I am planning a 10-day vacation to Hong Kong next October and would like to take a side trip to Bali. Is this enough time to see both cities? How long of a flight is it to Bali from Hong Kong? Thanks.

Jean: <BR>It is about a 5 hour flight from Hong Kong to Bali. My suggestion is to pick one place and do it well as there is so much to see and do in both places. Also keep in mind the added travel times with customs & immigration - it's not really 10 days!

<BR>You should spend no less than 5 days in Bali to do it right. After you do the volcanoes, beaches, river rafting, temples, dances, rice fields, art galleries, stone/wood/metal-carving towns, culinary treasures, etc. you are most liking to have only a couple of days left in your 10-day vacation. <BR> <BR>Hong Kong is a lovely place, but tourists might not find it very intersting. Afterall it's just another metropolitan. Whereas the Peak, Star Ferry, and Nathan Road are places you have to visit, the outer-lying islands and little neighborhoods are interesting as well. A good overview could be done in 2 to 3 days. There're so many good Chinese restaurants to try, you'll be thinking about dining options all the time.

C.Mak said: <BR>____ <BR>Hong Kong is a lovely place, but tourists might not find it very intersting. Afterall it's just another metropolitan <BR>_____ <BR> <BR>Oooo... sorry - I don't agree with this statement but.. I do with your suggestions for places to see, things to do! HK isn't 'just another metropolitcan' - most people are amazed when they find out that 74% of the SAR is country park! If you like hiking - the outlying islands and New Territories have some wonderful places to walk with beautiful ocean views, rolling hills, and neat old villages. <BR> <BR>It also happens to be one of the fastest paced cities in the world and the excitement and glamour that goes with that. It's neck and neck with New York for the largest number of restaurants per capital - and C Mak is right - you'll be thinking 'eating' all the time <BR> <BR>I'd suggest a day in Macau as well - it's a real contrast to HK, 100 yrs older, a unique mix of Portuguese and Chinese culture .... really worth a visit. <BR> <BR>4-5 days in Bali (my favourite areas are Ubud, Pemuteran, and Lovina) and 5-6 days in HK/Macau would be my suggestion. <BR> <BR>I suggest you check out the travellers' notes pages of our website for HK/Macau and Indonesia. <BR> <BR> <BR>Have a great time! <BR> <BR>Judy in Hong Kong <BR>Accommodating Asia... let travellers' experiences be your guide <BR>http://www.accomasia.com

I'd highly reccommend Bali as your primary trip and HK as no more than a stop-over! As good as HK might be (to some)once you see Bali you'll wish you had spent all your time there. <BR>I lived in HK and it ain't no picnic. If you like an over-crowded metropolis go to NY. People are nearly as rude here and outside of shopping, and that fabulous skyline, there is not a lot to see; and shopping isn't cheap anymore. <BR>Bali is heaven. Go for it! <BR>For tips, ideas and great photos of both, take a look at: <BR>http://www.explorephoto.com <BR> <BR>Have fun! <BR> <BR>Kyle Lester

I'm going to have to disagree with these negative Hong Kong critics. I have lived in Hong Kong aswell, and Hong Kong certainly warrants more than just being deregulated to stop-over status. I find that most tourists who didn't enjoy Hong Kong didn't really bother to look beyond Hong Kong's urban surface. Hong Kong is called the "Pearl of the Orient" for a reason, and I can't image ever getting bored there as there are millions of things to do. There's the standard visit to the Peak, the Night Market on Temple Street and the Star Ferry, but Hong Kong also has a lot of traditional Chinese temples (you should definitely go to the Big Buddha statue on Lantau Island) and villages in the New Territories. Hong Kong has an incredible, international nightlife scene that offers something for everyone (as I said before, it's impossible to get bored in Hong Kong). While it is true that Hong Kong itself isn't as cheap shopping-wise as it once was, Hong Kong is still only a very short train ride from the Chinese city of Shenzen. You'll find bargins of a lifetime for both name brand items and traditional Chinese crafts and clothes. Visas to China are readily available and cheap in Hong Kong, and it only takes a few days (three at the most)or, sometimes, a few hours, to obtain one at a travel agency or visa office. Macua is a good day trip option, and Hong Kong does have some very lovely hiking trails and the best restaurants in Asia. Bali is very, very nice in it's own right, but I would still stick to your original plan of having Bali as a side trip to a vacation to Hong Kong.

My husband and I are planning a trip to Bali in mid-January. We've learned that this is the monsoon/rainy season there. Will this put a strong damper on our experience? <BR>Any/all feedback is appreciated.

<BR>Check out the weather for both at: <BR>http://www.explorephoto.com <BR>Also many great photos, travel tips, news and more.

We have just come back from a HK/BALI trip (20 Nov 2000 - 5 Dec 2000). I must say Bali is definitely the more beautiful location thank HK. However, we found Bali a real disappointment. There are thousands of people selling you any and every thing every where. If you decide to walk be prepared to be hassled constantly. <BR>Keep away from touristic places and try to see more of the country by hiring a car (you need International licence) or car and driver. Don't be afraid to ask people who approach you for a price for a car hire and always bargain them down to 30% - 50% of the asking price. Eat outside the hotels and it will be cheaper. Exchange money only in the so called 'Authorised money changer' only. Don't be fooled by very good exchange rates someone will try and cheat you (by dropping a few notes on the floor) or charge you commission. Try and get maps from the Tourist information offices and explore your local area on foot. we stayed 11 days in Bali and 3 days in HK. HK i´s a very interesting place and you have the freedom of movement with underground. Go to the markets, eat Dimsum, go off the tourisy track and get a map to walk around. Its a great experience. Don't expect people to be nice or polite, they don't mean anything by it, its just their way. I would not go back to Bali again, but will definitely go back to HK and may be travel to mainland China on the train. <BR>Have fun.

I agree with Kyle above. Bali is fantastic if you get away from Kuta. Kuta for a day, just to be close to the airport on departure, perhaps. But I could spend a lot of time in Ubud and enjoy every minute. Bali is very inexpensive - outside the luxury resorts. With ten days, I wouldn't spend more than two of them in Hong Kong. Have a great time.

I live in Hong Kong presently, and have done for the past four years. It's the most polluted urban city on this planet. The people here are the rudest and most racist on Earth - they make New York people look polite. The "world's most beautiful harbour" has been turned into a dump! Swimming in the harbour or at any of the beaches of Hong Kong is a ticket to instant sickness - for instance, typhoid or cholera - E-coli flourishes, as it does in a lot of the seafood available to eat at the 'wet' markets. The actual journey up to the Peak on the Peak Tram is a great experience but once you get to the Peak itself it's nearly always impossible to make out the view because of the ever-present grey polluted murkiness! Any further reclaiming of the Harbour, and the Star Ferry will be redundant. We'll all be able to walk across. Just a few thoughts.........