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!
