HK experts
 

We have 2 nights in HK - Mon. June 4 & Tue. June 4 - staying on the island at the Excelsior, 281 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay.
I am somewhat disappointed with our flights as we will be arriving from Xi'an leaving there at 2:20pm and arriving HK 5:00pm. (First thing I plan to do when we get to Xi'an is try for an earlier flight so we have more time in HK.)

Now I don't know how to organize my time. Dimsum is a top priority for me - with the trolleys. I was thinking about the Jade Garden but that is in Tsim Sha Tsui - is that practical? I have seen in alot of write ups that Maxim's Place is a very good place - but they don't open until 11am - seems to take alot of time away from the morning.
I also want to go up the 800m escalator and wander around an area that has alot of shops (Chinese style) and character. I'de like to go to the top of Victoria Peak,
BUT, I also really wanted to take a ferry over to Lamma island to eat seafood.
Is this all possible?

We fly out of HK to BKK Wed. 12:45pm.

Help is much appreciated.

Going between HK island and Kowloon is very fast and easy. That said, you don't have to go over for good dimsum. To be close to the escalator, have dimsum at Yung Kee in Central. It's a VERY popular restuarant famous for their roast goose (it's really good). But they also serve dimsum during lunch time. Not sure if they do the carts though, most good/upscale places don't anymore.

Your schedule will be very full. Keep Vic Peak as an option only if the sky is clear -- no point in going up there on a day with low clouds or lots of smog.

One thing that I would rate as a must-not-miss is the view of HK Island from the Kowloon promenade, especially after sunset. There's a laser show at 8pm each night, but that IMO is pretty skippable.

If you can get to HK earlier, that will obviously give you lots more opportunity to do stuff. There is a flight from Xian to Shenzhen at 8.00am (arrives at 10.30am).

The Mid-level escalater is DOWN only during the morning hours. It reverses to UP only sometime around 9:30, methinks. (I could be wrong on the actual time so someone can confirm this.)

Cat Street/Hollywood Rd Market where you can find chinese antiques is close to the the bottom (or the next from the bottom segment) of the escalator.

Tuesday morning/lunch would be the most realistic time for dimsum. You'll be arriving too late for Mon, and you'll need to by around 10am on Wed.

If you want wagon-style, my first choice would still be Maxim's near City Hall (HK side). You can easily catch a tram or a subway. It's definitely worth skipping a breakfast.

I think there are a few places that do dimsum early in the morning, some opening as early as 7am. So you can squeeze dimsum on Wed before your departure. Though I very much doubt anyone doing trollies that eary. I did Serenade (could be affiliated with Jade Garden) on Kowloon side.

Thanks for the imput flatfeet and rizzuto.
Here's my plan, as it's hard to say what time we will get to the hotel, get checked in and settled, Mon. night we will just wing it. Maybe hop on transportation to Central and Wan Chai - try to find the Cat ST. or Des Vex Rd and see what there is to see.
Tuesday go for dimsum and depending on the pollution level decide whether to go to the Peak or not. In the afternoon could we go to Lamma Island and walk over to the restaurants at the Sok Kwu Wan side for dinner and then get a ferry back after dinner? Is that doable and not too complicated?

>Mon. night we will just wing it. Maybe hop on transportation to Central and Wan Chai

Chucho, that's a good call. Why don't you hop on a tram (different than the Peak Tram)? You'll see them, there are buses and there are trams on rails with cables, only on HK island not Kowloon. The trams are super cheap and a fun way to get oriented and just people watch. The trams run through Causeway Bay, Wan Chai and Central, etc.

OK well here are my thoughts on your basically one day in Hong Kong, sort of in reverse:

1. On TUESDAY for your flight to Bangkok, you should check in early for your flight at the Airport Express station in Central; like 8 am or earlier, get your boarding pass and check in your luggage, thus freeing you up for the entire morning to see Hong Kong. With a 12:45 am departure, if you already have your boarding pass, you would not have to leave for the airport from Central/Kowloon until about 11:30 am. This would give you plenty of time to either (i) go the Peak, (ii) wander the Chinese markets and shop areas of Peel Street and Graham Street (see below), or (iii) have dim sum someplace like the Metropol which has the carts (see address below). This would free up your Monday for Lamma.

Assuming you are flying Thai, Cathay, Singapore or another non-US airline, you should be able to check-in up to 18 hours early, so you could even get your boarding pass the day before. The website for Hong Kong airport is hongkongairport.com, they have information on check-in. You can even check-in on line and print your own boarding with Cathay and I believe Thai, so check this out. You can then drop off your checked baggage at the Airport Express station and it will be sent on ahead. I believe you can store hand luggage at the Airport Express station in Central, go to http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/a...airportex.html or call 852-2523-3627

2. The escalator in Mid-levels runs downhill until 10:15 am every day, at which point it closes for 15 minutes while they reverse it and then it runs uphill from 10:30 am for the rest of the day. For “Chinese” shops in the area, IMO you are best walking up and down Peel Street and Graham Street, a little bit of Peel Street, and then the antique areas of Hollywood Road and Cat Street and Ladder Street. I also enjoy Pottinger Street for notions and just junk. Be sure to stop at the Man Mo Temple for incense and atmosphere, and the little street running off behind to the right as you face to temple has one or two coffin shops on it that are somewhat interesting.

3. You could do a trip to the Peak on either Monday or Tuesday evening, you do not have to try to fit it in during the day. I really like it around dusk as the lights come up and you can see and appreciate the view in both daylight and night. Go to sunreisesunset.com for sunset timing. It is also quite nice early in the morning, it is usually very empty then, you could have breakfast up there, there is a Pacific Coffee Company in the Peak Tram building with a spectacular view and coffee and muffins as well. An early morning visit on Monday is possible and then you could go off to Lamma. You can take the Peak Tram up, and for a different experience (and a much shorter line), you can take the #15 bus down; albeit at night with the lights on inside the bus you may not quite appreciate the view as much, the bus may be a bit better in daylight.

4. For dim sum, Maxim’s is good, but does not open until 11 or so, and does not take reservations, which you may need. Try the Metropol, which s good, has the carts, opens early ( 8 am I believe) and does take reservations:

Metropol Restaurant
4th Floor, United Centre
95 Queensway, Admiralty
Tel: 2865 1988
http://www.heichinrou.com

This is at the Admiralty MTR stop so is convenient for you.

5. You will not find the Cat Street antique area markets open past 6-7 pm or so, so I would not suggest you both trying to find it on your first night. Most local food and other market stall areas close around 7 pm, other than the awful touristy “night markets” on the Kowloon side. Shops and department stores stay open however until 9 pm or so, and the areas around your hotel will be quite lively in the evening hours if you want to wander the streets in that area. Times Square in Wan Chai might be an interesting area to go as well, many restaurants there and it will be chock a block with people. Central and the Soho and Lan Kwai Fong restaurant and bar areas will be very lively as well. Although I love the trams in Hong Kong, getting on one in Causeway Bay at say 7 pm and going all the way to Central could take quite a while at that hour, but the subway is crowded then too...a bit of a toss up. If your objective is truly to go to Central, I personally would take a taxi and then take the tram back perhaps to enjoy the street scene view. If you want to go to Times Square, a tram there would be more doable (take the Happy Valley line trams).

Thank you Cicerone - I was hoping you would post to this message. I have printed and poured endless hours into a 38 page write up did last fall. I feel lucky to have your expertise.
Wow! - great help.
Excuse my ignorance but by tram what is that? Public transportation on tracks?
And the airport express station in Central ? ? ? ? Is it a check in counter like the airport?

Hong Kong Tramway is a double-decker streetcar (the only one such system that I know of in the world right now) that runs along the northern Hong Kong Island. From Causeway Bay, where you hotel is, you can ride it westward through Wan Chai to Central.

You can easily do that on your day of arrival. Get off near the really ugly Central Market (about to be demolished), and ride the Mid-Levels Escalators up there to SoHo, with plenty of interesting restaurants.

There is a Jade Garden on Percival Street in Causeway Bay (I ate there just last night), but it doesn't open too early for dim sum. But besides the Metropol that Cicerone recommends, there are other dim sum restaurants in Causeway Bay that opens early. For example, this morning at 8:30am, I had breakfast at a place called "Goldsar", next to St Paul's Convent Secondary School and the Rosedale Hotel. Dim sum is more than okay.

Understand that there are two main areas on Lamma. The seafood restaurants are at Sok Kwu Wan. If you eat at "Rainbow", you can even catch their own free ferry from Central and Tsimshatsui. Yung Shue Wan, on the other hand, is 1.5 hour hike from Sok Kwu Wan. Don't go there if you're short on time, and doesn't really care for hiking.

Welcome back rkkwan - you of course were the other "HK Expert" that I was hoping would reply. Your informative postings have also helped me with my vacation plans.
I am now excited to get on the Tram - and just ride . . .
Yes, and Lamma island maybe we will just arrange with the Rainbow restaurant. If we do go over (and back)with their ferry service, will we still be able to wander around somewhat? Are they the type of seafood restaurant that has our future dinner still swimming and ready to be the chosen?

Chucho you'll love the Tram, espcially sitting on the top level. Be sure to enter fron the back and exit from the front where the driver is. And you don't pay until you exit. It always confuses a lot of visitors. I'm from HK and I know even locals sometimes get confused by this esp people who live in Kowloon/NT and don't take the tram often.

To me HK is all about food and shopping (in that order) and I grew up in HK and just got back from HK for Chinese New Year in Feb.

For Dim Sum, Luk Yu Teahouse for Cantonese Dim Sum (in Central) opens around 7:30am. They'll have trolleys in the morning until 10/11am (then it's chinese menu only). This is a very traditional style teahouse with traditional interior decor and fairly small in size compared to the other Dim Sum places you're looking at.Note: Great food but service not always the friendliest. It's an experience because you won't find this kind of decor at Maxims.

Another Dim Sum option to try is Shanghainese Dim Sum, "Siu Nam Kwok" in the 3rd Fl of Man Yee Building in Central (building is just pass the Lane Crawford Dept Store, on the other side of Queen's Road). Your hotel concierge will know where this is. It's really great food. They're also open for dinner.

After dim sum at either of these places, the escalator is a short walking distance away. Going up the escalator, you'll land at Hollywood Road, which has all the "antique" shopping. Depending on how long shopping goes, you may have the afternoon to see the peak.

As for the peak, stay up there if you have a clear day, otherwise, it's be totally fogged in and there won't be much of a view. But the tram ride is definitely worthwhile, nothing quite like it. If you just do the tram ride up and down, it won't take that long.

As for Lamma Island, that will likely be a 1/2 day trip by itself. But in my mind, there's not much to see there (it's an island with beaches and a fishing village) but if you just got back from China, I don't recommend this. Also, people have gotten quite seasick on the ferry ride to Lamma, so bring meds if this maybe a problem.

If you want to an island, I'd do Lantau instead (there's a large temple and Buddha there) and they have seafood restaurant also on this island. You can take the MTR (subway) to lantau or taxi. Again, this will be at least a 1/2 day trip.

My recommendation for HK second day is to hang out in causeway bay, tsim sha tsui/nathan road and take in the hustle bustle of HK. Looks of little snack shops/food options in all those areas, particularly late night in causeway bay.

I also recommend Yun Kee (Central), it's a great restaurant but I didn't think they open that early. It's a great roast shop, heavier meal, not known for dim sum but great for dinner or late night meal. If you're not a meat person, this may not be the place for you. Also, all birds (chicken, squab, duck or goose) are served whole (includes the head). I had some friends freak out over the presentation. Restaurant is also known for thier "thousand year old eggs", which I love but is an acquired taste and they'll bring it as appetizer.

Hope this helps and have fun.

Yes, your meals at one of the Sok Kwu Wan restaurants will still be swimming until you order.

You can wander before and/or after your meal at Rainbow. Just let them know which ferry departure you want to take to get back to the city, and they'll give you the tickets.

Or if you don't want to be limited by your restaurant choice, just ride the public ferry for about US$1.5 per person each way. If you DO eat at Rainbow, then just get the return ticket from them.

The Rainbow ferries have a open-deck, which is very popular and give you a nice view of the Victoria Harbour. (You do want to go straight back to your hotel for a shampoo).

My photo journey from last Oct is here:

rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p158269250/

Thank you for all the above replys. Rereading it all, what is important to me is food. Obvious from my questions the dimsum - with the trolley's is important - and I am yet to decide on that but with your help I have plenty of options there. Also I want to take Chucho to a seafood restaurant where there are a lot of tanks with the seafood still alive. I was assuming that Lamma island would be the best place for this. Is there an area on HK island that offers what I am looking for?
**We live on a tropical beach in Mexico and have fresh live seafood here but nothing like I am imaging will be available in HK (and Mexicans don't put it in tanks). (I am thinking about what we have in Vancouver B.C. and I just want to "Wow" Chucho)

If that makes any sense.

Thanks Deborah

Problem with the trolley is that most of the better dim sum restaurants have phased them out. One reason is to put more tables, closer together. And they can also be a fire hazard.

Now, you mostly just check on the items you want on a list (usually Chinese only), and they'll bring them out to you.

For seafood places where you walk to the tank and pick them, the easiest area to get to is Lei Yue Mun in the city. Take the MTR to Yau Tong, and it's a short taxi ride or kind of long walk to Lei Yue Mun. Or go to Sai Kung in eastern New Territories. There are frequent green public light buses from the Choi Hung MTR, or taxi from there.