Fri 03/13/09 - Sun 03/15/09
(public)
Destinations
Hong Kong (03/13 - 03/15)
Description
This is a sample weekend vacation to Hong Kong. Consider this a sample guide for those that only have a short time to spend in Hong Kong and want to make the most of it. This guide will take you through the most famous sights, activities, restaurants, and cultural experiences that the great city of Hong Kong has to offer.
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Day 1 - Friday March 13, 2009

Day 1 - Lodging

Now that you've arrived in Hong Kong, the next step is figuring out where you will be staying. Hong Kong has a wide array of hotels, with many levels of creature comforts in different locales. Here are a few choices:

Novotel Century Hong Kong - An upscale, four star hotel in Wanchai district of Hong Kong. Rooms are modern and come with wooden furniture. The gym has an outdoor pool and golf driving bay. Located within the complex is a popular Shanghainese restaurant, as well as coffee shop and karaoke lounge. Ideal if you're in Hong Kong for a convention, as it has a direct link to the Hong Kong Convention Center. It is situated next to the Wanchai MTR (rail) station.

Guangdong Hotel - This is a popular three star hotel situated in Tsim Sha Tsui, the famous nightlife and commercial district of Hong Kong. Features include a restaurant inside the hotel, swimming pool, fitness center, broadband wireless internet, and more.

(Guangdong Hotel)

STB Hostel - If you're a student looking to spend some time in Hong Kong on the cheap, the STB Hostel offers a 10% discount for travelers with an international student identity card. It's located in Mong Kok, a bustling market area in Kowloon. Beds are $14, twin rooms are $43 and internet can be had (if you pay by the minute).

Day 1 - Nighttime Activities

After settling into your hotel, it's time to spend your first night in Hong Kong! First, head out into the street and grab a bite to eat from many of the authentic restaurants located nearby. A list of top restaurants in Hong Kong can be found here. Some recommendations are listed below:

dish at Mizu'sMizu - Mizu is a fusion restaurant, mixing together both Eastern and Western cuisine in a style symbolic of Hong Kong. It is moodily lit, with custom-made lanterns as its decor. You will see youngsters, intellectual loners (who love to be left alone) and expats here. You will never forget the dining experience here, more so, because you have to enter the place bare footed. So, do make sure you put on some clean footwear.

 

W's Entrecote - W's Entrecote is not a restaurant for vegetarians, as it primarily serves beef (and various other meats). Rib-eye steak is the dish of the day accompanied by a small salad and a bucket of fries. Some pleasing red wines are on sale to complement the rich meat, and a range of desserts are on standby just in case your goal is to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for over-eating.

After you've eaten your fill, head over to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) and enjoy the nightlife in Hong Kong. You can find a list of clubs and bars here. Some of the more famous and busier locales are:

Austin Bar and Cafe - Fairly basic inside with painted walls, subtle lighting - in other words it is dark - and a loud, loud jukebox belting out Canto pop hits, you will not find many Westerners here. Instead the tables are full of local Chinese drinkers, playing dice, knocking back buckets of beer, in a cacophony of noise, smoke and laughter. Beers and other drinks, especially coffee, are available and they will serve up some hot snacks, though the food is not outstanding. After a few beers, though, and half a pack of Marlboro, everything just tastes the same, does it not?

M BarM Bar - Guzzle on the breathtaking views of Hong Kong from this bar on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental. Bite into Cantonese tapas by the Cantonese specialty restaurant Man Wah. The height, the floor to ceiling glass windows, the velvet interiors and the heady cocktails make for a "dizzying" experience. It is the perfect setting for an enigmatic evening.

 

Rick's Cafe - Once regarded as a major pick-up joint, Rick's is tamer these days, and a reasonable place to hang out. The 30's-theme night may not appeal to everyone and it may seem, literally, dated, but the atmosphere and decor are worth experiencing. This bar has a good value Happy Hour on a range of drinks, including spirits. Play it again, Sam!

 

Day 2 - Saturday March 14, 2009

Day 2 - Ocean Park!

Ocean ParkNow that you have a full day to spend in Hong Kong, why not check out Ocean Park, the most popular amusement park in Hong Kong. It features roller coasters, a Ferris wheel and other amusement park mainstays. However, its main lures are its nature and conservation focused attractions, including two lovable pandas named Ying Ying and Lele. Other attractions include its marine animals, with enough dolphin and sea lion shows to rival Seaworld. Finally, Ocean Park provides a variety of experiences, from a hot balloon ride that provides a majestic view of Hong Kong Harbor to a cable car ride traversing the hilltop Ocean Park is situated on.

If you are fortunate enough to visit Ocean Park in the fall, be sure to check out its Halloween bash. The park is shut down for a month in preparation for this huge event, in which the park is transformed into a thrilling scarefest that puts the Six Flags event to shame. Dozens of performers are hired to chase, growl, scream, moan, and howl in order to terrify visitors to the park. Haunted houses are established around the park, frightening many visitors to tears. The theme is a mixture of Western Halloween and Eastern mysticism of ghosts and ghouls, creating a creepy fusion of the scariest bits of both cultures.

(A performer with a visitor during Halloween)

Finally, Ocean Park is bringing many new attractions in the upcoming years. The Polar Zone is an attraction featuring many animals from the frozen north, including penguins. Visitors can see them waddle and glide across the ice, and even view cutouts of their underground snow caverns where they rest. Additionally, they are constructing aquariums with air bubbles built into the floor so children can poke their heads up into the bubbles and feel like they are part of the ocean floor. Many new rides and attractions, including a new submarine ride across the park, are in development, so keep your eyes peeled for new things.

Day 3 - Sunday March 15, 2009

Day 3 - Sights and Shopping!

On your last day in Hong Kong, go check out some of the most famous sights the city has to offer.

Wong Tai Sin Temple - An absolutely stunning and revered temple in Hong Kong, Wong Tai Sin is an immersive cultural experience. Probably the most well-known and busiest temple in the city, Wong Tai Sin was built in 1973 on the site of a previous temple dating back to 1921. The current temple is an excellent example of a traditional Chinese temple. Wong Tai Sin himself was a shepherd boy from Zhejiang province in China, who was thought to have mystical healing powers. Most people visiting the temple come to assess their fortune by using fortune sticks, and there are even some English-speaking soothsayers who can help visitors interpret the fortune sticks. Admission: Free

Victoria Peak - If you haven't been to Victoria Peak, also known as "The Peak", you haven't been to Hong Kong! All visitors to Hong Kong should go to the Peak for panoramic views of the city, which have to be amongst the most spectacular in the world, especially at night. A walk around the Peak reveals further scenic vistas over the greener western parts of Hong Kong Island, and the viewing platforms on top of the Peak Tower and Peak Galleria are a must for anyone with a camera. A tram will get you to the top. Tourists are charged depending on the kind of ticket purchased.

Victoria Harbour - One of Hong Kong's star attractions and one of the deepest container ports in the world, the harbor is shielded on both sides by stunning skylines - skyscrapers and Victoria Peak on one side, and the Tsim Sha Tsui shoreline on the other. Everyday, hundreds of ferries, tugs, junks, speed boats, and barges chug up and down the shore, carrying people and cargo, only pausing for typhoons. The scene is best viewed from the famous Star Ferry, or the Harbour Cruises.

For your shopping needs, visit TST (Tsim Sha Tsui) the bustling urban center of Hong Kong where you can find anything from Gucci to street vendors selling trinkets. If you're in the mood to bargain, be sure to visit Mong Kok, where you can find almost anything you want if you search through the many street stalls; and if you have the haggling skills, you can get it cheap as well.

 

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