The Ultimate Travel Tips in Hong Kong for First-Timers
- Rugun Siagian
- Jun 11, 2019
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 15, 2019
I visited Hong Kong last summer in June 2018. I only had 4 days to explore the concrete jungle. I spent the first two days by myself, and then my other friend joined me for the rest of the trip. It was an unforgettable trip for me and Hong Kong is the only concrete jungle that I truly love! I love how the modern and traditional vibes collide in this one big city.
Before visiting Hong Kong, I asked some of my Indonesian friends about their travel experiences there. Most of them said, "It's a crowded city. The locals are quite rude. Everything is expensive there." They even said that they won't go back in the future. But, it got me even more curious about Hong Kong. I gathered information through Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor and tailored my itinerary for efficient budgeting. I can say this out loud, my Hong Kong trip is the best trip I've had last year! Therefore, I will share some tips for you folks who want to visit Hong Kong for the first time, especially if you only have a few days to explore the city.
Use Public Transport to Save Money and Time
Sometimes, it's more effective to use public transport instead of ride-hailing services. Not like when I was in Vietnam and Cambodia, where I mostly used Grab to get around because the public transport system in those countries (even in big cities) is not well-established. The public transport system in Hong Kong is well-connected and very effective. There are many reasons why I chose public transport over ride-hailing services in Hong Kong (by the way, Uber is available there). The routes are easy to understand and if you are afraid to get lost, just stick to your Google Maps all the time. I found out everything on Google Maps: the routes, which bus number should I take, MTR map and schedule, time estimation, etc. Even if you get lost, just ask the locals. In fact, during my time in Hong Kong, I met friendly and helpful locals all the time. Most of them will respond in broken English with a heavy Cantonese accent, but you will understand completely. So, the assumption about the rude locals is not entirely true.
Important note: Don't forget to get Octopus Card once you arrive at the airport (there is a refundable deposit of HKD 50 (USD 6). You can top up the card at the MTR stations, 7-11, Circle K, etc. It can be used for all types of public transport (bus, MTR, minibus). You can refund the deposit at the airport before flying back home.
Don't Stay in Tsim Sha Tsui, Stay in Aberdeen
When it comes to choosing an area to stay and the accommodation, I usually spend a lot of time to research before deciding anything. I can read the Lonely Planet guide over and over again, compare accommodations based on price, location, and reviews on Booking.com, and search for answers on TripAdvisor. I love doing tons of research before making my itinerary, it's one of the most fun things to do when planning a trip.
Most people choose to stay in Tsim Sha Tsui, because of the strategic location. But, the downside is, you rarely find good accommodation for a good price in this area. Some hotels and hostels are located in old apartment buildings (some of them are sketchy according to the reviews that I read). There are some affordable accommodations in this area, but I was kind of skeptical after looking at the photos.
Why did I choose Aberdeen? It's a beautiful and less-crowded area located in the southern part of Hong Kong. Although it's not located in the heart of the city, the location for me is quite strategic. I stayed at Mojo Nomad, right in front of the Tin Wan Street bus stop. You just have to take the A10 bus from the airport and it takes around one hour to get there. It's also not far from the downtown area and other popular places as well. There are tons of good food at a reasonable price here. There is a 24-7 dim sum restaurant near Mojo Nomad (only a few buildings away) that offers great food with various choices on the menu (everything is in Cantonese, but don't worry just ask the friendly owner if you want to know more about the food, she will gladly explain while showing you the picture of it). Most of the food here costs around HKD 26 - 28 (USD 3) per portion. I ended up eating here almost every day. The service was fast and every food that I tasted was flavorful! So, don't worry if you get hungry in the middle of the night after exploring the city. This restaurant is a life-saver. There is also a small bakery near the Tin Wan bus stop (3 minutes walk from Mojo Nomad). This bakery sells delicious sandwich and egg tart (Hong Kong is well-known for its egg tart, so you should try it). The sandwich costs HKD 7 (USD 0.9) per portion and the egg tart costs HKD 5 (USD 0.6) per piece.
I think Mojo Nomad is the coolest hostel that I've ever stayed at in my entire life. I found this hostel on Booking.com and fell in love right away after looking at the pictures. The price is reasonable considering the high prices of accommodation in Hong Kong. I spent around USD 87 for 4 nights (per person). For the first three nights, I stayed in the 8-bed female dorm, and then I got a room upgrade on the fourth night to a 3-bed dorm. They even granted me free breakfast on my last day (they gave me two options: free continental breakfast or Asahi beer, well, I chose food over booze haha). I loved the atmosphere of this place, the chill and fun staff, top-notch interior design, the comfortable bed, oh and last but not least, the amazing view from the room!
Great Places to Visit with Effective Budget
On my first day, I visited Hong Kong Disneyland. I knew the entrance pass for one day was quite expensive, but I decided to go there because I've always wanted to visit Disneyland ever since I was a little girl. To fulfill my childhood dream, I had to pay USD 60 for the daily pass. That price was a good deal for me because it was cheaper than the on-the-spot ticket (USD 80). I bought it on Traveloka two weeks before my visit. You can buy it on Klook at a cheaper price as well. I recommend you to install Klook on your phone (if you haven't), there are always good travel deals here. However, the food in Disneyland is expensive, the cheapest food that I found was a hot dog (USD 6). Bring your water bottle and refill it at the water refill station which is available at some locations, because the mineral water price is expensive as well (USD 4 per 750 ml bottle).
Initially, I planned to visit Macau for a day trip on the second day. But, after going to the Shun Tak ferry terminal, I decided not to go there due to the expensive ferry ticket price. I also only had a few hours exploring Macau before the last ferry departure schedule back to Hong Kong. I changed my plan immediately to visit other great places in the city and I don't regret my decision at all.
I visited Nan Liang Garden that afternoon. There is no entrance fee to visit this place and it opens daily. It's a beautiful garden and temple complex situated in Diamond Hill. It's only 5 minutes walk from the MTR station. The place was so peaceful, you can also learn more about Chinese architecture style in the temples. There is also a tea house and souvenir shop that sells herbal products. It took me three hours to explore the whole area. Every area is picturesque. Wandering around this serene and alluring garden while seeing skyscrapers from afar is quite an experience. I can't believe this place is located in the heart of a concrete jungle.
My itinerary on the third day was quite packed. I managed to visit some places that day. First, I went to Ngong Ping village. It took approximately 40 minutes from Aberdeen to Tung Chung, where I took a cable-car ride to Ngong Ping. It costs HKD 160 (USD 19) for single-trip (I chose the standard cabin because it was way cheaper than the crystal cabin). However, you can find better deals on Klook (it's cheaper on Klook). The cable car ride takes around 30 minutes to Ngong Ping village. You should visit the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery (no entrance fee to visit these places). It takes a few hours to explore the village so you should go to this place in the morning and go back to Tung Chung in the afternoon if you want to visit other places as well that day.
Side notes: Going up the stairs (268 steps to be exact) to see the Tian Tan Buddha in the summer can be quite exhausting but you should do it, the view from up there is amazing. To save money, you don't need to buy round-trip cable car ride tickets. Just buy a single trip ticket to get to Ngong Ping and go back to Tung Chung by bus.
Watching 'Symphony of Light' is a mandatory thing to do in Hong Kong. It occurs daily and starts at 8 PM, the duration is 15 minutes. You will be dazzled by the light and sound show on the facade of the skyscrapers. Most people watch the 'Symphony of Light' from the Tsim Sha Tsui pier, but I prefer a less-crowded location. I watched it at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai. To get there, just take MTR to the Wan Chai station and then walk to Golden Bauhinia Square.
The last stop on my last night in Hong Kong was Sky Terrace 428. After watching the 'Symphony of Light', I went to Garden Road, the lower terminus of the peak tram line. I took the peak tram to go up to reach Sky Terrace 428 (428 above sea level). The peak tram ride only takes 10 minutes. It costs around USD 6 for return tickets. You can see the magnificent view of the concrete jungle at night. But, I bet the view is also amazing during the day. It was such a great way to end my trip in Hong Kong.
Tips on Shopping in Mong Kok
Mong Kok is known as a shopping paradise, from original to knock off products. Here are some tips to make your shopping experience more pleasant.
1. Look around before deciding to buy something, you may find stores that offer a lower price for the same product.
2. Don't show any interest before you are sure about making a purchase. If you show any interest and you change your mind, the seller will likely chase you down until you buy the product. I experienced this myself when I was shopping in Mong Kok and it was unpleasant. I was merely asking the price of a set of chopsticks at first, but then after knowing the unreasonable price, I walked away. The seller chased me down and somehow forced me to buy the set of chopsticks. So, I ended up buying it.
3. Don't be afraid to haggle firmly, don't feel guilty about it. Sometimes, the seller set unreasonable prices. For example, if the seller says the price is HKD 20 for a T-Shirt, you can ask for HKD 10 or even HKD 5 at first.
4. Check the quality of the product thoroughly before making a purchase. If you find any damage, ask for a new one.
Those are my travel experiences in Hong Kong. I hope these tips will be helpful for your first visit to Hong Kong.
Dear Hong Kong, I'll be back.
Can't wait to explore some more.
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