Travelling to Hong Kong

Raymond Lin · 14 Jun 2013 at 00:41

El1te said:
Thanks for all the help again guys!

Quick question, anyone gone to HK on their own? If so, how was it or would I get bored?

You can site see just the same and if you are into your photography then there are tons to photograph.

Obviously having company is always preferable but I don't mind travelling alone, you just have to be more organised with your itinerary that's all.

Kanpai · 14 Jun 2013 at 06:13

malachi said:
When I went last month I was on my own. To be honest, 8 days was enough for me. I got bored after 5 days but I spent the remaining days looking for and going to different beaches.

Perhaps 5 days would be enough for a solo trip then I guess. How many did you manage to do in those 5 days in terms of sightseeing and so?

Raymond Lin said:
You can site see just the same and if you are into your photography then there are tons to photograph.

Obviously having company is always preferable but I don't mind travelling alone, you just have to be more organised with your itinerary that's all.

I love taking in the sights and such, but by no means a photographer, but I was planning on taking lots of pictures (it'd be rude not to!). I think I'll know within the next few days whether I'll have some company else decide if I should go by myself.

Thanks guys

PAz · 14 Jun 2013 at 08:25

malachi said:
When I went last month I was on my own. To be honest, 8 days was enough for me. I got bored after 5 days but I spent the remaining days looking for and going to different beaches.

Good point for the OP there - don't under estimate the beaches in HK...some of them are absolutely great and worth seeing, Shek O being my favourite.

HK is a great city and if you are happy spending some time just chilling out and walking around, sitting in cafes etc then I think 8 days is fine. You could take a visit to Macau too.

If you do go for the Cosmopolitan, there's a great "English" pub up the road called the Derby. As it's not in a tourist area it's frequented with locals rather than foreigners, the owners are really friendly and the karaoke nights are great fun.

jre · 14 Jun 2013 at 08:39

Monsoon season sometimes last until september, so if you can I'd go in late september or later. When it rains, it pours.

For places to eat, you can do worse than Cafe de Coral or Fairwood fast food restaurants. They serve a limited menu, but food is cheap, branches are clean and can be found everywhere.

Liampope · 14 Jun 2013 at 11:04

Nobody mentioned the CTMA centre? Best place evaar.

malachi · 14 Jun 2013 at 15:16

El1te said:
Perhaps 5 days would be enough for a solo trip then I guess. How many did you manage to do in those 5 days in terms of sightseeing and so?

I didn't have a clue what I was going to do when I got to Hong Kong. So I Googled what to do in Hong Kong

Trip Adviser came up with all the results.

There are plenty of free Government wifi hotstop round Hong Kong, so its easy to get internet access.

funguST · 18 Jun 2013 at 19:05

i was getting a little bored after 4 or 5 days. Ended up jumping on a big bus tour and going round for the day for something to do. You can do tours that take you out into forest/jungles and whats not which looked pretty cool.

We borrowed of a book of a back packer we met in Vietnam, forget the name of it but it had a section called a short stay in Hong Kong, basically give you lists of places to do, how to get there etc for 2-7 days if i remember rightly

RD123 · 19 Jun 2013 at 11:07

Just noticed this thread, can really recommend the Bishop Lei International House in HK. Unless someone has already in the thread..can't really tell! But can get rooms at around £55 a night and the rooms are of a good standard with some great views, can check trip adviser views here too http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_...Bishop_Lei_International_House-Hong_Kong.html alternatively the Cosmo Hotel Mongkok which is around £75 can see on trip adviser here http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_...11-Reviews-Cosmo_Hotel_Mongkok-Hong_Kong.html so far less than the CityView hotel but still with great location and some stylish rooms.(Especially the Cosmo Hotel)

Kanpai · 30 Jan 2014 at 06:24

Just thought I'd bump this thread, unfortunately I didn't end up going as I landed myself a new job just on the brink of booking everything. HOWEVER, I have booked time off work and will be going this summer from 9th-15th August!. I think I'm going to have another read of everything here again to refresh my memory but would like to thank you all again for your help & advice you've given thus far.

I'm planning on taking about £1k spending money (excluding accommodation) which I think should be more than enough for 5/6 days?

Raymond Lin · 30 Jan 2014 at 07:29

£1k is loads, you can live on much less if you don't drink. Travel is cheap, food is cheap(er) than here.

And going in August, hope you like the heat and humidity!

Kanpai · 30 Jan 2014 at 13:25

Raymond Lin said:
£1k is loads, you can live on much less if you don't drink. Travel is cheap, food is cheap(er) than here.

And going in August, hope you like the heat and humidity!

Probably will drink but good to know that budget seems okay!

It's the only time this year that's feasible for me to go so I will have to deal with it

Fulax · 30 Jan 2014 at 13:32

August - October is probably the best time to go; it's usually sunny and not too humind (all relative, of course). It's cloudy for most of the rest of the year.

Raymond Lin · 30 Jan 2014 at 13:33

I personally think August to October is the worst time to go, it is also typhoon season.

Want to see trees get pulled out of concrete? You've come to the right place!

Fulax · 30 Jan 2014 at 13:36

Sun and some typhoons versus cloud, cloud, and some clouds. I'd go with the first one.

Maybe the year I spent in Hong Kong was an aberration, but August-October the weather was gorgeous. After that it was just...grey.

Raymond Lin · 30 Jan 2014 at 13:42

Fulax said:
Sun and some typhoons versus cloud, cloud, and some clouds. I'd go with the first one.

Maybe the year I spent in Hong Kong was an aberration, but August-October the weather was gorgeous. After that it was just...grey.

I lived there for 10 so I say you got lucky.

I do agree about the grey, I go back every March/April now and most days is grey, I think about once a week it clears up. I think it's the pollution or something, at night the city lights actually lights up the atmosphere above the city so the sky is kind of white from the light bouncing down from all the dust/water particles.

mikeh501 · 30 Jan 2014 at 13:50

went HK a few times last year on business. stayed at the Royal Park Sha tin every time. great hotel, all english speaking. restaurant is OK, but its attached to a huge mall with loads of restaurants. Really enjoyed the night life and the taxis were plentiful and extremely cheap.

Food costs depend whether you eat like a local, or eat like a foreigner! Plenty of places you can blow serious money. Shopping was expensive (more than UK) so i wouldnt go out there thinking you will bag cheap goods (unless theyre fake! and even then its not like that happens everywhere, it aint china)

Ken · 30 Jan 2014 at 14:23

Yeh, definitely check the weather forecast for your duration of stay especially if you intend to go up to Victoria Peak. On a cloudy day and with all the smog you can barely see the top halves of skyscrapers when you're up there nevermind the other side of the harbour.

Kanpai · 31 Jan 2014 at 06:43

I just hope it won't be too bad weather wise, either way I'm not gonna let it ruin the trip

. First thing I need to get is a DSLR and get some practice with it. Can't go to HK without taking some shots!

I'm still looking around for good hotels in an ideal location that's not too far from the main tourist attractions and the airport, but it seems it's either one or the other. Don't mind paying £60-80 a night (there will be 2 of us going so that's per person).

bliss · 31 Jan 2014 at 15:24

I've been to HK in Oct '10, May '11 and Dec '12. No major issues with the weather on any of the trips. May was the stand out hot/sunny holiday though. Minimum temp of 28c and ridiculous humidity.

Don't forget your "On loan" Octopus card for the MTR.

With this you're never too far away from anywhere.

This is the hotel we always stay at. I guess you could consider it to be out of the way a little, however there is a major mall attached to the hotel and the Mongkok MTR station is right below that. Takes less than 5 minutes to get into Central.
http://hongkong.langhamplacehotels.com/

I miss the place so much.

Kanpai · 1 Feb 2014 at 06:22

bliss said:
I've been to HK in Oct '10, May '11 and Dec '12. No major issues with the weather on any of the trips. May was the stand out hot/sunny holiday though. Minimum temp of 28c and ridiculous humidity.

Don't forget your "On loan" Octopus card for the MTR. With this you're never too far away from anywhere.

This is the hotel we always stay at. I guess you could consider it to be out of the way a little, however there is a major mall attached to the hotel and the Mongkok MTR station is right below that. Takes less than 5 minutes to get into Central.
http://hongkong.langhamplacehotels.com/

I miss the place so much.

I've been looking at that hotel actually and it seems really tempting. What room did you stay in if you don't mind me asking?

Also this octopus card everyone speaks of, I assume it's just like an oyster card that we have here in the UK?