Hong Kong
 

Hi, We are flying to HK from Australia for 9 days in early December. We have an international student who lives with us and have been invited to go and visit her and her family. We would like to go to Macau and to mainland China for a couple of days. Does anyone have any idea's on the best way to get there i.e. independently or with a tour for mainland China. Thanks

Do it on your own.

Any place in China you have in mind particularly? From Hong Kong, the areas around aren't the most interesting, but you can take a plane to Guilin, for example. Just depends on what you want to see.

Since you don't have enough time to go to Beijing, I second rkkwan's suggestion of Guilin/Yangshou area, it's only an hour's flight from HK and the natural scenery is amazing, so different from HK. You need a visa to go into mainland China, you can get that in Australia from the embassy or wait till you are in HK to get it.

Thank you, will have a look at getting the flight :)

With 9 days for the trip, you have plenty of time to see Hong Kong and Beijing. Pretty as I think Guilin is, if you don't think you will ever get to China again, IMO you should go to Beijing which offers so much in terms of history and culture. Besides the obvious Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Pala,ce and Great Wall, there are arcobatic shows and all kinds of good restaurants. I would certainly skip Macao to see Bejing, I don't know what you are expecting to find in Macao, but adjust your expecations, becuause it is Las Vegas East these days...a sleepy colonal Portuguese town no more. While there are a very few colonial bits lift that are interesting, IMO they are being overwhelmed by the casino development that has been built and is still expanding.

Weather in Hong Kong in December is marvelous, we wait for it all year. Sunny and dry and temps about 20-23 C. There is excellent hiking and walking all over the area. Great weather for ferry trips too. You could easily amuse yourslf for 9 days, especially with a local family to show you around, but I can see the attraction of a place like Beijing. Beijing will be cold, and colder than other parts of the PRC, but if you are dressed for it, perfectly doable, and if you get a snowfall, Beijing can really be beautiful, i.e. the white snow agaisnt the red walls of the Forbidden City and the bare trees. Take a look at weatherbase.com. 4/5 days Hong Kong and the rest Beijing would work fine, IMO.

Have you discussed your travel plans with your student? I assume there is no expectation that you would be staying the entire 9 days in Hong Kong with them. This should probably be made clear soon if it has not been made so already, or there may be misunderstanding later. Asians take their respsonsibility as hosts seriously, and as you have been putting up the child, the family may feel even further obligation.

Thank you we will certainly look at a trip to Beijing. Our student is an International Uni student who has lived with us for 12 months now. Her mother is very keen to spend time with us when we are in Hong Kong but as she works will be only available on the weekend. We have been to Asia several times so more than happy to find our own way around. Thanks for you help. Kim