Hong Kong is one of the most powerful and influential nations
in the world. It is considered as the New York of the East because of its captivating
skyline, busy streets, great foods, and fashionable locals. My buddies and I
booked a flight via Cebu Pacific Air on February to avoid the hustle and bustle
during Chinese New Year. We also learned that February is one of the best months to travel to Hong Kong
because of the weather.
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| Hong Kong |
Here is my 6 days and 5 nights itinerary for your reference:
Day 1
We booked a flight to Hong Kong that departs from Clark
(Diosdado Macapagal International Airport) to avail the annual airline promo. It
turned out to be one of the most regretful decisions we made. Travelling from Manila to
Clark takes around 3 hours without traffic. There are buses in Ayala which go
straight to Clark International Airport. We didn't gamble and rented a van since
our flight was at 7 am.
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| Departing at Clark International Airport |
The travel time from Clark to Hong Kong is 3 hours. We
arrived at Hong International Airport around 10 am. We purchased an Octopus
Card to avoid the hassle of buying tickets every time we ride the MTR. We took the Bus A21 at the Airport which
travels to Kowloon and passes along the street where our hotel is located.
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| Hong Kong International Airport Arrival Area |
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| A21 Bus Outside the Airport |
We checked in at Cosmic Guesthouse which is located on the 12F
of Mirador Mansion. Our room was very small and a bit old. The two reasons why
we picked the hotel is the price and location which is along Nathan Road, ideal
for travelers.
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| Outside our Hotel |
After we settled our stuff at the hotel, we had a quick
snack 2 blocks away from our hotel. It's our first time to taste authentic Hong
Kong dishes. I ordered a bowl of noodles with an odd black sauce. The price was
a bit expensive and the taste was awful.
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| Noodles with Black Sauce |
From Nathan Road, we went through the Tsim Sha Tsui station
underpass and exited East Tsim Sha Tsui
station to reach our next destination. Avenue of the Stars is pretty much alike
with Hollywood Walk of Fame that honours the Hong Kong film industry
celebrities. It is also famous for its picturesque Victoria Harbour waterfront
view. We stayed there for a few hours
before we headed back to our hotel.
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| Victoria Harbour Waterfront View at Avenue of the Stars |
Day 2
We travelled to Sheung Wan station where the Macau Ferry
Terminal is situated. We boarded the Turbo Jet and arrived in Macau after an
hour.
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| Inside the Turbo Jet |
Macau is a great place to travel if you want some pure entertainment
and comforting vacation. Getting to the main city is not a problem since there
are hotel buses available outside the terminal which take you to your chosen
destination for free. We took the Venetian Macao bus and brought us to the
hotel for a few minutes. We didn't stay at the hotel since our goal was to
explore Macau and the several attractions it offers.
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| Outside the Macau Ferry Terminal |
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| Venitian Macao |
Our first route was the Senado Square which was completely overwhelming.
The entire area gives you a feel of Europe with its baroque-like style structures
and intricately designed roads.
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| Senado Square |
We also headed to the Ruins of St. Paul, Macau's famous
landmark. The place was crowded with tourists because of the scenic view and establishments
available around the Ruins. Kudos to Macau government for preserving its heritage amidst modernization.
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| Ruins of St. Paul |
From the Ruins, we took a bus to A-Ma Temple which is
situated on the southwest tip of the Macau Peninsula. It's one of the oldest
and famous Taoist temples in the country.
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| A-Ma Temple |
Just a few meters away from A-Ma Temple, we saw a great
place to have a picture perfect view of the famous Macau Tower. We stayed and
relaxed for a couple of minutes before heading back to Hong Kong.
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| Great View of Macau Tower |
Day 3
From Tsim Sha Tsui station, we headed to Central station and
strolled a couple of meters to Hong Kong Park. We stayed there for almost an
hour for more kodak moments before heading to Victoria Peak.
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| Hong Kong Park |
We took the famous Peak Tram and arrived at the summit for a
few minutes. The weather was freezing cold and we were all wearing shorts. What a dumb idea right? Anyway, we spent a few
hours at the Peak to witness the beauty of Hong Kong.
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| The Peak Tram |
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| On Our Way to the Summit |
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| View of Hong Kong from the Peak |
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| The Peak |
From Victoria Peak, we took the MRT to Tung Chung station.
This is where the Ngong Ping Cable Car is located. Unfortunately, Ngong Ping
Cable Car was under maintenance so we had to take the long route via Tung Chung
Bus A23. We arrived at Ngong Ping Village after 1 and a half hour.
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| Disappointed! |
It was almost sunset
so we went straight to Tian Tian Buddha. We had to climb 240 steps in order to
reach the bronze statue. Inside the Buddha, there are stores which sell Buddhist
items and area that talks about the history of the famous structure.
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| Tian Tian Buddha |
A few walks away from Tian Tian Buddha is the Po Lin
Monastery. The monastery was very serene and surrounded with colourful flowers
and ornaments.
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| Po Lin Monastery |
Day 4
Disneyland tour was the most anticipating day of our entire
trip. It's my ultimate childhood dream to see Mickey in person and his humble crib.
We took MTR to Sunny Bay station. From there, we took an exclusive MTR route to
Disneyland Resort.
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| Disneyland Resort MTR Station |
The park welcomed us with a colourful dragon dance parade. I
also got a chance to meet Mickey and Daisy and take pictures with them.
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| Disneyland |
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| Mickey, Daisy, and Myself |
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| Dragon Dance Parade |
Disneyland Hong Kong offers rides designed specifically for
young ages. So if you are looking for extreme rides, this is not the place for
you.
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| Toy Story Land |
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| Adventureland |
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| Tarzan's Treehouse |
Day 5
We spent the entire
day exploring the famous markets in Hong Kong. Temple Street and Ladies Markets
are two of the famous markets in the country located in Yau Ma Tei and Mongkok
respectively. These markets offer different items from t-shirts, bags, kitchen
utensils, and a lot more for affordable prices. But be cautious with those stores
who sell fake products.
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| Exploring the Market Place |
Day 6
Before heading back to Manila, we visited Hong Kong Island
and tour the place via Tram. From our hotel, we headed to Star Ferry terminal
which is a few meters away from Avenue of the Stars. We took a ferry ride and
arrived at the Central station after a few minutes.
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| Ferry to Central Station |
Compared to Kowloon, Hong Kong Island is a bit laid back and
people are more attached to their heritage.
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| Famous Tram |
I had a lot of fun memories on our Hong Kong and Macau trip.
Hong Kong is such a haven and an ideal place to spend your vacation.
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