Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > Asia > Hong Kong and Macau
Reload this Page >

Reasons to visit HK

Reasons to visit HK

Old Feb 20, 2017, 1:04 am
  #46  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SYD, Australia
Programs: VA Silver, QF FF, Priority Club
Posts: 916
Notwithstanding some explanation as to various cultural differences from other posters, there seems to be a bit of a "if it ain't like the US or U.K., then it ain't best practice" flavour in OP's posts...

Certainly that's how I perceive it.

Back to the topic, food, food and more food.
JClasstraveller is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 1:57 am
  #47  
Suspended
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
If it were only that simple. Lot of things HK does well, which is why it's so wealthy. Innovation isn't one of them.

BTW, had about an 18-hour layover in HK before taking return flight.

It was fairly clear around 3 PM so thought I'd take the tram up to the Peak. By the time I arrived, around 4:30 PM, the line was crazy. Went all the way to the back of the parking lot and then right across the street from the ticket office, it was packed back and forth.

I'd taken the tram twice before and the line was never this bad.

Now, maybe the capacity of the tram wouldn't accommodate trying to improve throughput. One thing is they don't take credit cards. Fine, how about letting people tap their Octopus cards? No, you have to wait in line in order to buy tickets with the Octopus card.

Again, maybe they're stowing the customers behind the parking spaces because there's no room by the tram anyways and they can't load them fast enough.

But then someone started going around and offering "express" package that let you jump the queue if you bought various packages which include the wax museum. These packages were 315 and 335 HKD or about 8-9 times the normal tram return fare of 45 HKD.

I bailed after 15 minutes, headed towards LKF to get a bite.
wco81 is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 8:45 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Boulder
Programs: AA Plat, CX Silver
Posts: 2,361
"Tourist Trap Rips Off Tourists" is not news anywhere in the world.
txflyer77 is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 11:25 am
  #49  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,369
Originally Posted by wco81
It was fairly clear around 3 PM so thought I'd take the tram up to the Peak. By the time I arrived, around 4:30 PM, the line was crazy. Went all the way to the back of the parking lot and then right across the street from the ticket office, it was packed back and forth.

I'd taken the tram twice before and the line was never this bad.
The line to take the tram up at the bottom station has been consistently bad over the last several years. It certainly wasn't this bad ~10yrs ago. I don't know what's happened. At first we cheated by skipping the line and catching the tram instead at the second stop on the way up (think it's called Kennedy Rd or something). You have to have Octopus card to pull this off because you can't buy ticket there. But then I stopped doing that a couple years ago because I just felt too guilty. Maybe it was my imagination, but I sensed some people were staring at us disapprovingly. So then we started just cabbing to the top, tramming back down. These days we take the cab up and down and not bother with the tram altogether.

Anyways, for the first or second-timer, I'd suggest taking the cab up and riding the tram down. You'll want to make sure you don't get ripped off by the driver with a ridiculous flat fee to go up. Metered rate from Admiralty to the taxi station next to Peak Galleria should be ~60HKD or less.
evergrn is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 11:33 am
  #50  
Suspended
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Well after dinner, I ordered a Uber, which was showing only $54 HKD from Wyndham Road next to the Mid-Levels.

But the guy for some reason went all the way down to Wanchai and then back up. There was some traffic so it was about a 45 minute trip.

Instead, Uber HK charged me 116 HKD or more than double the initial estimate.

Now I guess they're allowed to readjust the fee if the ride took a lot longer than estimated but is there no way to go from the LKF area up to the Peak without going back down to Wanchai?
wco81 is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 1:36 pm
  #51  
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Shangri-La Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
For me, HK serves two purposes:

1) flights to HKG are usually cheaper than those to SZX (my usual destination in the PRD)
2) it's incredibly photogenic
BuildingMyBento is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 1:43 pm
  #52  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hilton, Hyatt House, Del Taco
Posts: 5,369
Originally Posted by wco81
but is there no way to go from the LKF area up to the Peak without going back down to Wanchai?
That seems kind of fishy. I've taken taxi to Peak from Midlevels, soho, admiralty, central, etc, but it's always up Magazine Gap. Don't know why youd detour thru Wan Chai unless MG Rd was closed or something.

ive had taxi drivers try to cheat me before starting the trip with absurd flat rate proposal. I've also had other problems like drivers trying to take me to HKIA instead of AE or driving unsafely. But I've never been ripped off in HKG in terms of tacking on unclear fees or taking me on a long detour, once I've sat down and committed to the ride. Maybe I've just been lucky. I dunno know about uber, though.
evergrn is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 1:48 pm
  #53  
Suspended
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
I got the sense that the guy wasn't that familiar with the roads there.

Especially when he got to the top, he mistakenly went into the garage where the buses and taxis line up and he was worried about getting a ticket. He went out and had to turn back around.

So maybe he honestly got lost and decided to go back down to where he was familiar. He was staring at the Uber app. screen on his phone.

It turned out to be more than double the original fare estimate but overall it was about $7-8 USD more so I'm not going to make a big deal out of it.

On another note, this Uber was a Benz C-class and then I took an Uber early the next morning from TST to Kowloon station for 25 HKD and the woman picked my up in a BMW 520i.

She asked if I wanted to go to the airport but I insisted I wanted to go to Kowloon station since I had a round-trip Airport Express ticket and I wanted to do the in-town check-in of my big suitcase.

I don't know how Uber drivers make money making a few bucks in nice cars.
wco81 is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 4:17 pm
  #54  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,231
Hong Kong Dimsum
Food
Spend IHG free night at Intercontinental Hongkong and enjoy the harbor view.
Vaucluse is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2017, 5:44 pm
  #55  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,819
Originally Posted by wco81

I don't know how Uber drivers make money making a few bucks in nice cars.
It's pretty easy for them to make money if another party (e.g. company/spouse/parents) paid for the car.
moondog is online now  
Old Feb 21, 2017, 6:22 pm
  #56  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,659
LKF to peak the easy route would be through Wan Chai and up Stubb's Rd and Peak Rd.

The direct way are unmarked directly, many curves, forks and narrow single lane. I only drive there to visit people.

Re: nice Uber cars - I know of a few families who terminated their driver for inappropriate use of cars.
tentseller is offline  
Old Feb 21, 2017, 10:42 pm
  #57  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: None any more
Posts: 11,017
Assuming you were on the flat bit of Wyndham Street where the bars are, not the part already going downhill into Central, then the "correct" route to The Peak is Lower Albert Road, Cotton Tree Drive, Garden Road, Magazine Gap Road, Peak Road. The taxi fare would indeed be about $60.

Personally I don't see the attraction of Uber - taxis work fine for me.
christep is offline  
Old Feb 21, 2017, 11:24 pm
  #58  
Suspended
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Was right at the Mid Levels, right by the Marks & Spencer food market there.

Uber cars were nicer but the big appeal is I use credit card, don't have to hand over cash.
wco81 is offline  
Old Feb 22, 2017, 9:13 pm
  #59  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: MP, BR
Posts: 375
Originally Posted by wco81
Was right at the Mid Levels, right by the Marks & Spencer food market there.

Uber cars were nicer but the big appeal is I use credit card, don't have to hand over cash.


Definitely sounds like the Uber driver is not familiar and took the sure route. Unless the driver lives around that neighbourhood, or is someone who drives as much as taxi drivers (and other public transportation), not many will know that you can get from Caine Road to Garden Road to Magazine Gap Road directly. Any missed turns will result in a long go-around.
Chromie25 is offline  
Old Feb 23, 2017, 12:28 am
  #60  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
Programs: No programs & No Points!!!
Posts: 14,203
Went to HK as it was just a place I hadn't been to. SQ could also get me there and i like the airline.
Annalisa12 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.