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

2 days in Hong Kong - need advice

2 days in Hong Kong - need advice

Old Aug 2, 2018, 9:53 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,868
Originally Posted by FlyerfromORD
Lantau Island with big Buddha is very "Disney-like". If it appeals to you, you can't go wrong visiting, but with two days, more authenticity may be what you want. Tai O is fascinating and probably a vanishing way of life, but transport will require a large time allocation. I don't recommend either site in rainy weather.
I wouldn't say big Buddha is "Disney-Like"...it is very touristy though like the peak without the fabulous view. There's also a monastery there too. I remember going there by ferry before the cable car and the airport was built. Tai O is about a 20 mins bus ride down to/from the village. Take bus 21, departs every hour from the village and from Tai O.
Troopers is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2018, 10:22 am
  #32  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,659
Originally Posted by Troopers
I wouldn't say big Buddha is "Disney-Like"...it is very touristy though like the peak without the fabulous view. There's also a monastery there too. I remember going there by ferry before the cable car and the airport was built. Tai O is about a 20 mins bus ride down to/from the village. Take bus 21, departs every hour from the village and from Tai O.
Yes, the old pilgrimage to Po Lin Monastery.
Ferry to Mui Wo, buses that were not for service on the island or Kowloon to Shek Pik Reservoir, then another older bus to the monastery.

But in all fairness, the cable car stop at the base of the Buddha is where that Disney-like feeling is overwhelming.
tentseller is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2018, 11:10 am
  #33  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,868
Originally Posted by tentseller
But in all fairness, the cable car stop at the base of the Buddha is where that Disney-like feeling is overwhelming.
Do you feel the same way at the Peak? With the trinket stores when you exit the funicular, Bubba Gumps, shops, getting your photo taken at the viewing deck, and wishing you had a fastpass down the tram (particularly on a Fri or Sat night).

Anyways, I wouldn't advise the OP to visit Lantau with only 2 days in HK.
Troopers is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2018, 3:21 pm
  #34  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,659
Originally Posted by Troopers
Do you feel the same way at the Peak? With the trinket stores when you exit the funicular, Bubba Gumps, shops, getting your photo taken at the viewing deck, and wishing you had a fastpass down the tram (particularly on a Fri or Sat night).

Anyways, I wouldn't advise the OP to visit Lantau with only 2 days in HK.
Absolutely.
Mak's wanton noodles I can understand, Bubba Gumps was never in any HKer's childhood memories.
kaka and Hoyaheel like this.
tentseller is offline  
Old Aug 3, 2018, 2:47 am
  #35  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Originally Posted by Troopers
Do you feel the same way at the Peak? With the trinket stores when you exit the funicular, Bubba Gumps, shops, getting your photo taken at the viewing deck, and wishing you had a fastpass down the tram (particularly on a Fri or Sat night).

Anyways, I wouldn't advise the OP to visit Lantau with only 2 days in HK.
going down? take a bus. its better than the tram. or a minibus
kaka is offline  
Old Aug 3, 2018, 6:49 am
  #36  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,659
Originally Posted by kaka
going down? take a bus. its better than the tram. or a minibus
Bus 15, front row, upper deck.
Better than any ride at Ocean Park.
kaka, szehui, fishball and 1 others like this.
tentseller is offline  
Old Aug 8, 2018, 8:40 pm
  #37  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Originally Posted by tentseller
Bus 15, front row, upper deck.
Better than any ride at Ocean Park.
my friend said that was the best experience ever.
kaka is offline  
Old Aug 9, 2018, 7:20 am
  #38  
889
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,090
Bus 9 Shaukeiwan to Shek O is also quite a experience.
kaka likes this.
889 is offline  
Old Aug 15, 2018, 12:22 am
  #39  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Originally Posted by 889
Bus 9 Shaukeiwan to Shek O is also quite a experience.
it is, but 15 was better. heehe
kaka is offline  
Old Sep 14, 2018, 5:35 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: exUA1K, UA MM, lifetime UA1P, AA MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,731
OP, check out the Metro Winner Hotel in Kowloon. I recall paying ~ US$85 per night in February. A block from the A21 bus stop (cheap to/from airport) and the Yau Ma Tei MTR station.
roberto99 is offline  
Old Sep 15, 2018, 6:10 pm
  #41  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,824
Originally Posted by roberto99
OP, check out the Metro Winner Hotel in Kowloon. I recall paying ~ US$85 per night in February. A block from the A21 bus stop (cheap to/from airport) and the Yau Ma Tei MTR station.
HK hotel rates are extremely volatile (e.g. that $85 room could easily fetch $200 during a busy period). When prices are high, I check Ctrip, and try to get a room at one of the properties in Wanchai or CB that they buy in bulk.
moondog is online now  
Old Oct 10, 2018, 9:06 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Medford, Oregon
Posts: 14
Originally Posted by sh76us
Thread title says it all. I have 2 full days (3 nights) in Hong Kong in the Fall (when the weather should be more manageable). I've read through the guide book and rifled through the zillion options for tours, but I'm overwhelmed by the amount of available info and choices.

Here's my thing: I'm not a big food or drink guy. I eat to live, but don't do food tourism (I just don't care that much what good dim sum tastes like and I can barely taste the difference between a steakhouse steak and one thrown on the barbecue at the pool). I'm also totally not into night life. When I travel, I like to do the early-to-bed-early-to-rise thing. Things are usually less crowded in the morning anyway. I like to see impressive things like historical buildings, views, architecture, etc. I love history and I'm definitely a nature guy, but I'm not a big hiker/sports guy. 1-2 hour walk on the mountain? Sure. 6 hour hike? No thanks. Boat ride? Yes. Canoeing in a lake? Sure. Kayaking on whitewater or Sea? Not so much.

This will be my first time ever in the far east and very possibly my last. I have to go with that in mind, so I want to see what there is to see.

I'm willing to spend a few bucks, but don't want to go crazy. What I mean by that is I'd like to keep the hotel to about $150/night if possible.

I would like to take guided tours (group is fine) as I'll never learn to navigate a new city well enough to really see it in 2 days. Again, I'll spend a couple of hundred bucks on tours, but not much more than that.

All that said, I'm looking for general advice, including things like:

- where to stay
- walking tours of HK Island and.or Kowloon - are they worth it? Which are the best?
- Is a day tour to Lantau worth it?
- Ferry tour to Macau? (sounds like overkill, but remember, I may never be back)
- Any other really good tours out there?

Thanks!!
Dear 'two days in Hong Kong', How was the trip? I have very similar interests so I'd like to know what you did, what you would recommend now, looking back. Thanks!
kathylisbeth is offline  
Old Oct 12, 2018, 4:20 am
  #43  
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Hong Kong, Jakarta
Posts: 219
Re Macau, actually... can save the hotel money and go Macau at night using the overnight ferry, explore the casinos overnight (may as well spend the hotel money there lol) and then in the morning go fetch some food near "Centro histrico da Vila da Taipa". Get back to HK on ferry and continue on haha
shek3112 is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2018, 3:01 am
  #44  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Originally Posted by shek3112
Re Macau, actually... can save the hotel money and go Macau at night using the overnight ferry, explore the casinos overnight (may as well spend the hotel money there lol) and then in the morning go fetch some food near "Centro histrico da Vila da Taipa". Get back to HK on ferry and continue on haha
lets assume not everyone can take on an allnighter

anyways, for 2 days in hong kong... (why am i replying,... hong kong did not change much since the last meaningful post on this same issue a few pages back)
must do:
star ferry, the peak (bus 15 front row for an amusement ride for less than 2usd), tram ride on the island, ladies street (for the stalls, please dont buy anything from there), cha chaan teng (anything but tsui wah), dim sum (lin heung on wellington street for a chaotic experience, or anything else), walk around LKF/Soho for nightlife... or temple street)
could do:
Wong Tai Sin temple, some local parks, more cantonese of different sort (pot rice, 3* restaurants, wonton noodles, snake soup), saikung (if feeling lazy and wanna sit on a.... red top minibus! from Dundas Street x Sai Yeung Choi Street)^

^ red top minibus is... another amusement ride. its cheaper on a normal weekday and cost more depending on the demand.. like a day w bad weather or weekend. Hopefully you get a seatbelt.
kaka is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2018, 3:04 am
  #45  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Originally Posted by tentseller
Bus 15, front row, upper deck.
Better than any ride at Ocean Park.
just a recap from the above post for discussion, im surprised we havent spoken about the red top minibus.
Originally Posted by kaka
red top minibus is... another amusement ride. its cheaper on a normal weekday and cost more depending on the demand.. like a day w bad weather or weekend. Hopefully you get a seatbelt.
IIRC the best experience is the ones to Tuen Mun, Tai Po or Fanleng/Sheung Shui after midnight from Mong Kok. but it is a totally pointless exercise going to those area. The most useable route would be Mong Kok to Saikung (or vv) as I have posted above.
kaka 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.