short Hong Kong layover
Aug 19th, 2008, 06:44 AM
#1
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short Hong Kong layover
Hello---
We are getting flying into Hong Kong about 9pm on a Saturday night leaving the next morning for the USA at around 10am--staying quite close to the airport. Is there any quick sightseeing to be done or good food close to the airport? Would appreciate any suggestions. THANKS
We are getting flying into Hong Kong about 9pm on a Saturday night leaving the next morning for the USA at around 10am--staying quite close to the airport. Is there any quick sightseeing to be done or good food close to the airport? Would appreciate any suggestions. THANKS
Aug 19th, 2008, 08:03 PM
#2
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It only takes about 20 minutes on mass transit to get into HK, so anything in HK is available to you. You'll be getting a very late start by the time you get off your flight and check into your hotel...but do a search here for sightseeing and see what appeals to you. I don't know how late the Peak tram operates, or how late dinner is served at, say, the Peninsula or the Mandarin Oriental.
Aug 20th, 2008, 10:16 PM
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There really is nothing around the airport, there are 2 hotels (see below), but as the train, bus or taxi is so quick and easy to get into town, there really is no reason to stay at the airport. There is no nearby town centre, there is a huge housing development quite closest Tung Chung, but there is little commercial stuff there. There is an outlet mall with restaurants, but by 10 pm on a Saturday, that will be closed as far as I know. I would leave the big bags at the airport, and take a small overnight bag into Hong Kong. If you have a budget, let us know, and we can provide reccos.
You may be able to even check-in for your onward flight as soon as your arrive, including checking in your major luggage, and then just hop the train into town with an overnight bag, which may allow you more time to sightsee in the morning. Some flights to the US do not offer this option, but you should at least check. Website for Hong Kong airport is at hongkongairport.com. It will give details on early-check in, transport to town, etc. Also ask your airline about this. Even if you can’t check in early, you could leave your larger bags AT the airport overnight at the luggage storage area rather than lugging them 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
If you have already checked in for the flight, you would have more time in the morning for sightseeing as well. Otherwise, with a US flight if you are not in business class, I would be at the airport 2.5 hours before the flight, lines can be long. You may be able to check-in at the Airport Express stations, these lines are often shorter, again not sure if this is possible for all US-bound flights. Many airlines have on-line check-in which you may be able to do from your hotel.
For hotels at the airport, there is a hotel IN the airport terminal, the Regal Airport Hotel, take a look at http://www.regalairport.com. This is walkable directly from the arrivals hall. The other hotel is the Novotel Citygate Hotel, it is about ¾ of a mile from the airport, I believe they have a free shuttle bus to the airport, or it would be a very quick taxi ride. Take a look at http://www.novotel.com/novotel/fiche...he_hotel.shtml or novotel.com.
The Peak Tram runs until midnight (starts at 7 am). You can always get a taxi back down if you want to stay after the Tram has stopped, the cost down to Central is about US$8-10. (Buses may run a bit later too, the #15 will take you to Central.) You can walk along the Esplanade on the Kowloon side all night. The Star Ferry runs until 11:30 pm. The MTR stops between midnight and 1 am depending on the line, the buses a bit later, but cabs are cheap and easily available (except when raining). If you stay at a hotel at the airport, remember that the last train back to your hotel will leave Hong Kong around 1 am, the bus a bit later, so if you want to stay later, you will have to take a taxi. (US$35-50 or thereabouts)
Hotel coffee shop restaurants are usually open 24 hours, you could try the Harbourside in the Intercontinental which will give you The View and perfectly fine food. In my experience, most independent and more formal hotel restaurants stop serving dinner generally around 10 pm, so you will probably not be able to have a restaurant meal; but you can often find some street food places (like in the Lyndhurst Terrace area in Central or around the dreaded Temple Street Market in Kowloon) open very late. You could certainly head to Soho or Lan Kwai Fong on a Saturday night at midnight and find lots going on and be able to get something to eat, whether it will constitute a full dinner is the question, but you won’t starve or anything. (I believe Al’s Diner will serve you a hamburger or grilled cheese, and I know that you can get a good breakfast 24 hours at the Flying Pan, but this may not be what you had in mind….) You can usually also get desert and coffee in places that have stopped serving dinner, like Café Decco on the Peak would be nice for the view and drink and some cake at 11 pm. Habitu the Pier on the Kowloon side has outdoor tables and a very nice view and some good desserts as well. I can check on Chinese restaurants, some may be open later. For a list of restaurants, see “Cicerone’s (Updated) Favourite Hong Kong Restaurants (Part I)”.
I see from your other posts that you like hiking, it is too bad you don’t have a longer layover in Hong Kong because there is some excellent hiking/walking here in lovely countryside.
You may be able to even check-in for your onward flight as soon as your arrive, including checking in your major luggage, and then just hop the train into town with an overnight bag, which may allow you more time to sightsee in the morning. Some flights to the US do not offer this option, but you should at least check. Website for Hong Kong airport is at hongkongairport.com. It will give details on early-check in, transport to town, etc. Also ask your airline about this. Even if you can’t check in early, you could leave your larger bags AT the airport overnight at the luggage storage area rather than lugging them 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
If you have already checked in for the flight, you would have more time in the morning for sightseeing as well. Otherwise, with a US flight if you are not in business class, I would be at the airport 2.5 hours before the flight, lines can be long. You may be able to check-in at the Airport Express stations, these lines are often shorter, again not sure if this is possible for all US-bound flights. Many airlines have on-line check-in which you may be able to do from your hotel.
For hotels at the airport, there is a hotel IN the airport terminal, the Regal Airport Hotel, take a look at http://www.regalairport.com. This is walkable directly from the arrivals hall. The other hotel is the Novotel Citygate Hotel, it is about ¾ of a mile from the airport, I believe they have a free shuttle bus to the airport, or it would be a very quick taxi ride. Take a look at http://www.novotel.com/novotel/fiche...he_hotel.shtml or novotel.com.
The Peak Tram runs until midnight (starts at 7 am). You can always get a taxi back down if you want to stay after the Tram has stopped, the cost down to Central is about US$8-10. (Buses may run a bit later too, the #15 will take you to Central.) You can walk along the Esplanade on the Kowloon side all night. The Star Ferry runs until 11:30 pm. The MTR stops between midnight and 1 am depending on the line, the buses a bit later, but cabs are cheap and easily available (except when raining). If you stay at a hotel at the airport, remember that the last train back to your hotel will leave Hong Kong around 1 am, the bus a bit later, so if you want to stay later, you will have to take a taxi. (US$35-50 or thereabouts)
Hotel coffee shop restaurants are usually open 24 hours, you could try the Harbourside in the Intercontinental which will give you The View and perfectly fine food. In my experience, most independent and more formal hotel restaurants stop serving dinner generally around 10 pm, so you will probably not be able to have a restaurant meal; but you can often find some street food places (like in the Lyndhurst Terrace area in Central or around the dreaded Temple Street Market in Kowloon) open very late. You could certainly head to Soho or Lan Kwai Fong on a Saturday night at midnight and find lots going on and be able to get something to eat, whether it will constitute a full dinner is the question, but you won’t starve or anything. (I believe Al’s Diner will serve you a hamburger or grilled cheese, and I know that you can get a good breakfast 24 hours at the Flying Pan, but this may not be what you had in mind….) You can usually also get desert and coffee in places that have stopped serving dinner, like Café Decco on the Peak would be nice for the view and drink and some cake at 11 pm. Habitu the Pier on the Kowloon side has outdoor tables and a very nice view and some good desserts as well. I can check on Chinese restaurants, some may be open later. For a list of restaurants, see “Cicerone’s (Updated) Favourite Hong Kong Restaurants (Part I)”.
I see from your other posts that you like hiking, it is too bad you don’t have a longer layover in Hong Kong because there is some excellent hiking/walking here in lovely countryside.
Aug 22nd, 2008, 10:46 AM
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Thanks for the extremely helpful response. We are booked at the Citygate so I think we'll drop the bags then take the MTR into town and plan on cabbing it back. If its not raining that is...
Do you know if taxis will accept credit cards? I don't want to get any HK dollars unless I have to for such a short stay. Thanks again
Do you know if taxis will accept credit cards? I don't want to get any HK dollars unless I have to for such a short stay. Thanks again
Aug 23rd, 2008, 10:55 AM
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Taxis do not take credit cards of Octopus. Cash only.
No reason to take taxi back from the city to Tung Chung (Citygate). Just take MTR back. Save you a bundle and doesn't take much longer.
You need to get HK dollars to pay for the MTR and taxi rides. Plenty of ATMs at the airport.
No reason to take taxi back from the city to Tung Chung (Citygate). Just take MTR back. Save you a bundle and doesn't take much longer.
You need to get HK dollars to pay for the MTR and taxi rides. Plenty of ATMs at the airport.
Aug 24th, 2008, 07:06 PM
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A very small number of cabs in Hong Kong do take credit cards (new this year). However, it is hard to find them and you are better off just planning on paying cash.
MTR is fine except as I mentioned in my post it stops between midnight an 1 am, so a taxi may be your only option if you stay in town later than that.
MTR is fine except as I mentioned in my post it stops between midnight an 1 am, so a taxi may be your only option if you stay in town later than that.
