rkkwan's 10-11/06 trip to Hong Kong, China, Macau
Nov 13th, 2006, 09:33 PM
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rkkwan's 10-11/06 trip to Hong Kong, China, Macau
Okay, came back yesterday after spending about 2 weeks in Asia. It was an incredible trip, even by my standard. Saw lots of stuff new and old, met with lots of people. This thread will be massive, and will be posted over time. I will also have a seperate thread on the Airline forum about the Continental flights between Houston and Hong Kong and the 4 doemestic China flights I took.
I'll break this thread up into different posts. Hong Kong, Macau, and the Pearl River region will be first, and not in chronological order. Then I'll write about the 6-day trip to Yunnan that wasn't just leisure. [Or I may start a seperate thread on that trip.]
I bought a new camera prior to this trip, and has taken over 2,000 10MP pictures. I'll gradually post them as I finish tweaking and editing them. Meanwhile, you can look at some of my other photos at: rkkwan.zenfolio.com
One thing a little different from my last trip to Hong Kong is that I probably won't post a seperate dining report. I ate at plenty of interesting places, but I spent too much time chatting with friends I didn't pay enough attention to what I ate! So, short description will be filed together under this thread, and not on a dedicated one.
Stay tuned.
I'll break this thread up into different posts. Hong Kong, Macau, and the Pearl River region will be first, and not in chronological order. Then I'll write about the 6-day trip to Yunnan that wasn't just leisure. [Or I may start a seperate thread on that trip.]
I bought a new camera prior to this trip, and has taken over 2,000 10MP pictures. I'll gradually post them as I finish tweaking and editing them. Meanwhile, you can look at some of my other photos at: rkkwan.zenfolio.com
One thing a little different from my last trip to Hong Kong is that I probably won't post a seperate dining report. I ate at plenty of interesting places, but I spent too much time chatting with friends I didn't pay enough attention to what I ate! So, short description will be filed together under this thread, and not on a dedicated one.
Stay tuned.
Nov 13th, 2006, 10:29 PM
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<b>Part 1: Hong Kong</b>
<b>A. 6.5 hours Lantau Tour in which rkkwan becomes a real tourist guide and not just a virtual one</b>
On top of my "to do" list for Hong Kong is to ride the new Skyrail between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau. This massive cable car system has been plagued with technical problems, and didn't open until late September, months behind schedule. A new "market" was also built at Ngong Ping with shops, restaurants, themed shows, etc.
I went last Friday (11/10/06). Crowds and lines are worse on weekends, so I went on a weekday. I also went to Lantau on a ferry rather than the MTR, which is NOT the way most people do these days. And I am very glad that I did that, as I picked up a "customer" on the ferry to start my new career as a tour guide.
<b>i. Ferry to Mui Wo</b>
I arrived at the No. 6 Pier in Central at around 8:45 for the 9:00 fast ferry service to Mui Wo. ($22.2 for Mon-Sat fast ferry service; more for Sundays, less for slow service). Lots of movements at that time of the day, with various vessels dropping off commuters from the islands. But our "First Ferry One" didn't show up until around 8:58, and we departed a few minutes late.
"First Ferry One" is an odd-looking Australian designed, HK-built 24M Aquan that sits 230. Cruise speed is only 25knots, which is way slower than the true high-speed jetfoils (45knots) to Macau or even Discovery Bay's catamarans (33knots). Charging people double over the "slow ferry" is a scam.
Anyways, at the pier were large groups of noisy high-school kids going to camp, me and a white girl with a North Face backpack. I found out she's a first time visitor to Hong Kong and was planning to see the big buddha. She didn't enjoy the bumpy 35-minute ride at all. Let's call her "B".
I told B my itinerary, and she decided to join me to Tai O, Ngong Ping and then hopefully ride the cable car down.
<b>ii. Bus to Tai O</b>
I learned prior to the trip that the New Lantao bus company has introduced a couple of island passes, with or without a cable car ride. So, first thing I did at Mui Wo was to find out about it. Turned out they don't sell the pass with the cable car ride at Mui Wo. [Make sense; why would they promote somebody else's business?] And the bus-only pass doesn't benefit us. So, we just paid regular fares instead.
We took the 9:45 #1 bus to Tai O ($10), and arrived around 10:20. Lots of construction along the way, but don't add much travel time. They're also cutting a brand new road to Tung Chung to replace the current single-lane road.
<b>iii. Tai O</b>
I haven't been to Tai O for years, and I found that it hasn't changed at all. The same stores selling preserved salty fish, shrimp paste, etc; and the stilt houses are still there. [Side story: a tour group arrived in a minibus around the same time as we did, and I later found out from the Hong Kong Tourism Board's website that such day-tour to Lantau cost $390-560 per person. Keep that in mind.] We crossed the bridge to the Shek Tsai Po Island, and walked into the General Kwan Temple (yes, same last name) and the small Tin Hau Temple next door. I eavesdropped on that tour guide, and found that the detail of my description was almost as good as his.
I was feeling hungry as I haven't had breakfast, so B & I stepped into one of those ubiquitous Hong Kong-style diner, and ordered some rice vermicelli noodles for both of us. Nothing special, but their Hong Kong-styled "milk tea" (strong hard-boiled ceylon tea with evaporated milk) was good and B enjoyed it. ($44 for both of us).
We continued on the path north to the General Yeung Temple. Relatively rare, as General Yeung is not usually considered a deity like Kwan is. Instead he's the general who accompanied the Sung Dynasty kid-emperor south when fleeing the "Kam" invaders from the north, and past through where Hong Kong is now.
To me, going to Tai O is like walking into a time machine. While things constantly change on Hong Kong Island, Tai O remains like it was 20 or 30 years ago.
(to be continued...)
<b>A. 6.5 hours Lantau Tour in which rkkwan becomes a real tourist guide and not just a virtual one</b>
On top of my "to do" list for Hong Kong is to ride the new Skyrail between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping on Lantau. This massive cable car system has been plagued with technical problems, and didn't open until late September, months behind schedule. A new "market" was also built at Ngong Ping with shops, restaurants, themed shows, etc.
I went last Friday (11/10/06). Crowds and lines are worse on weekends, so I went on a weekday. I also went to Lantau on a ferry rather than the MTR, which is NOT the way most people do these days. And I am very glad that I did that, as I picked up a "customer" on the ferry to start my new career as a tour guide.
<b>i. Ferry to Mui Wo</b>
I arrived at the No. 6 Pier in Central at around 8:45 for the 9:00 fast ferry service to Mui Wo. ($22.2 for Mon-Sat fast ferry service; more for Sundays, less for slow service). Lots of movements at that time of the day, with various vessels dropping off commuters from the islands. But our "First Ferry One" didn't show up until around 8:58, and we departed a few minutes late.
"First Ferry One" is an odd-looking Australian designed, HK-built 24M Aquan that sits 230. Cruise speed is only 25knots, which is way slower than the true high-speed jetfoils (45knots) to Macau or even Discovery Bay's catamarans (33knots). Charging people double over the "slow ferry" is a scam.
Anyways, at the pier were large groups of noisy high-school kids going to camp, me and a white girl with a North Face backpack. I found out she's a first time visitor to Hong Kong and was planning to see the big buddha. She didn't enjoy the bumpy 35-minute ride at all. Let's call her "B".
I told B my itinerary, and she decided to join me to Tai O, Ngong Ping and then hopefully ride the cable car down.
<b>ii. Bus to Tai O</b>
I learned prior to the trip that the New Lantao bus company has introduced a couple of island passes, with or without a cable car ride. So, first thing I did at Mui Wo was to find out about it. Turned out they don't sell the pass with the cable car ride at Mui Wo. [Make sense; why would they promote somebody else's business?] And the bus-only pass doesn't benefit us. So, we just paid regular fares instead.
We took the 9:45 #1 bus to Tai O ($10), and arrived around 10:20. Lots of construction along the way, but don't add much travel time. They're also cutting a brand new road to Tung Chung to replace the current single-lane road.
<b>iii. Tai O</b>
I haven't been to Tai O for years, and I found that it hasn't changed at all. The same stores selling preserved salty fish, shrimp paste, etc; and the stilt houses are still there. [Side story: a tour group arrived in a minibus around the same time as we did, and I later found out from the Hong Kong Tourism Board's website that such day-tour to Lantau cost $390-560 per person. Keep that in mind.] We crossed the bridge to the Shek Tsai Po Island, and walked into the General Kwan Temple (yes, same last name) and the small Tin Hau Temple next door. I eavesdropped on that tour guide, and found that the detail of my description was almost as good as his.
I was feeling hungry as I haven't had breakfast, so B & I stepped into one of those ubiquitous Hong Kong-style diner, and ordered some rice vermicelli noodles for both of us. Nothing special, but their Hong Kong-styled "milk tea" (strong hard-boiled ceylon tea with evaporated milk) was good and B enjoyed it. ($44 for both of us).
We continued on the path north to the General Yeung Temple. Relatively rare, as General Yeung is not usually considered a deity like Kwan is. Instead he's the general who accompanied the Sung Dynasty kid-emperor south when fleeing the "Kam" invaders from the north, and past through where Hong Kong is now.
To me, going to Tai O is like walking into a time machine. While things constantly change on Hong Kong Island, Tai O remains like it was 20 or 30 years ago.
(to be continued...)
Nov 13th, 2006, 11:57 PM
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<b>iv. Ngong Ping and Po Lin Monastery</b>
B & I took the 12:00n #21 bus ($6.3) from Tai O up to Ngong Ping. That 15-minute route runs once an hour, with bus departing Tai O usually at :00 and Ngong Ping at :15.
A little clarification about nomenclature, as you'll hear these names often. <b>Ngong Ping</b> is the geographical name of a plateau, at around 450m above sea level (higher than the upper Peak Tram station on HK Island). There are multiple monasteries, temples and nunneries there, but the largest one is <b>Po Lin Monastery</b> (Po = precious, Lin = lotus). The world's largest outdoor sitting bronze statue of Buddha was completed on top a nearby hill in 1993, so people often will just say they're going to <b>The Big Buddha</b>.
Anyways, we bought the vegetarian meal ticket at the base of the buddha, $60/each, which entitle us to see the small exhibits inside the 3-story platform the statue sits on. But it's free to climb the 268 steps to get up to it. The exhibit inside is mostly contemporary Chinese drawings commemorate the statue itself, nothing that special. Despite the poor air quality (more about that later), the view is still good from up there.
We headed into the monastery and had vegetarian lunch. It wasn't too crowded as it was a weekday, and there are now other dining options adjacent to the cable car terminus. Nothing fancy, nothing special, but for $60 it's okay. We didn't have to share tables, and we couldn't finish all our food. [I have not tried their more expensive "deluxe" meal.]
Then we look around the monastery itself. I must have seen it 30 times in my life by now, and I think the best parts of Po Lin Monastery are: The stone dragon carvings on the exterior of the main hall, the picture of the 1000 hand/eye Kwun Yin at the back of the mian hall, and the small jade statue of Buddha (from Burma). Compared to famous Chinese monasteries, Po Lin is really nothing if not for the Big Buddha.
Heading out of the monastery, another "must stop" was to have "Tofu Far" near the bus stop. It's very soft tofu in syrup. $8/bowl.
Just before we entered the new Ngong Ping Market, we stepped into a small independently owned souvenir store. I chatted with the co-owner for a second, and B bought a bracelet.
<b>v. Ngong Ping Village</b>
The "NP360" experience basically consist of the Skyrail cable car and the Ngong Ping Village. I objected strongly to the creation of the latter and, after visiting it, my position has not changed.
Granted, the village was built nicely, clean, and didn't look as tacky as say Land's End in England. However, no matter how nice the execution, the concept was still plain <b>WRONG!</b> Ngong Ping was a sacred, religious place, and putting Starbucks, Aji Ichiban snacks, or a French restaurant there will always be WRONG WRONG WRONG!
[So, who's to blame? Well, the whole NP360 is a project by the MTR Corporation, which is majority owned by the HK Government. Oh, yeah, the same HK Government that's been filling up Victoria Harbour for years. But from what I understand, Po Lin Monastery also reversed its original objection of the creation of its new neighbor - meaning they care about tourist money more than the environment of its scared locale.
This kind of money-first mentality is what's destroying Hong Kong bit by bit.]
<b>vi. NP360 Skyrail</b>
Without patronizing any of the stores, restaurants or theme attractions at Ngong Ping Market, we headed straight to the Skyrail station and bought ourselves one-way ticket ($58; does not take Octopus, but credit cards are okay.) The line was short, and we were on our way in a couple of minutes.
First impression is the scale of this system. It's an extremely large gondola system which can carry up to 17 passengers (8 seated, 9 standing; or 10/7 can't remember) in each of its 112 gondolas. [Each gondola at Ocean Park carry 6 only.] Second is the length, at over 5km long and takes 25 minutes. Third is the design that uses three sets of dual cables. Going down, the first pair goes from Ngong Ping slightly uphill to Lei Luk Shan; then the gondola was released from the cables and switched to the second set down Chek Lap Kok (including a fairly long water crossing). And finally a 3rd set to bring one over to Tung Chung. After riding it, at least I can appreciate the scale and complexity of it and understand why testing hadd taken that long with so many problems.
And then there was the view. It's really a <b>SHAME</b> the air quality is so incredibly horrendous in Hong Kong these days. From the cable car, I could barely make out the planes on the tarmac at HKG, just a couple of km down. One cannot see Castle Peak across the water. Still the short-distance vista was great, and is definitely worth a ride.
Anyways, from Tung Chung, we took the MTR back to the city at around 3:30. B & I exchanged email and I think both of us enjoyed the 6.5 hour on Lantau.
<b>vi. Total cost per person</b>
"Fast" ferry $22.2
#1 bus $10
Brunch at Tai O $22
#21 bus $6.3
Vegetarian Lunch at Po Lin Monastery $60
Tofu Far $8
One-rail Skyrail $58
MTR to city ~$23
Total: ~$210. Which is at most half of a group tour, and just as fun.
B & I took the 12:00n #21 bus ($6.3) from Tai O up to Ngong Ping. That 15-minute route runs once an hour, with bus departing Tai O usually at :00 and Ngong Ping at :15.
A little clarification about nomenclature, as you'll hear these names often. <b>Ngong Ping</b> is the geographical name of a plateau, at around 450m above sea level (higher than the upper Peak Tram station on HK Island). There are multiple monasteries, temples and nunneries there, but the largest one is <b>Po Lin Monastery</b> (Po = precious, Lin = lotus). The world's largest outdoor sitting bronze statue of Buddha was completed on top a nearby hill in 1993, so people often will just say they're going to <b>The Big Buddha</b>.
Anyways, we bought the vegetarian meal ticket at the base of the buddha, $60/each, which entitle us to see the small exhibits inside the 3-story platform the statue sits on. But it's free to climb the 268 steps to get up to it. The exhibit inside is mostly contemporary Chinese drawings commemorate the statue itself, nothing that special. Despite the poor air quality (more about that later), the view is still good from up there.
We headed into the monastery and had vegetarian lunch. It wasn't too crowded as it was a weekday, and there are now other dining options adjacent to the cable car terminus. Nothing fancy, nothing special, but for $60 it's okay. We didn't have to share tables, and we couldn't finish all our food. [I have not tried their more expensive "deluxe" meal.]
Then we look around the monastery itself. I must have seen it 30 times in my life by now, and I think the best parts of Po Lin Monastery are: The stone dragon carvings on the exterior of the main hall, the picture of the 1000 hand/eye Kwun Yin at the back of the mian hall, and the small jade statue of Buddha (from Burma). Compared to famous Chinese monasteries, Po Lin is really nothing if not for the Big Buddha.
Heading out of the monastery, another "must stop" was to have "Tofu Far" near the bus stop. It's very soft tofu in syrup. $8/bowl.
Just before we entered the new Ngong Ping Market, we stepped into a small independently owned souvenir store. I chatted with the co-owner for a second, and B bought a bracelet.
<b>v. Ngong Ping Village</b>
The "NP360" experience basically consist of the Skyrail cable car and the Ngong Ping Village. I objected strongly to the creation of the latter and, after visiting it, my position has not changed.
Granted, the village was built nicely, clean, and didn't look as tacky as say Land's End in England. However, no matter how nice the execution, the concept was still plain <b>WRONG!</b> Ngong Ping was a sacred, religious place, and putting Starbucks, Aji Ichiban snacks, or a French restaurant there will always be WRONG WRONG WRONG!
[So, who's to blame? Well, the whole NP360 is a project by the MTR Corporation, which is majority owned by the HK Government. Oh, yeah, the same HK Government that's been filling up Victoria Harbour for years. But from what I understand, Po Lin Monastery also reversed its original objection of the creation of its new neighbor - meaning they care about tourist money more than the environment of its scared locale.
This kind of money-first mentality is what's destroying Hong Kong bit by bit.]
<b>vi. NP360 Skyrail</b>
Without patronizing any of the stores, restaurants or theme attractions at Ngong Ping Market, we headed straight to the Skyrail station and bought ourselves one-way ticket ($58; does not take Octopus, but credit cards are okay.) The line was short, and we were on our way in a couple of minutes.
First impression is the scale of this system. It's an extremely large gondola system which can carry up to 17 passengers (8 seated, 9 standing; or 10/7 can't remember) in each of its 112 gondolas. [Each gondola at Ocean Park carry 6 only.] Second is the length, at over 5km long and takes 25 minutes. Third is the design that uses three sets of dual cables. Going down, the first pair goes from Ngong Ping slightly uphill to Lei Luk Shan; then the gondola was released from the cables and switched to the second set down Chek Lap Kok (including a fairly long water crossing). And finally a 3rd set to bring one over to Tung Chung. After riding it, at least I can appreciate the scale and complexity of it and understand why testing hadd taken that long with so many problems.
And then there was the view. It's really a <b>SHAME</b> the air quality is so incredibly horrendous in Hong Kong these days. From the cable car, I could barely make out the planes on the tarmac at HKG, just a couple of km down. One cannot see Castle Peak across the water. Still the short-distance vista was great, and is definitely worth a ride.
Anyways, from Tung Chung, we took the MTR back to the city at around 3:30. B & I exchanged email and I think both of us enjoyed the 6.5 hour on Lantau.
<b>vi. Total cost per person</b>
"Fast" ferry $22.2
#1 bus $10
Brunch at Tai O $22
#21 bus $6.3
Vegetarian Lunch at Po Lin Monastery $60
Tofu Far $8
One-rail Skyrail $58
MTR to city ~$23
Total: ~$210. Which is at most half of a group tour, and just as fun.
Nov 14th, 2006, 12:46 AM
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Thanks for another fantastic report. So detailed. Last time in hk, I took the MTR then bus up to Po Lin Monastery. Skipped Tai O. But, this time I will take your route (ferry to Mui Wo, bus to Tai O, bus to Po Lin, skyrail to Tung Chung, MTR to Kowloon).
BTW, which hotel did you stay in Macau? I'm looking for a budget hotel (less than $80 USD).
BTW, which hotel did you stay in Macau? I'm looking for a budget hotel (less than $80 USD).
Nov 14th, 2006, 01:06 AM
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j_4tay - In Macau, I stayed at Sintra. It's one of the older hotels in Macau, but well kept. I like its location close to the historical center and the various UNESCO World Heritage spots and away from the casinos.
I overpaid the room by ~$70 at a CTS office, for HK$500 for two reasons. 1) Originally I was planning to enter Macau from China, which I haven't done for years, and I don't know where to book last minute rooms from the China/Macau border; and 2) I was too lazy to go to Shun Tak Center (Macau Ferry terminal in Sheung Wan).
I later found out where at the China/Macau border to book the room. The rate is about the same as Shun Tak Center, about HK$430 or 450RMB.
These are mid-week rate. A little more for weekends and holidays.
There are lots of hotel choices. If you're going from Hong Kong, just go up to one of the little travel agents on the 3rd floor of Shun Tak Center and book from there. [Look for the posters of the various saunas and nightclubs - those are the agents.]
If you don't mind the location, there are plenty of newer hotels for less than the Sintra. Like the Casa Real, Golden Dragon or Emperor.
I overpaid the room by ~$70 at a CTS office, for HK$500 for two reasons. 1) Originally I was planning to enter Macau from China, which I haven't done for years, and I don't know where to book last minute rooms from the China/Macau border; and 2) I was too lazy to go to Shun Tak Center (Macau Ferry terminal in Sheung Wan).
I later found out where at the China/Macau border to book the room. The rate is about the same as Shun Tak Center, about HK$430 or 450RMB.
These are mid-week rate. A little more for weekends and holidays.
There are lots of hotel choices. If you're going from Hong Kong, just go up to one of the little travel agents on the 3rd floor of Shun Tak Center and book from there. [Look for the posters of the various saunas and nightclubs - those are the agents.]
If you don't mind the location, there are plenty of newer hotels for less than the Sintra. Like the Casa Real, Golden Dragon or Emperor.
Nov 14th, 2006, 02:46 AM
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Great report, I love the detail and travel directions, so helpful, we did Lantau, Tai O and Po Lin last time, is it worth doing again for the cable car? is that ride similar to Cape Town Table Mountain? We travelled by Ferry from HKI and then by bus, I think I found the information on how to do that on here!
Rkkwan is the air quality really bad in Hong Kong now, we went in March 2004 and I don't remember it being bad at all, now Guangzhou was bad, especially early in the morning with the traffic!
Thanks for the posting, looking forward to reading the next instalment
Pauline.
Rkkwan is the air quality really bad in Hong Kong now, we went in March 2004 and I don't remember it being bad at all, now Guangzhou was bad, especially early in the morning with the traffic!
Thanks for the posting, looking forward to reading the next instalment
Pauline.
Nov 14th, 2006, 05:23 AM
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Pauline - I have never been to Cape Town, but from its website, it appears its cable car is identical to many such systems in the Alps where two large cars shuttle between the two terminus.
The NP360 one is a Gondola system. It's like some you'll see on ski slopes, except it's just much larger. It has 112 cars, and each can hold 17 people. And the length, at 5.7km, is one of the longer in the world.
---
And I'll comment on the air quality right now. I lived in Hong Kong from 1971 to 1988, and now go back every year or so. My dad was born in Hong Kong in 1935 and lived there till 1994. My parents now go back twice a year for 1-2 month stays. So, I guess we can speak with some authority.
Let's just say the smog has <b>never been worse</b> in Hong Kong's history. Even worse than same time last fall/winter. Just how bad you may ask? When you get up to the Peak, on most days you cannot not see Lion Rock, 6 miles away. And this is already >1,000 feet above sea level.
As I described, I could not see Castle Peak from the NP360 Skyrail. Also about 6-7 miles away.
At sea level, it's even worse. My cousin who's a pilot with Cathay Pacific says they usually cannot see the end of the runway at HKG when taking off. Length of runway is about 10,000ft, or two miles.
Also, on many days, the sun does not set in Hong Kong at sunset over the ocean anymore. Instead, by around 4pm, you'll see it being a soft red glow setting under the smog.
On my flight leaving Hong Kong last Sunday, I could definitely see ourselves rising above a very definite layer of smog. I can't estimate the height, but perhaps from sea level to 5,000 ft. It's literally rising above the smoke, and then we're in the clear.
All these are on totally clear days with relatively low humidity and no clouds.
I didn't stay long enough in Hong Kong (as 6 days were spent in the beautiful Yunnan province), but most visitors will develop some respiratory problem within 2 weeks. I had after about 10 days last time in Hong Kong, and my dad right now has to take cough suppressant to combat the problem.
Just a month ago, there was a article in the Wall Street Journal describing how many foreign companies are moving their offices to Singapore as they cannot get expats with family and young kids to relocate to Hong Kong, specifically because of the air quality. Once you've seen it, you can understand. Yes, it's pollution that you <b>see</b>.
The NP360 one is a Gondola system. It's like some you'll see on ski slopes, except it's just much larger. It has 112 cars, and each can hold 17 people. And the length, at 5.7km, is one of the longer in the world.
---
And I'll comment on the air quality right now. I lived in Hong Kong from 1971 to 1988, and now go back every year or so. My dad was born in Hong Kong in 1935 and lived there till 1994. My parents now go back twice a year for 1-2 month stays. So, I guess we can speak with some authority.
Let's just say the smog has <b>never been worse</b> in Hong Kong's history. Even worse than same time last fall/winter. Just how bad you may ask? When you get up to the Peak, on most days you cannot not see Lion Rock, 6 miles away. And this is already >1,000 feet above sea level.
As I described, I could not see Castle Peak from the NP360 Skyrail. Also about 6-7 miles away.
At sea level, it's even worse. My cousin who's a pilot with Cathay Pacific says they usually cannot see the end of the runway at HKG when taking off. Length of runway is about 10,000ft, or two miles.
Also, on many days, the sun does not set in Hong Kong at sunset over the ocean anymore. Instead, by around 4pm, you'll see it being a soft red glow setting under the smog.
On my flight leaving Hong Kong last Sunday, I could definitely see ourselves rising above a very definite layer of smog. I can't estimate the height, but perhaps from sea level to 5,000 ft. It's literally rising above the smoke, and then we're in the clear.
All these are on totally clear days with relatively low humidity and no clouds.
I didn't stay long enough in Hong Kong (as 6 days were spent in the beautiful Yunnan province), but most visitors will develop some respiratory problem within 2 weeks. I had after about 10 days last time in Hong Kong, and my dad right now has to take cough suppressant to combat the problem.
Just a month ago, there was a article in the Wall Street Journal describing how many foreign companies are moving their offices to Singapore as they cannot get expats with family and young kids to relocate to Hong Kong, specifically because of the air quality. Once you've seen it, you can understand. Yes, it's pollution that you <b>see</b>.
Nov 14th, 2006, 06:15 AM
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<b>1B. Northeast Kowloon sites</b>
<b>i. Chi Lin Nunnery</b>
Another "must see" places for me is the Chi Lin Nunnery in Diamond Hill. Founded in 1930, Chi Lin has mostly known as a Buddhist elderly home until they got the land to build a large monastery modeled after Tang Dynasty architecture in the 1990's.
It is open to the public for free to see its architecture, but not for worshiping. You can't go inside the main halls, and you don't light incense or anything. Which means you won't find any crowds there. But what you'll see is extremely beautiful architecture in a form you won't find many in China. There are few monasteries in China from Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) with its original architecture, other than a few in Shangxi province in NW China. Instead, the style is preserved well in Japan as Buddhism arrived there during that period and its architectural style remained mostly unchanged.
Anyways, all the main buildings were built by wood only, using ancient structural designs. Exception is the pagoda behind the elderly homes. All the wood were carefully chosen to be able to hold up for 500+ years, even in Hong Kong humidity.
It's really really worth seeing. <b>I highly recommend it</b>. Take the MTR to Diamond Hill station. Use Exit C1, and follow signs to pass under the expressway. Short walk.
<b>ii. Wong Tai Sin Temple</b>
I haven't been there for over 20 years, as I found the place smoky, dirty and crowded as a kid. But things have changed, and Wong Tai Sin is now a decent place to visit. It's adjacent to the MTR stop bearing its name, and you won't get actively solicited to buy incense or have your palm read anymore. Just walk up there and check out the buildings, and check out the worshipers.
Most hold a bamboo cup with tiny bamboo sticks in them. They'll kneel, pray and shake the cup until just ONE stick fell out. They they can pay to have the fortune explained by one of the tellers at an adjacent building. Many now advertise they speak Cantonese, English and Mandarin/Putonghua.
Among the many newer buildings to the east of the main hall is a pavilion built entirely in bronze. Pretty interesting though most areas are closed off to public.
Wong Tai Sin MTR is just one stop from Diamond Hill. I recommend riding the train as the walk is not pretty nor interesting, as I found out.
<b>iii. Kowloon Walled City Park</b>
The Kowloon Walled City has a very interesting history. For during the 100+ year of British rule of Hong Kong and Kowloon, the Walled City was outside its jurisdiction, more or less. As a result, when I was growing up in Hong Kong in the 70's and 80's, it's simply a place where one <b>does not</b> go into. And it's nasty looking too. No walls or anything, but a slum of 12-15 storey buildings packed together. I kind of regret never venturing into it back then. [One of my highschool classmates' dad practiced dentistry inside for a while, after moving from China to Hong Kong, and it was next to impossible for him to be retrained and licensed.]
Anyways, the whole area was demolished in the late 80's and converted into a park. Some of the original older buildings remained, and some areas were excavated. Not a must see, but fairly interesting.
The MTR doesn't go there, but it's a short taxi ride from Wong Tai Sin or Lok Fu MTR. Or there's a minibus from Kowloon Tong. Or Bus #1 from Tsimshatsui Star Ferry and Mongkok. More buses stop on Prince Edward Road East across from the old Kai Tak Airport- it's a short walk from there to the park.
<b>i. Chi Lin Nunnery</b>
Another "must see" places for me is the Chi Lin Nunnery in Diamond Hill. Founded in 1930, Chi Lin has mostly known as a Buddhist elderly home until they got the land to build a large monastery modeled after Tang Dynasty architecture in the 1990's.
It is open to the public for free to see its architecture, but not for worshiping. You can't go inside the main halls, and you don't light incense or anything. Which means you won't find any crowds there. But what you'll see is extremely beautiful architecture in a form you won't find many in China. There are few monasteries in China from Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) with its original architecture, other than a few in Shangxi province in NW China. Instead, the style is preserved well in Japan as Buddhism arrived there during that period and its architectural style remained mostly unchanged.
Anyways, all the main buildings were built by wood only, using ancient structural designs. Exception is the pagoda behind the elderly homes. All the wood were carefully chosen to be able to hold up for 500+ years, even in Hong Kong humidity.
It's really really worth seeing. <b>I highly recommend it</b>. Take the MTR to Diamond Hill station. Use Exit C1, and follow signs to pass under the expressway. Short walk.
<b>ii. Wong Tai Sin Temple</b>
I haven't been there for over 20 years, as I found the place smoky, dirty and crowded as a kid. But things have changed, and Wong Tai Sin is now a decent place to visit. It's adjacent to the MTR stop bearing its name, and you won't get actively solicited to buy incense or have your palm read anymore. Just walk up there and check out the buildings, and check out the worshipers.
Most hold a bamboo cup with tiny bamboo sticks in them. They'll kneel, pray and shake the cup until just ONE stick fell out. They they can pay to have the fortune explained by one of the tellers at an adjacent building. Many now advertise they speak Cantonese, English and Mandarin/Putonghua.
Among the many newer buildings to the east of the main hall is a pavilion built entirely in bronze. Pretty interesting though most areas are closed off to public.
Wong Tai Sin MTR is just one stop from Diamond Hill. I recommend riding the train as the walk is not pretty nor interesting, as I found out.
<b>iii. Kowloon Walled City Park</b>
The Kowloon Walled City has a very interesting history. For during the 100+ year of British rule of Hong Kong and Kowloon, the Walled City was outside its jurisdiction, more or less. As a result, when I was growing up in Hong Kong in the 70's and 80's, it's simply a place where one <b>does not</b> go into. And it's nasty looking too. No walls or anything, but a slum of 12-15 storey buildings packed together. I kind of regret never venturing into it back then. [One of my highschool classmates' dad practiced dentistry inside for a while, after moving from China to Hong Kong, and it was next to impossible for him to be retrained and licensed.]
Anyways, the whole area was demolished in the late 80's and converted into a park. Some of the original older buildings remained, and some areas were excavated. Not a must see, but fairly interesting.
The MTR doesn't go there, but it's a short taxi ride from Wong Tai Sin or Lok Fu MTR. Or there's a minibus from Kowloon Tong. Or Bus #1 from Tsimshatsui Star Ferry and Mongkok. More buses stop on Prince Edward Road East across from the old Kai Tak Airport- it's a short walk from there to the park.
Nov 14th, 2006, 07:05 AM
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<b>1C. Duk Ling</b>
Duk Ling is a small powered wooden junk (its sails are mainly for decorative purpose), chartered by the Hong Kong Tourism Board for 8 hour-long cruises each week. 4 on Thursdays and 4 on Saturdays. One need to bring passport to one of the HKTB offices to register, including one at the Tsimshatsui Star Ferry. Best part of it is that <b>it's free!</b>
My parents and I got tickets to the 10am cruise last Saturday, which departed from the Kowloon Public Pier (just underneath the clock tower) and it dropped as off at Queen's Pier outside City Hall.
Duk Ling in Chinese is "Duck Spirit". I think someone made a mistake and its English name supposed to be "Duck Ling", but whatever... Anyways, it's pretty small and has a capacity of 40. I think there were about 30 in our group, and it wasn't crowded. One can sit on the exposed deck in the back or the covered one down in the middle. There's enough room to move around a little to take pictures.
The boat goes pretty slowly, and the wake from larger faster ferries can be kind of bad. Skip it if you're prone to motion sickness.
We went out east towards Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, then along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island to North Point. Then we headed north towards Kowloon City, and returned along Hung Hom and East Tsimshatsui (superb view of the Intercontinental) before crossing the harbor one more time to Central.
We got off at exactly 11am, and the next group would go from Central to Tsimshatsui.
I had more fun than expected, and since it's free, what else can I ask for? <b>Highly recommended</b>. However, you may want to go back to the hotel to change clothes after the cruise as I certainly felt "salty" afterwards.
Duk Ling is a small powered wooden junk (its sails are mainly for decorative purpose), chartered by the Hong Kong Tourism Board for 8 hour-long cruises each week. 4 on Thursdays and 4 on Saturdays. One need to bring passport to one of the HKTB offices to register, including one at the Tsimshatsui Star Ferry. Best part of it is that <b>it's free!</b>
My parents and I got tickets to the 10am cruise last Saturday, which departed from the Kowloon Public Pier (just underneath the clock tower) and it dropped as off at Queen's Pier outside City Hall.
Duk Ling in Chinese is "Duck Spirit". I think someone made a mistake and its English name supposed to be "Duck Ling", but whatever... Anyways, it's pretty small and has a capacity of 40. I think there were about 30 in our group, and it wasn't crowded. One can sit on the exposed deck in the back or the covered one down in the middle. There's enough room to move around a little to take pictures.
The boat goes pretty slowly, and the wake from larger faster ferries can be kind of bad. Skip it if you're prone to motion sickness.
We went out east towards Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, then along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island to North Point. Then we headed north towards Kowloon City, and returned along Hung Hom and East Tsimshatsui (superb view of the Intercontinental) before crossing the harbor one more time to Central.
We got off at exactly 11am, and the next group would go from Central to Tsimshatsui.
I had more fun than expected, and since it's free, what else can I ask for? <b>Highly recommended</b>. However, you may want to go back to the hotel to change clothes after the cruise as I certainly felt "salty" afterwards.
Nov 14th, 2006, 07:53 AM
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<b>1D. Symphony of Lights</b>
I can't remember when they start doing this nightly 15-minute long light show, probably soon after the SARS episode. But I've never seen it. So, with dinner reservations at 8:30 last Saturday night, I decided to head out to the waterfront promenade and watch it for the first time.
Well, overall, I wasn't that impressed. Semi-interesting, but I don't think the lights and the music go together too well. An "ah sum" (older lady) standing next to me seem to have watched it many times, and she said she preferred other music to the Chinese one we got that night.
So, if one happens to be along the harbor at 8, then stop for a moment and watch it. But I wouldn't make a special trip for it, personally.
<b>1E. Museum of Coastal Defense</b>
The HK Government runs 6 museums, and usually only 3 got mentioned here - Arts, History and Heritage. Space and Science aren't that interesting for tourists, but Coastal Defense should be.
It's converted from the site of the Lei Yue Mun Fort in Eastern Hong Kong Island. The exhibits inside the fort covers coastal defense of Southern China from the Ming dynasty onwards and is very well presented. [WWII stuff, however, are bascially the same as those at the Museum of History.]
But what makes it most interesting is its setting at the narrowest point of the Victoria Harbour, overlooking Lei Yue Mun and the village built along a cliff across the harbor. The depot for the Brennan torpedoes (world's 1st guided missiles) down by the water was also very unique.
I spent almost 3 hours there, much longer than I had expected, as there are lots of ground to cover. I took a free Cantonese tour of the grounds that last for about 50 minutes just for the highlights. Unfortunately, the guide seem disinterested in his work, and there were only 3 of us in the group. That was a downer.
Anyways, I wouldn't call this a "must see", but if one has some extra time, it's worth a look. It's a 15-minute walk from the Sau Kei Wan MTR. Or one can take bus #85 from the Sai Wan Ho MTR (right outside Exit A), or taxi from Sau Kei Wan.
I can't remember when they start doing this nightly 15-minute long light show, probably soon after the SARS episode. But I've never seen it. So, with dinner reservations at 8:30 last Saturday night, I decided to head out to the waterfront promenade and watch it for the first time.
Well, overall, I wasn't that impressed. Semi-interesting, but I don't think the lights and the music go together too well. An "ah sum" (older lady) standing next to me seem to have watched it many times, and she said she preferred other music to the Chinese one we got that night.
So, if one happens to be along the harbor at 8, then stop for a moment and watch it. But I wouldn't make a special trip for it, personally.
<b>1E. Museum of Coastal Defense</b>
The HK Government runs 6 museums, and usually only 3 got mentioned here - Arts, History and Heritage. Space and Science aren't that interesting for tourists, but Coastal Defense should be.
It's converted from the site of the Lei Yue Mun Fort in Eastern Hong Kong Island. The exhibits inside the fort covers coastal defense of Southern China from the Ming dynasty onwards and is very well presented. [WWII stuff, however, are bascially the same as those at the Museum of History.]
But what makes it most interesting is its setting at the narrowest point of the Victoria Harbour, overlooking Lei Yue Mun and the village built along a cliff across the harbor. The depot for the Brennan torpedoes (world's 1st guided missiles) down by the water was also very unique.
I spent almost 3 hours there, much longer than I had expected, as there are lots of ground to cover. I took a free Cantonese tour of the grounds that last for about 50 minutes just for the highlights. Unfortunately, the guide seem disinterested in his work, and there were only 3 of us in the group. That was a downer.
Anyways, I wouldn't call this a "must see", but if one has some extra time, it's worth a look. It's a 15-minute walk from the Sau Kei Wan MTR. Or one can take bus #85 from the Sai Wan Ho MTR (right outside Exit A), or taxi from Sau Kei Wan.
Nov 14th, 2006, 08:42 AM
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<b>1F. Lamma Island</b>
I met up with my friends Daphne and Hailey (same two who I went to France with in September) on Mon 10/30/06. It's the Chung Yeung Festival public holiday, and it's a date to go hiking. None of us have been to Lamma Island for ages.
We took the 1:10p Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry from Central Pier #4 to Sok Kwu Wan. $18 ($14 if not for holiday). It's operated by Sea Smart, a 200-passenger low-quality and low-speed (25knots) catamaran built by Cheoy Lee of Hong Kong.
Got in at 1:42p, and we needed food. Sok Kwu Wan was famous for its seafood restaurants, and after looking at various ones, we went with one of 3 Rainbow restaurants there. Rainbow has its own fleet of ferries, and went from one to three restaurants by buying up its competitors. They provide free ferries for its diners, so at least we could get a free ride back to the city.
After the long lunch, we only had about 2 hours left for hiking. We visited the newly rebuilt Tin Hau temple, then hiked up the trail towards Yung Shue Wan, and made it almost to the pass before having to turn back. It was a very hot day, and wasn't the best for hiking.
Rainbow's free ferry was smaller (100 seats), but was as fast as the regular ferry, taking about 35 minutes.
---
That concludes the main tourist places I went in Hong Kong. The <b>NP360 Skyrail</b> is definitely worth a try, and so is the free <b>Duk Ling</b> cruise. <b>Chi Lin Nunnery</b> was stunning and shouldn't be missed.
Visitors with 3-4 days in Hong Kong should be able to find time to do those, after the standard Peak, Stanley, Night Markets stuff.
BTW, the Star Ferry moved its pier on the day of my departure. The new pier looks great, but is an extra 10-minute walk to parts of Central. During the last week of the old pier's operation, lots of locals went to take pictures. Lots of expensive cameras, big lenses, huge tripods, etc... I decided to take pictures of the photographers rather than the pier.
Coming up: a list and very brief description of places I ate at in Hong Kong.
I met up with my friends Daphne and Hailey (same two who I went to France with in September) on Mon 10/30/06. It's the Chung Yeung Festival public holiday, and it's a date to go hiking. None of us have been to Lamma Island for ages.
We took the 1:10p Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry from Central Pier #4 to Sok Kwu Wan. $18 ($14 if not for holiday). It's operated by Sea Smart, a 200-passenger low-quality and low-speed (25knots) catamaran built by Cheoy Lee of Hong Kong.
Got in at 1:42p, and we needed food. Sok Kwu Wan was famous for its seafood restaurants, and after looking at various ones, we went with one of 3 Rainbow restaurants there. Rainbow has its own fleet of ferries, and went from one to three restaurants by buying up its competitors. They provide free ferries for its diners, so at least we could get a free ride back to the city.
After the long lunch, we only had about 2 hours left for hiking. We visited the newly rebuilt Tin Hau temple, then hiked up the trail towards Yung Shue Wan, and made it almost to the pass before having to turn back. It was a very hot day, and wasn't the best for hiking.
Rainbow's free ferry was smaller (100 seats), but was as fast as the regular ferry, taking about 35 minutes.
---
That concludes the main tourist places I went in Hong Kong. The <b>NP360 Skyrail</b> is definitely worth a try, and so is the free <b>Duk Ling</b> cruise. <b>Chi Lin Nunnery</b> was stunning and shouldn't be missed.
Visitors with 3-4 days in Hong Kong should be able to find time to do those, after the standard Peak, Stanley, Night Markets stuff.
BTW, the Star Ferry moved its pier on the day of my departure. The new pier looks great, but is an extra 10-minute walk to parts of Central. During the last week of the old pier's operation, lots of locals went to take pictures. Lots of expensive cameras, big lenses, huge tripods, etc... I decided to take pictures of the photographers rather than the pier.
Coming up: a list and very brief description of places I ate at in Hong Kong.
Nov 14th, 2006, 07:38 PM
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I take that the Duk Ling Cruise is only free to tourists (ie, holders of non-HK passports)?
I wonder how much longer will Tai O remain unchanged? I suppose as long as it remains hard to get to, it has a better chance of staying the same.
I wonder how much longer will Tai O remain unchanged? I suppose as long as it remains hard to get to, it has a better chance of staying the same.
Nov 14th, 2006, 08:13 PM
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<b>1G. Hong Kong Dining</b>
I will try to keep this brief, and won't have much description of the food as I am a very casual diner and most of the time I was chatting with friends and family rather than concentrate on food.
Basically all eateries were chosen by somebody else, and I didn't pay for most of the meals. I'll include price in cases where I know it.
You won't find many breakfast places, as I often skip that meal, or simply have instant noodles at my uncle's place.
Overall, I enjoy the vast majority of the meals. Prices haven't gone up since a year ago, and are generally lower than 6-8 years ago. Many places provide some sort of discount when using specific credit cards, or provide discount coupons for future business.
I am not recommending any of the places, as there are so many good places to eat. This is just to show what you may find in Hong Kong. All of these places are frequented by locals, and are definitely not tourist traps.
I'll list the place in chronological order.
<b>Pasha Xinjiang Fushion</b>
Fashion Walk (aka "Food Street", Cleveland St, Causeway Bay
Got off plane and my uncle, aunt and cousins brought me to this interesting place for late dinner. I can't say how authentic it is, but the food is good, and the setting quite interesting. They also have semi-private "roomettes" decorated with tapestries on the walls.
$650 for five persons, after 5% discount with an East Asia credit card. They also have a dining club program that offers deeper discount.
<b>Rainbow Winstar</b>
Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island
www.rainbowrest.com.hk
Rainbow is the largest operator of seafood restaurants at Sok Kwu Wan. We ate at their Winstar store, but all three should be the same. You pick your seafood from the tank, and they'll cook it. Seating is under a large canopy by the water.
Three of us had a steamed garoupa (about 1 lb), a couple of "mini-lobsters", 3 large scallops on shells, sweet and sour pork and a vegetable. I don't know the real name of the "mini-lobsters', but they're like super jumbo prawns, and don't look like crawfish. Total price: $740. [Like all seafood restaurants, make sure you ask about the price of stuff first!]
As I mentioned in the Lamma entry above, Rainbow provides free ferry to/from Tsimshatsui and Central. That saves about $30 per person compared to taking a public ferry.
<b>Chow Chong Shanghaiese Kitchen</b>
304, The Arcade, Cyberport
This is a fancy place on a terrace overlooking the Cyberport shopping arcade. Don't know the price (probably quite expensive) as it was a large family GTG, but food was excellent. Cyberport is in SW Hong Kong Island, hard to get to.
<b>Jasmine</b>
G-25 Festival Walk Arcade (Kowloon Tong MTR/KCR)
This is a new concept Cantonese-fusion restaurant run by the Maxim Group. [I have ate at that location before, when it was a more traditional eatery, also by the Maxim Group.]
I went with just one friend, and I like their concept of smaller dishes. One of the problem with Cantonese food is that portions are usually large, so two people can't order more than 2-3 dishes. Here we tried more stuff. Food is excellent.
Just over $400 for two, including soup, dessert, fancy tea, a jellyfish appertizer, two main dishes and a vegetable. My friend has a HSBC credit card, we got 4 $15 coupons, valid for a month, at any Maxim restaurants, fastfood or pastries.
(to be continued...)
I will try to keep this brief, and won't have much description of the food as I am a very casual diner and most of the time I was chatting with friends and family rather than concentrate on food.
Basically all eateries were chosen by somebody else, and I didn't pay for most of the meals. I'll include price in cases where I know it.
You won't find many breakfast places, as I often skip that meal, or simply have instant noodles at my uncle's place.
Overall, I enjoy the vast majority of the meals. Prices haven't gone up since a year ago, and are generally lower than 6-8 years ago. Many places provide some sort of discount when using specific credit cards, or provide discount coupons for future business.
I am not recommending any of the places, as there are so many good places to eat. This is just to show what you may find in Hong Kong. All of these places are frequented by locals, and are definitely not tourist traps.
I'll list the place in chronological order.
<b>Pasha Xinjiang Fushion</b>
Fashion Walk (aka "Food Street"
, Cleveland St, Causeway BayGot off plane and my uncle, aunt and cousins brought me to this interesting place for late dinner. I can't say how authentic it is, but the food is good, and the setting quite interesting. They also have semi-private "roomettes" decorated with tapestries on the walls.
$650 for five persons, after 5% discount with an East Asia credit card. They also have a dining club program that offers deeper discount.
<b>Rainbow Winstar</b>
Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island
www.rainbowrest.com.hk
Rainbow is the largest operator of seafood restaurants at Sok Kwu Wan. We ate at their Winstar store, but all three should be the same. You pick your seafood from the tank, and they'll cook it. Seating is under a large canopy by the water.
Three of us had a steamed garoupa (about 1 lb), a couple of "mini-lobsters", 3 large scallops on shells, sweet and sour pork and a vegetable. I don't know the real name of the "mini-lobsters', but they're like super jumbo prawns, and don't look like crawfish. Total price: $740. [Like all seafood restaurants, make sure you ask about the price of stuff first!]
As I mentioned in the Lamma entry above, Rainbow provides free ferry to/from Tsimshatsui and Central. That saves about $30 per person compared to taking a public ferry.
<b>Chow Chong Shanghaiese Kitchen</b>
304, The Arcade, Cyberport
This is a fancy place on a terrace overlooking the Cyberport shopping arcade. Don't know the price (probably quite expensive) as it was a large family GTG, but food was excellent. Cyberport is in SW Hong Kong Island, hard to get to.
<b>Jasmine</b>
G-25 Festival Walk Arcade (Kowloon Tong MTR/KCR)
This is a new concept Cantonese-fusion restaurant run by the Maxim Group. [I have ate at that location before, when it was a more traditional eatery, also by the Maxim Group.]
I went with just one friend, and I like their concept of smaller dishes. One of the problem with Cantonese food is that portions are usually large, so two people can't order more than 2-3 dishes. Here we tried more stuff. Food is excellent.
Just over $400 for two, including soup, dessert, fancy tea, a jellyfish appertizer, two main dishes and a vegetable. My friend has a HSBC credit card, we got 4 $15 coupons, valid for a month, at any Maxim restaurants, fastfood or pastries.
(to be continued...)
Nov 14th, 2006, 08:16 PM
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yk - Yes, must have non-Hong Kong passport. One ticket per passport. A photocopy, or even just the passport number may be fine. Must get ticket at HKTB office. Can't do it by phone.
Well, I don't see Tai O changing much in the upcoming years. I didn't see an abundance of tourists, even though New Lantao Bus is promoting their "Tai O Pass" at the Tung Chung Skyrail station.
Well, I don't see Tai O changing much in the upcoming years. I didn't see an abundance of tourists, even though New Lantao Bus is promoting their "Tai O Pass" at the Tung Chung Skyrail station.
