Backpackers' Guide to HK

As requested, Backpackers' Basic Guide to Hong Kong!

I have been to Hong Kong 5 times already but it's as intriguing and fascinating as my first visit. My family, friends and I always take a direct flight from Cebu to Hong Kong via Cebu Pacific Air. You could check Cebu Pacific Airfares on www.cebupacificair.com and book your tickets there.

TIP: A Cebu Pacific Agent told us that on Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest flights on most Cebu Pacific Destination. And before boarding, you will be paying a terminal fee of PHP550.00 and Philippine Travel Tax of 1620php per person.

And before flying to Hong Kong you should remember to book a Hotel or Hostel. For budget travellers like me and my friends, we choose to stay in a hostel since its cheap and its the best way to mingle with other backpackers and tourists from around the globe. We always stay at Ah Shan Dragon Inn Hostel in Mongkok which costs 100HKD per person per night for a 4-bed-room(if you are travelling with 3 other companions) or 180 for a single bed room. It's best to book a 4- bed- room for 400HKD (updated rate 08-08-09) per night for the entire room if your travelling with 3 other backpackers to save. Book by clicking Ah Shan Dragon Inn. This hostel has been highly recommended for most tourists since it's in the heart of downtown Mongkok, probably the center for night markets(tiangge) and its very near the MTR station. Amenities include, free Internet Access( 2 Desktop Computers on the common room), Rooms has hot water bath, free drinking water, fridge, AC, TV, Fresh towels daily and slippers. You could also book a hostel of your choice at www.hostels.com.

TIP: Check in and check out time for most hostels in HK are at 1PM. But you could stay in the common area til check in Time.

Before flying, its important to bring the basics during travelling
1. Medicine kit ( Paracetamols, Loperamide, Pain relievers, Salompas, Menthol rubs(vicks), bandaids and etc.) -- Its important to bring Loperamide( Diatabs/Imodium for Diarrhea) since you will be eating food that might be unfamiliar and might cause diarrhea. During your travel you would also do long walks and your feet and legs will surely hurt. So be sure to put on very comfortable and light shoes while travelling. And if you'll be partying during the night you could put a pair of party shoes on your travel bag. A menthol rub, like vicks would be very helpful to soothe those tired and aching legs and feet. Salompas would also be helpful in soothing your aching back.

2. Travel toothbrush, Shampoo sachets, Shaver, Soap, deodorant etc....

3. Travel Documents - Passport, Plane TIcket and 2nd Identification Card(Driver's License, Postal Id, SSS ID, etc.) before travelling, you need to make 2 photocopies of your passport and identification card and keep a copy on your travel bag and 1 for your family in the Philippines. this is important because you will be bringing your passport with you anywhere you go while your travelling around HK and you might loose your passport and for faster processing of your affidavit, you'll have a spare copy of your travel documents with you.

Cebu Pacific Flights from Cebu to Hong Kong arrives at HK International at around 12:45AM and since there's no MTR transport after 12MN, we would sleep at the airport and wait for 6AM for the Airport Express to Central Station.

TIP: If you are planning to sleep in your booked hotel/ Hostel right after you arrived at the airport and you arrived after 12MN, your only choice of transport is a taxi or hotel bus. A Taxi will cost you HKD400 from the airport to Kowloon, thats around PHP2400.00. Hotel buses are free. And if you will be riding the public transport, which runs from 6AM to 12MN, be sure to purchase the 3 Day Electronic Unlimited Octopus Card for HKD300.00(updated price 08-08-09) inclusive of roundtrip airport express and 3 day unlimited MTR rides.HKD50 will be refunded upon surrendering the octopus card upon leaving HK International Airport which could be claimed at the Airport Express counter on the ground level of the HK Intl. Airport. That would save you much money on transportation when going around HK. And If you are staying for more than 3 days, you could purchase a HKD55.00 (updated price 08-08-09) 1 Day Unlimited MTR Ride.You could keep the MTR Card after as a souvineer. The 3 day unlimited card could just be tapped on the MTR Station entrance and for the 1 way ticket and 1 day unlimited cards, you need to put it on the card slot and get the card back because you need it when you exit the station. For more information on Octopus Cards you could visit

http://www.kcr.com.hk/eng/train/products_index.html

Be sure you get tourist maps at Map stands inside the airport to guide you on where to go when your in Hong Kong. Don't worry they're free! Maps at 711 shops are for sale, so be sure you get your free maps inside the airport before lining up for immigration.

Places of Interest and How to get there:

1. DISNEYLAND www.hongkongdisneyland.com
(1 Day Pass Price: HKD 350) (updated price 08-08-09)
(Open daily from 9am to 7pm)

MTR and interchange for the Disneyland Resort Line at Sunny Bay Station.

• Only 23 minutes from the Hong Kong International Airport, MTR Airport station,
• 22 minutes from MTR Kowloon station

2. Po Lin Monastery (Giant Buddha) No Fee
Alight at Tung Chung MTR take Exit B, and then take bus 23 from Tung Chung Town Centre.

or take the Ngong Ping 360 Cable car.

3. OCEAN PARK www.oceanpark.com.hk
(Price for 1 day adult pass HKD 250 and 3-11yrs. old 1 day pass is125HKD)

Open Daily from 9Am to 6:30PM

Address: Aberdeen, Hong Kong Island

Route: City Bus 629 in Admiralty MTR Station

4. Victoria Peak

(Peak Tram round trip around HKD50.00)

Take the MTR to Central and make your way to the J2 exit of the Central MTR station.

Turn right, through Chater Garden, cross Queen's Road Central and make your way up

Garden Road. You will pass the Bank of China Tower and Citibank Plaza on your left and St John's Cathedral on your right before arriving at the terminus, which is to your left.

5. Repulse Bay HK Island (no Fee)

Take Bus 6, 6A, 6X, 66, 260 from Central (Exchange Square) Bus Terminus and alight at Repulse Bay

6. Kuwan Yum and Tin Hau Temple

a 5 minute walk from Repulse Bay(Follow Repulse Bay's instructions). If facing the beach, walk towards your left

6. Avenue of Stars (Symphony of lights is 8pm Daily) No Fee
Alight at Tsim Sha Tsui MTR then take Exit F towards subway East Tsim Sha Tsui KCR station and take Exit J and follow the signs.

7. Wong tai Sin Temple (2HKD donation/fee when entering the garden)
How to Get There: Take Exit B3 on Wong Tai Sin Station

8. Knutsford Steps

How to get there: MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit B1, turn right and go straight along Nathan Road until you reach the Miramar Shopping Centre. Then, turn right into Kimberly Road and walk up the steep hill on your left.

TRANSPORTATION MAP (MTR ROUTE)
click map for a better view

CLIMATE IN HONG KONG click a season for the readable version

Below is the Itinerary I made and my friends and I used during our last year backpacking trip with my friends complete with the expenses. Please take note that this was last year(2008) and prices may not be the same at this time.

Hong Kong- Shenzhen-Macau Itinerary

November 13-21, 2008

November 13, 2008, Thursday
7:00pm	Mactan International Airport	Flight no. 5J238	Airfare: 7,542php Travel Tax: 1620php Terminal fee: 500
9:45pm	Depart Mactan Intl. Airport
11:55pm	Arrive at Hong Kong Intl. Airport
November 14, 2008, Friday
12:00mn	Hong Kong Intl. Airport	Sleep at airport until 5am
5:01am		Eat breakfast, brush teeth,
6:01am		Go to Monkok to leave bags @ hostel
7:00am	Wong Tai sin Temple	Wong Tai Sin station
8:30am	Mongkok (hostel)	Ah Shan Dragon Inn to Check In HKD 390/day for 3 persons = 801php/day per person
10:00am	Disneyland Hong Kong	HKD 295 = 1770php
7:00pm		Watch fireworks
9:00pm	Mongkok (hostel)	Sleep
November 15, 2008, Saturday
9:00am	Mongkok (hostel)	Assembly Time
10:00am	Mongkok	Group Breakfast
11:00am	Tsuen Wan	Ferry to Macau Turbo Jet 1 way : HKD 146 = 950php
12:30noon	Jetfoil Terminal Macau	Macau
1:00pm	Sanva Hostel	Check in Hostel Double regular room = 100HKD/ person/day 600php/person/day
2:00pm	Venetian Hotel	Late Lunch at the Venetian
5:00pm	Macau Tower	Watch Fireworks
6:30pm	Sanva Hotel
7:00pm	Group Dinner
9:00pm	SanVa Hostel	Sleep
November 16, 2008, Sunday
8:00am	SanVa Hotel	Assembly
8:15am	World Heritage
11:30pm
12:00noon	SanVa Hostel	Checkout
1:00pm	Casino Lisboa	Watch Grand Prix
3:00pm	Fisherman’s wharf	Macau
5:00pm	Jetfoil Terminal	Leave for Hong Kong Turbo Jet 1 way : HKD 146 = 950php
7:00pm	Tsuen Wan	Hong Kong
8:00pm	Mongkok	Check in Hostel HKD 390/day for 3 persons = 810php/day per person X 4 nights = 3240php for 4 nights
9:00am		Sleep
November 17, 2008, Monday
9:00am	Mong Kok (hostel)	Assembly Time
10:00am	Aberdeen	Ocean Park Admission: HKD 208 = 1352PHP
6:30pm	Leave for Victoria Harbour	Tsim Sha Tsui
7:00pm	Victoria Harbor	Dinner
8:00pm	Tsim Sha Tsui	Symphony of lights
9:00pm	Mong Kok (hostel)	Sleep
November 18, 2008, Tuesday
8:00am	Mong Kok (hostel)	Assembly
9:00am	Leave for Shenzhen Tsim Sha Tsui East Rail	Fare one way: HKD 35 = 227.50PHP
10:00am
12:00noon	Shenzhen	Lo Wu
1:00pm	WOW Shenzhen	Admission: CNY: 120 = 720php
8:00pm		Leave for Lo wu
9:00pm	Lo Wu	To Hong Kong Fare one way: HKD 35 = 227.50PHP
11:00pm	Mongkok (Hostel)	Sleep
November 19, 2008, Wednesday
9:00am	Mongkok (Hostel)	Assembly Time
10:00am	Ngong Ping Village	Roundtrip cable car: 88HKD= 572php
2:00pm		Leave for Victoria Peak
4:30pm	Central	Victoria Peak Roundtrip Tram Ride: 48HKD = 312php
8:00pm	Monkok
8:30pm		Shopping at Night Market
9:00pm		Sleep
November 20, 2008, Thursday
9:00am	Mongkok (Hostel)	Assembly Time
10:00am	Kowloon	Kowloon Park
12noon	Repulse Bay	Picnic Lunch @ Repulse Bay
6:30pm		Sunset
7:00pm	Mongkok (Hostel)	Walk at the night Market
8:00pm	Mongkok (Hostel)	Get Bags
10:00pm	Airport	Check In
November 21, 2008, Friday
12:05am	Hong Kong Intl Airport	Flight no. 5J239 Depart
3:05am	Mactan Intl. Airport	Arrival

Will be posting tips and guides to Macau and Shenzhen soon! : )