Of the 365 days in a year,
there’s a week allotted for our family to come together. We live in different places, separated by the
careers we have chosen yet the New Year celebration is a must to converge.
The winter season hovers and
we found ourselves dressed in warm clothes at an important hub of East Asia –
Hongkong.
We arrived at Hongkong
around midnight boarded through a ferry from Macau. The trip was not smooth sailing, with
episodes of random sea sickness that I opted to dismiss by sleeping.
Walking is an inevitable
part of discovering Hongkong. The
railway network system is efficient as well that in no instance can one complain
the distance of one landmark to another.
As expected of a holiday season,
the streets were filled of pedestrians, both of locals and visitors. And we came in one with them. First order is the Tsim Sha Tsui.
Tsim Sha Tsui
Any visitor of Hongkong
would never miss this urban area in southern Kowloon, Hongkong. We checked in
at Ramada Hongkong through Agoda, while at the Ferry Terminal of Macau. It was that convenient and cheaper as
compared to walk-in guests.
From our hotel, we walked
towards the Nathan Road, where shopping malls, restaurants and cheap
accommodations are located. The Chunking
Mansion for instance is a highly recommended place to stay for budget
travelers. It is a high rise building
that houses several hostels, owned by varied nationals - a melting pot indeed. It caters to backpackers but needs
reservation when the peak season comes.
The neon lights of Lock Road
give a vibrant ambiance to the streets of Hongkong. The road was closed for the festive New
Year’s Eve and we have to walk. We
hopped from one restaurant to another; visited stalls of varied merchandise for
personal effects and souvenirs and walked towards the touristy Tsim Sha Tsui
waterfront.
The waterfront became my
first destination for the year together with my family as we await the display
of fireworks in the Victoria Harbor to give us a panoramic view of the skyline
where buildings set up light bulbs on each façade for this time of the year. The synchronized Symphony of Lights was a
good sight while we loiter and wander in the Avenue of Stars. This place is truly one venue every visitor “must” visit.
Mongkok
There is always this
pre-conceived notion that Hongkong is the perfect haven to shop, with bargain
finds selling like hotcakes on every nook and corner of its streets. To make such generalization precise, visit
the Mong Kok area at the Kowloon Peninsula.
Almost anything you want,
the area can provide. The extremely high
population density of Mong Kok, has made it to the Guinness World Records as
the busiest district in the world. What
is even more interesting of Mong Kok is the fact that street names characterize
what it offers. To name a few:
Ladies Market- specializes in women’s clothing, accessories and
cosmetics. Stalls vending noodles,
seafood and congee, open-air market of fruits and vegetables are likewise
available in the vicinity
Sneakers Street – a small neighborhood of retailers selling
sports equipment and clothing, with stocks of sports shoes, of special editions
from different places.
Tile Street – retailers selling materials for construction or
renovation, such as tiles, wall papers, window frames and bath tubs are
available.
These are just but some of
the streets and expected shops in Mong Kok, a must in the itinerary of visitors
who are into serious shopping spree in Hongkong. Those who declare shopping as their therapy
on whatever they are into will definitely be rejuvenated.
As we were about to leave
the area, we witnessed several street performers of varied nationalities making
their routines – a teenage Korean dancer and an Indian barker of a restaurant
named Miss India, was an attention catcher.
Wanchai
Hay-hay Kitchen that stands
in one corner of Wanchai District of Hongkong is one of the no-brainer dining
areas for our family apart from the known fast food chains. Hongkong-style fried noodles, barbeque and
roasted duck and pork were among its specialty dishes. I personally loved the roasted pig (lechon) with its crispy skin and
succulent meat.
At night, the Wanchai area transforms into a red light district. The neon signs are prominent with a number of foreign nationals coming in and out of every bar and restaurant. I even noticed one named Makati Pub and Disco, which made me location disoriented for a minute.
Though some bars offer
discounted beers, it is generally expensive to be drunk in Hongkong as compared
in the Philippines. As we placed an
order, I was shocked to calculate one bottle of beer as priced more or less 300
pesos per bottle. Can I go home now?
A lot of bars offered a New
Year’s party as the crowd goes wild with bottles of beer scattered in the
pedestrian. Tired of the whole day tour
of Hongkong with most of the time walking, I dismissed the idea of joining the
parties. The following day, as if
nothing happened, the streets were again clean devoid of traces from the
night’s wild party.
The shopping district at the
Causeway Bay of Wanchai is a popular destination as well. Luxury malls, mid-range stalls and bargain
shops converge at the said district.
A walking distance from the
said commercial district is the largest park of the country, Victoria Park,
where we killed our time to people watch and rest. It was refreshing to see trees grow in the
middle of the urban developed Hongkong.
Central Hongkong
The tourist landmarks of
Hongkong are situated at Central Hongkong.
An ideal place for family trips, the district houses the Peak Tram,
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the Hongkong Zoological and Botanical
Gardens. We’ve been to the first two
places before, thus, we opted to visit the gardens and besides the first two
are quite expensive for an entrance not to mention the long queue that waits.
The Hongkong Zoological and
Botanical Gardens is free of admission.
It is one of the oldest zoological and botanical gardens of the world,
occupying an area of 5.6 hectares at Mid-levels, on the northern slope of
Victoria Peak, Hongkong. We saw a group
of families and friends gathered having picnics and get together.
We roamed around the
vicinity until another day ends.
Transport
Going around Hongkong is
convenient through its efficient Mass Transit Railway (MTR). The system is not that complicated and made it easy to access landmarks for every visitor with the presence of signage (in English with pictures) displayed on each station.
Our trip to Hongkong
Disneyland and Hongkong International Airport was hassle-free and cheaper
because of their MTR. We have further
discovered that there’s a “Group of 4 single-journey ticket”,
that’s way too cheaper when purchased at the counters rather than an individual single entry ticket purchased at the machines.
This would however apply only in groups of more than four, making it
budget friendly for the family.
A family destination
The unique culture, cuisine
and landmarks of Hongkong draw the interest of tourists around the world. But more than that, it has become the most
feasible destination that would be enjoyed by the entire family.
Winter in Hongkong is my
first travel destination for this year and I’m glad I experienced it with my
entire family.
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