As my taxi made its way out of the Chek Lap Kok International airport, the unfolding scenery left a taste of initial disappointment. Tall nondescript residential buildings being built on land reclaimed by flattening mountains. This is perhaps how Hong Kong has created more and more space for its 8 million inhabitants. The views got much better as I crossed the cable stayed bridges and had sight of the famous Hong Kong skyline.
Hong Kong is the original poster boy of skyscrapers in Asia. I still remember the pictures and views of the glitzy Hong Kong skyline that I had seen in the magazines or in the popular Kung Fu movies way back in the 1970s/1980s. Something missing in India at that time. For those interested in a bit of history, check this link on how the Hong Kong skyline has evolved over the years.
What makes Hong Kong a good short haul tourist destination?
Called the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China, and a good destination for a short break from India. So what works in favour of Hong Kong?
- direct flights from India,
- a simple online Pre-Arrival Registration(no visa required) making travel at short notice possible;
- not a whole lot to see and do, especially if Ocean Park and Disneyland are being skipped. This means no rushing around and exploring the city at a leisurely pace;
- shopping. Though I prefer Bangkok, Hong Kong too has its share of streets and outlets where one can buy a variety of stuff at a reasonable price.
On the flip side, Hong Kong will be relatively more expensive than say Bangkok or even Singapore.
Hong Kong has 3 geographical regions – Hong Kong Island, Kowloon peninsula and New Territories comprising all other outlying islands including Lantau, the largest one located next to Chek Lap Kok island.
Getting to Hong Kong
There are direct flights from few Indian cities. From Bengaluru, Cathay Pacific flies direct to Hong Kong with a flight time of 6 hours. The onward flight is after midnight and the return flight late in the evening from Hong Kong. That gives ample time on Day 1 as well as the day of departure for sightseeing.
Commute from/to airport
Taxi
With luggage, and considering the location, taxi was a more convenient option for me. Rates are fixed and I paid HK$400, including a small tip, to North Point. Taxis are color coded with Red taxis operating in most parts of Hong Kong(including Kowloon). Took about 45 minutes.
Train
The Airport Express train is the fastest at under half an hour to Hong Kong station(next to Central station) but costs HK$115 per adult. Round tickets or purchase with Octopus card will save some money. It allows free MTR(metro)connection (within an hour) for onward journey if needed. I possibly could have saved up to HK$100 or so(2 of us) by taking the airport express to Hong Kong station and then taking a taxi.
Airport Express also halts at Kowloon station and the fare is marginally lower. MTR, the operator runs promotions off and on. Good to check once before boarding the flight to Hong Kong. Scroll to the tab ‘Tourist’ as well.
Bus
There are also public buses that travel to various parts of the city. Not sure if cash is accepted. Pay by Octopus card or online.
Local commute
Combination of Metro and Trams (called Ding Ding locally) was good enough for me. The Trams were kind of cute, and I preferred the Tram as it afforded views of the neighbourhoods it passed through. Bit slow, yes, but enjoyable and quite reasonable at HK$3 per ride. Trams are available only in Hong Kong island. Octopus is the most convenient option to pay though cash (no change given) and credit cards are also accepted. Payment needs to be made while alighting from the front.
Based on my limited research, I did not find any viable option for a day pass. The only one I found was the adult tourist day pass that costs HK$75. May not work out if travel is restricted to Hong Kong island, Kowloon peninsula and Lantau island. With Octopus card, I did not have to buy separate metro tickets and they are also priced marginally lower as compared to buying tickets at the station.
The Central station is huge, and entirely underground with several dining and shopping options. There is an underground walkway to Hong Kong station. Many of the metro stations in Hong Kong are directly connected to mega malls.
Key attractions
1. Hong Kong Skyline
Hong Kong skyline is the biggest attraction and there are several options to view it. Weather is the key. Without a clear sky, going up to the Victoria peak or Sky100 will not serve much purpose. The skyline actually looks far better in the evenings than daytime.
Victoria peak(The Peak)
This was the no. 1 attraction when I last visited Hong Kong way back in 2004 or 2005. It still is among the top! The Peak Tram is the preferred way to go though one can take a bus or hike as well. Cheaper to buy a return ticket(HK$88) than one way(HK$62). Fares are higher on peak days. I avoided Sky terrace as there are enough free view points around and not really worth the additional price.
There are quite a few shopping and dining options at the Peak. I spotted an Indian restaurant as well but even otherwise, vegetarian options are available. There is a grocery store to buy water, beverages and my favourite snack – bananas!
If you wish to visit the additional attractions(Terrace, Madame Tussauds), Combo tickets will work out to be much cheaper. Also buy it online to avoid the queue at the Peak Tram Lower Terminus located close to the Central MTR station. Overall half a day is required to visit the Peak.
Late afternoons are more crowded as many prefer to view the skyline before and after sunset.
Avenue of stars
A half a kilometer promenade on the Kowloon peninsula, it provides a fantastic view of the Hong Kong skyline across the sea. It is a nice promenade to stroll and I felt a bit of nostalgia coming across the statue of Bruce Lee. I loved watching his movies in the seventies(1970s) when in school. I also watched the much hyped Symphony of Sounds(a sound and light show) at 8pm from here. It lasted under 10 minutes and was quite disappointing but there was a big crowd with no place to sit.
Hong Kong Observation Wheel
Located near Central Pier 9 and 10 on the Hong Kong island, the Ferris wheel rises to a height of 60m. I am sure the views would be great but I skipped.
Sky100
Provides a 360° view of Hong Kong from the 100th floor of the International Commerce Centre, Kowloon. The café here is run by Ritz Carlton and Snacks/Lunch/Dinner options are available. Tourists are entitled to discounts if purchased online. Go for combo ticket if you wish to grab a bite.
Other viewpoints
There are several other viewpoints at sea level including Golden Bauhinia Square and Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. Most of the hotels too have sit outs on the highest floor. The hotel I stayed in, Harbour Grand, North Point too had a sit out but the evening I went there, it was drizzling and clouds were hovering over the city.
2. Tian Tan Buddha, Lantau Island
A popular attraction, the journey to the Big Buddha requires a very scenic Ngong Ping cable car ride for about 25 minutes.
I took the Tung Chung MTR from Central to Tung Chung. There are restaurants and grocery stores near the station. The cable car station is located next door. Seeing the Q at the ticket counter, I purchased 2 tickets online and was able to skip the initial Q.
Standard cable car cabin is adequate
There are 3 types of cabins – standard, crystal(floor is transparent glass) and Crystal+(all round glass cabin). The views of the mountains, the airport, the Hong Kong – Macau sea bridge are all good, but nothing so special that requires an all round view to justify additional cost of HK$80. Standard car is good enough and costs HK$270 per adult for the return trip. Had to wait ~30 minutes in the Q before getting into the cable car and for some reason, I and my spouse had the entire cabin to ourselves. I did notice that there is a separate Q for crystal cabins.
As the cable car moved up, I could watch flights landing and taking off from the airport. The Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau sea bridge too was clearly visible. Artificial islands were built for this bridge and part of the route goes through an undersea tunnel. The sky was a bit hazy but still, I had great views of the Big Buddha statue.
Touristy village but very impressive statue
The Ngong Ping village has been built entirely for the tourists. Full of shops and restaurants. Vegetarian food options, including Indian, are available. After passing through the village, I had to climb 268 steps to get to the statue of Buddha. Made of bronze, it is certainly a very impressive monument. At a lower level, the Buddha statue is surrounded the smaller bronze statues of ‘Devas making an offering’.
A serene monastery
The Po Lin monastery nearby was equally impressive with the grand hall containing Ten thousand statues of Buddha, all of them small except the ‘Five Dhyani Buddhas’. They are believed to represent five qualities of Buddha. The main shrine has 3 statues of Buddha, representing the past, present and future life.
The meals and desserts/snacks in the attached restaurant here are advertised as vegetarian but more vegan/chinese style vegetarian in my view. Some of the items did not look appetizing at all but still, there are choices for pure vegetarians also.
What else? Time required?
There are few trails going into the mountains and I took one of them to the Wisdom Path. Avoidable if short on time.
All in all, a satisfying experience. Requires 4-6 hours.
3. Ferry/Cruise
The cheapest and more than adequate in my view are the ferries that runs regular services between Central Pier, Kowloon and Wan Chai. Other option is the harbour cruise in the evenings. I don’t think any other boat ride is necessary but for those looking for more exclusive experience, there are several options, including few to the nearby islands, with or without food.
4. Other places I visited
Temple street night market had a variety of stuff but nothing that caught my eye. Hard to say anything about the quality but bargaining is possible.
I also visited another street market near Central MTR. Decent enough and fairly priced.
Space Museum – located near Avenue of Stars, I stepped in only because I had some time before the 8 pm Symphony of Lights but I am glad I did. Quite interactive and very informative. HK$20 is the entry fee.
Lan Kwai Fong – among the most popular areas for nightlife, it is a nice place no doubt but nothing special. Most bars have couple of vegetarian snacks on the menu and the best option for vegetarians like me is to down couple of drinks and then head out for dinner elsewhere. I decided on The China Bar where the prices were quite reasonable – 2 draught beers plus 2 plates of vegetarian snacks cost ~HK$350. It was a bit late when I exited and the nearby places that served vegetarian food were all shut. So my dinner that night was Hot Chocolate Fudge and Fries at McDonald!
5. Attractions I did not visit
- Ocean Park
- Disneyland
- Botanical gardens
- Nan Lian Garden
- Temples
- Ten Thousand Buddhas monastery.
Fair bit of walking required
There will be fair bit of walking required. Walking is the best way to discover those beautiful ornamental corners and squares.
Local currency
One HK$ is ~10.5 INR. If you not carrying HK$, buy some at the airport if you intend to take a taxi. Most taxis accept only cash.
Octopus card is necessary
A prepaid card(also called stored value card), it took me some time to figure out what this is and what should a tourist buy. But this is a must if travelling by public transport (metro, bus, tram, boat) and can also be used to pay for shopping and dining, in addition to tickets at various attractions. I found it very useful to pay for small purchases though a forex card or a credit card may be equally convenient if contactless payment option is enabled. The only minus point is that cash(only HK$) is required to load the Octopus card. Those owning an iPhone can also download the card on their mobile.
Unfortunately, Octopus card cannot be shared and has to be purchased for each adult.
What card should a tourist buy?
Visiting tourists have two options –
‘On loan Octopus card’ – HK$50 deposit + HK$150 minimum load. It is refundable subject to a fee that is higher of $11 fee or 1% of remaining value. Card has to be surrendered to secure refund.
‘Tourist Octopus card’ – One time fee of HK$39. Unspent balance is refundable. Card can be retained as a souvenir.
I preferred ‘On loan Octopus card’ as the fee was lower. Check this link for more details.
Where to stay in Hong Kong?
In my view, Hong Kong island(Central or even a bit further away to Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, North Point) is a better option as compared to Kowloon peninsula(Tsim Sha Tsui or Mong Kok). More chic, better connectivity by public transport and more choices for dining. Needless to add, stay close to metro station. Or even a tram stop. There are many hotels with fantastic views of the skyline and/or the harbour. If that means paying a big premium for the room, I would opt out.
I visited during the peak period so to say and hence hotel rooms were quite expensive in the Central region. Hence chose to stay at Harbour Grand, North Point. Turned out to be a good location and a good hotel. Cost ~INR20k per night for a couple, with breakfast.
Kowloon peninsula is closer to the airport and likely to be a bit cheaper than Hong Kong island.
Hong Kong has two separate cruise terminals and it is a popular pre or post cruise destination. Hotels can get crowded and pricey coinciding with arrival and departure of large cruise ships.
When to visit Hong Kong?
Hong Kong can be visited anytime during the year but it can get hot and humid during summer months (April to September) while the winter months from October to March are cool. June to September is also the rainy season and hence avoidable. October to December and the time coinciding with Chinese new year (during Jan-Feb) is stated to be the peak tourist season.
I visited end of March, early April and over the 4 days that I was in Hong Kong, I hardly saw clear blue sky. It was either hazy, cloudy or downright foggy, with light rain. But the temperatures during daytime as well as evenings was perfect. Whether it is Victoria Peak or Sky 100 or Ngong Ping cable car, it would be a disappointing journey without clear distant views. But as I have understood, Hong Kong is often hazy as well as foggy. You certainly don’t want to see views as in the pictures below.
How many days?
About 5 days if visiting both Ocean Park and Disneyland. Else 2-3 full days is good. Add a day if you wish to explore the casinos at Macau.
Vegetarian food
For a change, I tried vegetarian dishes at local restaurants. Good once in a way but it is not something I could eat every day. With over 3/4th of the visitors coming from mainland China, the vegetarian fare is largely prepared the Chinese way. There are Indian restaurants too and I went to one in Kowloon where the food was ok but the surroundings did not inspire confidence. Is the high real estate costs to blame for the small size of restaurants?
There are few ‘Subways’ including one in the Central pier and Ngong Ping village. Couple of McDonald’s I checked did not have any veggie burger.
Hong Kong is another place where Vegan and Vegetarian are often mixed up. At local restaurants, I made it a point to enquire what went into making a particular dish before ordering. Luckily, English is widely spoken and understood.
How much to budget?
A meal in an Indian restaurant cost HK$250-300 per couple. A subway ‘veggie delite’ costs HK$30-35 and with drink, a meal is ~HK$100 per couple. A minimum of HK$500 per day per couple is required for food and beverages, excluding breakfast.
For 3 nights and 4 days, ~HK$10k (INR 1.1 lakhs) will be a very decent budget, excluding international airfare. Fee for visiting Disneyland and/or Ocean park will have to budgeted in addition.
Tipping
Service charge @10% is generally added to the bill amount in restaurants. Elsewhere, it is discretionary as tips are not always expected. For airport taxi, I added HK$20 as tip. Same for the hotel staff who helped with my luggage and the doorman.
Data connection
Data connection will be required for buying tickets online and hunting for nearby restaurants at the minimum.
Visa for Indian passport holders
Indian passport holders do not need a visa but have to complete a Pre-Arrival Registration.
It is a simple form, takes few minutes and approval is generally immediate. There is no fee for this registration. Valid for six months and multiple entries but no single entry should exceed 14 days. Once approved, take a print and sign. Keep the document safe until departure.
Is Hong Kong a must visit destination?
Hong Kong deserves one visit at least. It is among the top 5 global financial centers in the world and by all counts, a very impressive city. Most of the attractions have offers and combos throughout the year. Do visit their websites and buy combos online to save money. This does not have to be done well in advance. Check the MTR website too for offers.
Don’t forget to buy Octopus card and carry some cash (upto HK$500 per person). Above all, pray that the skies will be clear on at least couple of days during your visit!
For more information
https://www.discoverhongkong.com/in/index.html
