HK Side Trips
 

Traveling to Hong Kong in late March for 8 days and would appreciate suggestions for 1-day side trips. Thinking about 1 day in each of Macau and Guangzhou. Should we go with a packaged day trip that includes the group VISA or do on our own? Recommendations on the best tour operators? How much should this type of tour cost?

My best friend lives in HK and took us on our side trips so I can't help with tour operators, but definately see the big Buddha. Amazing. We took a ferry to get to the island and then busses take you to the site. You could definately do it on your own. Can't remember the exact name, but it is a major site surronded by a monastery. Any hotel will know how to get there.

JoAnne, i believe you're talking about Po Lin Monastery on Lantau island. It's a beautiful place, on top of a mountain with a lake in the background. It's very easy to get there, you take a ferry from downtown Hong Kong and then there's a bus that takes you directly to the monastery. Just go to the Hong Kong tourism office next to the ferry terminal and they'll give the needed info right there.<BR><BR>Lia, For Macau, you can go on your own but i've heard there's not much to see except for the casino halls. For Guangzhou, to avoid problems at the China border it would be best to book a tour.

Thanks for the suggestions. We've booked 1-day tours to both Guangzhou and Lantau Island and will probably try to get to Macau on our own if only for the casino.

I WOULD PREFER MACAU THAN GUANGZHOU.<BR><BR>MACAU IS MORE THAN THE CASINO. IT IS A UITE SMALL TOWN THAT HELP YOU ESCAPE FROM THE BUSY LIFE IN HONG KONG. FOOD IN MACAU IS ALSO VERY DELICIOUS.

With 8 days, you have plenty of time. I would HIGHLY recommend that you plan for 1 full day (half-days of travel the day before and after) to go to Yanghsuo (near the better-known but less interesting Guilin) in China. The scenery there is breathtaking, and vastly different than what you'll find in HK. The river cruise (take the 3 hour one) takes you through the famous mountains of the area, and is a memorable experience. The countryside is just what you think of when you picture Chinese countryside - farmers wearing cotton clothing with rope belts and pointy straw hats leading oxen through the rice paddies. It's definately a "must see" in China, and since it's so close to HK, would make the best "China" trip out of HK. Guangzhou is very industrial and doesn't have much of interest to tourists.

Re: trip to Guilin/Yangshuo<BR><BR>I forgot to mention that you should be careful if you book through a tour agency on a packaged tour - they are notoriously overpriced. The best hotel in Yangshuo is the Paradise, and it's about US $100 a night (be sure to get a room in the newly renovated wing). There are also loads of budget accommodations for much less. The river tour costs less than $5 US, as does the night comorant fishing. I can't remember how much we paid for the tour of the countryside, but I'd be very surprized if it was more than $10 US. Everyone in Yangshuo speaks great English, and the main street is literally LINED with tour operators - there is NO NEED to book the tours in advance, just the hotel. Food is wonderful and also less than $5 per person. Tour operators offer 2 day trips there with just hotels & tours for $750 US - a complete rip off.

We will be in HK the week of March 11 and find these questions and answers interesting. Is it worth going to Yanghsuo for the day and coming back the same day? Is there enough time to see anything? When we get to HK can we book our tours at the airport or should we do it through the hotel?<BR><BR>Judith

I don't think you can take a day trip from hong kong to any place in mainland China, including Yanghsuo. We must take at least a one hour flight and you cannot return on the same day. <BR><BR>There are many tours from HK to mainland China,but at least you need 3 days to travel to Guilin or Yanghsuo.