cwn

Is it possible to take a ferry from Kowloon or Central to Aberden then on to Stanley? I have looked through the posts and checked the Hong Kong ferry listing. It seems possible but can't tell if the connections really work in some sort of reasonable time frame. If it is possible, how long do I need to allow to get to Stanley? How much? Is there a day ticket for the ferries or is it better to pay as you go. I will only be in Hong Kong one day. This seems like a fun way to see some of the area. Suggestions?

cwn

Sorry, I really need a spell check or someone who can type! Hope some one will reply anyway!

rkkwan

There is no scheduled ferry service to Stanley. There's no pier for commercial service there. If you want to go there, you have to go by road.

There are no schedule ferry service to Aberdeen either. Other than cruise tours or hiring your own yatch, the only way to get to Aberdeen by water is to take a regularly scheduled ferry from Central to Sok Kwu Wan on Lamma Island, and then take a privately run "kai do" service on smaller boats to Aberdeen. The kai dos are licensed and safe, just smaller ferries.

There are no day passes for ferries. Some routes have monthly pass, but otherwise, it's pay as you go.

Remember that while Hong Kong people want efficiency over anything else. Ferry rides from Central to the south side of Hong Kong Island is definitely not efficient. While take a hour's ride on a ferry when it's 30 minutes by bus?

Cicerone

With only one day, I would rule out going to Aberdeen by water, as the connections will take too long. You could take a taxi or bus to Aberdeen and go on the Stanley from there. A taxi from Central would take less than 15 minutes, a bus about 30 minutes. You would need to hire a small boat to go around the Aberdeen harbor, as just looking at it from the pier side will not give you an idea of how life is lived in the harbor on junks and fishing boats. You can hire them outside the Jumbo Restaurant pier and other restaurant piers. With only one day I would not waste time on lunch at any of the floating restaurants, but that is up to you. If it is a clear day have lunch on the Peak or along the water in Stanley.

If you go to Stanley via Aberdeen, please take the 6 or 6X bus BACK from Stanley so that you will get a chance to experience the great ride up and over the mountains and down into Central in Hong Kong; a roller coaster of a ride. I recommend the bus because it is a double decker and if you sit up top you will get a great view and a much more thrilling ride than going by taxi.

If you want a ferry experience, take the Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui; or a longer ferry ride from Central to Hung Hom and back.

cwn

I hoped rkkwan or Cicerone would reply, thanks so much! I read an earlier post by rkkwan, I think, on the ferry ride to Lamma Island and the "kai dos" on to Aberdeen. It sounded like a fun trip if we had time.
Actually before reading that post we were planning to go to Stanley, Aberdeen and the Peak. My husband was told about a place to eat at the Peak with a great view and good food. He would like to stop for lunch there. I was tring to figure about taxi/bus rides and time when I found the post. We will be able to leave the Ocean Terminal a little after 8, so a ride on the Star Ferry to Hong Kong is a given. Cicerone, I have read about that ride on bus #6 or #6x. I want to do that for sure! If we have any time left after all that, we would like a stroll some of Hollywood Rd and/or the Tsin Sha Tsui water front area. I know this is all very touristy, but hey, this is our first visit to Asia! Suince the island ferry rides are out, any suggestions about order for the above stops from Central-taxi or bus ride(bus#) to get the most advantage out of the short time? The more fun my husband has the sooner we will be back! Thanks so much for your help!

rkkwan

Hm, I've tried twice to post a long reply. But it's not posting. Will see if this is will bump it up. Otherwise, I'll try again later.

rkkwan

Oh, I guess it didn't bump those up. Here's a cut-and-paste:

This is what I'd do with one day in HK.

- Take Star Ferry to Central. Then hike up to the Peak Tram terminal. Ride the Peak Tram up to the Peak.

- Walk around the Lugard Road/Harlech Road loop. Takes about 1.25 hours. Have early lunch at Cafe Deco. Ask for a table by the window.

- Take bus #15 down. Get off at the junction of Stubbs Road and Wong Ngai Chung Gap Road. [Ask the bus driver when you get on!] Change to #6 towards Stanley. Get off at Repulse Bay (most famous beach of HK, surrounded by luxury highrises) and walk around. Continue to Stanley.

- Walk along the narrow shopping street, as well as the newly rebuilt/relocated Murray House. Have a beer at the King Ludwig's biergarten. Take the multiple escalators up the new shopping mall to the bus station. There, you can take a green 16-seat mini-bus to Aberdeen.

- I don't much about mini-cruise of the Aberdeen harbor, and haven't eaten at Jumbo, so I'll let others help you there.

- Then take one of many buses back to the north side of HK Island, and cross the harbor to Kowloon by ferry or MTR.

- In the evening, go up to either the Temple Street market in Yau Ma Tei or the Ladies' Market in Mongkok. Both are easy bus rides from the Ocean Terminal; or take 2 or 3 stops of MTR respectively.

cwn

Thanks for taking the time to reply in detail. I will look at my Lonely Plant map and see if I can follow the route. I don't think we will make the markets (Temple Street and Ladies). Aren't they late in the day or at night? We have to be back at the ship about 5:30. Can't do every thing, though I do LOVE to look/shop! However, that is not my husband's favorite thing unless it is some place really neat.

I'm glad someone else was having trouble with posting. I tried three times to get something to go through earlier this morning. Finally gave up. Glad you keep trying-thanks.

cwn

Ok, I have studied the posts and thought about the order we would like to do things. First, we would like to save the Peak and tram ride till early afternoon, mainly because my husband wants to eat there. We will start our tour about 8:30 from Ocean Terminal with the Star ferry ride to Hong Kong. I'm torn as to which direction to go--to Aberdeen or to Stanley first. I want to do the 6 or 6x bus between Stanley and Central. Does the bus only go from Stanley to Central or is that the direction that the ride is the best. If we go to Stanley first will it be to early for the market? Also can you get to the top of the peak from Aberdeen without going back to Central? Basicly I thinking if the market is open by 9ish and the bus runs that direction, we would go to Stanley first, then Aberdeen and up to the peak by taxi of bus-that doesn't matter which ever is best- and ride the tram down, then depending on the time we could look around before going back across to the ship. Any suggestions?

rkkwan

cwn - Yes, it's too early to go to Stanley Market in the morning as the shops aren't opened until late morning.

And yes, there's no direct way to go from Aberdeen to The Peak, unless if you want to walk. I've only walked going down, and takes about 1.5 hours. Definitely longer if you walk up.

rkkwan

I'd also like to comment on the bus routes from Central to Stanley. There are 4 buses: 6, 6A, 6X, 260.

6A, 6X & 260 takes the Aberdeen Tunnel, and then pass by Deep Water Bay before getting to Repulse Bay/Stanley. #6 takes the old route via Stubbs Road and Wong Nai Chung Gap Road instead of the tunnel.

Both takes about the same amount of time. The old route is more curvy and exciting, but the tunnel-route brings you pass Deep Water Bay. So, it's a toss up in terms of scenery.

Main difference between 6A and 6X is that they teminate at different part of Stanley (but both stops at the main village). 260 takes the Gloucester Road expressway and not the slower Queen's Road East through Wan Chai.

cwn

Gee, I am glad I found this board. It is going to save a lot of wear and tear on my nevers! I'm the tour guide in the family so if things don't go as plannedbefore we start, the other half lets me know!

OK, back to square one. We take a taxi or bus from Central to Aberdeen, and maybe a little boat ride in the harbor-guess there will be plenty of people offerring their services. Then we go to Stanley for strolling and the market. From there, we take 6a or 6x back to Central. That takes us along the cruvy mountain road, but we will miss the Deep Water Bay, right? Is there a sencic bus ride from Central to Aberdeen to Stanley or is the taxi faster and just as good? Not allowing time for stops, what amount of time should I allow just for traveling from Central around and back to Central?

I read there is shuttle to the tram stop at the Central ferry stop. Also read it is better to take a taxi to the top because the tram line going up is long then ride the tram down. Is this true? Thanks for the information!!

rkkwan

You don't want to take a taxi to Aberdeen, and definitely not Stanley. From Central to Stanley, it's going to cost you US$30-40. Maybe not much for you, but it's a lot more than than the ~US$1.25/person bus fare, and it still takes about the same amount of time.

If you want to spend that kind of money on taxis, maybe you should just go on an excursion from your cruise company.

Now, to the more specific questions:

- Yes, you can do Central-Aberdeen-Stanley in the morning. Bus 7, 70, and 71 will all bring you to Aberdeen in about 30-40 minutes from Central.

- From Aberdeen, there are green 16-seat mini-bus that goes along the south shore of HK Island, past Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay to Stanley.

- From Stanley, you can take any of the buses back to Central and then go up to the peak. Or you can take #6 to the junction of Wong Nai Chung Gap Road and Stubbs Road, and switch to bus #15 to go up to the Peak. [That's the exact reverse of the plan I gave you posted 9/17/04 1:56pm.] Then take the Peak Tram down.

- The Peak Tram is quite expensive, and is basically a tourist attraction. There's usually no wait going up or down. Locals don't go up to The Peak anymore.

- Let me clarify about the Central-Stanely bus routes again:

There are three parts of the trip:
1. From Central to Wan Chai - it's in the city. 260 takes the Gloucester Road expressway; 6, 6A and 6X takes the slower Queen's Road Central.

2. From Wan Chai to Repulse Bay - 6 takes the mountainous route of Stubbs Road and Wong Ngai Chung Gap Road; and doesn't go past Deep Water Bay. 6A, 6X and 260 takes the Aberdeen Tunnel, and then go along the south coast past Deep Water Bay (and HK Country Club) to Repulse Bay.

3. All buses take the same Tai Tam Road from Repulse Bay to Stanley. This route is still very curvy and narrow, along the shore. It's just not steep.

If you take the mini-bus from Aberdeen to Stanley, you'll going the exact same route that 6A, 6X and 260 take after the tunnel. So, you should take bus 6 on your return trip for a different route and experience. And since #6 can connect to #15 to the Peak, that would save you time (and money, as you'll need to only take the Peak Tram one way, down).

cwn

Thanks rkkwan for taking the time to explain the bus routes for me. We don't mind doing the bus at all, some one else had mentioned the taxi- the ship's tour to see the same things minus the Star ferry ride and no lunch at the Peak for my husband is $104US and 5 hours plus about 45 other people times the # of bus they send on that route! Been there, done that, not doing it again!- but we do love cruising. I had contacted a group about a car and driver-that was 250+ dollars!! We just like to do our own thing. Thanks again for all the help!!

rkkwan

cwn - I totally agree with you that you should go on your own. No reason to go with a tour in Hong Kong.

Now, if this is the first trip for you and your husband to Hong Kong, and I believe you basically have just about 9 hours there, I would suggest a slightly modified itinerary for these reasons:

- While Cafe Deco is a decent place to eat, and has a good view, it is not really a MUST GO, in my opinion. [I love that place, and ate there a few times myself; so nothing against them.]

- Your itinerary now ignores the Kowloon Peninsula, which has lots to offer, including lots of less touristy stuff with stronger local favor.

Anyways, I'd go back to my original recommendations, and change it a little. Go up to the Peak, and go to Stanley. You can have lunch at one of the restaurants in the Murray House in Stanley, or at "The Repulse Bay" in Repulse Bay. Several restaurants in the rebuilt colonial-style building, on the same site of the original Repulse Bay Hotel, run by the Peninsula Group.

Take the bus back to the city in the afternoon, and take the MTR to Mong Kok in Kowloon. Walk around the crowded shopping districts and the Ladie's Market. And finally, take bus 1, 2 or 6 back down to Tsim Sha Tsui. Have tea at the Intercontinental or Peninsula before going back to your ship.

That's what I'd do with 9 hours in Hong Kong. Don't need to eat at The Peak, and don't need to go to Aberdeen.

cwn

Thanks, sounds good to me! I will run it buy the guy paying the bills, since eating at the Peak was his thing. I wasn't skiping the Kowloon side. It just seemed like there wasn't that much except tea at the Pen. The same person told us about that too- as a must do. We will be docked on that side also. Is the ladies market open in the earlier afternoon? I thought I read it opened late in the day. Is it good shopping or just knock offs? Again thanks for all the info!

rkkwan

The Ladies' Market in Mong Kok opens at around noon time, so you can definitely visit in the afternoon. Seriously, I don't find the stuff too appealing to buy, but it's fun to walk through the area.

Walter_Walltotti

You can quite easily have a Market day in Kowloon. Just a short walk from the the Ladies Market is the Bird Market which is adjacent to the Flower market which is just across the road from a cheery local market which is just around the corner from a live fish market (think it might be called the Goldfish market)