Hong Kong and Macau - First time transit at HKG, over night at hkg with two kids (5 and 3)

Hi,

We are leaving this weekend and arrive at HKG on sunday night 8:30pm. We are staying at Marriott skycity and will take another flight the next day at 4:15pm.

Any suggestions and advise for a half day trip.
We will check out luggages all the way to final desination and was told we may need to take it out at HKG then re-check in again on sunday night.

We were thinking to visit cable car to buddha. But wanted to go to hong kong lsland. We understand we only have half day and can't do both.

Any thought?

Thanks in advance.

Coco

Before you plan your HK trip you need to find out if you can actually get your bags check through to your final destination. I don't think you can check in your bags the night before the day of departure, and you might want to check if you can check-in in the morning, say at 9am for your onward flight.

I have 3 small kids 6,5,3 and I travel back to HK once a year (2 times this year). Taking kids around take twice as long (at least). We live in Europe so the kids will have jetlag the second day we arrive - they are normally extremely tired and exhausted. They wake up early the next day they arrive because they are still adjusting from European time to Hong Kong time.

If you have a flight to catch at 4:15pm then you need to be at the airport at 3pm. You'll have to get out of the hotel by 9am in order to get something out of it. You could take a trip out to the city. You can take a bus to Tsim Sha Tsui and and then try the Star Ferry to Wan Chai, then a tram ride to Hong Kong station where you can check-in and then straight to the airport (if you want to you can squeeze in a trip by peak tram up to the peak, but if I were you I don't think I'll do that because it takes time). The Buddha is pretty impressive to see but the city is more interesting IMO.

Our kids love to take public transport because they are used to travel by car.

From the SkyCity Marriott you need a shuttle to get to places, and I have never tried that (will stay there in next month for the first time). I think you should make sure that you leave gaps for waiting time, getting food to eat, toilet visit etc. and plan your trip well ahead.

Have a nice time in HK.

From the SkyCity Marriott, you can ride the Airport Express from the AsiaWorld-Expo station to the city. No need to take a shuttle.

I agree that you don't have time to both Big Buddha or the city during that day you have in HK. It's one or the other. But if you just want to have a glimpse of the city, you may want to just take the Airport Express to/from the city on your arrival night, after checking in at the Marriott.

I believe you can leave your luggage at the airport for a fee. check left luggage.I'm leaving mine there next month but my connecting flight is same day.not sure if they do overnight..

Here's a thought...

IF you can't get bags checked all the way through (we were offered this with an overnight in HKG CX->CX but things change I guess) then take your bags to the hotel. Next morning get the train from the Expo stop all the way into town and check your bags in at the station (most airlines offer this - obviously you need to check yours does!).

You then have a few hours free to wander around, take the star ferry, go on the tram. My kids loved that stuff!

Then just hop on the train back to the airport, no bags to worry about and boarding passes already in hand.

Another option depending which way round the jet lag is (if any) would be to head into town when you get there for a couple of hours, ride the star ferry, see the skyline etc, then crash out about 2am (fine if you've come from Europe where that's only 7pm or so).

Next morning sleep late, have a swim then head over to the airport.

Hi,

We are leaving this weekend and arrive at HKG on sunday night 8:30pm. We are staying at Marriott skycity and will take another flight the next day at 4:15pm.

Any suggestions and advise for a half day trip.
We will check out luggages all the way to final desination and was told we may need to take it out at HKG then re-check in again on sunday night.

We were thinking to visit cable car to buddha. But wanted to go to hong kong lsland. We understand we only have half day and can't do both.

Any thought?

Thanks in advance.

Coco

Thanks to everyone information, and time is so rush, we may do the night tour at hong kong island and mostly likely, we will bring our luggages to the hotel. Then, we will start our tour, since it will day time for us (US).
Anything that we can do between 9pm till 2am with kids?

Thanks.. count down in 2 days.

Thanks to everyone information, and time is so rush, we may do the night tour at hong kong island and mostly likely, we will bring our luggages to the hotel. Then, we will start our tour, since it will day time for us (US).
Anything that we can do between 9pm till 2am with kids?

Thanks.. count down in 2 days.

You may want to consider joining one of these "Transit Tours" through the Hong Kong Tourism Board:

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/canada/local-tours/transit.html

Also browse through the official web site of the HKTB to help organise your short trip:

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/index.html

Have a great time!

Thanks to everyone information, and time is so rush, we may do the night tour at hong kong island and mostly likely, we will bring our luggages to the hotel. Then, we will start our tour, since it will day time for us (US).
Anything that we can do between 9pm till 2am with kids?

Thanks.. count down in 2 days.

Last Airport Express train back from Hong Kong to AsiaWorld-Expo departs at 12:48a, and a few minutes after from Kowloon. Miss that and you'll be taking a taxi.

Thing is, there isn't much to do with kids after around midnight, when the night market closes, so little reason to wander that late.

With your limited time that night, I think you have time to do either one of these things after seeing the harbor and taking the Star Ferry. Either go up to The Peak, or visit one of the night markets in Kowloon.

Either way, get same-day roundtrip Airport Express tickets for each of you. HK$100 for adult, HK$50 for child between AsiaWorld-Expo and Hong Kong. Take it to Hong Kong station, then walk out to the Star Ferry and ride it over to Kowloon.

If you decide to go to the Peak, ride it back to Hong Kong Island, take a taxi to the Lower Peak Tram terminal and then roundtrip tickets for the Peak Tram. The Peak Tram runs until midnight, by the time you get back down, it's time to ride the Airport Express back to the Marriott.

If you decide to go to the night markets, take one of the buses at the Star Ferry on Kowloon side - 1, 2, 6 or 9 - which all goes up Nathan Road through the middle of the Kowloon Peninsula. Wander around, and take taxi back to Kowloon Airport Express station to ride the train back. I can give more details if you choose to do this.