Youngtraveller05

On the last stop of my honeymoon from Bali, my wife and I are stopping in HKG for one night and day.

Get in on a Monday night at 8:50 and leave Tuesday night at 11:45pm to LAX.

With such a short time, I am looking to possibly hire a private tour guide to show us all the main highlights that HKG has to offer ( I know 1 day isn't even close to enough time).

My hotel quoted me 4 hours for $265 USD, then $90 USD per hour after that for a private guide. Do any of you guys or gals have any recommendations for me to look into that might be a better price or bet?

Thank you!

AA_EXP09

I personally would recommend trying to explore the city yourself rather than go with a tour guide. Just do some research and go to places that interest you (that is only how I travel, though most young travellers that I know are like that.)
What exactly are you looking to do-shopping, sightseeing, exploring?

Youngtraveller05

Thanks! I am also starting to lean towards exploring on our own as we have done this across Europe with no issues before, or I might just book 4 hours early in the morning with the guide then explore on our own until having to head to HKG to head home.

We are really just looking to do more the sightseeing and exploring. I can't speak for the shopping, but my wife might have a different answer!

Ashasan2005

Young, Its a great city and a guide is not needed at all. What hotel are you staying at? And when? If the weather is clear (not too hazy) Victoria's Peak is a must. Seeing the skyline from above is stunning, and doesn't take too long if its not on a weekend. transportation is very easy. Using the subway/busses is extremely easy to do. If you look at Eyewitness Travel guides top ten things to do in Hong Kong they include: The Peak, Big Buddha on Lantau Island - a bit of a hike but extremely impressive and can be combined with HK Disney if you are into that, Happy Valley Horse racing - On Wednesdays nights mostly, taking a star ferry from HK Island to Kowloon or visa versa (costs less than $.50USD),and others. I would add the nightly light show from the kowloon side. Save that money and use it on a nice dinner with a view....

Youngtraveller05

Ashasan, I can't wait to visit as my Dad and everyone who has visited says nothing but great things. We will be staying at the Kowloon Shangri-La on 5/12 checking out on 5/13. Victoria's Peak, Big Buddha, star ferry, laser/light show and 10,000 Buddha's are all on the list to see along with trying to dine for lunch at Tim Ho Wan's. No HK Disneyland for me as I live in Orlando with Universal and Disney World just across town

After just two responses and us navigating major European cities on our own before, I now am leaning to doing it our selves and saving the money.

Thank you for the opinions! I look forward to writing my first trip report for this adventure.

rkkwan

I have taken other posters on Flyertalk and Fodor's around HK for the cost of my transportation and meals. Send me a PM if interested. Spending that much money is crazy.

tentseller

265USD for 4 hrs and then 90USD/hr. I am sure there are Fters who would do this for less.


HK is easy to DIY. All direction signages have English on them.

However I warn about being too ambitious.

Big Buddha along with the MTR ride and the NP360 cable car will take you most of the day.

Best Star Ferry from TST to Central and then cable car up to the Peak. You can ride the peak tram back down or take bus 15 from Peak to Central, upper deck front row!!! Scenic down the peak and you also get a feel of HK local life.
There is Tim Ho Wan at the IFC after you get back to Central you can also do Wonton noodles at Mak's on Wellington St or Beef brisket noodles at Kau Kee on Gough St.

All the major luxury brands are in Central and TST. There is also Mong Kok for local street shopping.

A must see is the evening laser show of HK skyline, best sight is from Kowloon side. See if you can get a reservation at the Shangri-La Upper levels bar. After that, get your bags and head to airport.

bibbju

I'd skip both Big Buddha and 10,000 buddhas as they're both very time consuming and it won't leave you with time for anything else. And surely you'll have seen plenty of buddhas in Bali?! Definitely skip Disney (and Ocean Park) as you'd be very disappointed if you compare them to what you have in the US.

The Peak is popular with tourists but better on a clear day. If you go, I suggest you take the no. 15 bus up (it leaves from Central) and get the tram back down. Queues for the tram UP can be very long. You could get the Star Ferry over from TST to Central and then hop on the 15 bus there (it leaves from outside the ferry pier). The bus will take you through Central and Wanchai (before heading up towards the Peak) so it will give you a feel for HK and what places you might be interested in seeing later. There are also bus tours which leave from the ferry piers in Central that I've been told by visitors are very good for a whistlestop tour.

You could go for dim sum at Maxim's City Hall (close to the HSBC main building) as they still use trollies (rather than menus) and there's a pleasant harbour view over to TST). No reservations though so get there before 12 or mid-afternoon unless you like long queues.

For the light show, I'd consider booking tickets on the Aqua Luna junk (google it). Much nicer than watching from the harbourside. You can get on and off in TST.

I'd also take a trip on the Mid-Levels escalator. A classic HK experience and you're sure to see places you want a closer look at. For you wife, she'll find more interesting shops around the Soho/Noho area (that the escalator passes through) and it's only a short stroll to Sheung Wan for a more "local" feel if want to see chinese medecine shops selling dried shark fin etc. You can walk through Soho (great restaurants and bars) through Graham St wet market and down to Sheung Wan that way. You might also be interested in visiting Man Mo temple onb Hollywood Rd since it's in the area.

Shopping in HK is not what it used to be. Named brands are massively overpriced and you will no doubt be shocked at how expensive things are. Definitely don't bother with any of the luxury branded shops as it's much cheaper back home for you. The shops are targeted at mainland tourists flashing their cash (high taxes on the mainland mean HK is cheaper shopping for them).

Consider getting a tram for at least a few stops. They're slow but very cheap and an interesting way of experiencing HK.

BuildingMyBento

A must-see? Hardly. The skyline is one of the more idyllic ones even without a tacky laser show. Nathan Rd (and many streets perpendicular to it, particularly in TST/Jordan). at night deserves a few night shots for its famed neon signs too.

moondog

I would try to include Stanley Market in the mix. Yes, it's a bit of a tourist trap, but I really enjoy it. I was in HK last week, and was shocked to learn that two of my friends who live there had never even heard of it.

dtsm

Long time contributor to Board, and good deal - I'd take him up on the offer ^^
Or DIY, there's tons of info here and keep in mind you won't be able to do everything.

silver-tls

Stanley Market was quite a letdown. Everything is more expensive than other parts of the city. It's also quite out of the way too. The big Buddha will take up alot of your time if you're planning on doing Ngong Ping 360 (cable car).

Need

Do NOT go to the Big Buddha unless you are prepared for a flight delay. It takes hours to line up for the cable car both ways. And that's if you are lucky to ride it both ways. If you are unlucky and hit one of those windy afternoon.. they will shut down the cable car and you will have to line up for many hours to take the bus down. It is not worth it if you only have 1 day.

BuildingMyBento

I think Stanley Market is rubbish as well, however the bus ride to/fro was worth the trek.

Steve M

If you can self-navigate in continental Europe, you can most definitely do so in Hong Kong. I think Hong Kong is far *easier* for the self-guided traveler than, say, Paris is. For one, English is an official language, so all gov't and transport signage is going to be in English as well as Chinese.

Things like ticket vending machines for the metro will be bi-lingual, and if you have to ask for help, a) the metro employee will speak English, and b) will not give you an attitude. Compare those things to Paris, where unlike other European capitals, things like rail vending machines (even brand new ones) seem perversely proud in a mechanized manner to only transact in French.