per person is already enough. The more money you can spare, however, the better. Have a Visa or Mastercard credit card with you for your “emergency” needs.
Pre-departure:
If you have booked Clark to HK, you can travel by bus to Clark. Philtranco offers direct service to Clark Airport, just check its schedule. If your flight is in the early morning, however, you leave around midnight and take any bus (P120 fare) going North (in Cubao or Pasay). Get off at Dau Terminal in Pampanga. From there, you can ride a tricycle (P50 fare) going to the terminal at the gate of Clark Zone near SM Clark. Then you take a special jeep service to Clark airport (P200) or take a taxi (much expensive rate).
Once in the airport, prepare your Airplane Ticket and Passport. Make sure your Passport is still valid within the next six months or you’ll forever regret not checking it. You will fill up a form for your travel, to be given as you enter the departure area. You will pay Travel Tax (P1,620) and Terminal Fee (P600).
In Flight:
Another fill up sheet for immigration will be distributed by the airline crew. Make sure it is completely filled up, including where you will stay in HK.
Arrival:
Welcome to HK. Go down the tube and head to the immigration section. Have your passport and filled-up sheet ready.
Proceed to the Baggage Carousel after getting through immigration. After getting your baggage, head out passing through Custom's “Nothing to Declare” lane.
Post-Arrival:
You will bump into the Tourism Desk going out. Make sure you get a Map of Hong Kong and other information materials. A few meters away will be a foreign exchange desk just in case you need to exchange a few more pesos but it is advised you exchange your money outside the airport as the rates there are higher.
Proceed further and you will be in the arrival area lobby where there are shops, restaurants, and ATMs.
Before going out the airport, buy an Octopus Card at the Customer Service Desk found at the center of the lobby. You need the Card for your transport fares. It costs HK$150, with HK$100 load. The HK$50 is a deposit. You can reload your Card if it runs out of credit. The Card works like a pre-loaded MRT ticket plus more (see notes at the end).
Going out of the Airport:
Look for the exit to the Airport Train Service. This will be your first train ride. The ride is free and will connect you to the other MTRs which will bring you to your exact destination.
Just consult the MTR map and trace the route of each train line (route colored accordingly) to know where to get off and what train to hop on to next. It is fun and easy to ride the MTRs. HK’s transport system is so efficient, you won't worry about getting lost and you won't feel any discomfort. Enjoy the view while riding the trains.
You should know the nearest train exit to your destination as there are many exit points in a station. The exits are indicated by letters and sometimes combined with numbers. Do not be shy to look at the map in the stations if you get confused.
Official Start of Day 1 (Suggested itinerary):
Now you are in your hotel. Once you are settled, plan your itinerary for the day and the days to come if you can. Sometimes your itinerary will have to change because of circumstances beyond your control such as the weather, delays, or other concerns. The itinerary also depends on your hotel location. I suggest you book a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) area, which is a strategic location in Hong Kong. There are high-end hotels and there are cheap ones in the area. If you are on a budget, try Golden Crown Court along Nathan Road near D1 exit of the MTR Station in TST. The place is quite small but it is clean, safe, and has basic amenities including free wi-fi connection. It is sandwiched by Standard Chartered and Citibank to the right of D1 exit.
If you have taken the morning flight, you might want to spend time until early afternoon to survey the vicinity of your hotel. Look for restaurants, shops, bus stops, tourist spots, and convenience stores. There are 7-11 stores in almost every corner of TST and perhaps in other areas as well.
Then you might want to check the museums or go on a Star Ferry cruise for the rest of the afternoon. By the evening, head to Avenue of the Stars and await the Symphony of Light show which starts at 8:00pm. Have your dinner near the area.
[How to go to Avenue of the Stars/Star Ferry: To be included soon]
After the show, you might want to go to Jordan for the Temple Street Night Market or to Mongkok for the Ladies Night Market. Jordan and Mong Kok are accessible by MTR, bus, or taxi. The MTR operates, I think, only until 10pm and some buses stopped plying their route by 12:30pm. Consider riding the taxi only if the two are no longer available. You can get to anywhere in HK just riding the MTR and the buses.
The Mong Kok area has better shops and wider variety of quality goods available. You can find lots of Nike shops in this area, but only a few products are on sale. (I was able to buy a good-priced Nike jacket at The Venetian in Macau.) You will enjoy shopping or just looking around in Mong Kok or Jordan that you might not notice it is already past midnight. Make sure to go back to your hotel in time to catch enough sleep for another series of activities the next day.
[How to go to Jordan/Mong Kok: To be included soon: ]
Second Day (Suggested itinerary):
In the morning, you might want to go to Ocean Park (Ticket costs HK$250) or to Macau via ferry. In Ocean Park, you can try many exciting rides such as The Abyss, Cable Car, and Roller Coaster and see amazing shows and attractions such as the Dolphin Show, featured 3D movie, and other animals of various shapes, colors, sizes, and origins. You can spend almost the entire day in Ocean Park and still not cover the entire expanse of the place.
[How to go to Ocean Park: To be included soon]
If you choose to go to Macau, prepare for a 2-hour ferry ride (Ticket costs around HK$140). The ferry, much like the SuperCat in Cebu, is safe and has comfortable seats. Have your passport ready and, again, fill out an immigration sheet, which is available upon arrival in Macau. If you do not plan to spend the whole day in Macau, get a city tour being offered by taxi operators in Macau Ferry Terminal. The tour will take you to key tourist attractions in Macau quickly to be able to go back to HK before night time. Do not fail to visit Macau Tower, St. Paul Ruins, and The Venetian or your Macau experience will not be complete. Free hotel shuttle buses (The Venetian, City of Dreams, Sands, MGM Grand, Wynn, etc.) have their own waiting areas outside Macau Ferry Terminal.
[How to go to Macau: To be included soon]
If you are back to HK by 6pm, head straight to The Peak for a spectacular view of Hong Kong Island at night. The tram station going to The Peak is near the HK-Macau Ferry Station. The tram will take you to The Peak (Round-Trip Ticket costs HK$56; because you can also take a bus to and from The Peak). You can find Madame Tussauds Wax Museum at The Peak but you need to buy another ticket (Costs around HK$200++) to get in.
[How to go to The Peak: To be included soon]
Since you are still in Hong Kong Island and if you want to experience night fun in HK, go to Causeway Bay or Lan Kwai Fong to cap the evening. These areas are high-end so prepare to spend a good chunk of dough.
[How to go to Causeway Bay/ LKF: To be included soon]
You can head back to your hotel by taxi. If you are nested in TST, the taxi ride would cost near HK$70.
Third Day (Suggested itinerary):
Try to wake up early despite the hangover and prepare for the Ngong Ping 360 cable ride (Round-trip ticket for Standard Cabin [slower, longer waiting time, and no glass floor] costs HK$107 per person or HK$169 per person for the Journey of Enlightenment Package; for Crystal Cabin [faster, shorter waiting time, with glass floor] it costs HK$157 per person or HK$219 per person with the package). If you have the money, I suggest you take the crystal cable car for a unique experience. Just buy the round-trip ticket without the package (featuring the shows "A Monkey’s Tale" and "Walking with Buddha"), which are just cartoon movies, if you want to save money.
You will enjoy the breathtaking view inside the cable car. At the peak, you will see the Big Buddha Statue and the Po Lin Monastery. There are restaurants and souvenir shops as well.
You can take your lunch at the peak or at the Tung Chung Station (which connects you to the Ngong Ping 360 terminal) where there are more restaurants to choose from.
[How to go to Ngong Ping: To be included soon]
After your lunch, ride the train from Tung Chung Station to Sunny Bay for the Disneyland adventure.
There is a dedicated train going to HK Disneyland (Ticket is HK$350 each) from the Sunny Bay Station. It is a very cute train which is by itself an attraction. The ride is a short one so your excitement will not be much delayed.
HK Disneyland is not as big as Ocean Park, you can actually cover the entire place in half a day. But you wouldn’t want to leave without seeing the Disney Fireworks display which starts at 7:30pm. In Disneyland, you should not miss the shows (Lion King and High School Musical), the train ride to take you around, the photo opportunities with the Disney characters, and the Disney parade. You can also enjoy Disney-inspired food and buy cute souvenir items there.
You will leave HK Disneyland feeling like a child again and singing “A Whole New World.”
Before going back to your hotel, you might want to cap the night at a coffee shop nearby. There are Starbucks Coffee shops in HK but the price of drinks is a lot more expensive than in Manila. Try the local coffee shops for a change.
[How to go to HK Disneyland: To be included soon: ]
Fourth Day (Suggested itinerary):
This is probably your last day so you need to catch up on some last-minute shopping. For this, you should not go far and just look around the area near your hotel. In TST, you can find shops for cheap perfume, gadgets, clothes (Giordano, Bossini, H&M), and the usual pasalubongs (key chain, magnets, purses, etc.).
To go to HK airport, just ride the MTR (by now you probably have already memorized the MTR routes) and in a few minutes you will be checking in for your flight back to Manila. If you are traveling Macau to Manila or Clark, you take your hotel shuttle bus or taxi to Macau Airport. There is no terminal fee in Macau or HK airport.
--
Actual Itinerary
The above itinerary is suggested for you to maximize the time you have in HK or Macau. Our own travel itinerary was different. We missed the Symphony of Light Show, Star Ferry Cruise, and we failed to really experience the HK night life. But it was okay, we thought we can go back to HK if time would again permit and money is in hand.
So just for your reference, here is our actual itinerary.
We spent the first 4 days, 3 nights in HK and the last 1 day, 2 nights in Macau.
We took the Clark-HK route and arrived around 9:30am in HK.
First Day:
• Checked in at Golden Crown Court
• Roamed around TST
• Went to Temple Night Market
Second Day:
• Went to The Peak via Star Ferry
• Proceeded to Ocean Park
• Went back to TST (was not able to catch the Symphony of Light show)
• Shopped at Mong Kok until almost 1:00am
Third Day:
• Rode the cable car at Ngong Ping
• Proceeded to Disneyland
• Rested for the night
Fourth Day:
• Checked out at Hotel
• Travelled to Macau
• Checked in at Royal Hotel (a very nice 4-star lodge) in Macau.
• Went to The Venetian
Fifth Day:
• Checked out of hotel; left baggage at the counter
• Went to Macau Tower
• Proceeded to Senado Square in front of St. Dominic Church
• Visited St. Paul Ruins (walking distance from Senado Square)
• Went to City of Dreams and again at The Venetian
• Back to hotel
• Went to Macau Airport (two hours before flight schedule)
• Arrived in Manila almost 12 midnight
--
Some Important Notes:
• Only a few locals in HK and Macau really speak and understand English. So be patient when communicating with them
• The Octopus card can also be used in buses, 7-11, and other establishments. It is reloadable. Minimum of HK$50 for each reload.
• Prepare exact fare when you ride the bus (if you do not have Octopus card). The driver does not give change.
• Prepare also exact fare when riding the taxi. Do not ask for receipt as it might incur you additional charge. The Octopus Card is not accepted by taxis.
• To save on bus fare in Macau, you can ride the free shuttle buses of hotels which stop at certain areas.
• Always bring your Map with you
• Bring a notebook computer or handheld device with wifi connection so you can consult the internet every now and then for more tips and keep in touch with the rest of the world (read: update Facebook status and upload photos).
• Be careful shopping in TST especially in gadget stores. Do not give money or your credit card right away unless you are very sure of a credible and quality purchase.
• Most restaurants open around lunchtime. If you are in TST, you can try Café de Coral in the 3rd floor of Cke Shopping Mall beside Chungking Mansion along Nathan Road for sumptuous yet affordable meals.
• Prepare to walk and walk and walk. So don’t wear high heels.
• Life in HK is fast-paced. People walk and move fast. Their escalators even run twice the normal speed.
• If the weather is cold, it’s really cold. If the weather is hot, it’s really hot.
• It would be more convenient to bring a traveler’s sling bag where you can keep your money, passport, and other essentials.
• Make sure your have access to a calculator not unless you are very good in Math. Trust me you will not stop computing the peso value of your would-be purchase, especially if you are budget-conscious.
• Do not be shy to take pictures, you are a tourist and people would not mind. Bring a video camera if you have one.
• Do not miss the Grand Canal Shoppes in The Venetian.
• HK$ is accepted in Macau, which has the Pataca as its currency.
• The power sockets in HK and Macau have three holes. Hotels usually provide rooms with adaptors or universal extension cords. If there is none, you can buy an adaptor from a hardware store at HK$10.
• Vehicles in HK and Macau are right-hand drive. Traffic flows in the opposite direction. This also applies when walking on the streets or taking the stairs, so always keep left.
• Always carry around your passport.
• Hong Kongers don’t laugh often even if they are in groups. They are usually silent, minding their own business. If you hear a noisy bunch of people, they are definitely Pinoys.
• The honesty system works in HK. Stores have no security guards and their merchandize just lay there for shoplifters to feast on. But don’t be one. It would be a shame.
• Malls implement no security check, which is done only at the airport.
• Try the grilled squid with chili offered in food stalls. Smells good and tastes even better. Just make sure you have hand sanitizer.
