Hong Kong/Wan Chai WWII cemetery hotels
May 19th, 2006, 10:06 AM
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Hong Kong/Wan Chai WWII cemetery hotels
We have a 2nite 1 1/2 day layover in KH in March 2007 and will need 2 nites hotels. We want to visit on the full day the cemetery at Wan Chai and the marketplace(not the high end one).
Are we looking at opposite ends of HK Island for these two tasks? Would it be better to book our 2 nites near the cemetery or book closer to airport/ or other central area and take public transportation.
We arrive early evening, have the next day free and the following day is an evening departure, so rushing to the airport first thing in the a.m. isn't an issue, but don't want to be lugging our packs doing a major tour thing on the last day. This will be after 3 months of Bali, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. We're not that young anymore so are trying to do it fairly easy in KH. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Are we looking at opposite ends of HK Island for these two tasks? Would it be better to book our 2 nites near the cemetery or book closer to airport/ or other central area and take public transportation.
We arrive early evening, have the next day free and the following day is an evening departure, so rushing to the airport first thing in the a.m. isn't an issue, but don't want to be lugging our packs doing a major tour thing on the last day. This will be after 3 months of Bali, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. We're not that young anymore so are trying to do it fairly easy in KH. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
May 19th, 2006, 12:08 PM
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First of all, you need to get the names of the places right. Took me almost 60 seconds before I realized where you're refering to.
Anyways, there are two main cemetaries for foreign soldiers died in WWII. One is in Stanley, where many British soldiers laid to rest. The other is at the Sai Wan (Bay) Cemetary. This is very close to <b>Chai Wan</b> on the eastern end of the island. I think this is what you're talking about. There's no cemetary in Wan Chai.
As for lodging, transportation is pretty easy in Hong Kong, and there aren't that many lodging choices in the far eastern end of the Island. The closest nice hotel is probably the Harbour Plaza Northpoint, but not much else in its vicinity.
I'd stay closer to Causeway Bay, Admiralty or Central. Just take the MTR to Shau Kei Wan or Chai Wan, and then take a taxi there. I need to get home and take a look at my map to see which MTR stop is closer.
What price range and what level of hotel are you considering?
Anyways, there are two main cemetaries for foreign soldiers died in WWII. One is in Stanley, where many British soldiers laid to rest. The other is at the Sai Wan (Bay) Cemetary. This is very close to <b>Chai Wan</b> on the eastern end of the island. I think this is what you're talking about. There's no cemetary in Wan Chai.
As for lodging, transportation is pretty easy in Hong Kong, and there aren't that many lodging choices in the far eastern end of the Island. The closest nice hotel is probably the Harbour Plaza Northpoint, but not much else in its vicinity.
I'd stay closer to Causeway Bay, Admiralty or Central. Just take the MTR to Shau Kei Wan or Chai Wan, and then take a taxi there. I need to get home and take a look at my map to see which MTR stop is closer.
What price range and what level of hotel are you considering?
May 19th, 2006, 04:39 PM
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I haven't been there for years, so this is what I can find right now.
You have 2 main ways to get to the Sai Wan War Cemetery. One is to take the MTR to Chai Wan (end of the Island line (blue) ). From there, it's a short walk up the hill. The road that goes to the cemetery is restricted, and I don't know if taxis are allowed.
Or you can get there from the top. You can take a taxi from the Shau Kei Wan MTR (two stops before Chai Wan). Or take the #9 bus that runs from Shau Kei Wan MTR to Shek O. [HK$6.5, every 18 minutes.] Get off at stop #9 Cape Collison - immediately after the bus turn left off Tai Tam Road onto Cape D'Aguilar Road. From there you walk down Cape Collison Road a little, instead of having to climb up.
After your visit, you can then walk down to Chai Wan MTR.
You have 2 main ways to get to the Sai Wan War Cemetery. One is to take the MTR to Chai Wan (end of the Island line (blue) ). From there, it's a short walk up the hill. The road that goes to the cemetery is restricted, and I don't know if taxis are allowed.
Or you can get there from the top. You can take a taxi from the Shau Kei Wan MTR (two stops before Chai Wan). Or take the #9 bus that runs from Shau Kei Wan MTR to Shek O. [HK$6.5, every 18 minutes.] Get off at stop #9 Cape Collison - immediately after the bus turn left off Tai Tam Road onto Cape D'Aguilar Road. From there you walk down Cape Collison Road a little, instead of having to climb up.
After your visit, you can then walk down to Chai Wan MTR.
May 19th, 2006, 04:43 PM
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Sorry, I mean when the bus turns left from Tai Tam Road onto <b>Shek O Road</b>.
http://tinyurl.com/hyz8q
http://tinyurl.com/hyz8q
May 19th, 2006, 11:57 PM
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Hong Kong Island is quite small and compact and public transport is very efficient and cheap, as are taxis, so it does not matter where you stay, IMO, as you can get to where you want to go fairly quickly. If you give a budget for hotels, we can give better suggestions.
As you have been on such a long trip, if you have a lot of luggage, you might want to leave the pieces you don't need AT the airport. This will save you from having to lug them back and forth into town. There is a staffed luggage room in the main arrivals hall, and the cost is about US$7 per piece per day. Take a look at http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/aguide/baggage.html
Can you tell me what "marketplace" you are interested in Is there something in particular you are looking for, or are you just interested in seeing local markets? If you want to see local fruit, vegetable and meat markets, then I would suggest you go to the evening food stall markets which take place each night between about 4:40 – 8 pm (and most all day Saturday and Sunday afternoons) in Wan Chai along Johnston Road primarily in the area of the Wan Chai MTR stop at Johnston Road (the street on which the trams run) and the following streets leading off of Johnston Road: Stone Nullah Lane, Garden Lane, Cross Street or Tai Wong Street. There are also indoor fruit/veg markets in Central on Queens Road near to the escalator, and again in Wan Chai on Lockhart Road near the harbour in the block between Fleming Road and Stewart Road.
Stanley Market is a fun market for shopping for souvenirs and other things, and could be combined with a visit to the cemetery in Stanley, and even as part of a whole day visit first to the cemetery in Chai Wan, then Stanley, then to the market. There are many good restaurants in the strip along the waterfront here as well.
rkkwan, there IS a huge cemetery in Wan Chai, it is on Queens Road East at the corner of Stubbs Road. It is called Hong Kong Cemetery. It has a very large number of Christian Westerners buried there beginning from the start of Hong Kong as a colony, it also has a Buddhist, Muslim Parsees and Hindus. It goes up in terraced hillsides along Stubbs Road. I am sure you will recall the cemetery I am talking about. I believe this is geographically still in the Wan Chai district, and not Happy Valley. I don't think that this is the cemetery that garyrhno wants to see, but perhaps it is. (I agree many people confuse Wan Chai and Chai Wan.) There may be some WWII soldiers buried there, it is hard to say. If they were UK soldiers stationed in Hong Kong during WWII it is possible there were buried there.
As you have been on such a long trip, if you have a lot of luggage, you might want to leave the pieces you don't need AT the airport. This will save you from having to lug them back and forth into town. There is a staffed luggage room in the main arrivals hall, and the cost is about US$7 per piece per day. Take a look at http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/aguide/baggage.html
Can you tell me what "marketplace" you are interested in Is there something in particular you are looking for, or are you just interested in seeing local markets? If you want to see local fruit, vegetable and meat markets, then I would suggest you go to the evening food stall markets which take place each night between about 4:40 – 8 pm (and most all day Saturday and Sunday afternoons) in Wan Chai along Johnston Road primarily in the area of the Wan Chai MTR stop at Johnston Road (the street on which the trams run) and the following streets leading off of Johnston Road: Stone Nullah Lane, Garden Lane, Cross Street or Tai Wong Street. There are also indoor fruit/veg markets in Central on Queens Road near to the escalator, and again in Wan Chai on Lockhart Road near the harbour in the block between Fleming Road and Stewart Road.
Stanley Market is a fun market for shopping for souvenirs and other things, and could be combined with a visit to the cemetery in Stanley, and even as part of a whole day visit first to the cemetery in Chai Wan, then Stanley, then to the market. There are many good restaurants in the strip along the waterfront here as well.
rkkwan, there IS a huge cemetery in Wan Chai, it is on Queens Road East at the corner of Stubbs Road. It is called Hong Kong Cemetery. It has a very large number of Christian Westerners buried there beginning from the start of Hong Kong as a colony, it also has a Buddhist, Muslim Parsees and Hindus. It goes up in terraced hillsides along Stubbs Road. I am sure you will recall the cemetery I am talking about. I believe this is geographically still in the Wan Chai district, and not Happy Valley. I don't think that this is the cemetery that garyrhno wants to see, but perhaps it is. (I agree many people confuse Wan Chai and Chai Wan.) There may be some WWII soldiers buried there, it is hard to say. If they were UK soldiers stationed in Hong Kong during WWII it is possible there were buried there.
May 20th, 2006, 04:57 AM
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Cicerone - My grandma and one of my uncles (both died during the Japanese occupation) were buried in the Catholic Cemetery at Happy Valley, and I've visited the sites very Ching Ming when I lived there. I've always thought of the area as Happy Valley, not Wan Chai.
But anyways, you may be right. And if that's actually where the OP is thinking, then they can of course stay at the Cosmopolitan (which comes out on Priceline all the time if one bids 4* Hong Kong Island West, pretty cheap too). It's literally just steps from the cemeteries there.
But anyways, you may be right. And if that's actually where the OP is thinking, then they can of course stay at the Cosmopolitan (which comes out on Priceline all the time if one bids 4* Hong Kong Island West, pretty cheap too). It's literally just steps from the cemeteries there.
May 22nd, 2006, 07:36 PM
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OOPS, I guess with all the Asian names I've been dealing with I got names befuddled. Sorry, but am glad you were able to figure out where we were going.
We would like to stay around or under 150.00usd a nite but realize this may not be possible.
As for what market, we want to see an open air not shopping centre type. I don't know that we are actually looking for anything in particular other than what strikes our fancy at the time, but don't want anything big to schlep. We aren't looking for any electronics, more's the pity as we probably could get some great deals, but don't need any. Just want a few hours of browsing and looking, and of course eating, can't pass up dim sum when we're there.
We are travelling light(1 bag each unless of course we've picked up much in the previous 3 months!) the full day of exploring etc with be without bags, We are particularily interested in the cemetery where the Canadians are, so that was the one I was querying. Would both be possible to visit on the same day?
The Stanley market sounds more what we are looking for.
We would like to stay around or under 150.00usd a nite but realize this may not be possible.
As for what market, we want to see an open air not shopping centre type. I don't know that we are actually looking for anything in particular other than what strikes our fancy at the time, but don't want anything big to schlep. We aren't looking for any electronics, more's the pity as we probably could get some great deals, but don't need any. Just want a few hours of browsing and looking, and of course eating, can't pass up dim sum when we're there.
We are travelling light(1 bag each unless of course we've picked up much in the previous 3 months!) the full day of exploring etc with be without bags, We are particularily interested in the cemetery where the Canadians are, so that was the one I was querying. Would both be possible to visit on the same day?
The Stanley market sounds more what we are looking for.
May 22nd, 2006, 08:15 PM
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It doesn't take that much time to visit the Sai Wan War Cemetery, including transportation to/from. Half a day is more than enough.
$150 a night can buy you some decent hotels. As long as they're close to the MTR (subway), they're fine. Doesn't matter if they're in Mongkok or Tsimshatsui on the Kowloon side, or Central or Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island. You have plenty of time to look, and many hotels won't release their rates until later. But it won't hurt to try bid on Priceline early to get one of the better deals. Try about 5* Tsimshatsui at $115-120 to see if you can get the Sheraton. Or 5* Hong Kong Island West at around $120-130, often the Marriott comes out.
Again, too early to book hotels right now. Few good deals available this early. And many hotels won't even release rooms this early.
If you like interesting markets, go to either the Ladies' Market in Mongkok or Temple Street Market in Yaumatei, or both. It's most interesting to do it at night.
$150 a night can buy you some decent hotels. As long as they're close to the MTR (subway), they're fine. Doesn't matter if they're in Mongkok or Tsimshatsui on the Kowloon side, or Central or Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island. You have plenty of time to look, and many hotels won't release their rates until later. But it won't hurt to try bid on Priceline early to get one of the better deals. Try about 5* Tsimshatsui at $115-120 to see if you can get the Sheraton. Or 5* Hong Kong Island West at around $120-130, often the Marriott comes out.
Again, too early to book hotels right now. Few good deals available this early. And many hotels won't even release rooms this early.
If you like interesting markets, go to either the Ladies' Market in Mongkok or Temple Street Market in Yaumatei, or both. It's most interesting to do it at night.
May 28th, 2006, 09:58 PM
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garynrho, I was responding to another thread about walking tours in Hong Kong and was recommending a gentleman called Jason Wordie when the penny dropped for me on him with regard to your interest in WW II cemeteries. Jason is a local historian and writer who also does excellent walking tours, and I have taken his tour of the Hong Kong Cemetery. I just checked his website, and he does do a battlefield tour which includes a trip to both WW II cemeteries and various battlefield sites. It looks very interesting. For two people it would be pretty expensive I think but might be something you are interested in. Jason's tours (I have done 3) are really excellent, his is extremely knowledgeable and interesting. Take a look at www.jasonswalks.com and in particular http://www.jasonswalks.com/Hong_Kong...ttlefield.html
At a minimum, you might want to get his book on battlefield sites in Hong Kong, called Ruins of War, you can purchase it through his site, or maybe your local bookstore could order it for you. Take a look at http://www.jasonswalks.com/Jason_s_B...n_s_books.html
At a minimum, you might want to get his book on battlefield sites in Hong Kong, called Ruins of War, you can purchase it through his site, or maybe your local bookstore could order it for you. Take a look at http://www.jasonswalks.com/Jason_s_B...n_s_books.html
