Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - 15 hour layover in HKG

hi everyone

we're in transit from YYZ to SYD through HKG and have a 15 hour layover. we are travelling on points through AA on business class.

funds are quite tight and we probably won't have the money to leave our carry-ons at left baggage and pay for the transit to central.

any suggestions on what to do inside the airport for that long?

cheers http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
-ffr.

When you check in at YYZ, your bags should be tagged all the way to SYD so there's no need to pay for luggage hold at HKG unless you are carry massive carry-on pieces (which I doubt CX would allow you to do anyway).

If funds permit, I'd go into town. HKG is exciting, vibrant, and fascinating.

The Airport Express (very efficient, much more reliable than the one at LHR, and much less expensive) should cost you HK$180 return (C$37). I'd take it to Hong Kong Island, go to the Peak, take the Star Ferry across the Harbour, walk around Tsim Sha Tsui, have lunch (dim sum, perhaps), and then back to the airport. That should still leave you plently of time to enjoy the Wing and the Pier.

There might be less expensive ways to go into town.

Or, again if funds permit, I'd consider renting a day room at the Regal Aiport Hotel which is attached to the terminal. They have rooms for six hours for HK$600 (C$123). Some rooms have two beds.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by francophile:
The Airport Express (very efficient, much more reliable than the one at LHR, and much less expensive) should cost you HK$180 return (C$37).</font>

if you're taking the airport express roundtrip on the same day, I think the charge is the same as one-way, which is HK$100 only for HK station and HK$90 for Kowloon (but I think you have to arrive and depart from the same station)...

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fireflyreaction:
hi everyone

we're in transit from YYZ to SYD through HKG and have a 15 hour layover. we are travelling on points through AA on business class.

funds are quite tight and we probably won't have the money to leave our carry-ons at left baggage and pay for the transit to central.

any suggestions on what to do inside the airport for that long?

cheers http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
-ffr.</font>

Sorry, I don't mean to be cruel...but you're on a (probably) once in a lifetime trip from YYZ to SYD on CX in Business Class and you say that you're on a tight budget and can't even afford to leave money at left luggage? What budget are you on? Credit?

You probably heard from somewhere that HKG is an expensive place to be, but it's ludicrous to even suggest that the city is even way beyond your budget. CAD$50 per person can net you a roundtrip ticket on the airport express ($20), a ferry ride, Peak Tram ($10), and probably a meal at a local cafe($20). Living in YYZ, I am sure you've had Chinese food, so it should be no different from what you'd get in HongKong. BTW the Airport Express takes creditcards, and Chinese food is cheap if you don't mind the chicken feet and pigs knuckles! Then, there's always Macdonald's.

Enjoy.




[This message has been edited by Guy Betsy (edited 01-04-2003).]

And there's the buses too, double-deckers I believe. I'll guess around around $10 US roundtrip, about a 40 minute ride each way. Can drop you off by the Hyatt Hotel on the Kowloon side, about a 5 minute walk to the fantastic view of the harbor\skyline. Buses run about every 15 minutes or so I think. Highly recommend doing whatever you can to go see this truly beautiful place.

I can confirm the 100 dollar (CDN$~20) same day return fare on airport express. Considering the ease of access, I would recommend it over taking the bus, which is time-consuming, complicated (for tourist), and also, for a round trip, it would cost nearly 80 dollars, so not much difference.

If you are on tight budget, I would suggest you have quick easy dimsum at local chinese restaurent. Forget gourmets such as sharks-fin or abalone, as they can easily cost in excess of CDN$200 depending on quality. But watch out for some local shops with poor hygine, which offer very cheap noodles.

Enjoy your trip. Sydney's very hot and dry now a days.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fakecd:
I can confirm the 100 dollar (CDN$~20) same day return fare on airport express.</font>

Information for other people.
If you use Octopus Card(prepaid IC card system in HKG), it is 100HKD 24 hours return fare rather than same day return fare.
All document and brochure describe same day return discount.
However, in my experience, 24 hour return discount is actual operation.
I enjoyed several times of this disccount in one night transit at HKG.

What you can do in HKG when you want to store your carry on: Go to the Lounge (Wing - need a boarding pass for the outbound flight). Store your luggage there. Then go back down thru secutiry (elevator close to gate 1), go to immigration and to the city.

Then you just come back thru the normal departures channels. Did that, works perfect. If somebody stops you when you go back thru secutirt just show them your boarding pass and tell them you want to go to town.

it only costs you about 20USD to spend your 15 hours.

get the BP, check in to the wing at arrival. have shower, and breakfast there.

leave the wing, go downstairs and go through immigration. buy a same-day return ticket to central for HKD100.
take star ferry (and you can stay there for a few round trips without leaving the boat) to see the harbor. meanwhile walk arounf central and tsimshatsui. the ferry cost perhaps HKD4 each way

optional tour:
a free shuttle from star ferry (central) to the peak tram. i think it cost you about HKD40-50 rountrip to the peak.
lunch is optional (because you will soon have dinner at the Wing again) and it costs you HKD30 or so at local fast food shop, a lot better than those you have in china towns.
walk from central to see pacific place, the mall at admiralty. (there is a foood court there like those in the malls in US, clean environment)

take Airport Express back to HKG, dine at the Wing, take a shower and ready to board again.

enjoy hkg/ael, and HK
you shall also stop by the touris info (both at HKG and star ferry) to get a free map and some introductions

i would recommend taking the airport express (train), for reasons others have explained, as you do not have a lot fo time. otherwise a bus is a good alternative (but it waste you about 1 hour both way, and you know know when to get off the bus), mainly becasue you cannot see the magnificient TsingMa Bridge inside the train

[This message has been edited by pegasus8228 (edited 01-04-2003).]

For those traveling on the ultra-cheap:

The AE fare does include a free connection to the MTR. You can do some fine shopping at the Ladies Market (during the day, MTR-Mongkok) or Temple St Night Market (after about 7pm, MTR- Yau Ma Tei) -- for example, lots of fine watches available for less than CDN$4.00.
Star Ferry, as mentioned earlier.
Hong Kong trams. These are wonderful, rickety, and painfully slow double-decker creatures that ply the streets of Hong Kong Island, for the whopping price of HK$2 (=CDN$0.40). Take on from Central, prferably heading east toward Wan Chai and beyond.

Gee, I wonder if all this advice on a 15-hour layover is still valid with the SARS epidemic going on. We have a 16-hour layover next week and everyone tells us we should just hide out in the Wing and not try to go into town. That's also what yesterday's World Health Organization warning is saying, i.e., transit is O.K. but entry to Hong Kong is not. Is everybody being a little paranoid or is this pneumonia thing actually dangerous enough to make us stay cooped up airside?

If you prefer not to stay out of the airport for too long, you can visit the "Big Buddha" on Lantau Island. (Not sure if there is direct transportation from airport though.) It's probably the closest tourist spot from the airport.

If you have 15 hours with nothing to do, and you don't want to spend any money, may I suggest you just go "lounge" around in HKG?

While you are at the Wing and/or the Pier, you might want to stock up on some refreshments that are conveniently packaged, so they can become picnic items for the days ahead.

Should you want to head outside the immigration, you might consider leaving your carry-on luggage at the lounge baggage storage area, which is unattended but free of charge.

In case you decide to go into town, rather than taking the Airport Express, try to take a bus to Tung Chung, and take the MTR from there to Central. It's slower, but it gets you to town.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fred_lo:
If you prefer not to stay out of the airport for too long, you can visit the "Big Buddha" on Lantau Island. (Not sure if there is direct transportation from airport though.) It's probably the closest tourist spot from the airport.</font>

i second the big buddha on Pao Lin Monastery.
(i am not sure if there is transportation on the island -- please confirm check with the staff at the Wing. consider taking the lantau taxi (blue colored) to get there.)

it is safe in general, as long as you stay outdoor and away from crowded areas.

There have been some great suggestions above, and I agree that Big Buddha is probably worth it if you can arrange transport from the airport.

There are also some great beaches on the south side of Lantau island. There are also some great beach restaurants there. Plus, the place is usually deserted.

If this sounds interesting, find a taxi driver who will take you there. You can always get the restaurant to call you one on the way back.

Explore Central on your way back!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mileageslave:
[BIs everybody being a little paranoid or is this pneumonia thing actually dangerous enough to make us stay cooped up airside?[/B]</font>

In my personal opinion the WHO and the media are being completely over the top in their reaction to this virus. I have posted a copy of a memo which I wrote within my company presenting verifiable facts and analysis on the situation. You can read it at:
http://home.so-net.com.hk/~pns/
apologies for the slightly raw format.

Dont forget to bring a N95 mask.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mileageslave:
with the SARS epidemic going on.</font>

it is notan epidemic! There's a great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding about SARS, and statements such as this unfortunately make a bad situation worse.

Among a population of several million, way fewer than 1000 people in HK have contracted SARS. Of those, the mortality rate has been under 100. Among those who get SARS, virtually all who are under 50 and in good health have recovered (or are on the path to recovery). Indeed, most people in this age group with SARS never develop pneumonia.

SARS is problematic because public health people don't yet understand exactly how it spreads.

However, it is by no means an epidemic, and all signs suggest that the likelihood of a visitor to HK getting SARS is very low (far less than, say, getting a common cold).

If you're over 50 or have a health problem, you would probably be wise to put off a HK trip. Otherwise, the very low probability of being infected combined with the high recovery rate makes putting off a trip seem over-protective.

Thailand is blocking all travellers with medical checks, 14 day madatory mask wearing, and detention with fines and/or jail-time from all arrivals from 5 areas of the world, especially China. They also want to include Canada, but apprently want to talk to the WHO before doing so, according to The Bangkok Post.

Then, all of a sudden, notice the WHO start actually doing something, rather than promoting bogus alerts and warnings. The WHO is barely about "World Health", but more to the fact of World Hysteria.

If actual customs authorities start disallowing passengers and forced screenings with stethescopes and checks for hernia for PAX specifically from the airline destination, there will be problems.

christep, thank you for the information that puts things in perspective.

I also thought only the old and the weak are vulnerable to this disease but with the death of a 29-year-old in SIN, I wonder if that really is the case.

But since even the WHO data are showing that infections in HKG have sharply down after the draconian steps the government has taken, I hope it will soon be contained.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by wideman:
For those traveling on the ultra-cheap:

...

The AE fare does include a free connection to the MTR

</font>

Can you say more about this? Time limit for the connection? Permissible destination? (Anywhere the MTR goes?) Can you take the AE from HKG to Central, wander around Central, then take the MTR from Central to some other destination? Could you instead use the free MTR ride to go from some other station (not Central) to some third MTR station?

Does this work for the return too?

I had no idea! Wasted perhaps 15 HKD or so, as I recall, as a result. (Obviously not much money at all, though.)

Answering my own question --

http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/ae_compli_e.htm#connect

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
Airport Express passengers using Octopus cards can enjoy free MTR Connections to or from Airport Express stations if their cards have usable value and their travel on the MTR and Airport Express is within one hour of each other (For In-town Check-in customers, the MTR trip immediately before check-in is free.).
</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by bedelman:
Airport Express passengers using Octopus cards can enjoy free MTR Connections to or from Airport Express stations if their cards have usable value...</font>

Does this mean that if I'm feeling really cheap on a Hong Kong daytrip, I can use my Octopus card to take the Airport Express only as far as Tsing Yi station (saving HK$40 vs. going to Central), then use the free MTR connection for the rest of the journey (and vice-versa on return)? Has anybody tried this? Along with the pre-visit meal at the Wing trick, I'll be saving wads of cash. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

There is transport from Airport to the Buddha...i think the A35 can take you there, although you might have to change buses somewhere... Star Ferry - $2.2 when i went on it yesterday... The SARS is not that dangerous if you are healthy and stay out of crowded area (which there arent many nowadays!)
By the way, consider taking the Star ferry to Hung Hom from Central, because if you want to see the Skyline of HongKong, then to go to Hung Hom you can see the whole of Hong Kong Skyline with a better view. You can take the bus E23 back to the Airport from there (60 mins, $18)

We are in the middle of our 15 hour layover in the Wing now. The Wing is wonderful. Since there are so few people in the lounge (and the whole airport) we got one of the cabanas for several hours and it's just like having a day room in a hotel. With constant room service. Anyone with a long layover in HK will have no trouble amusing themselves in the Wing. It is a bit strange to have all the staff wearing masks, though.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Unterwegs:
What you can do in HKG when you want to store your carry on: Go to the Lounge (Wing - need a boarding pass for the outbound flight). Store your luggage there. Then go back down thru secutiry (elevator close to gate 1), go to immigration and to the city.

Then you just come back thru the normal departures channels. Did that, works perfect. If somebody stops you when you go back thru secutirt just show them your boarding pass and tell them you want to go to town.</font>

you can only do this in the f section of the wing, they are in j

I thought there was storage space at least in the Pier.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by azmmza:
you can only do this in the f section of the wing, they are in j</font>

Or if you are Oneworld Emerald (exec plat on AA)

i just finished reading this thread, and plan to leave the airport for about a twelve hour layover in mid november before departing for auckland. i appreciate all of the advice and plan to use it for outlining my visit to the city
i did not read how long someone would allocate to reenter security customs. i think the departure is about 8pm HK time on a monday evening. any thoughts on when i should think about returning to the airport?

about an hour ahead of dep would be fine.
(you may want to arrive a bit earlier to take a shower/etc. HK could be hot and humid, even in Nov)

btw....now they have escalator to level 7...

Was just browsing on the Hong Kong tourism website this morning to glean some info for a friend, and found this guide that I hadn't seen before:

Hong Kong in-transit guide (http://webserv2.discoverhongkong.com/eng/mustknow/intransit/images/mk_tran_guid.pdf)

- geared towards useful information for one-day stopovers.

It's by no means exhaustive as I could think of many other interesting things to do, but as a small pamphlet of maps and useful information on transport costs, airport info and a couple of available guided 5 hour tours ex-CLK, it's not a bad start to have in the back pocket.


[edited for morning typos!]


[This message has been edited by MrsDrD (edited 09-21-2003).]

I once took advantage of a 12+ hour layover to take a bus to Tai O, one of the last remaining fishing villages on Lantau Island. It was fascinating walking around the area. Very few tourists. Not sure anymore what bus it was, but they could tell you at the airport.

Beware that Tai O is very different at weekends, when it is full of tourists and/or HK locals on day trips.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by christep:
Beware that Tai O is very different at weekends, when it is full of tourists and/or HK locals on day trips.</font>

Good point. I did it on a Thursday.