Finally Finalizing our Hong Kong Itinerary--What Do You Think?

[MalibuCA]

After many hours of research and pouring over advice from all of my cruisecritic friends, I need your advice and comments on my final (I hope?) itinerary for our 6 days in Hong Kong. We are staying at The Peninsula pre-cruise. Here it is:

 

Day 1: (Monday)

Explore the Central District and Victoria Peak (following Frommer's recommended walk). We will definitely take the funicular up to the Peak. Some members on CC have written about taking the bus down from the Peak for a "wild white knuckle ride" if we sit on the upper deck of the bus. What do you recommend we do? How crazy is the bus ride? Could I get sick? Or scared to death? Is it a fabulous ride, or should we just take the funicular back down and again enjoy the gorgeous view? We do plan to go up to the Peak twice during our stay in Hong Kong -- once during the day and again at night for the evening view.

 

Day 2: (Tuesday)

Explore the Western District (following Frommer's recommended walk)

 

Day 3: (Wednesday)

Cheung Chau

Note: I was debating between Cheung Chau, which sounds really charming, and we love to explore back alleyways in villages, vs. Lantau and the Giant Buddha. When I told my husband how much traveling on ferries, buses, etc. it requires to get to the Buddha, and then, climbing 260+ steps to get to the viewing platform on the Buddha, he wasn't interested any more. Also, we are not likely to partake of the vegetarian lunch at the Monastery, just go to see the Monastery. (My only way to cruise and not come back with an extra 20+ pounds, is to eat breakfast and dinner, skipping lunch whenever possible). My question here is: Are we making a mistake? Cheung Chau sounds lovely, relaxing, and easy to get to, whereas the Buddha sounds like quite an effort just to see a huge Buddha statue. Have I missed the "boat" on this, or is it a good idea (with all of these factors considered) to see Cheung Chau and skip Lantau?

 

Day 4: (Thursday)

Macau

Here I have questions, too: 1) Is it worth arranging to visit Tapia and/or Coloane, or should we just spend our time in the historic center and seeing the casinos? (We are not interested particularly in doing our own gambling as much as seeing the casinos for how they compare to Las Vegas and to watch the Chinese gamble). 2) If we see just the historic center on the Macau Peninsula and take a look at the casinos, how much time should we plan to spend on Macau? If we include areas in Tapia and/or Coloane, how much extra time should we allow on the island? 3) I know that there are unlimited choices in Hong Kong for fine dining, but should we plan to spend more hours in Macau and plan to have dinner there instead of Hong Kong? Where do you recommend we eat in Macau? Keep in mind that we want a restaurant with great food and nice ambience, and that we will have been sightseeing all day in Macau.

 

Day 5: (Friday)

Aberdeen, Stanley Market, and perhaps Repulse Bay.

 

This is the day that we will board the Crystal Symphony, which we plan to do in the afternoon. The ship is in Hong Kong overnight, so we are not governed by the ship sailing away without us, just by the fact that we will want to get on some time in the afternoon to get settled and unpack. My questions: 1) Is it worth going to Repulse Bay given the time constraints? 2)If we go to just Aberdeen and Stanley Market, how much time should we allow? I really just want to explore the Market, I don't need time for serious shopping (I'll do this elsewhere). 3) If we include Repulse Bay, how much time should we allow? 4) Is there much to see in Repulse Bay other than a pretty beach? I live in Malibu, California, so I am very lucky to see pretty beaches every day. What else is there to do in Repulse Bay?

 

In addition, if there is time on Day 5 before boarding the ship, we may want to do some of our Kowloon Walk that I am planning for Day 6. Does this seem possible?

 

Day 6: (Saturday)

Kowloon Walk (following Frommer's recommended walk)

 

This is our last day in Hong Kong, the ship departs at 6:00 p.m. I thought that this would be a good day to explore Kowloon since we board the ship in Tsim Sha Tsui not far from the Star Ferry. We will be staying on the ship in dock on the night of Day 5, and it would be very easy to just walk off the ship and be in Kowloon. This might also give me a last chance to do some last minute shopping on Nathan Road! Speaking of shopping, can you recommend a reputable jeweler in Hong Kong? I'm really interested in beautiful pearl earrings -- what a great memory from Hong Kong that would make! Did anyone have an especially good experience with a Hong Kong jeweler?

 

Well, now you have it -- my (hopefully, final) itinerary for our 6 days in Hong Kong together with all of my remaining (hopefully, last) questions. PLEASE ADVISE! AND THANK YOU FOR READING ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THIS POSTING! I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CC HELP!

 

Shelley

[mrlevin]

Itinerary sounds fine. It sure would be a bit easier if you were staying on Hong Kong Island since the only day you are spending in Kowloon is the last day when you are already on the ship.

 

Stanley market only needs an hour or two. Take the bus. There are just a few places to catch lunch. Stanley Market is a far way from the pier. If you went to market, then back to Kowloon to get your bags, then to ship to check in, you would probably not want to go back to Hong Kong Island at night. After you checked onto ship, I would stay on Kowloon. I would move Stanley market day to day 3 or combine with day 1 or 2.

[coxswain]

Hi Shelley - If you're going to the Peak day one then use the train to come back down ( reason ) on day 5 get the bus to Stanley and then the White knuckle ride on the way back ( Bus 6 coming back lol )

 

 

Day 3 - There is another way to the Big Buddha if you want - Take the MTR to Tung Chung then the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to the Big Buddha. The walk back down along the trail is amazing.

 

You know its free into the Big Buddha - you don't have to buy the ticket that includes the vegetarian lunch at the Monastery !!

 

But then again Cheung Chau is lovely lol

 

 

Shopping this might help http://www.hkta.org/eng/shop/tips/index.jhtml

 

 

Day 4 - make sure you buy Ferry tickets the day before or if you can a few days beforehand ( go first class only a few dollars more - food included lol ) - Fridays and weekends are very busy for visiting Macau.

 

The Old Cemetery is fascinating place - Senado Square - Some tours for you to look at http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/en/discovering/suggested_tour.php

 

 

 

We caught a cab to the cotai strip and visited the venetian - and then caught a cab to the ferry pier.

 

 

 

Hope that helps - i'm wanting a post card from HK Shelley lol

 

 

 

jj.....

[MalibuCA]

Mrlevin and John -

 

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely make adjustments in the itinerary. John, if not a postcard, I guarantee you an email when we get back. Thanks!

 

Shelley

[MalibuCA]

Here are my new questions: If I move Stanley Market to Day 3 or combine with Day 1 (after Victoria Peak) or Day 2, should I keep Aberdeen on Day 5 or move that to Day 1, 2 or 3? What about Repulse Bay? Also, if I move Aberdeen, Stanley Market and Repulse Bay to Day 1, 2 or 3, what should I do on Day 5 instead? I know this is confusing and I really appreciate the help! I just want to fill Days 1-6 with great things to see. What do you suggest now?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

[coxswain]

I'm confused LOL

 

 

 

 

jj.....

[mrlevin]

I don't know the dates for the Hong Kong Sevens next March. If your time there overlaps with the Sevens, I understand that it is an event not to be missed.

 

The first three days to see all of Hong Kong Island is plenty. Additional activities would be shopping and eating. A tour of the wet markets might get you some great photographs. If you want to get electronics (legal and/or illegal), Hong Kong is a great place (just be careful).

[MalibuCA]

What is the Hong Kong Sevens? Also, can you please tell me about the wet markets and where they are?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

[seapenarth]

What is the Hong Kong Sevens? Also, can you please tell me about the wet markets and where they are?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

 

 

Hong Kong 7`s is an International 7 aside rugby tournament featuring top teams worldwide ( New Zealand, South Africa, France and Wales included ) and not to be missed. Packed ground , great atmosphere and possibly a little drinking. No soccer violence but a lot of fun and exitement.:D :D :D

[MalibuCA]

mrlevin and John (and anyone else who has an opinion) --

 

I am taking your advice and moving Stanley Market to Day 1 after we go to Victoria Peak. Yes, we will take the "white knuckle bus ride" down from the Peak. If we wander around the Central District, go up the Peak and take the one-hour walk around the Peak, perhaps have lunch up at the Peak, take the bus to Stanley Market . . . do we still have time to wander around Aberdeen on the same day? I am figuring about about 3-4 hours in Central and on the Peak and another hour in Stanley Market. How long is the bus ride to Stanley Market? How do we get from there to Aberdeen? Is it another bus ride? How long? Is one hour in Aberdeen enough? I figure that that will be a very full day, but is it too much? If it is, when should we see Aberdeen?

 

HELP!

 

Thanks,

Shelley

[coxswain]

Shelley - i didn't go to Aberdeen.

 

 

But in Stanley i walked round the coast road ( 20mins ) to the old Stanley Military Cemetery http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Military_Cemetery

 

 

Just another thought for you LOL

 

 

 

jj.....

[MalibuCA]

Has anyone been to Aberdeen? I went there in the early '80s, and it was charming. Has it changed so dramatically that it is not worth visiting? Anyone know how to get there from Stanley Market and the Cemetary? How long should we plan to spend there? Is it possible to visit the Peak, Stanley Market, Aberdeen, and then, to walk around Central viewing the skyscrapers on our way back to the ferry to Kowloon all in one day (of course, we would take a taxi or bus back to the Central district)?

 

Shelley

[patw]

Yes Aberdeen is worthwhile. We took a boat ride and found it interesting. If you are there around lunch several of the large boat reataurants are there.

 

When we were there three years ago, we were staying on the Kowloon side and we did Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Aberdeen, and Stanley Market all in one day. IMHO an hour is sufficient for Stanley Market. It depends on how much shopping you tend to do.

 

It makes for a long day but since most of these are on the "back" side of the island, if try to do them in the same day, you are not back-tracking. If you think you need 3-4 hours in Central HK Island and you don't have time, you could just take the Star Ferry over on another day to walk around.

 

I agree with someone else's comment that 3 days is enough to see the sites.

 

Enjoy!

Pat

[seapenarth]

After many hours of research and pouring over advice from all of my cruisecritic friends, I need your advice and comments on my final (I hope?) itinerary for our 6 days in Hong Kong. We are staying at The Peninsula pre-cruise. Here it is:

 

Day 1: (Monday)

Explore the Central District and Victoria Peak (following Frommer's recommended walk). We will definitely take the funicular up to the Peak. Some members on CC have written about taking the bus down from the Peak for a "wild white knuckle ride" if we sit on the upper deck of the bus. What do you recommend we do? How crazy is the bus ride? Could I get sick? Or scared to death? Is it a fabulous ride, or should we just take the funicular back down and again enjoy the gorgeous view? We do plan to go up to the Peak twice during our stay in Hong Kong -- once during the day and again at night for the evening view.

 

Day 2: (Tuesday)

Explore the Western District (following Frommer's recommended walk)

 

Day 3: (Wednesday)

Cheung Chau

Note: I was debating between Cheung Chau, which sounds really charming, and we love to explore back alleyways in villages, vs. Lantau and the Giant Buddha. When I told my husband how much traveling on ferries, buses, etc. it requires to get to the Buddha, and then, climbing 260+ steps to get to the viewing platform on the Buddha, he wasn't interested any more. Also, we are not likely to partake of the vegetarian lunch at the Monastery, just go to see the Monastery. (My only way to cruise and not come back with an extra 20+ pounds, is to eat breakfast and dinner, skipping lunch whenever possible). My question here is: Are we making a mistake? Cheung Chau sounds lovely, relaxing, and easy to get to, whereas the Buddha sounds like quite an effort just to see a huge Buddha statue. Have I missed the "boat" on this, or is it a good idea (with all of these factors considered) to see Cheung Chau and skip Lantau?

 

Day 4: (Thursday)

Macau

Here I have questions, too: 1) Is it worth arranging to visit Tapia and/or Coloane, or should we just spend our time in the historic center and seeing the casinos? (We are not interested particularly in doing our own gambling as much as seeing the casinos for how they compare to Las Vegas and to watch the Chinese gamble). 2) If we see just the historic center on the Macau Peninsula and take a look at the casinos, how much time should we plan to spend on Macau? If we include areas in Tapia and/or Coloane, how much extra time should we allow on the island? 3) I know that there are unlimited choices in Hong Kong for fine dining, but should we plan to spend more hours in Macau and plan to have dinner there instead of Hong Kong? Where do you recommend we eat in Macau? Keep in mind that we want a restaurant with great food and nice ambience, and that we will have been sightseeing all day in Macau.

 

Day 5: (Friday)

Aberdeen, Stanley Market, and perhaps Repulse Bay.

 

This is the day that we will board the Crystal Symphony, which we plan to do in the afternoon. The ship is in Hong Kong overnight, so we are not governed by the ship sailing away without us, just by the fact that we will want to get on some time in the afternoon to get settled and unpack. My questions: 1) Is it worth going to Repulse Bay given the time constraints? 2)If we go to just Aberdeen and Stanley Market, how much time should we allow? I really just want to explore the Market, I don't need time for serious shopping (I'll do this elsewhere). 3) If we include Repulse Bay, how much time should we allow? 4) Is there much to see in Repulse Bay other than a pretty beach? I live in Malibu, California, so I am very lucky to see pretty beaches every day. What else is there to do in Repulse Bay?

 

In addition, if there is time on Day 5 before boarding the ship, we may want to do some of our Kowloon Walk that I am planning for Day 6. Does this seem possible?

 

Day 6: (Saturday)

Kowloon Walk (following Frommer's recommended walk)

 

This is our last day in Hong Kong, the ship departs at 6:00 p.m. I thought that this would be a good day to explore Kowloon since we board the ship in Tsim Sha Tsui not far from the Star Ferry. We will be staying on the ship in dock on the night of Day 5, and it would be very easy to just walk off the ship and be in Kowloon. This might also give me a last chance to do some last minute shopping on Nathan Road! Speaking of shopping, can you recommend a reputable jeweler in Hong Kong? I'm really interested in beautiful pearl earrings -- what a great memory from Hong Kong that would make! Did anyone have an especially good experience with a Hong Kong jeweler?

 

Well, now you have it -- my (hopefully, final) itinerary for our 6 days in Hong Kong together with all of my remaining (hopefully, last) questions. PLEASE ADVISE! AND THANK YOU FOR READING ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THIS POSTING! I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CC HELP!

 

Shelley

 

uSE THE BUSES NO PROBLEM ESPECially to Stanley :cool:

[ERParadise]

I found this thread with comments going back several years. I'm hoping that these suggestions would still hold true today (2008).

 

I'm trying to decide which hotel to stay and whether to stay in Kowloon or HK island. We have 3+ days in HK.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

[coxswain]

Kowloon !! Hotel Langham place !!

 

 

 

 

jj.......

[mrlevin]

I'm trying to decide which hotel to stay and whether to stay in Kowloon or HK island. We have 3+ days in HK.

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

 

Hong Kong Island! You will spend much more time during your three day visit on HKI side. In addition, if you are boarding a ship, you will probably overnight the first night anyway so you can see kowloon then.

[ERParadise]

Hong Kong Island! You will spend much more time during your three day visit on HKI side. In addition, if you are boarding a ship, you will probably overnight the first night anyway so you can see kowloon then.

 

 

Thanks for the advice,;)

 

Yes we arrive late Wednesday and have Thursday & Friday on our own, then board the Regent Mariner on Saturday and the ship departs Sunday evening. So we have all day Sunday in Kowloon.

 

We now need to come up with our schedule for Thursday & Friday and leave Sunday to go to Kowloon. Suggestions?:cool:

[ROCruiser]

I see that you have a whole day set aside for the Western District. I would think that you can put Western and Central District into one day. I vote for Cheung Chau over Lantau. Cheung Chau is such a relaxing island. Walking up the hills, down to the beaches and back. What about the New Territories?

[ERParadise]

I see that you have a whole day set aside for the Western District. I would think that you can put Western and Central District into one day. I vote for Cheung Chau over Lantau. Cheung Chau is such a relaxing island. Walking up the hills, down to the beaches and back. What about the New Territories?

 

 

What would be the top thing or two to do in the "New Territories"

 

Is it worth it to go to Macau or is this simply another "Vegas look-alike"?

 

Steve

[ROCruiser]

New Territories used to be quite different from the HK island and Kowloon (south of Boundary Street). Now you see tall buildings everywhere. I think the one thing to see will be the walled-villages (not too many left.) Some monastary/temples. As I recall, some tours also take people to the horse racing site in Shatin for lunch (you will not see the horse racing though.) Check the HK Tourist Board site for info.

 

Macau is definately worth the trip. Yes, there are many casinos, but go for the historical sites. I don't remember the names of these places, but the Macau Temple, Protestant Cemetery and chapel (where Robert Morrison, the first missionary to China 200 years ago, and other early missionaries were buried) etc. etc.

[harrodsfan]

Do take time to do Hollywood Road and Cat street. Or is that the Frommer Walking tour you were talking about?

Do stop at Honeychurch Gallery on Hollywood Road. Very nice and honest dealer.

The star Ferry is a must. So much fun.. I could ride it back and forth all day.

The ride down from Victoria Peak isn't a white knuckle. I also recommend the but i believe 7a to Stanley market from the central bus station on HK Island.

Don't miss Shanghi Tang.