Octopus vs Tourist Day pass in Hong Kong

[stefanny28]

Klook offers quite a lot of activities that I am interested in.

Great site!!!

Have you booked with them before? Are they reliable?

If I understood correctly, you print out a voucher and present it at the ticket booth. Is there any restriction for these vouchers?

 

Thanks

[mking8288]

... Here what I have planned, let me know if I am missing anything:

 

Arrival at HKIA.

Buy Octopus card for 3 people.

If tired, just get a cab

If not too tired, take the AE to Kowloon MTR, take a txi from MTR to hotel Metro Winner. ( Group rate for 3 with AE).

 

Things to do:

Peak Tram

Star Ferry

Light show

Shopping and eat

Macau if time allows

Big Buddha ( if weather is good)

 

Leaving to Singapore on Dec 31st, 7:00AM

Take taxi from Metro Winner to Kowloon MTR. Use Tigeair In Town checkin , check luggage , take AE to HKIA

 

Cruise ship comes back to Hong Kong Jan 13rd,

Sunday morning Jan 15th, around 9:00AM

Take taxi or ship shuttle to Kowloon MTR , use In Town check in Finneair.

If weather permits, take carry-on to Lantau Big Buddha. Use locker in basement of shopping mall

If weather not favorable, leave carry-on at Kowloon Left luggage and stay in town.

Take AE or MTR to HKIA, no later than 10:00PM.

If go to airport early, use Business lounge to shower and rest

 

I think I got the part regarding the AE from Kowloon MTR. I will use it twice, once to fly to Singapore onDec 31st. Another time to fly home with Finneair.

Looking & sounding good, just a few thoughts. Coming from Montreal in mid-winter, I'm sure you will be dressed warmly & in layers for HK's comparatively mild "winter" - the Peak & Budda will be cooler by a few degrees and windy, check weather & visibility before leaving, same for Macau in case of fog (go on Thursday ... less crowded/lower turbojet fares)

 

Do the Peak & city on Wednesday (watch for jetlag, as you know) and eat - HK was once a shopper's paradise, not anymore (depending on what you are looking for) ... everything is expensive & you are competing with mainland folks for "bargains". Of course, I brought my first Rolex on Nathan Road back in 1986, LOL. Tung Chung's "outlet" mall is just like the ones in America & here in NA, better sizing & prices, etc. Big Budda on Friday (instead of doing it after you return from the cruise) as Saturday would be packed with even more visitors ... Tai O Fishing Village, after Budda - via island bus or mini-bus from the transportation terminal/center near the shops, is worth a side trip for a nice walk & photo ops, perhaps some seafood - the countryside hasn't changed much in last 30+ years; except for herds of cows roaming free & abandoned by ex-farmers. From there, option to take the scenic ferry service back to Central ... if timely is done right, you will get back in time to watch the 15 minutes laser show (and Victoria Harbour will be colorful with all the holiday lights & sounds in a very festive mode)

 

To go to HK these days is to eat or "pig out" with all sorts of prices - Causeway Bay (via MTR on the island) is our favorite - lots of international choices, not to mention the indoor & underground shopping options - and you can ride the good old Electric Tram, great when weather is nice & cool, never in the warm or hot summer as it isn't air-conditioned.

 

Back on the shopping mall experience, Shatin in N.T. would be a good option, especially if weather isn't cooperating, right above the KTR station (transfer via MTR @ Kowloon Tung or from Hung Hom) several huge, inter-connecting multi-story malls with food courts and upscale dining options - easily spend 1/2 a day there ... absolutely packed full on weekends & holidays (and, public schools are OFF that last week in December).

 

The Klook discount on Octopus is valid & good, just never used it personally as it's relatively new to many like us - no restrictions except on the buying & using it within one month as described; and, you still qualify for other "regular" AE discounts using it.

 

All-in-all, you got the major bases covered, I'm sure some minor details will pop up here & there between now and mid/late December ... the fun of planning & dealing with the unexpected. ;)

[stefanny28]

Thanks Mking8288;

I am keeping all my options and not pre-book anything just inc ase we are too jet lagged. I guess we wake up , check the weather and decide what to do.

 

One question: can we pay with credit card when buying the Octopus card at the airport? Or to top it up?

How about taxi? Do we pay with credit card or cash?

How much cash should we bring with us? Do restaurants accept credit card or only HKD?

 

We are stopping in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand and I really don't want to carry HKD, SGD and BHT. Vietnam is easy, they accept USD everywhere :-)

[pieshops]

Klook offers quite a lot of activities that I am interested in.

Great site!!!

Have you booked with them before? Are they reliable?

If I understood correctly, you print out a voucher and present it at the ticket booth. Is there any restriction for these vouchers?

 

Thanks

 

I have a bunch of things booked for our upcoming Asia Cruise in December. It is easy. You can either bring them the voucher or put it on your phone and show them electronically.

 

I have read a lot of reviews, they are reliable

[stefanny28]

Thanks pieshop;

I have just realized you are doing the same cruise than us but 2 weeks before. We'll probably be stopping at the same ports and visiting the same things :-)

[pieshops]

Thanks pieshop;

I have just realized you are doing the same cruise than us but 2 weeks before. We'll probably be stopping at the same ports and visiting the same things :-)

 

Are you on the Star also? You will have to give a report when you return before we leave

[stefanny28]

No, we're on the Celebrity Millenium and our cruise is after yours ( Jan 2nd, 2017-Jan 14th, 2017).

I will be starting my cruise as yours ends ( Singapore to Hong Kong).

[mking8288]

... can we pay with credit card when buying the Octopus card at the airport? Or to top it up?

How about taxi? Do we pay with credit card or cash?

How much cash should we bring with us? Do restaurants accept credit card or only HKD?

We are stopping in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand and I really don't want to carry HKD, SGD and BHT. Vietnam is easy, they accept USD everywhere :-)

Go with the flow, that's the way to explore HK. First, alert your Canadian bank of your travel plans & places/dates so that they will authorize routine charges, provide them with your updated email address (although, they will call you if warranted just to verify) ... it's DIY easily online with Citi(bank) and Chase here for us when we go abroad & cruise, including our banks' debit/ATM card. We just withdraw funds from Citi in HKG and (last year, in So. Korea & Taiwan) & pay a nominal conversion & foreign transaction fee, no need to find Currency Exchange or stand in line with passport for the bank teller at HSBC there.

 

You can buy and reload Octopus Card with HKD (cash) or electronically, including bank/credit cards at selected terminals at the airport, MTR stations and at staffed counters; plus, a long list of outlets/stores that also cheerfully accept the card for use, including McD, Starbucks, and Mannings, etc. (see list linked here) Stored unused value & the Card itself do not expire if you decided to keep some funds on it for another trip/visit in the near future. http://www.octopus.com.hk/easy-reloading/other-ways-to-reload/en/

 

Taxi drivers prefer HKD or cash, some are equipped for taking credit card or ATM/debit cards for payment, most don't. Same for shopping in local mom-n-pop retail & standalone stores, major chains & popular restaurants do - of course - take credit card for payment (signs are displayed, i.e. Union Pay is popular for mainland China visitors)

 

As for converting/exchange different currencies, HKD and SGD are easily reversed, you can get it converted back to HKD when your ship docked back @KTCT in January. As for the Vietnamese Dong, you can pay for it with USD as long as it is clean & crisp, no markings or "old" bills accepted - you won't get a rough conversion, so know the official exchange rate before you use the USD, i.e. the $450,000 Dong taxi ride plus tip converted to about $25 USD in 2010 when we stayed in HCMC for several days. We spend most of what we had remaining in Dongs at the airport gift shop, but kept some in case we return in a few years (or, can gift that to someone in the extended family if & when they go abroad.)

 

As for how much local currency to convert & use abroad, it's tough to answer - also depending on how much you can put on your credit card instead of paying cash everywhere. Hence, I suggested about $100 CDN per person for Hong Kong on the Octopus Card, to minimize small & out-of-pocket expenses that you can easily swipe & debit directly. That leave the 2 or 3 basic meals daily & shopping, if any, for inexpensive souvenirs. Eating out at some of the better & upscale restaurants can be pricey in HK, depending on your taste (especially with seafood & items marked "seasonal pricing" by the ounce ... codeword :eek:) Maybe start off with $300 CDN for each person, as you arrive midweek & can easily exchange more based on your rate of spending, either going to withdrawn more at the ATM or find a HSBC banking centre to exchange more (they are open on Saturday morning, usually - closed on Sundays & public holidays) FC Exchanges are all over town & those in TST area are open 7 days a week, some with late/evening hours so it's easy.

[stefanny28]

OK, so I can buy the Octopus card with credit card, taxi is paid in cash and I can withdraw local currencies at the ATM. Got it!!!

 

Do you happen to know if taxi in Singapore accepts cash or credit card?

[villauk]

No, we're on the Celebrity Millenium and our cruise is after yours ( Jan 2nd, 2017-Jan 14th, 2017).

I will be starting my cruise as yours ends ( Singapore to Hong Kong).

 

You will be embarking as we disembark ;). Our cruise begins in HK, so I'm reading with great interest all the hints and tips from mking :).

 

 

 

Mking,

 

When you said you get a discount for 4 people with the Octopus card, do we all have to have a card each or can it be purchased for a family? We intend to take the airport express train and then the free bus to our hotel, the Holiday Inn on Nathan Road. Can we use the card for all of us (I will use your link to investigate further, but wanted to confirm usage)? Additionally, we want to go to The Peak (I think we can use the Star Ferry and then get the tram on the other side :confused:) - I will also be checking out your links for that - thanks for posting :). I realise it's going to be mega crowded as our cruise is over the Christmas period.

Edited August 22, 2016 by villauk

[mking8288]

... Do you happen to know if taxi in Singapore accepts cash or credit card?

Sorry, "SIN" is on our bucket list, to be visited - taxi drivers in most countries we've visited generally preferred to deal with their local currencies; and, I would just assume & plan on doing that. It's a small city with excellent public transport and English is widely spoken as ESL.

 

... discount for 4 people with the Octopus card, do we all have to have a card each or can it be purchased for a family? We intend to take the airport express train and then the free bus to our hotel, the Holiday Inn on Nathan Road ... we want to go to The Peak (I think we can use the Star Ferry and then get the tram on the other side :confused:) ... it's going to be mega crowded as our cruise is over the Christmas period.

 

Yulp - you'll need to step off Nathan Road quickly to catch you breath, LOL. Locals walk fast and I mean really fast, keeping to the left (drive on the left side of the road) - so be "mindful" when crossing intersections with traffic signals & stop signs, look the "opposite" directions first ... like going to Bermuda, the good old colonial British days.

 

Each person need his/her own Octopus card to hover/swipe and then travel on trains, buses & ferries - accepted with few exceptions. Wipe only once boarding the buses & ferries; but, a second time when exiting the MTR train stations.

 

They looked like the ones pictured here - locals have personalized ones and they also have mini & specialized designer ones, i.e. on a key chain, etc. as all it need is just the tiny micro-Sim card, RFID-based.

http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/tickets/tf_index.html

 

AE Group Discount by MTR is based on a single & special pass/ticket, purchased at AE Stations' CS Centre - you can use a single Octopus Card to purchase the group fare & traveling together, whether it's for 2, 3 or 4 & valid only for day of purchase. Regular single journey, Same Day Return or Round Trip ones. When in doubt, ask at the Centre before purchase or if help is needed on how to use.

http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/tickets/promotions_4persons.html

 

You can use the free luggage carts inside the Arrival Hall, after clearing immigration/border control and while waiting for the luggage (they often started coming off the belts by the time you reached the area, very efficient)

- and cart it out, doing your Octopus & AE Group Fare purchase, ATM and/or Currency Exchange - and then continue toward the AE train boarding area nearby (it's all indoors & climate-controlled, for bus & taxi - you will be outdoors) There are luggage racks in each of the train car to store your bags and enjoy free WiFi for the quick 20 minutes ride to the "city".

 

HI on Nathan Road (Golden Mile) is about a 10 minutes walk to the Star Ferry, on the island side - you can look for & board the free shuttle bus to the Peak Tram lower termus, there you can buy the tickets (one-way or RT) and join the crowd. The double decker bus that go up the hill (#15, if I am not mistaken - check the bus link or Peak Tram link I gave earlier) is also right there by the Star Ferry terminal - given the traditional holiday crowds - I would personally take the scenic bus ride instead of spending an hour in line to buy tickets & wait to go up the steep incline. The view is really on top and on a clear day or evening - sometimes, depending on flight path. Otherwise, it's about a 20+ minutes walk from the Star Ferry over to the Garden Road for the Peak Tram.

 

Bonus idea for visitors - for something different, interesting & off-the-beaten path, google & checkout the "Mid-Level Travelator" in Central on the island - the world's longest series of connecting, automated people mover systems at 800 meters long, it reversed directions to help move folks living up on the hillside down the slopes in the morning, and, then go uphill @ 10 AM for the rest of the day/evening. Time-permitting, it's a fun way to sightsee - good legs and comfortable walking shoes are a must - as you will need to walk at some point, unless you plan to or want to find a taxi & ride it.

[villauk]

Mking,

 

Thanks, we are used to driving on the left :D. We have a problem when we have to look the opposite way :p.

 

Excellent information, thanks for all your help. Appears to be approximately £25 for the four of us on the AE. On the Octopus rates for trips, it does quote a student rate - I'll have to check whether our teens would qualify.

 

After arriving early on our first evening, hopefully we have time to see the light show and walk to the harbour area. On the next full day, we plan on visiting Lantau Island (the Buddha & cable car), perhaps visiting a night market later in the evening back in Kowloon. Then The Peak on the day we board (overnight in HK so no rush to embark). We have another full day before we sail at 5pm (but obviously near the port), so we are thinking of taking one of the free mall buses from the ship to Diamond Hill and then intend to walk to the monastery and gardens (the name escapes me at present). Do you think this is maximising our time to the full? Are there sights we should be visiting instead? We have 3 teens in our party if that makes any difference. TIA :).

Edited August 22, 2016 by villauk

[stefanny28]

Hi villauk;

 

I was hoping to be able to book the same cruise than you but due to my daughter's school schedule, we are doing the one after.

How active is your roll call?

Mine has no teens so we are worried that DD will be the only teen on the whole ship.

 

Thanks mking8288 for all the very detailed informations. I think I can manage for now unless I have more question as the cruise comes closer.

Luckily, DH pseaks Cantonese and Mandarin so I know we can always find our way back to the hotel :-)

[mking8288]

Thanks, we are used to driving on the left :D. We have a problem when we have to look the opposite way :p.

 

On the Octopus rates for trips, it does quote a student rate ...

 

After arriving early on our first evening, hopefully we have time to see the light show and walk to the harbour area. On the next full day, we plan on visiting Lantau Island (the Buddha & cable car), perhaps visiting a night market later in the evening back in Kowloon. Then The Peak on the day we board (overnight in HK so no rush to embark). We have another full day before we sail at 5pm (but obviously near the port), so we are thinking of taking one of the free mall buses from the ship to Diamond Hill and then intend to walk to the monastery and gardens (the name escapes me at present). Do you think this is maximising our time to the full? Are there sights we should be visiting instead? We have 3 teens in our party if that makes any difference. TIA :).

 

Got it - your will feel right at home. Just a friendly reminder, no jay walking in HK, police will issue summons for not using crosswalks or against signals, etc. - tourists or otherwise. I wish they would enforce that here in the Americas, LOL.

 

As for student or senior discounts, visitors do not qualify for Octopus discount - eligible are those attending HK schools, colleges & universities; same for those aged 65 and up - upon written applications, etc. There are already a variety of discounts and special fares, check your airline's website for any promotion & last minute specials, etc.

 

With 3 teenagers in your group, I'm not so sure if the Big Budda would appeal to them - Cable car ride on Lantau would be nice (don't bother paying extra for the "exclusive" Crystal cabins ... glass bottoms) The Monastery was there for decades, long before the giant statue was added and I hiked up there, many ... many long years ago and we visited in 2010 before flying to Vietnam & then Shanghai - too commercialized, IMO but popular for tourists. Just beware of the long & steep stairs to reach the Budda statue, walking shoes & bottled water are a must (and good knees.)

 

Ocean Park H.K. opened in 1977 and has a cable car ride and might be a worthy option instead - marine/water/amusement park & zoo, etc. all in one - not exactly Sea World in Florida and on a smaller scale, but there's something for everyone ... place would still be packed solid due to the holidays. I recommend that over HK's smallish Disneyland - Shanghai just opened theirs so maybe it won't be as crowded as "mainlanders" don't need to go to HK to experience it. There are dozens of videos - just one of the better OP intro here -

 

An alternative to the Big Budda, which is basically a 3/4 day trip (or longer, if sidetracking to see Tai O ancient Fishing Village on the southwest corner of Lantau Island) - is Shatin, NT's "10,000 Buddas Temple" of Golden Statues - smaller but easy to get to, an easy 10 - 15 minutes walk from nearby MTR Shatin Station -

One of the many alternative guide to HK, what to see/do & where, etc. http://www.hongkongextras.com/_ten_thousand_buddhas_monastery.html

 

Ideas on what else to see/do/visit, etc. (in addition to those listed @ official "Discover HK website by the HKGov't) -

 

How to get to 10,000 Buddas -

A 40 minutes detailed video on the 10,000 Buddas -

 

On the free shopping malls shuttle services to/from KTCT & Diamond Hills MTR, it's Chi Lin Monastery and Nan Lian Garden next door - last year, other CC'ers visited & feedback were positive ... never been there ourselves, so can't be helpful with thoughts, sorry. From there, the famous Wong Tai Sin Temple is just 1 or 2 stops away on the MTR line and then 2 blocks from one of the nearby station exit - this is where the locals really, actually, go & worship and pray, burn the incense, and ask for spiritual guidance by shaking the numbered sticks with help from fortune tellers, for a nominal fee.

 

(So, tourists/visitors go to the Big Budda to sightsee & pay ... locals/faithful to Wong Tai Sin to worship & pray ... :p ;) )

 

Just a word of caution about those dressed in "monk" outfits, both women & men - asking & begging for money on the streets of HK (and here in NYC on the "Highline" and in Chinatown - don't fall for it & don't give them money or accept anything handed to you ... most, if not all are fakes. Your generous contributions will go directly into their personal pocket, tax-free & nothing else. If you wish to make a gift, place it into the official donation boxes at these religious locations instead.

[villauk]

Hi villauk;

 

I was hoping to be able to book the same cruise than you but due to my daughter's school schedule, we are doing the one after.

How active is your roll call?

Mine has no teens so we are worried that DD will be the only teen on the whole ship.

 

Thanks mking8288 for all the very detailed informations. I think I can manage for now unless I have more question as the cruise comes closer.

Luckily, DH pseaks Cantonese and Mandarin so I know we can always find our way back to the hotel :-)

 

Our roll call is very quiet. The sailing is practically sold out, so we're presuming there must be many Asians, and possibly Australians, cruising that aren't familiar with CC :confused:? Our teens are pretty used to walking and visiting ancient sights, so we don't mind trekking to find something different to experience. None in our party speak Cantonese or Mandarin - let's hope we don't get lost then :eek: :D.

 

 

Mking,

 

Thanks again for your assistance. I think we just need to decide about our first full day and where we should best spend our time. A group discussion is perhaps needed and then we'll go with the majority. Myself, I'd prefer to stay away from the theme parks and discover more of HK (such as your suggestion of the 10,000 Buddhas Temple), but I'll go with the flow and perhaps a mix would be fairer to the young ones :).

 

After watching the AE video you posted, I'm pretty confident we can navigate our way to the hotel. At this time of year, I expect everywhere to be very busy and crowded. Would you say the best way of getting to the cruise terminal from our hotel is by taxi van or would we be okay using the MTR (7 in our group)? I'm hoping to be able to leave our luggage at the hotel for the day while we continue sightseeing, prior to boarding the ship.

[Hoyaheel]

None in our party speak Cantonese or Mandarin - let's hope we don't get lost then

 

If you're staying in a hotel, it should have cards at the front or bell desk with the name & address in the local language which you can carry & give to a taxi driver to get back if you get lost. I would hope the ship would have something similar on its Port of Call sheet that lists other local info (first Asian cruise coming up in November:p)

 

Also - lots of translation apps if you'll have a smartphone with an active data plan. And depending on where you are/level of English spoken, you might be able to find someone to help you if you get desperate. I've been known to depend on the kindness of strangers on occasion. Just call me Blanch :o

Edited August 23, 2016 by Hoyaheel

[mking8288]

... The sailing is practically sold out, so we're presuming there must be many Asians, and possibly Australians, cruising that aren't familiar with CC :confused:? Our teens are pretty used to walking and visiting ancient sights, so we don't mind trekking to find something different to experience.

 

None in our party speak Cantonese or Mandarin - let's hope we don't get lost then :eek: :D. ... After watching the AE video you posted, I'm pretty confident we can navigate our way to the hotel.

 

... Would you say the best way of getting to the cruise terminal from our hotel is by taxi van or would we be okay using the MTR (7 in our group)? I'm hoping to be able to leave our luggage at the hotel for the day while we continue sightseeing, prior to boarding the ship.

 

My guess is that there might be a "fair number" of mainland & possibly oversea Chinese (along with other Asians) sailing from/to HK is as popular as Shanghai for the "affluent" with disposable income to cruise & see the universe. Most, if not all of them, are not going to be on CC ... let alone active on Roll Calls - quite a number of them are likely going to complain and/or fearful of rough seas and motion sickness - trust me, take my words for it.

 

Google's Translate App is free, and has offline functionality these days - you will likely need to have both Mandarin as the official spoken dialect for mainlanders; and, Cantonese as the default language to get around Hong Kong. Practically all of the tourist class (and better) hotels in HKG and elsewhere will have their business (calling) card printed bilingually, take a few with you & show it to the driver and/or MTR staff if you need assistance or need to get somewhere - the younger generation do speak some English, maybe not fluently but most can communicate. Mainland's Chinese tour guides are, surprising, very proficient in the English language if they are assigned and/or responsible for your tour, whether it's arranged by the ship or private ones on your own - the entry job requirement for them is a university degree with ESL competency. Our Korean-born guide in Souel that escorted us for 5 days last year graduated with her college degree in China & spoke excellent Mandarian & English with our diverse group.

 

If you are just going to the terminal and not taking luggage, MTR from Tsim Sha Tsui with the free mall shuttle or designated bus/PMB route should be just fine. There are no licensed taxi-van with 7 or 8 passenger capacity and Uber is at your own risk as they aren't properly insured and approved by HK transport dept. You will need 2 taxi to get all 7 with luggage (might be a tight fit, depending the size of your checked bags) into the trunk. Metered fares aren't expensive, definitely under $100 HKD even with loose change given as tipping (that's about $13 USD - a fraction of what the cruiselines are likely charging on a per person basis) By law, the driver is required to give you the printed fare receipt - thus, it is best to pay cash in local currency (10% tipping is NOT expected but will be considered very generous ... there is no need for 15%, let alone 20%)

 

Other ideas - Space Museum and the HK Philharmonic in TST. Instead of street food at a Night Market, take MTR to Causeway Bay on the island - international food, not to mention indoor shopping malls & major Japanese department stores with underground food courts. There are also indoor roller and ice skating rings to keep the teens busy while the adults do their shopping or enjoy afternoon tea ... speaking of, while the Peninsula is the classic, IC's 2 story-tall harborview lobby cafe overlooking the Victoria Harbour is the place to sit & daydream.

[villauk]

 

Other ideas - Space Museum and the HK Philharmonic in TST. Instead of street food at a Night Market, take MTR to Causeway Bay on the island - international food, not to mention indoor shopping malls & major Japanese department stores with underground food courts. There are also indoor roller and ice skating rings to keep the teens busy while the adults do their shopping or enjoy afternoon tea ... speaking of, while the Peninsula is the classic, IC's 2 story-tall harborview lobby cafe overlooking the Victoria Harbour is the place to sit & daydream.

 

More wonderful ideas, thanks. Now the Space Museum would be right up the teens' street. I will check, but I presume the displays are also signed in English? I have a DS that's due to visit the Hadron Collider in January, so he'd absolutely love a visit to the museum :). They would probably enjoy spending time 'chillin' whilst we are shopping too.

 

Once we arrive, I think it's probably best to converse with the hotel regarding booking taxis for our transfer to the ship - with no large minibuses, we'll definitely need at least 2 taxis :eek:.

[ROCruiser]

We were in Hong Kong a few days ago staying at the Intercontinental. The Space Museum is closed not sure when they will reopen. That whole area is under reconstruction.

[villauk]

We were in Hong Kong a few days ago staying at the Intercontinental. The Space Museum is closed not sure when they will reopen. That whole area is under reconstruction.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I've just checked their website and it states they are due to reopen at the end of the year, so we may be lucky.

[mking8288]

... Space Museum would be right up the teens' street ... the displays are also signed in English? ... converse with the hotel regarding booking taxis for our transfer to the ship - with no large minibuses, we'll definitely need at least 2 taxis :eek:.

Signage all over H.K. - especially visitors/tourists oriented one, are most definitely bilingual and there's a substantial Expat community living & working there, of course, many fluent with the spoken language as some of their children born & raised there but attending international school.

 

The standard red taxi (different colors are licensed to served different area - for Lantau and N.T. only) will seat 4 adults, and some will be rated for a 5th pax in the front + whatever will fit in the trunk, bungee cord style vertically for the bigger ones. Count your luggage to estimate to see if you can fit them into 2 taxis - there should be enough passenger compartment space for all 7, plus room for some carry-on luggage riding "inside".

 

Even with 3 taxis :D - your total fares will come to less than $300 HKD with loose change (10% is very good to excellent, a matter of local custom/tradition) added, or about $39 USD, $13 per vehicle. Stefanny28 should only need 1 taxi with 3 in her group + luggage, for $13 USD or about $17 CDN - from the popular TST/Jordan area to the KTCT in Kowloon Bay.

 

There are - I checked recently - "private transfer" via M.Benz or Audi sedan and luxury Honda/Toyota 8 pax minivan (still over the capacity) with "meet & greet" charging around $600 to $700 HKD one-way, service charges & tipping already included. They aren't cheap compared to the Uber services operating illegally per HK law in the black/grey market - more popular with cross-border China services, going "door-to-door" for business travelers as most mainland tourists tend to ride the train or full-sized coaches or buses. But, they aren't properly licensed & insured, so if something happened, God forbid :eek: :rolleyes: - you are on your own & out-of-luck. Recently, the local police pulled over a minivan en-route to the airport and the passengers almost missed their departing flight as everyone was questioned & interviewed, etc. - that was all over the local news.

 

Back on the Space Museum - the 3D/Imax theater remained open; and nearby is the Musuem of History; and the H.K. Cultural Centre - where concerts and musical operas are held. Upstairs, there's a nice Dim Sum restaurants overlooking the harbour and always packed full on weekends with a long line. The Avenue of Stars section is closed for now but the rest of the walkway are open, you can walk from the Ocean Terminal/Star Ferry all the way to the Hung Hom area. Across Salisbury Road, passing the Peninsula Hotel & YMCA is the former H.K. Marine Police headquarters - one of many colonial landmarks and now known as 1881 Heritage - with the historic buildings restored & the sites transformed into a multi-level shopping mall, hotel & exhibition hall - a popular gathering place & people watch while resting your tired feet. http://www.discoverhongkong.com/us/see-do/culture-heritage/historical-sites/colonial/1881-heritage.jsp

 

There are tons of videos, some are very good - on Youtube - go take a virtual tour of these places mentioned ... will definitely help you & others traveling to plan & come up with contingencies on what to do and where to go, etc.

 

And, starting next month and from October onward, a good # of cruise ships will be docking and/or sailing from/to HK - should and can expect to see some reviews, feedbacks and info sharing from those already returning from their sailings ... just stay tuned. ;)

[villauk]

Thanks for all the added information :). Feel much more confident now for our HK visit ;). As you say, the new season will be starting shortly and I'll be keeping an eye out for current reviews/recommendations etc.

 

Next thing on my list is to sort Koh Samui :confused:.