Some recent Hong Kong news, 6/07
 

Don't know if many of you are planning to visit Hong Kong during the summer seasons, but here are a few recent things that may affect you:

1. NP360 Skyrail is still closed. They're hiring Swiss and Austrian experts to look into the problem. Report won't be due for 2-3 months, so it won't be operating for quite a while.

2. To entice visitors to still go to the Marketplace at Ngong Ping, there are 3 special offers: a) starting July 1st, just place your Octopus card at any Octopus reader there, and you get a free MTR ride from Tung Chung to anywhere in the system - up to $26 in value; b) if you spend $50 or more at the marketplace, you can get a free ride on New Lantao bus from Ngong Ping to Tung Chung, Mui Wo or Tai O - up to $25 in value.

3. The Bird Market in Mongkok has been shut down for several days now because they found a dead bird with the H5N1 virus. Now they're saying the market may be open as soon as 10 days from now.

4. The new Western Corridor between Hong Kong and Shekou in Shenzhen, China will start operating on July 1st. There are buses from Tueu Mun and Yuen Long to the border crossing on the HK side, and other "direct" buses will also use the new crossing. The main benefit is that you only have to get off the bus once to clear the HK and China border control.

5. The new KCR East Rail connection to Lok Ma Tsau (to cross into Futian, Shenzhen) will open mid-July.

These new border crossing should help alleviate the crowds at the existing ones too.

6. To celebrate the 10th year anniversary of HK's return to China, there's a special &quot;Pride of China&quot; exhibit at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, from 6/29 to 8/11. One piece from the Ming Dynasty called <i>Along the River During the Qingming Festival</i> in particular is considered a treasure. Tickets need be purchased in advance, and it may be too late now.

thanks...nothing about free tickets to HK from usa??? first class preferred...

There's always the lottery! ;)

rkkwan
many thanks for your information.
We will visit Hong Kong during our summer trip in August.
Due the problem with the NP360 we made some changes in our planned schedule but still we would like to visit the Great Buda.
We will dedicate our 2 days in Hong Kong to visit Kowloon and Hong Kong Island
We plan to visit the Ngong Ping - Po lin Monastery in our later extra day (one week later) from the airport (we will stay 20 hours in the Regal Airport Hotel besause a connection fly reason - we will arrive very early in the morning.
Can you help us in the route from the airport to the Monastery ?
Due we are 4 persons may be is better to rent a taxi ?
Thanks in advance
Regards
Jose maria

take the MTR to Tung Chung station and then the no. 23 bus from there.
We went across by ferry but took the bus back to the station. Whilst there(Po Lin), hop on a taxi or bus and go to Tai O fishing village.Its well worth it!

From the airport, you can take the <b>S1</b> bus from the ground transportation center to the Tung Chung MTR. Frequent, takes a few minutes, HK$3.5.

But with 4 people, it's cheaper to just take a blue taxi (blue for Lantau only) from the hotel to Tung Chung MTR. The bus terminal for New Lantao Bus #23 is adjacent to the MTR and Skyrail stations.

In fact, with 4 people, you might as as well take the blue taxi all the way up to Ngong Ping. It's not going to cost you much more than the bus.