Hong Kong and Macau- For a quick dip into Western culture

We visited Hong Kong and Macau for a quick 5-day trip. Exploring Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Victoria Peak, shopping centres, Chinese food, a one-day trip to Macau, advice on hotels and transportation are some of the topics we will cover!

Hong Kong and Macau are actually one of the few cities in Asia that I have been to. Even though it was my first time there, Hong Kong especially, somehow felt like home far away from home. Here’s why!

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Our Trip in summary

City	Hong Kong, Macau
Date	August 25-29, 2018
Companion	Remi and Koichi
Purpose	summer vacation! to visit Koichi’s hometown!
Total cost	around ¥100,000 each
Overall	★★★★☆
Thoughts	great for a quick trip abroad! (from Tokyo)

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1. Day 1 – getting to the city, hotels, and Victoria Peak –
2. Day 2 – exploring Central, Causeway Bay, and Stanley –
3. Day 3 – one day trip to Macau; getting there, historical landmarks, and casinos –
4. Day 4 – exploring Kowloon and eating Dim Sums –
5. Day 5 – going back home –
6. Overall thoughts and recommendations

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Day 1

getting to the city, hotels, and Victoria Peak

08:50	ANA Tokyo (Haneda) 08:50 → Honk Kong(HKG) 12:25 duration of flight: 4h 35m
12:25	via train and subway about an hour in total Hong Kong airport to Kew Green Hotel in Wanchai
15:00	to Victoria Peak to watch the famous night view
19:00	dinner at Crystal Jade in World Trade Centre
21:00	back to hotel via subway

• we first took the Airport Express from the airport to Hong Kong station. it was very clean, I think they were one of the few options to get to the city, so it shouldn’t be so hard to find your way there. we bought the tickets from a ticket counter.
• from Hong Kong station, we had to transfer to Central station, where we would take the local train (Island line) to Wanchai station. it wasn’t easy to find our way to get to Central station, but I think we just tried to follow google map or some of the signs. unexpectedly the train was pretty crowded even during the day.
• we forgot to take a picture of Kew Green Hotel, but it was clean, reasonable, had great access, and also had a smartphone that we could bring with us during the day. you know how portable wifi could be crap sometimes, so it was great for a just-in-case. I think Wanchai was a perfect area to stay, close to both Central and Causeway bay, but not too crowded and noisy. there were convenience stores and cafes and other stores nearby too.

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• there was a really really really long line for the tram to Victoria Peak, and since it was like 40degrees outside, we took a taxi. I think it was like 130 Hong Kong dollars, obviously pricy than the tram but I think it was a wise choice. the tram would probably have a long line, especially in the afternoon, because everyone wants to see the world-famous night view of the city.
• we took a quick hike around the peak, it was like a tropical rain forest because of the humidity. the trail is maintained so you wouldn’t need hiking shoes or sportswear or any gear of that kind, but it has a bit of up and downs so it is preferable to wear comfortable sneakers and bring lots of water with you. and please mind the air pollution hazard!!! you can literally feel that the pollution through your body, my nose was itching the whole time up there lol.

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• and note that you have to buy tickets to go to the observatory apparently. I actually didn’t know that there was an observatory up on the peak lol. and yes you guessed it, there was also a very very long line to buy tickets those tickets too. I am not sure, but maybe you can book them beforehand..?
• there also was a very very long line for the taxi to go back down to the city. the taxis do constantly came in though.
• despite all the long lines for literally everything, the view, especially at night, was photogenic and worth it. too bad the sky was not clear that day.

• for dinner, we went to Crystal Jade in World Trade Centre, one of the most popular Chinese food chains. great tasty food, especially recommend the noodles(坦々麺), dumplings, and chicken and cashew!
• also, be prepared for a long line. or make sure you get there early like 5 or 6pm.

Day 2

exploring Central, Causeway Bay, and Stanley

09:00	breakfast at the cafe next to hotel
10:00	exploring the main streets of Hong Kong
12:00	lunch at Wong Chi Kei in Causeway Bay
13:00	exploring Stanley, the other side of Hong Kong island via bus
19:00	dinner at Yè Shanghai in Pacific Place, Admiralty
21:00	back to the hotel via taxi

• one of the main areas of Hong Kong is Causeway Bay I think, so we visited places like Times Square, Causeway Bay Plaza, Pacific Place, World Trade Centre, and other shopping centres. not too much to see in the shopping centres I think, it was more fun to explore and walk around the streets.
• we had lunch at Wong Chi Kei , and ordered beef noodles. It was a local Chinese food restaurant, very tasty food at a reasonable price! would definitely recommend it!

• we also went to the other side of the island, Stanley. had a different atmosphere, calmer and quiet. not so much to see I guess, but it was interesting to see a different face of Hong Kong, one that is not widely known for. the wooden deck along the pier was great to take a walk or eat lunch by. also, there was a small market called Stanley Market, but I thought it was pretty touristy and nothing much was local.
• we had no idea how to get there, so we used google map and rode the red double-decker bus as instructed. if you are going far from the main area, you might want to bring portable wifi with you!

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• for dinner, we went to Yè Shanghai. the interior was kind of fancy but also had a casual feel too. you wouldn’t need fancy dresses, high heels or suits, but it would be preferable to avoid too casual attire.
• it is an authentic Shanghai cuisine! not too pricy, definitely recommended, especially if you love the Peking duck.

Day 3

one day trip to Macau; getting there, historical landmarks, and casinos

08:00	leave the hotel to the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal via subway
09:15	TurboJET to Macau about an hour ride
10:15	free time in Macau exploring the historical landmarks and the famous egg tart
13:00	taking a bus to Taipa village and casino hotels
18:00	taking a bus back to Macau peninsula
19:00	dinner at Porto Exterior with money earned from casino lol
21:15	TurboJET back to Hong Kong, a very long day!

• the total cost of the roundtrip TurboJET was $742 (Hong Kong dollars) for two people
• we bought the tickets online the day before, and the confirmation email came with an e-ticket (png) attached, so you don’t have to print it out.
• we didn’t know how we were going to get seated or if we were even guaranteed to get seated (you know how the seating and boarding ticket could be different sometimes), but it turned out that the staffs at the counter of the gate were handing out small pieces of paper that had seat numbers on, which you had to go get them yourselves lol.
• forgot to take the pictures of the boat, but the ferry was pretty big so the turbulence wouldn’t bother so much. you probably wouldn’t have to worry about getting seasick, but if you get seasick easily, you might want to bring a pill just in case.

• when we arrived at the port, we took a bus to the central area of the city. we didn’t do a lot of research beforehand, so we relied on our google map again.
• we then went to historic landmarks like Senado Square (Largo do Senado), Ruins of St.Paul, Monte Forte, all within walking distance. interesting to see European buildings and casinos and local food altogether in the same area. I would recommend Monte Forte, you would get a nice view of Macau!
• after the historical landmarks, we went to Margaret’s Cafe e Nata for their famous Portuguese egg tart! There were some people making a line, but we got the egg tarts in about 10min or so. they were still a little warm and very very yummy!

• Taipa village is a small area in the Taipa district, a historical village. there are colorful and pretty houses as pictured above, and many street foods, so it was very nice to stroll around. it won’t take more than a couple of hours to walk around this area, it is very small.
• we took the bus from Macau peninsula to the Taipa district, with the help of google map, obviously.

• then we went to some casino hotels like the Venetian and did some of those throttles (we don’t have casinos in Japan lol). if you are planning on going to the casino, don’t forget to bring a passport with you!
• unexpectedly, we won some money, enough to pay dinner for two lol!!! we searched for local Portuguese restaurants and went to “Porto Exterior” that came up. the floor was almost full, and it had authentic and tasty Portuguese food. if you go there, please try the seafood rice! definitely recommended!

Day 4

exploring Kowloon and eating Dim Sums

10:00	late breakfast at a nearby cafe
12:00	lunch at Maxim’s Palace(美心皇宮) in Hong Kong City Hall
14:00	exploring Harbour City in Kowloon
17:00	searching for souvenirs because Japanese culture
19:00	dinner at Crystal Jade again lol
21:00	back to hotel

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• for lunch, we went to Maxim’s Palace(美心皇宮) in Hong Kong City Hall. we were told that the lunchtime could get very busy, but luckily we got there just before 12:00 and got seated soon. will recommend you to make a reservation or to get there before 12:00!
• this restaurant was in an actual City Hall can you believe it? lol. the exterior and interior was exactly what you would imagine a government building would be, but then when you go up the stairs, a fancy Dim Sum restaurant is just right there. luxurious interior and a noble vibe. very strange.
• for those who haven’t been to an authentic Dim Sum restaurant before, here’s how it works; you get seated at a round table (usually), the waiters/waitresses will bring food carts with different dishes to your table, and you take whichever one you wish. you can also order from the menus the ordinary way.
• everything was great, very tasty! definitely try the shumai. thank me later. and also, my theory is this: mango puddings in Dim Sum restaurants are unmistakable, 10/10! so try them too.

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• after lunch, we took the Star Ferry from the pier near International Financial Centre to Kowloon. the star ferry was pretty big and not expensive, you could get to Kowloon in like 15 min or so.
• in Kowloon, we went to Harbour City, a huge shopping centre, since it was raining. very very big, it has all the stores that you could possibly think. you could see the view of Honk Kong island from Kowloon side which was nice (despite the appaling weather).
• for dinner, we went back to Crystal Jade AGAIN! we couldn’t resist!

Day 5

going back home 🙁

09:00	breakfast at somewhere i don’t remember
10:00	from hotel to the airport via taxi and airport express
14:55	ANA Hong Kong(HKG) → Tokyo(NRT) 20:15 duration of flight: 4h 20min
20:15	back home 🙁

• we took a taxi to Hong Kong station because we were tired and had luggage lol. it was a wise choice I guess.
• nothing much else worth sharing happened that day. just a flight back home…:(

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Overall thoughts and recommendations

Hong Kong

• I realize Hong Kong is in a hard place right now, but these are my thoughts as a tourist, and nothing more.
• Hong Kong was a very small city/island that blends western and eastern cultures beautifully (as it is already known for). Personally, I felt an Eastern version of Manhattan vibes; the financial district had all the tall skyscrapers, they had too many cutting-edge, fancy, luxury stores in which no one can ever buy (well, I can’t), but the streets like Causeway bay was very busy, crowded, lively, where you could indulge yourself in the local atmosphere, as you can in China Town or Little Italy or Korean Town in Manhattan.
• Being an Asian myself, I have to be honest, even though we didn’t speak the same language, it felt nice to see familiar Asian type faces (in fact so many local people spoke to us in their language lol), or seeing Chinese characters everywhere that resembled Japanese Kanjis (Kanjis actually came from Chinese characters), or seeing rice, noodles, and chopsticks everywhere, in another country that is not Japan. It was my first time there, but it somehow made it feel like it was home far away from home.

• Traveling from Japan, I think it is one of the nearest places you could go to see Western culture. We stayed for four nights, but if you skip Macau, I think you can make it a 3-day trip and would still be enough to enjoy most of what Hong Kong has to offer. And if you are comfortable speaking English, you will not have communication problems.
• For accommodations, I personally thought Wanchai was a perfect area. Not expensive, great access to the center of the city, lots of stores nearby.
• And, I know they aren’t from Hong Kong, but who invented Dim Sums? Thank you very much.

Macau

• Please don’t judge or attack me of this, but here is my impression of Macau; Eastern culture, European (Portuguese) culture, egg tarts, casinos.
• since we have been to the casinos in Las Vegas already, they weren’t something new and exciting for us, but if it is your first time going to the casinos, you might want to grab some cash and try some for yourself. good luck!
• if you already have been to the casinos or are not interested in them, strolling through narrow streets of Taipa village, the historical landmarks of Macau peninsula, and eating egg tarts and Portuguese food was good enough for me.
• it was a one day trip so we had to rush through everything, there could have been a better plan if we had time. but if you are visiting Hong Kong and have time, it might be nice to visit new cities!

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Here’s a google map, for reference

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