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 hiohio.net-   travels. planning. trip reports. food.

Nan Lian Gardens (Hong Kong)

8/29/2015

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Nan Lian Gardens Hong Kong- Entrance.

​Visits to Hong Kong feels incomplete without lots of eating and shopping, but seeing a garden that's situated in the middle of a metropolis?  I'm all for it.   It makes sense when you want a moment of peace in a bustling city.   Enter in Nan Lian Garden in Kowloon. 

Just get off at the Diamond Hill MTR stop and cross the street.  Entry is free too.


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Hutong Sunday Dim Sum Brunch-  Hong Kong

9/14/2014

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Hutong Hong Kong (lovely view).
Hutong has one of the BEST views in Hong Kong.
When I stop to think about it, this trip to Asia was really planned around eating.  
My friend and I saw "Hutong" on Trip Advisor and both decided it was worth a visit
after seeing what a killer view it had:

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Dialogue in the dark- Hong Kong

9/13/2014

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Our guide Cecilia (who also suffered from blindness) was wonderful.  Once the tour commenced, along with two others, we were thrown into complete darkness.  With the help of a white cane, and by following the soothing voice of Cecilia, we progressed through different scenarios that the blind goes through everyday.
​ It was scary r
elying only on our other senses.  But we pushed through by helping one another.  

We came out really appreciating the gift of sight and learning things about the blind that we had never known before. 

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TurboJET Ferry- Hong Kong

9/6/2014

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Taking the Ferry from Hong Kong to Macau is one of the most convenient  and economical way of traveling between the two areas.

There are two Ferry operators that can get
you there:
TurboJET and CotaiJET.
​

Cotai JET only goes to Cotai
(where the Venetian, Conrad, Galaxy, and
City of Dreams is located) though some people prefer it over TurboJET.

I think overall, TurboJET is ok.  I had the pleasure (and displeasure) of riding it several times on 
both the Economy and SuperClass.  

Pricing for the tickets varies depending on where you are coming from or going to, and level of cabin service.  
There are several TurboJET terminals:

1) Hong Kong International Airport -- most convenient for when you want to go straight to Macau Outer Ferry terminal without going through HK customs.  BAD for when your flight lands at HKIA airport very early or very late as operational hours are limited.   First ferry is at noon, last is at 10pm-- (there's only about 6-7 ferries a day going back and forth the airport and Macau Ferry terminal).

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Riding TurboJET from Hong Kong Airport to Macau is great for when you don't need to go through HK and you arrive during their operational hours (noon-10pm) . Simply purchase your ferry tickets on the upper level of the airport, hand over your luggage claim tickets, wait to board the ferry, then pick-up your luggage once you land in Macau.  

2) Sheung Wan Ferry Terminal (Shun Tak Centre)
24 hours  |  Ferries are frequent (every 15 mins up to 11:59pm | then 7 ferries after midnight).  
There are possible cancellations of ferries after midnight, so plan early!  I like this Ferry station the best as ferries are most frequent and the MTR station and Bus stops are right nearby.  
​


3)  
Kowloon China Ferry Terminal (TST).  
 7am-10:30pm  (About one ferry per 1/2 hour).

I personally don't prefer this Ferry Terminal as the nearest MTR train station is a bit of a walk away (Austin or Jordon).   


ECONOMY vs. SUPER CLASS?

So, is it worth it to upgrade your ferry ride and pay an extra 100-155 HKD | $15-$20 USD?
4)  HKIA to Mainland China. (Shenzhen Airport, Shekou, and Guangzhou Nansha). 

If you don't want to sit and wait around at the airport for the first ferry to go to Macau,  you could also go through HK customs, and either find a bus or Taxi to take you to either Sheung wan (Shun Tak Centre) or China Ferry Terminal (Kowloon).   Average cost of Taxi's can be found here .  If you have the time to spare, Day and Night bus offer comfort and scenic views but at the expense of time.

If you are pressed for time, going to Shun Tak Centre is probably your best bet as day ferries depart every 15 mins.


Personally I feel that sometimes it may be worth it to upgrade the TurboJET tickets as upgrading allows you an edible "free" meal, but what you are really paying for is being able to get off the ferry FIRST to avoid the rush at the customs line.  The bad thing is that even if you've upgraded the tickets, they don't tag your luggage differently and you may end up waiting a while for it after customs.  Also, at HKIA, as a Super Class ticket holder, you don't get a separate boarding line during the boarding process so yup, you still have to stand in the long line. 

If you are not in a rush, the economy is comfortable enough (though if your neighbors are rude like mines--they blasted their tablet speakers the entire ride or was clipping their nails away--it may warrant the upgrade).   The Super Class level on the upper deck on 2 of the boats I've been on looks like it needs refurbishing (see photos above).  Though you do get to pick any open seats whereas the economy is assigned and there's option to purchase drinks and snacks.  

If you are taking a night ferry (after midnight I believe), there's no one to collect your luggage so you have to lug it onto the ferry yourself.  Let's just say it was a challenging experience when you are carrying a lot of bags and you have to lift it off the uneven ground.


Though if you really want to arrive in style, one could always opt for the PREMIER grand class ($410-$476 HKD ($53-$62 USD) on a supposedly nicer boat with gourmet meals and free wi-fi.  Perhaps the meals on that upgrade will actually be worth it...maybe next time. 

I did think that "lounge" for Super Class  and Premier  did not seem impressive when it was available.

[TIPs ]... actually reminders to myself: 

If you know that you need to return to HK via the ferry over the weekend (or during any Chinese holiday) pre-buy your return tickets EARLY and don't assume you can buy a ticket for the next boarding (unless you don't mind paying for the overpriced hawker tickets and even then those are hard to come by.  I can only see those tickets working great if you are traveling alone with no luggage).
   
Typically, over 70,000 people visit Macau on the weekends. I learned the hard way that it's possible to show up and have all of the overnight ferries be sold out (even on Super or Grand Premier).   Do not bet on the "stand-by" lines since it did not work for me (spent an entire night at the ferry terminal) and I missed my flight in Hong Kong.  I must not have been thinking straight even though I had set up several reminders to pre-book days/ weeks in advance.  

Also, there are NO left luggage counter at Macau Ferry Terminal (I asked) -- only coin lockers, though it seems like they will accommodate up to 29" or so suitcase size. 

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Victoria Peak- Hong Kong

9/6/2014

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We took a Taxi from the IFC Hong Kong train station to the Peak to save time (we had just checked out of the hotel, stored our luggage, and ate at Tim Ho Wan).

Though if you have time to spare to take in the whole scenic experience, you can certainly take the tram or bus (we wanted to avoid the crowd and the wait which sometimes can be up to an hour or more on the trams).

Victoria Peak has evolved over the years.  I've probably been up here as a child living in Hong Kong, yet I don't have any recollection of it.
There are several choices to enjoy the view up here, ranging from free to paid.
Hong Kong Extras does a good in-depth overview of what you can find at the Peak and how to get there.  If you plan on riding the Tram along with visiting the Sky Terrace, you can pick up a combination ticket.

The big attraction is the view as it is considered a "must-do" in Hong Kong (just about every single guide book about HK features a night shot from here).    Otherwise, there are a variety of souvenir shops and scenic restaurants.   It's safe to say I've checked it off my list and won't need to return for a while.
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View from the top of the Galleria (shops) Observation Deck. Not bad for free!


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Mido Cafe- Hong Kong

9/6/2014

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My friend wanted to experience a true "Cha Chaan Teng" (Tea House) in Hong Kong. 
So Mido Cafe was were we ended up at for a bit of Hong Kong Nostalgia.  Mido cafe is one of the very last remaining HK Tea Houses left in it's original state and has served as set to many HK movies.

Getting there however took a bit of backtracking.   On the google map, it looked easy to get to.  Once out of the subway station, I guess it was much closer than we thought. 

Thanks to online reviews, my expectations were kind of low since many reviews echo that service wasn't all that stellar and was overpriced, but we were going for the experience anyways so it didn't matter too much.

As we visited right after opening, there was only seating available on the upper level. 

Overall, the food was pretty good and it was a neat experience to envision what it was like to have lived in HK in the early 50s.  We chose the 3 most recommended dishes that kept popping up on tripadvisor and other searches online and it was a filling way to start the day.


My own one page "cheat-sheet" which you are welcome to use.  
Mido Cafe Hong Kong Directions.
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    intro

    Hi there, I'm Hio. 

    I've had the pleasure of calling Oahu (Hawaii) my home for many years and now live in
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