Exploring Hong Kong's Instagrammable Places (Day 3-5 Kowloon and Lantau Island)

Okay. Eto na, guys. Magta-Tagalog na ako. Nagblog lang naman talaga ako dahil may pakontes. Mabuting impluwensiya rin naman ang kontesero kong kaibigan na si Rey. O di ba, at least nag-effort ako. Minsan mas okay din na nablog ko para dito ko na lang dina-direct 'yung mga tao 'pag humihingi ng itinerary. 'Yung mapagod na lang sila magbasa kasi ang dami kong hanash.

So eto 'yung kadugtong ng naunang blog na Day 1 and 2 sa Hong Kong Island. Feeling ko, ang expert ko na neto sa geography pero inilagay ko na lang uli 'yung note galing sa kabilang blog. English pa rin 'to mostly kasi di kinaya ng isang blog entry 'yung ginawa ko para sa pakontes. O di ba OA sa daldal?

Note: Each day is clustered with spots nearest to each other. (O, di ba, may note pa. Basta, yan magkakalapit para efficient sa carbon emission lol.) So if you're traveling in less than five days, just pick your destinations and go by cluster to save time and travel. Don’t read everything but Day 5. Day 5 is my favorite!

Exploring Kowloon City (Day 3)

First leg: Tsim Tsa Tsui

These are the places to look for:

1. The triangular pillars of the Hong Kong Cultural Center

2. The streets of Tsim Tsa Tsui and Nathan Road (this is a stretch of 2-3 kilometers lol)

3. Tin Hau Temple (the big incense burning on the ceiling can't be missed)

4. Walk back towards Austin Road then walked to Hong Kong Polytechnic University (about a kilometer) which houses the Jockey Club Innovation Tower. Stroll around the campus for a better perspective of the building. You may go inside the tower despite the guard but it's more picturesque outside. The interiors depict good play of abstract and asymmetry.

Second leg: The Estate Houses

Bus 28 at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University takes you to the Lok Wah bus terminus/terminal which takes about 30 minutes. The bus maybe infrequent so you have to be patient and trust that it will come at the bus stop which indicates 28 to Lok Wah. The Lok Wah South Estate is the last station so you won't miss it. After going down the bus, direct your eyes to the parking building at the right and you will see the blue structure upstairs. Climb up and frame yourselves to the blue circular holes. Make sure you wear a contrasting color to blue.

Then take the Bus 2A to Ping Chek Estate. Upon alighting the bus, cross the subway or what we call the underpass towards Ping Chek Estate. Take pictures at the colorful buildings but go inside the building next to it and look upwards. The architecture is a perfectly framed square from below.

Cross the street towards Choi Hung Estate. The famous colorful court is at the third floor of the parking area which is easy to recognize.

Where to eat:

There are a lot of Hong Kong restaurants in both the Lok Wah South Estate and Ping Chek Estate but the Mcdonald's at the Lok Wah South Estate is an easy option lol.

Third stop: Kowloon Walled City Park

Bus 113 from the Choi Hung Estate takes you directly to the Kowloon Walled City Park. Make sure to line up at the farthest bus stops ‘coz that's the right place to ride. The bus stop is Mei Tung House. Visit this as part of a historical tour discovering what was once Kowloon Walled City. They have interactive showrooms you may wanna check.

Fourth leg: Street Markets

Ride the MTR to Mong Kok Station and take a stroll to the Mong Kok Road, the Ladies Market, the Goldfish Market, and the Temple Street. It’s best to visit them at night for the colorful and lively street lights. Walk back around Nathan Road and Tsim Tsa Tsui for the colorful street lights, too.

Where to eat:

There’s a lot of streetfoods in the area but what we liked best is the one at the corner of the Goldfish Market. I didn't understand the menu which says Small Bowl of Siomai for 10HKD (P60 or $1). I bought it considering that four pieces is 8HKD. To my surprise, I was served 14 pieces of Siomai which is more than enough.

Exploring Kowloon City (Day 4)

First Leg: Kowloon Park

Take a stroll at the Kowloon Park just across Tsim Tsa Tsui. By 9:30 am, walk towards China Hong Kong City and go upstairs to the Food Garden. Look for the spot where cars enter the parking area and the view of the buildings on this platform is just awesome.

Second Leg: Sham Sui Po

Sham Sui Po is another street filled with markets in the afternoon but there’s more to that. Climbing a steep, 15-minute hike to the Garden Hill Observatory will give you the best view of both the skyline and the Sham Sui Po streets at night. Make sure to arrive early and grab a spot for your night shots. You may also bring a mat to lie on though there are benches in the area. This offers a non-smoggy view of the Hong Kong skyline that you may not get from the Victoria Peak especially if the weather is not clear.

Where to eat:

There is a Tim Ho Wan branch in Sham Sui Po near the jump off to Garden Hill which is the Garden bakery. The oldest branch along Mong Kok has been moved to the Olympic City which is still in the Mong Kok area but the Sham Sui Po branch is another option. The pork buns and haijao or hakao are ultimate favorites and they're tastier and cheaper than the non-Hong Kong branches I’ve tried.

Exploring Lantau Island (Day 5)

My favorite part of Hong Kong!

I suggest you do it this way.

Mui Wo to Tai O to Ngong Ping

Take an early morning MTR to Tung Chung Station. MTR lines open at 5:45 so don’t go there earlier than that.

First Stop: Mui Wo

I’d first like to credit my cousin, Paul Montalbo, for mentioning this place.

Bus 3M at the Tung Chung Station takes you to Mui Wo and bus starts at 6 am. Stay at the right side of the bus for the best views. The ride is about 30 minutes and will drop you off at the Ferry Pier. Mui Wo is the beach area and what I loved best is renting a bike at the store one block from the pier. The old male owner is veru nice. If you have a stamina like me, the bike rental for whole day is 70HKD (P480 or $9). Of course, I’m weak so I opted for the one-hour rental for 20HKD (P120 or $2).

There's a paved trail at the beach and also towards the falls and the cave. It’s fun going there just for the sake of biking around until you’re catching your breath and seeing the sign that it is an Olympic Trail. Jusko. Kapuy. Kaya pala ‘di ako makahinga sa hingal. The signs are too late.

I got sunburnt by the beach where the sand is fine but the water’s too cold for a swim (first week of March so it was 11 degrees in the morning). The sunrise on the way is golden so you must not miss!

Btw, upon alighting at the bus stop, check the bus schedule to Tai Wo or your next destination to know the time you need to allot.

Second Stop: Tai O

After Mui Wo, take the bus 1 to Tai O. Taking the boat excursion is an option to see some spots you won't see just by walking but the pink dolphins that they highlight is infrequent. You may miss this but don't miss walking towards the Pavilion which will offer you the following sights:

1. The I-forgot-the-name-of-the-temple

2. The bridge which offers a view of the stilt houses on this far side of the town

3. The rock formation which offers the view of the bridge under construction for more than a decade supposedly to connect Hong Kong, Macau, and China by land travel. I’m fascinated by this because the construction faced so many challenges according to a Discovery Channel documentary so it’s a sight to behold for me. The engineers have been working on the project most of their career.

4. The platform or the viewdeck at the middle of the stilt houses (yes, you have to check out the small pavements to look for this)

Third Stop: Ngong Ping

Just like my advice previously, always check the bus schedule upon alighting at the bus stop to know the time you need to allot for each destination.

To go to Ngong Ping, ride Bus 23 and make sure to sit on the right side for the best views. The Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, and the Wisdom Path are all a must-see and that's the order of nearest to farthest from the bus stop. The climb upstairs to the Buddha is exhausting but the climb is worth it.

The Hall of the 10000 Buddhas at the Po Lin Monastery is a sight to behold.

The Wisdom Path trail is a must-walk and don’t miss reading the description so you get to appreciate the uncarved wood panel among the 39ish wood panels there. Life changing.

Fourth leg: Ngong Ping Cable Car

Don't miss this. Just don't. The view is spectacular and the experience was thrilling; it felt like a rollercoaster ride kilometers above lush green forests that I was exclaiming, “S***, I’m gonna die!” ‘coz I suddenly had fear of heights. There was a fear of falling every cable post which leads to a downward movement of the cable for freaking 25 minutes and six moments of mini heart attacks. But again, the view is spectacular! It’s my next favorite activity next to biking the Olympic Trail at Mui Wo. I feel like I can overcome any challenges in life now.

That's for my one of my favorite explorations! To more places to explore!

Credits to the blogs I’ve read especially the one listing the 10 Instagrammable Places in Hong Kong which inspired me to create this detailed guide. It’s an absolute treasure hunt, looking for architectural and cultural treasures of Hong Kong and an absolute place to explore over again!

Exploring Hong Kong's Instagrammable Places (Day 1 and 2 in Hong Kong Island)

I love exploring and I love sharing my adventures even more!

So I recently visited Hong Kong, spent 13k (260 USD or 2000 HKD inclusive of food and mugs of Starbucks tea) and five days, and ticked off a list of Instagrammable places in this city of mountains and skyscrapers. I remember creating this trivia question for an event prior to my trip to HK:

Which city has the most skyscrapers?

1. New York
2. Hong Kong
3. Tokyo
4. Chicago

And the answer is B! Hong Kong's skyline features more skyscrapers (1302) than New York (727), Tokyo (488), and Chicago (312). And visiting HK has just proven it.

Fine print: If it's in Tagalog, it’s most likely irrelevant or I can't find a way to express it in English. 😂

I love making DIY itineraries and the moment my friend forwarded a blog about the Instagrammable places in Hong Kong, I looked them all up in the map and plotted the farthest to the airport to the nearest, still capturing the best hours to visit each spot. It was an absolute treasure hunt upon discovering these spots in Hong Kong so I’ll share some tips on how to make your life easier, or at least your Hong Kong exploration. But the first thing to do upon arrival: get your Octopus card.

Exploring Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA)

The HKIA is pretty straightforward. Right after leaving the departure gates, it’s easy to find the booth for the Octopus card. Make sure to preload it with lots of HKD which I did. The card is worth 150HKD, 100HKD of which is consumable and 50HKD is refundable upon surrender of the card. I loaded it with an additional 100HKD making the balance 200HKD which is almost enough for the trips and misadventures that I took. Well, I lost my card with 77HKD on Day 2 so had to buy a new one and reload with another 50HKD. Got some excess after the trip so in short, an initial load of 250HKD should be more than enough. Just don't lose your card like I did. (So ang dami kong nasabi. 😂)

Where We Stayed:

Exploring Chung King Mansion

I always spend less on accommodation as I usually stay outdoors most of the time. I searched booking.com for the cheapest option which led us to New Yan Yan Guesthouse. That was two months before our trip and it was approx P1200 for a twin room per night.

My sister told me that she stayed at Chung King Mansion and had a bad experience with the local guesthouse owner. A friend advised us not to book at Chung King Mansion, too. So I was confident enough that we are booked elsewhere which is the New Yan Yan Guesthouse. Funny though, New Yan Yan Guesthouse is inside Chung King Mansion. So much for missing out the small details. Rather, the address in fine print. It turns out that Chung King Mansion houses several hostels. But we had a smoother stay than most stories we’ve heard.

Tip: When you’re booking at Chung King Mansion and it says it’s good for two, set your expectation that it’s good for 1 ½. I stayed real close to the wall so my companion won't fall. And if you think the toilet and bath is good for one, I’m telling you it’s only good for a half person. I can't find a proper position taking a bath without bumping on the door or the toilet bowl, I felt like I’ve bruises all over. But they have a TV with cable with only nine channels, out of which, only one is sometimes in English. It’s the channel of all sorts. It showed TV series, Discovery Channel, and Financial News in Mandarin and I never figured out the schedule. But if you're looking for a budget stay, this is where to go. Ang daming Pilipino, puwedeng mag-Tagalog.

Where to eat:

A lot of fastfoods flock the area and we are often at Mcdonald's or Jollibee, price ranging from 30-40 HKD (P200-270 or $4-5). Cheapest option for fastfood though is KFC with two cups of rice in one meal. Trying out a couple of Hong Kong dining in the area is also nice but maybe a little more expensive. But don't miss out the Starbucks at the basement of Prince Tower. And bring that SB tumbler for a 4HKD discount. Lol

Tip: It’s best to take your breakfast in this area especially if you're leaving early since most establishments open at around 7 or 8 am. The 24-hour Mcdonald's is a life-saver.

So eto na talaga ‘yung gala. Ang haba ng intro.

Note: Each day is clustered with spots nearest to each other. (O, di ba, may note pa. Basta, yan magkakalapit para efficient sa carbon emission lol.) So if you're traveling in less than five days, just pick your destinations and go by cluster to save time and travel. Don’t read everything but Day 5. Day 5 is my favorite!

Exploring Hong Kong Island (Day 1)

First stop: Cape D’ Aguilar

This is located at the Southeasternmost of Hong Kong and is great for sunrise. Unfortunately, for us, it was a gloomy day so we just enjoyed the view of residential buildings across some high-risk-for-hit-and-run roads.

Tip: When you ride the Bus 9 to Cape d’ Aguilar at the exit of Shau Kei Wan MTR station (Island Line), make sure to press the Stop button ‘coz the bus won't stop unless someone did. Oh, yes, we didn't so we missed the stop almost blaming the driver for not stopping and we had to ride another bus back to the right stop.

Another tip: The best view is a 15-minute walk from the bus stop, approximately half a kilometer though it directs further on Google Maps. The landmark is the portable toilet to your left. If you see this, you may use it but walk back again because that clearing has the best view already. If you don't wish to take my advice, you can walk another kilometer and see the black and yellow house to the left which is Instagrammable, too. But if you wish to walk another kilometer and a half, you'll get a chance to see a wind speedometer to your left (well, it was my first time seeing a legitimate speedometer in a weather station) but this is in a private, staff-only area with no staff. Yes, we walked three kilometers towards a ghosttown with all the scarecrows hovering over us. So much for following Maps and watching World War Z.

One more tip: There is another stop for Bus 9 which is towards the Dragon’s Back. This is prior to Cape d'Aguilar stop. This was recommended by my bff Ace but we didn't take just because trek but we trekked three kilometers, anyway, we should just have taken this route. Lol. Just pick between Cape d’Aguilar or Dragon's Back.

Second Stop: Yick Cheong Building

Famous for being the venue for a scene in Transformers, a lot of millenials flock the area. It’s between Quarry Bay and Tai Koo MTR stations so just pick the nearest station from your destination and walk 5-10 minutes. Don't miss the Montane Mansion which is a market enclosed in three red buildings. They look good in camera, too.

You’d have to line up with other tourists at the Yick Cheong Building on platforms where it’s best to take your portrait, selfie, or groupie.

Advice: This is a residential area so please be respectful to the locals and keep it down. (Well, most spots in this blog are.)

Where to eat:

Look for the KFC near Yick Cheong but don't eat there. There is a Hong Kong restaurant at the corner and they've the best salmon I tasted (65 HKD or P400 or $8). They also serve caviar on luncheon meat for a price worth its value.

Third Stop (Kennedy Town Station Cluster)

There are two Instagrammable places in this area. First is the Sai Wan Swimming Shed which is a kilometer walk from the MTR. There are Instagrammable buildings along the way so it's worth the walk. The entrance to the Sai Wan swimming shed is to the right and has a marker in Chinese characters. Tip is to use Maps and watch out for stairs going down, towards the coastline.

Instagram Pier or Western District Public Cargo is a kilometer walk (15-20 minutes) from Sai Wan Swimming Shed. It’s great to watch sunset here and you can get good backdrops of messy but colorful cargo on the corners. It also offers a good view of the Kowloon skyline at night. HKU MTR station is your nearest stop from Instagram Pier.

Exploring Hong Kong Island (Day 2)

First Stop: Lai Tak Tsuen

This is a residential area so we have to piggyback a local to enter the building. We can immediately be charged for trespassing but it's worth the risk. Lol. Bus 25 at the exit of Causeway Bay MTR station takes you directly to the building across it. There are no elevators going up, only going down so we had to climb up to the 15th floor for the best view of the internal architecture.

Second Stop: Blue House

Bus 25A from Lai Tak Tsuen takes you to Hennessy Road which is a block away from Blue House. This has Instagrammable exteriors and quite straightforward.

Third Stop: Square Street + Graham Street

Use Maps and look for Bus 101 (alternatives are buses 26/37A; MTR is another option but entails a longer walk) to Sheung Wan Civic Centre. Upon alighting, climb the Ladder Street which is literally a ladder and is also Instagrammable towards the Square Street. Square Street is filled with murals and extends to the next blocks, forming a square (Yes, that's why it’s Square Street).

Graham Street is also a street of murals and a 10-15-minute walk from Square Street.

Where to eat:

There are a lot of high-end restaurants that flock the area but try the streetfoods on one street towards the Central MTR station. They've the best Beef Congee I ever tasted for only 18HKD and a lot of burnt tongue lol (P120 or $2.5).

Fourth Stop: Sky Terrace or Victoria Peak

We availed the roundtrip Peak Tram + Skypass via Klook a week before our trip. Meet up with the guide is at Central Station, Exit K, but don't follow Klook’s map because it will confuse you. Lol. Best to just go to the MTR and look for Exit K. The guide will take you to the station for a 10-minute walk. Make sure to take note of the buildings that are part of the tour because those are landmarks when you go up to the peak.

At the Peak Tram station, make sure to stay nearest the tram door entrance to get the best seats which are at the right side, overlooking Hong Kong. Empty your bladder before heading up to the Sky Terrace because there are no restrooms upstairs and once you exit, you have to purchase a new ticket. There’s also no food stalls so you might wanna bring food and water but don't drink ‘coz that will make you pee. Lol kidding.

Fifth Stop: Yick Cheong Building at Night (optional)

If you’ve got a good quality camera, the Yick Cheong Building at night is a must-see though it may add a couple if dollars to your transportation expense. Btw, this is where I accidentally dropped and lost my Octopus card. Cheers! 😂

Exploring Kowloon and Lantau Island on the next blogs!

Credits to the blogs I’ve read especially the one listing the 10 Instagrammable Places in Hong Kong which inspired me to create this detailed guide. It’s an absolute treasure hunt, looking for architectural and cultural treasures of Hong Kong and an absolute place to explore!

#OPPOF5 #CaptureTheRealYou

How Travel Changed Me

There are a couple of beliefs that travel ingrained on me.

Belief #1: Getting a tan is your best souvenir.

Fact: That's just an excuse for me always forgetting to bring sunblock. For one, I always go on a backpacking trip. Can you imagine a 10-day backpacking trip to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand with only seven kilos of carry-on? Who would care bringing a sunblock and limiting it to a 100-ml container just because I don't usually include baggage allowance on a budget trip.

Deeper Truth: For a frequent traveler, you’d stop caring about how you look and care more about the basics of life. I can't even remember the last time I combed my hair just because I read somewhere that combing your wet hair causes split ends. I let my hair air-dry and when I remember combing, it’s already time to sleep. But here's the deal, the best sunrises are caught when you forget about brushing your teeth upon waking.

Belief #2: Talking to locals makes travel easier.

Fact: Not if they talk a different language. I remember that I am always the PR person of our trips. PR as in Public Relations. I already got used with trying to blend in and combining words from a different language, mixing and matching phrases I barely have an idea about.

One morning, we ate in a hole-in-the-wall in Mui Ne, Vietnam for less than a dollar with free fast Wi-fi. Their menu has the Vietnamese language text, the Vietnamese language using English text, and the English translation. My friends started ordering in English. Just because I want to show off that I know some Vietnamese, I ordered reading out the Vietnamese language in English text, saying “Cam Go” for chicken. The restaurant owner was delighted. I said no to sweet and chili sauce but she kept bringing bowls of sweet and chili sauce. What's good is that for less than a dollar of rice meal, they gave us slices of passion fruit for free. And I blame it on me trying to speak Vietnamese.

The bad thing about it? We went to a money exchange in the evening. After the transaction, I said, “Cam Go” instead of “Cam On”. The owner might be wondering why I said chicken when I wanted to say Thank You.

Deeper Truth: The strangers you meet along your travels can be your next best friend. Now, I have been traveling with people who used to be strangers but are now the best persons I’ve ever met. Ditch out the idea of not talking to strangers. It applies to kids but not to adults.

Belief #3: Tiring out your knees with extreme activities or jumpy movements will get you arthritis later on in life.

Fact: I just have this obsession that I don't want my knees bent by more than 45 degrees. It’s just too much exertion for me just because I believe that the mitochondria or the powerhouse of our cells works like battery. They wear and tear so I make all dire efforts to save energy. Who doesn't want to conserve their mitochondria and live to a 100?

Deeper Truth: One of the best walks I did was when I rode the wrong bus and the right bus is infrequent at where the wrong bus dropped me off. Out of boredom, I checked how far the marine sanctuary is and it’s freaking 13 kilometers and a two-hour-and-57-minute walk. Just because I can't stay put, I decided to walk while waiting for the bus. There are seven marine sanctuaries in the area and I passed by two of them. There's a dog that kept barking and almost bit me. My armpit was sweaty. And I finally got my ride after walking six kilometers in more than an hour. I sometimes wonder why I pick the off-the-beaten path that almost no buses travel to. But that was the best walk of my life. I spoke to several locals along the way. I saw the great shorelines and sidewalks I won't appreciate by simply riding a bus. I observed how people in that area spend their mornings on an unassuming day. The best travels might be hidden in the most tiring adventures you try to escape from.

Belief #4: The new trend on Instagram are pictures which are minimal (there's only a hint of you in the shot) or back shots. I used to have that macro shot on my old pictures.

Fact: My face ruins the shot. Well, at least that's what my photographer friends say.

Deeper Truth: Pictures are one of the best ways to capture a moment or an experience. Facebook’s way of showing you memories from years ago won't be possible if you didn't have a post or a shot of the trip. But I have plenty of trips I didn't hold a camera but ranks as the most memorable ones. I broke my camera lens two years ago prior to a trip to Siargao. I felt so bad that the repair will be done after the trip. I didn't have high-resolution shots from that island but Siargao still ranks as one of my top three best destinations. Always strike a balance between documenting a trip and enjoying every essence of it.

Belief #5: If I work hard for money so I can save and then travel later on, why not travel now?

Fact: I used to believe that travels need to be luxurious. When I learned about DIY trips and making the most out of your budget, I realized it’s best to travel when you’re young and able and I'm pretty sure I can manage with the resources I have. I can't imagine myself trying sky diving or free diving when I’m retired at 60. To tell you, I had this college days’ dream of working ‘til 85 just because my favorite professor was that age back then. But that changed after reading the Habit Two of Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Begin with the end in mind. Ask yourself, why do you even work. Is it to travel sometime? Is it to spend time with your loved ones? Then why not now? Or maybe it’s better to ask, why do you even live?

Deeper Truth: You owe it to yourself to make the world your education. There is so much to learn about people from different cultures and from different places. It’s time to stop simply watching National Geographic or Discovery Channel. You have to see those wild whales and sharks in real life. You have to see the ruins of Angkor Wat with your own eyes. You have to see the constellations for real and figure out where the North Star is. I’m not saying quit your job or your business and travel. I’d rather emphasize that travel is a must for everybody. Find your purpose and insert traveling to learn. There are things that you can only learn when traveling. For me, it’s as simple as figuring out the north and the south of a map. I tell you, that's quite a struggle but it is life-changing. At least for me.