Children to Asia for 9 days?
Dec 27th, 2008, 06:01 AM
#1
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Children to Asia for 9 days?
My husband and I have an oppportunity to go to Hong Kong and Taiwan for about 9 days. I'm toying about upgrading to business class with reward points or bringing along my children - 12 and 13 and spending more. They will only miss about 3 days of school because of sping break. And, our hotel accomodations will be taken care of. I think it could be a great oportunity and yet worry that it will be really exhausting for a short trip. What would you do?
Dec 28th, 2008, 07:07 PM
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Agree that if you are only going to try to “do” 2 places in that short a time then you won’t be so rushed. My caveat is that assuming this trip is March or April the weather is not great in either place (I live in Hong Kong) it tends toward damp and foggy/rainy/overcast (can also be humid and warmish or on the cool side too), but if that is the only time you can come, you will just work around this. See weatherbase.com so you know what to expect. April is somewhat better than March in that you get more sun sometimes but is muggier. But you won’t be laying outside by pools much in either month. However, there is lots to see and do in both, Taiwan has some fantastic museums (loads of stuff taken from the PRC), and be sure to get out into the countryside of Taiwan and not spend all the time in Taipei. Lots of unusual food on offer in Taiwan as well, stinky tofu, good stall eating (better than Hong Kong, but Hong Kong has many excellent restaurants). Also, get out into the countryside of Hong Kong as well. Both are very safe, and the kids could go off by themselves for a few hours and feel like they are having an adventure without your worrying.
For hotels, you may need 2 rooms, as I don’t think you will find many hotels with 2 double beds if that was your thought, I can’t tell from your message above. That is more of a a US concept, most hotel rooms here don’t have that configuration, you would have to ask about that specifically. Not sure you could fit 2 rollaways into one room, or if the hotel would allow that. If you have any choice over hotels, you might want to pick a place with an indoor pool (hard to find in Hong Kong although I can recco some) as that might be an option for the kids in those months.
Please search this board for my very long list of reccos called “Cicerone’s Reccos for What the Locals Do for Fun in Hong Kong (Hint: We DON’T Go to those Awful Night Markets....)” this should give you some ideas for what to do. For suggestions on walks and hikes on Hong Kong Island, see my postings called “Cicerone’s Favourite Hong Kong Walks: Severn Road, the Peak”., “Cicerone’s Favourite Hong Kong Walks II: Paradise Found! From Happy Valley to Stanley in High Heels! (Almost) The Tsz Lo Lan Shan Path” and Cicerone's Favourite Hong Kong Walks III: The Dragon's Back ". Finally, check the Hong Kong Tourism Board website at discoverhongkong.com. For restaurants, see “Cicerone’s (Updated) Favourite Hong Kong Restaurants (Part I)” and “Cicerone’s Favourite Hong Kong Restaurants (Part II) – Michelin Stars and Lesser Mortals”.
For hotels, you may need 2 rooms, as I don’t think you will find many hotels with 2 double beds if that was your thought, I can’t tell from your message above. That is more of a a US concept, most hotel rooms here don’t have that configuration, you would have to ask about that specifically. Not sure you could fit 2 rollaways into one room, or if the hotel would allow that. If you have any choice over hotels, you might want to pick a place with an indoor pool (hard to find in Hong Kong although I can recco some) as that might be an option for the kids in those months.
Please search this board for my very long list of reccos called “Cicerone’s Reccos for What the Locals Do for Fun in Hong Kong (Hint: We DON’T Go to those Awful Night Markets....)” this should give you some ideas for what to do. For suggestions on walks and hikes on Hong Kong Island, see my postings called “Cicerone’s Favourite Hong Kong Walks: Severn Road, the Peak”., “Cicerone’s Favourite Hong Kong Walks II: Paradise Found! From Happy Valley to Stanley in High Heels! (Almost) The Tsz Lo Lan Shan Path” and Cicerone's Favourite Hong Kong Walks III: The Dragon's Back ". Finally, check the Hong Kong Tourism Board website at discoverhongkong.com. For restaurants, see “Cicerone’s (Updated) Favourite Hong Kong Restaurants (Part I)” and “Cicerone’s Favourite Hong Kong Restaurants (Part II) – Michelin Stars and Lesser Mortals”.
Dec 28th, 2008, 07:40 PM
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Lordy Cicerone: this is a LIBRARY of good advice.
May I respectfully suggest you explore the recent 'I made a book...' post from Kristina? Why not start the 'Cicerone Archives'? There's a host of great stuff under your name.
Why not? 'The Dogster Chronicles' is about to rock the world [with its limited print run of - errr - four].. lol. Why not? We can start a revolution.
Then, when Katie the Editor asks for suggestions about our favorite books about Asia, we can shout 'The Cicerone Archives!' 'Katrina's Incredible Adventures!' - and, even, perhaps - 'The Dogster Chronicles'.
May I respectfully suggest you explore the recent 'I made a book...' post from Kristina? Why not start the 'Cicerone Archives'? There's a host of great stuff under your name.
Why not? 'The Dogster Chronicles' is about to rock the world [with its limited print run of - errr - four].. lol. Why not? We can start a revolution.
Then, when Katie the Editor asks for suggestions about our favorite books about Asia, we can shout 'The Cicerone Archives!' 'Katrina's Incredible Adventures!' - and, even, perhaps - 'The Dogster Chronicles'.
