Located in eastern Asia, Hong Kong is a
country frequently visited by Filipinos due its visa-free entry and close
proximity to Manila. It is a magical place where both kids and adults will
surely have a great time, and it’s only a two-hour flight away.
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| view from the tram on the way to The Peak |
HOW TO GET THERE
It is recommended to take an early
flight to Hong Kong to maximize your stay.
There are at least 15 flights per day
with MNL – HKG routes which you may choose from.
You may check out fights from Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air Asia, and Cebu Pacific.
Watch out for those airline sales, as a Manila-Hong Kong round-trip ticket
can cost as low as PhP2,000.
ACCOMMODATION
As always, there are a few options you may choose from to get the best out of your budget.
AirBnb
AirBnbs are booming alternative to
hotels. From HKD800 (PhP5,000++) a night, you’ll get an entire apartment to
yourself where you can cook and do laundry. This is recommended for those
traveling in groups to save on your accommodation.
Guesthouse
Golden Crown Guesthouse – located in one
of Hong Kong’s busiest streets, Nathan Road, Golden Crown is one of the popular
guest houses in Hong Kong. An overnight stay for a family room (accommodates 4 to 5) will cost you
HKD600 (PhP3,600++) while a room for two is around HKD420 (PhP2,500++).
Boutique
Hotels/Hotels
If you have more budget for accommodation, you may opt to book your stay in a hotel.
Check out Butterfly on Prat in Agoda to score the best deals for this hotel.
WEATHER
Hong Kong is classified as a
sub-tropical climate, which means that it has a warm to hot summer and cool to
mild winter. It has a high tourist volume all year, but if you want to enjoy
cooler months, it is best to travel between mid-September to the end of
February.
Make sure to check out the weather
forecast at least a week before your trip.
The last time I went to Hong Kong was
around February which was still very cold and windy. The jacket I was wearing
was simply not enough. I needed to wear two jackets as soon as we landed at the
airport.
GETTING AROUND
This card is used as a contactless way
of payment for most transportation around Hong Kong as well as for other
establishments.
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| Got our Octopus Cards at the Airport |
The Octopus Card comes with a refundable HKD50 (PhP300) deposit.
For a five-day trip, I suggest you get an initial top-up
of HKD100 + 50 deposit (Php900++), and just top up when necessary.
You may top
up your Octopus cards at MTR stations, 7-Eleven and other partner establishments.
Public transportation is relatively
efficient and there are a lot of ways to enjoy the city.
Airport
Express – The fastest way to reach the city
from the Chek Lap Kok Airport is the Airport Express.
To give a rough estimate, a one way
ticket from Airport to Kowloon is around HKD90 (PhP540++).
Taxi – the most convenient way of transportation if you are
travelling in a group. However, be mindful also that Hong Kong taxis do not
come cheap. The flag-down rate for red taxis, operating throughout most of Hong
Kong, is HKD22 (PhP133++)
Bus – Buses run on a specific routes and are guided by Bus
Numbers. Make sure to plan ahead the bus numbers that you will need for your
destination.
MTR – The Mass Transit Railway is the most popular method of
commute in Hong Kong especially for tourists due to its efficiency. Check
out explorehk.com to
plan out your routes and estimated travel time.
Ferry – For experience you may try to take the Star Ferry between
Central to Kowloon. You may check out detailed fare table here.
Tram – Hop on and take the upper deck for a lovely view of Hong
Kong Island with a flat rate of HKD2.3 (Php13).
Tip: Having been a British colony for 99
years, Hong Kong is a right hand drive country.
Be sure to look from right to left when
crossing the street.
SUGGESTED 4-DAY ITINERARY
Day 1
Early fly in to Hong Kong
Early fly in to Hong Kong
Make sure to get your Octopus Card at
the Airport
Check in to Hotel
Stroll around TST 1881 Heritage, Harbour City Shopping
Avenue of the Stars, Old Clock Tower, Symphony
of Lights
Day 2
Ngong Pin Village (Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car + Giant Buddha + Po Lin Monastery)
Ngong Pin Village (Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car + Giant Buddha + Po Lin Monastery)
Citygate at Tung Chung station
Disneyland
Day 3
Ocean Park
Ocean Park
The Peak / Madame Tassaud's Wax Museum
Day 4
Last Minute Shopping
Flyout
Last Minute Shopping
Flyout
You can add one more day for a side
trip to Macau.
For a more relaxed itinerary, you may opt to stay for at least 7 days in HK to fully enjoy this beautiful country.
Bonus Tip: When packing for your trip,
be sure to leave space on your luggage as there are a lot of discount sales in
Hong Kong. I’m sure you are in for one-of-a-kind shopping experience while
there.
Be sure to check out my other Hong Kong DIY Series:
Hong Kong DIY Trip Part 3 - The Peak and Star Ferry
Hong Kong DIY Trip Part 4 - Ocean Park
Hong Kong DIY Trip Part 5 - Disneyland
This post makes me wanna go back to HK, we were not able to visit Ocean Park because my son prefers Disneyland so we had 2 days trip in HK Disney.
ReplyDeleteMas prefer ko din ang Disneyland kesa Ocean Park :).
DeleteOh, I would love to visit HK in the future with my boys. I wish we could go there when my hubby comes home.
ReplyDeleteGo for it sis! I'm sure your boys will love it :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHong Kong is in my bucketlist! Will surely keep this in mind if we will this place.
ReplyDeleteWatch out for promo fares :)
DeleteThank you for the tips! We always stay at Butterfly on Prat for convenience. Dati they serve breakfast pa when it opened in 2008 or 2009, ngayon wala na.
ReplyDeleteYes very convenient and maganda talaga sya diba :)
DeleteA DIY trip is always fun because you get to choose your itinerary! I'm sure you had an amazing time while you were there.
ReplyDeleteYes we did! :)
DeleteI didn't know that its VISA free to go to Hongkong, I think its about time to think about summer vacation. Thanks for this awesome blog post Sis
ReplyDeletewww.wish4less.info
Go for it :)
DeleteNice itinerary. We didn't get to some of the places you mentioned here except for Disneyland, Avenue of the Stars, and Nathan Road where we stayed. We used the MTR to get around.
ReplyDeleteThere's always a reason to go back :)
DeleteI just went to hk last January. One of the best months to visit hk since its winter :)
ReplyDeleteAhhh yes very cold!
DeleteHK is certainly very doable for 4 or 5 day intenary depending on which places you wish to visit. It has been a few years since I last visited that country.
ReplyDeleteYes very doable. Even a 3 day trip to HK is okay:)
DeleteThank you for this. We are planning to fly to Hongkong maybe next year. I want a DIY trip also kasi it's cheaper, hehe.
ReplyDeleteWe are planning a Hongkong Trip sometime soon and we are also DIY-ing it.
ReplyDelete