3 week Itinerary help

Hi,

My husband and I will be travleing to China in July. After reading all the posting this is what we came up with as our preliminary itinerary.

Does this seems fesable in the amount of time we have? Is there any places we should skip that we listed or others that are a must that we haven%26#39;t.

I am having a hard time with the transportation end. I have read a lot about buses but can%26#39;t seem to find any information on them.

We would appreciate any suggestions on travel, hotels, order of itinerary, etc.

DAY: 1-5 BEIJING

5 Take overnight sleeper train to Louyang

DAY 6-7 LOUYANG

7 Take train to Xian

DAY: 8-9 X%26#39;IAN

10 ?? Travel to Lijiang?? (does anyone know best way)

DAY:10 LIJIANG

11 ??Bus to Dali??(does anyone know best way)

DAY: 11-12 DALI

12 Travel to Kunming (overnight sleeper train)?

DAY: 13-14 KUNMING

14 Travel to Guilin?

DAY: 15-17 GULIN/YANGSHOU

Travel to Shanghai FLY

DAY: 18-20 Shanghai

Thanks! Tiffany

3 week Itinerary help

You be pretty pressed for time as the places you will be visiting are pretty far apart. It really depends on what kind of experience you want, some people don%26#39;t mind being rushed. Having been to all the places you%26#39;ve listed, if I had to choose, I%26#39;d probably skip the Kunming/Dali/Lijiang section (too far). Although if you%26#39;ve been to Vietnam and Halong Bay, you may choose to skip Guilin/Yangshuo.

If you want to go from Xi%26#39;an to Lijiang, the best way is to fly into Kunming (a much bigger hub, more connections, cheaper flights). If you fly into Kunming, you can then bus to Dali and then bus to Lijiang (buses run fairly frequently between those cities). Taking a train from Xi%26#39;an to Kunming is not advisable, since it%26#39;ll take you 36 hours to accomplish that.

If you skip Lijiang/Kunming, you have more time to spend around the Shanghai region. Personally, I would just do 2 days in Shanghai, then at least 2/3 days to Hangzhou/Shuzhou or any of the smaller cities in that region. Those were seen as the cultural and literary centers of China for centuries and definitly worth a look. Another place worth considering is Huangshan (the ';Yellow mountain';?), which appears in almost all Chinese paintings that involve a mountain.

3 week Itinerary help

Likewise, I think your itinerary is over ambitious. I did a very similar trip in 2005 and took 6 weeks although I did 3 three-day hikes, but I did not include Shanghai because I was living in Zhejiang at the time. Some of the ';days'; you have for visiting are actually taken up by 7 hour bus/train rides. Yunan is def worth visiting but you%26#39;ll have to fly as the distances are huge. (It took me 2 weeks to travel from Xi%26#39;an to Lijiang, via Chengdu %26amp; Kunming - and I flew Xi%26#39;an to Chengdu).

Perhaps go straight from BJ to Xi%26#39;an on night 5; spend days 6 %26amp; 7 there %26amp; then fly to Kunming on day 8. I think there was only a day train between Kunming %26amp; Dali when I was there (unless it returns by night).

Thanks for all the valuable information. We don%26#39;t want to be too rushed so I think we are going to cut the Yunnan area out of our itinerary and save it for another trip to China.

Do you have any suggestions to improve this?

DAY: 1-5 BEIJING

5 Take overnight sleeper train to Louyang

DAY 6-7 LOUYANG

7 Take train to Xian

DAY: 8-10 X%26#39;IAN

10 Fly or Train to Guilin????

DAY: 10-14 GULIN/YANGSHOU

14 Travel to Shanghai FLY

DAY: 15-19 Shanghai

Thanks! Tiffany

Sorry I also meant to add that while in Shangahai we do plan on taking your advise ';username: entropy'; and spending some time in Suzhuo and Hangzhou.

Do you think we should stop at these places before arriving in Shanghai since our flight will be leaving out of there to come back to the US.

Right now we have not booked out international flight yet. Please let me know if you think logistically for transportaion it would be better to enter into Shanghai and leave out of Beijing.

Again all your help is appreciated! Tiffany

To minimise back-tracking why don%26#39;t you fly from Gulin to Hangzhou %26amp; then travel by bus/train to Shanghai.? With only 2-3 daysw you don%26#39;t seem to have time for Suzhou as well.

I can%26#39;t see that it makes any difference travelling BJ-Shanghai vs Shanghai-BJ. All will be very hot. Shanghai will be more humid.

natural beauty

How bad is the pollution? Smoking?

How bad is the pollution in late June, early July in Beijing, Xian, Hangzhou and Shanghai? Suggestions to combat it?

Also, is smoking allowed everywhere? Even on the internal Chinese airlines?

How bad is the pollution? Smoking?

Depending on the heat, I%26#39;ve heard the pollution can get pretty heavy, especially in Beijing. Shanghai would probably be a close second, as would Hong Kong. As of last fall, when we visited China, smoking was most definitely NOT allowed on domestic Chinese airlines. But it is still allowed in most public places, though they%26#39;re working on improving that. Hope this helps!

How bad is the pollution? Smoking?

Smoking seems to be far worse in Vietnam and Japan. Many of the atractions are outdoors so you will be OK. The Chinese internal airlines are OK.

Beijing is bad in terms of pollution. The only way to avoid it is to hope all industry shuts down whilst you visit. That won%26#39;t happen!!!

Thanks for the info LAAdventurer and xiantraveller.

So with the pollution-just grin and bear it? Do many of the tourists/locals wear masks?

Glad there is no smoking on the airlines, that would be tough in an enclosed space.

I have seen masks on TV news programs but did not see any being worn in Beijing, Shanghai, Xian and HK.

Actually, there is a growing awareness about the pollution problem in China, and we did see some locals wearing blue medical masks (or they could have just been sick at the time). But even more common is carrying a handkerchief and putting it up to one%26#39;s nose/mouth area whenever a bus rushes by.

So, grin and bear it? I suppose that%26#39;s all one can do for now.

The pollution in Beijing is getting worse now. I came back from BJ 2 weeks ago, and when you land , you feel the chemicals in your nose and troath.

They dont care about it, because economy is more important, and they open one coalburned powerstation in CHINA every week.

The burning of coal in China gives more CO2 to the air than all the cars in US and Europe together!! Difficult to imagine..

Wow, the pollution sounds very discouraging. I thought they would try to clean it up for the Olympics, but as you said, economy comes first.

Authentic Tiffany Jewelry? Better pricing than in the USA?

My husband will be in Shanghai on Friday for one day and will have some shopping time. How is the pricing on authentic Tiffany jewelry and where would he go to get it? Also, what about Burberry too? Thanks!

Authentic Tiffany Jewelry? Better pricing than in the USA?

The onlu authemtic Tiffany jewelry you are going to find is at Tiffany%26#39;s. Same with Burberry, everything else are knock offs. I got a Tiffanys charm bracelet at Ru Pei Pei on Najing Lu, but had to ask fo rit, and it took a few days for them to come up with a real silver one.

Authentic Tiffany Jewelry? Better pricing than in the USA?

Thank you for the reply. I was afraid of that. I%26#39;ll just have him look for something else. Surely he can find something. lol.

Itinerary and Transportation Advise

My husband and I will be going be going to China in July and plan on spending 20 days there. We will be traveling on our own and booking our transportation while in China. These are the place that we plan on visiting and the order that we think will work. We haven%26#39;t booked our international flight yet so we can change our entry/departure cities.

Can anyone advise us if there is a better order we should do this in, logistically speaking for transportation? We are on somewhat of a budget so any suggestions on what type of transportation is best between these cities would be appreciated. Also if anyone has any recommendations on what is the best way about booking transportation while in China.

Beijing---Luoyang---Xian---Guilin(w/ side trip to Yangshuo)---Shanghai (w/ side trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou)

All of you help is really appreciated.

Thanks! Tiffany

Itinerary and Transportation Advise

For a budget traveller in china, train is the best choice. The itinerary you proivide is ok, you can almost take all these legs by train. But I suggest taking air from Guilin to shanghai, more convenient and if you can get a discount flight ticket, that will not cost you a lot of money. BTW, you can check the china train timetable through www.adventurechinatrip.com/chinatrain.asp.

Good luck for your china trip

Itinerary and Transportation Advise

Beijing-xian-guilin-zhengzhou-shanghai is better, about booking transportation,in China,you olny can get the train tickets at local city,cant book all train tickets in one city.Beijing-Xi`an by train,Xian-Guilin by flight,To Zhengzhou by flight,Toshanghai By train

sausage in a pasta recipe

Anyone recommend a day or overnight trip from Beijing

My friend and I will be there for 9 days in March. While we have a good idea of what to see in Beijing I would like to maybe take a day or possibly overnight trip to see some other parts of China. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Anyone recommend a day or overnight trip from Beijing

With 9 days, you have quite a bit of time - here are suggestions:

1. Chengde - about 4 hours train/bus ride away from Beijing. It was the ';summer retreat'; for the emperors of the Qing dynasty. Think the Summer Palace but 10 times the size and you get the idea. Also has some very interesting temples (including a miniture version of the Jokhang temple in Tibet). The city is also relatively ';non-touristy';. I%26#39;d probably just spend 2/3 days here.

2. Shanghai/Hangzhou/Suzhou region - it%26#39;s a short flight or an over-night train ride away from Beijing to Shanghai. Once in Shanghai (and I wouldn%26#39;t stay there for more than a day given you time retraint), take a train to Hangzhou or Suzhou (multiple connections, between 1 to 3 hours). That region is vastly different from Beijing, it%26#39;s the region with the famous West Lake, the stone bridges, the exquisite Chinese gardens. For centuries, Beijing was considered the political center while this region was considered the cultural centre of China. So definitly worth a look. VERY touristy though (although for good reason).

If you go with this option, you%26#39;d probably have to cut Beijing a bit short, down to 5 days should be reasonable.

Anyone recommend a day or overnight trip from Beijing

Hi Sandimae10,

1. Pingyao

2. Chengde

3. Tianjin

4. Shanhaiguan (Beidaihe %26amp; Qinhuangdao)

Each is interesting in its own way. Depends on what you are looking for.

Enjoy this great country.

actually,9 days in Beijing is long,Beijing 4days,and overnight trip to Xi`dan shopping area of Shisha lake for Wine bar,Xian 2 days,shanghai 3days.

thank you de last one~

sending you a big hug. thank you~ have a wonderful year~

thank you de last one~

i hoped u had found a good price at the site I had suggested ? good luck and enjoy HK !

places to eat near disneyland

hi there tripadvisors / addicts!

i%26#39;ve been lingering around the site for quite a while... love how everyone%26#39;s willing to help. it%26#39;s really generous of you guys to be sharing tips to first-time travelers to different locations.

boy, am i glad to stumble upon this site, thanks for the tips %26amp; warnings, will take note of them when we go to hongkong next month...

anyway, speaking of hongkong, we%26#39;re about to stay in disney%26#39;s hollywood hotel for 1 night and the rest in a city hotel.

i was wondering if any of you guys know

%26lt;b%26gt;good cheap restaurants near disney (around lantau)%26lt;/b%26gt; especially for dinner time?

i know there%26#39;s a chef mickey restaurant in our hotel lobby but we%26#39;re sort of on a budget especially since we%26#39;re a pretty huge group and all. we might just have 1 meal at the hotel and then try to save money by eating at some other place.

i know there are food stalls in the park itself but would those be open till 8pm or so? is it advisable to stay out of disney till nighttime? there probably isn%26#39;t a curfew or anything but since the park closes at about 7pm, how does the surrounding look like at night then? dark %26amp; boring except for maybe the hotel area? what%26#39;s a nice activity at night? haha, curious little me.

oh, and lastly, which of Disney%26#39;s buffets is the best? which restaurant and what meal --breakfast or dinner?

i know this is a lot so thanks in advance!

places to eat near disneyland

I would suggest to do the Disneyland Hotel%26#39;s lunch buffet, it%26#39;s very good, and good value, and characters will make children, and adults enjoy and have good memories.

Dinner buffet is kind of expensive, and in my opinion, not worth it.

I haven%26#39;t been to Hollywood hotel, just Disneyland hotel, so I can%26#39;t comment.

Lantau Island nearby restaurants will not be near the resort hotels at all, it%26#39;s on the other side. From Hollywood hotel, I would just take the MTR over to Tsing Yi Station, and there will be LOTS of shopping centers, restaurants to choose from.

Take a look at this and you will see the MTR stations.

www.johomaps.com/as/hongkong/hkmetro_ch.html

From Sunny Bay, you can also go to Tung Chung station, there is a good shopping center, with factory outlets store, and restaurants as well.

There is absolutely NOTHING surrounding the two hotels. Yes, very dark, and very quiet.

Usually, I would suggest a day in Disneyland, after breakfast, head in to the park until close. The next day, go OUT of this area to see the real Hong Kong.

THe food inside Disneyland is terrible. Don%26#39;t expect much.

The prices for Disnelyand Hotel%26#39;s buffets: Breakfast buffet $198 adult, $ 100 Child, Lunch $ 298 adult, $135 child, (but only available for Sat, Sun, or holidays). Dinner, $ 398 adult, $ 180 Child.

For the price of the dinner buffet, you can get a REALLY good buffet in the 5 star hotels in Kowloon or HK for the same price. Just my opinion.

Have fun.

natural beauty

Metropark Hotel, Hong Kong Island or Harbour Plaza Kowloon

Which hotel is the best and why.

Metropark Hotel, Hong Kong Island or Harbour Plaza Kowloon

Metropark Hotel HK island is popular among businessmen, and tourists. Convenient location, just border of Causeway Bay and Tin Hau. Small size rooms, but acceptable. No bathtub, just shower. Relatively new hotel on the island side in comparison to others.

Affordable prices and good service.

Harbour Plaza, no such name as Kowloon. There is Harbour Plaza HK (even though it is on Kowloon), there is Harbour Plaza Metropolis, and Harbour Plaza North Point, and Harbour Plaza Resort (Tin Sui Wai).

I will assume you are talking about Harbour Plaza Hong Kong, which is the BEST one out of the chain. Nice hotel, beautiful harbourview rooms, excellent dining options, and in a quieter area, Whampoa Gardens, residential area. No MTR is the only disadvantage. Must take Mini bus, Shuttle bus, Taxis to get out of the area.

Kowloon Hotel is part of the management group too. but Kowloon hotel is famous for their super small size rooms.

Katetam~ help again

Thank you again for the advices.

The hotel fee for the Marcopolo HK is $225 on 3/22 %26amp; 3/23

but the Renaissance Kowloon is only $ 158.

if it is really worth it, then I will book the Marcopolo HK, please let me know what you think. (this is Vicmom coming with 2 years old son) also could you please recommend the hotel booking wesite?

I tired the www.asiarooms.com

Katetam~ help again

vicmom,

wonder if u had looked at asiabesthotel.com coz I am looking into a visit to HK and I found the prices to be really good for HK hotels (i normally just use this site for SIN hotels for the past few years). Just checked your dates and they r offering Marco Polo HK for US$132/nite while Renaisssance Kowloong for US$147/nite

http://www.asiabesthotel.com/index.php

good luck

Katetam~ help again

Renaissance Kowloon%26#39;s location is not as good as MPHK. However, it depends on the price difference.

De Last one gave you great information. (do check it out)

I don%26#39;t use websites for hotel bookings, sorry I can%26#39;t help you.

For your information (I don%26#39;t know when you are coming though), it depends whether it%26#39;s high season or not. MPHK is usually about $ 1100-$ 1800 HKD a night, and Renaissance Kowloon is usually $ 800-$ 1500 HKD depending on the month you are coming, and the type of rooms. MPHK has beautiful harbourview rooms, the BEST view, in my opinion. Renaissance has no harbourview rooms.

Good luck.

I took my wie to HK for the first time and stayed in the MPHK harbour view room. To see the Harbour for the first time from the room was worth every dollar. First impressions are important and made the holiday for us so much more enjoyable.

finding duvet covers

Travelling in cars with young kids in China

My partner and I are travelling for 10 days to Shanghai and then HK with our 20 month old and 5 year old. We plan to do some short day trips with some other friends who also have older children.

We weren%26#39;t planning on taking a car seat for the flight from Aust. I can%26#39;t find any information about whether there are any regulations about restraining children (especially the 20 month old) in a child safety seat in China.

I was thinking about getting a saftey harness but they aren%26#39;t approved for use in Australia so it seemed a little pointless but perhaps better than nothing. I%26#39;ve also heard that its difficult to find taxis with seat belts in the rear, so a child seat or harness also seems pointless.

If we were taking day trips, can we hire a car in advance with at least a seat belt or even a car seat?

Travelling in cars with young kids in China

You will need to book in advance for a driver and a car fitted with the child seats. Try an international company such as Avis. They can offer airport pickup and chauffeur service with the car safety options. But the catch is going to be the price. No taxis will not be ';safe'; and it is going to be a risky. Also try the expat forums for a better insight.

Travelling in cars with young kids in China

thanks xiantraveller. will check out some other forums too.

you can try fto find some offers in this forum and sone memebers in this web will also can giive you the help ,not only information but also the good offers.

Jeff

Hotel room for 4?

My husband and I are planning to take our 2 kids to China this summer. They are 15 and 11. Do the major hotels in Xian have rooms for 4 people in one room? Some of the websites that I checked showed a max of 3 people per room. Really dont want to have to get 2 rooms. Looking for nice 4-5 star hotel. Thanks!

Hotel room for 4?

Perhaps, you can require the hotel to add a bed for you.

Cheers

Hotel room for 4?

i iwll check it with my friends and giv eyou the reply later !

what%26#39;s more,please tell me if you have any problems in Xi%26#39;an

Jeff

Train to Lhasa from Xi'an

Hi

I have heard that it is almost impossible to get train tickets from Xi%26#39;an to Lhasa because they are selling out in Beijing or Chengdu. Any info on this?

Thanks

Allie

Train to Lhasa from Xi'an

no, as far as i know you can get the ticket at Xi%26#39;an.

in xi%26#39;an stop , only have 4 tickets .

i wish the news is useful to you.

and if you go to Tibet and stay Lasha ,rom XIi%26#39;an ,back by air,it will cost 600USD or so.

Regards

Jeff

Getting a Shenzhen Visa in Australia

Hey all,

Basically I want to travel from Hong Kong to Shenzhen in February 2007 for some shopping.

I%26#39;m living in Australia and this will be my first trip overseas.

Basically, I know you have to obtain a visa to go across the border into Shenzhen. Just wondering where do I obtain one in Australia?

I%26#39;ve never gotten a visa before so I don%26#39;t know the process.

Any help would be great.

Thank you!

Getting a Shenzhen Visa in Australia

au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/default.htm

You can apply in person or by mail(';Only under special situations when you are unable to apply in person'; ). You can also use a travel agent, especially those located in Chinatowns.

Getting a Shenzhen Visa in Australia

Thanks.

Is it possible to get a Visa at the border?

Thank you.

I believe so, at the Lowu/Shenzhen border. do a search on here.

AthlonXP,

Yes it is possible to get one on the border. Two reasons why I wouldn%26#39;t.

[1] You%26#39;ll skip a queue and a wait of possibly up to half an hour.

[2] The border visas are one-time, you may find you want to return (eg if you are having clotes tailored, for example), in which case a 5 day (? I think) will be a lot cheaper.

It may be slightly cheaper. in advance. There is a lot of detail specifically about getting a visa in OZ in some older threads, a search should find them quickly.

%26gt;%26gt;The border visas are one-time, you may find you want to return

A regular visa is also single entry, unless you opt for the double entry which costs ~50% more than a single

Thank you for your reply.

I have decided to get a visa at the border. This is because it allows me to change my itinerary once I arrive in Hong Kong if I wish.

Thanks again.

Check out the website but I understood that you dont need a visa from HK to Shenzhen.

Speak to the people at the Chinese Embassy in Melbourne.

I came thru HK and Shenzhen in July and i thought that there was info about going to Sz for no more than 5 days, no need for a visa but speak to the embassy.

Sorry heshan but you are incorrect. If you are travelling on an Australian passport and going into the Shenzhen SAR you will need to have either a Shenzhen only visa available at the border, or a pre-arranged Chinese visa.

The visa that you get at the border is a single entry visa only and costs around AU$35ish, can%26#39;t recall how much it was in HK$.

vtt.

A Shenzhen visa only allows you to visit the SEZ. You ';can'; be stopped at the border between Shenzhen %26amp; the rest of China if you try to travel further, although I take it you don%26#39;t want to. The regular 30 day visa costs $A50 from the Chinese embassy in Canberra %26amp; takes 3 days (plus postage time)

natural beauty

Tea Houses/Ceremonies in Beijing/Shanghai

Tea Houses/Ceremonies in Beijing/Shanghai

Could someone please give me some recommendations for good places to go to experience the Tea Ceremony.

Nice atmosphere/experience/reasonable price

Thanks so much

Tea Houses/Ceremonies in Beijing/Shanghai

Good option is to go to some of more popular theatres with in some hotel and see beijing opera show. If you take first class ticket, you will be placed on the dinning table, get some snack and before opera starts, tea ceremony will be performed just for your table. It is good opportunity to join 2 in 1.

Second class ticket for opera include only regular seat behind tables.

Have fun; )

Tea Houses/Ceremonies in Beijing/Shanghai

Thanks for the advice. Any places you recommend? and prices? Thanks so much

There are tons of tea houses in Beijing, but the tea ceremony is actually more of a southern custom. I always think of Chengdu as the place for this. Or Japan, where it developed into a high art.

If anyone approaches you and invites you to a tea house, don%26#39;t go, as they will disappear and stick you will be stuck with an inflated bill.

You can enjoy tea at teahouses in Purple Bamboo park (outside, so not a good option in winter!), in the Forbidden City and Summer Palace in Beijing, and also in the center of the lake at Yuyuan in Shanghai. You can enjoy the tea and the atmosphere, but there will not be a ceremony.

As noted above, there are performances where you can enjoy tea and snacks while you watch. Again, these are not tea cermonies. Venues are the Laoshe teahouse, Sanwei Bookstore (with music), or the Beijing opera performance at the Qianmen hotel (though tea is only served in some of the better seats, so ask.)

You can go to a reasonably well established place which sells only tea leaves and tea sets. (All sorts - and I literally mean all sorts) They will be only too happy to demonstrate a ';tea ceremony';. As other posters have stated, these are not the serious tea ceremonies (as in Japan). You get to taste the flavour of various types of tea, ( most of them are very good) and get to watch and learn the ';kung fu'; of making good tea. At the end of everything, they of course hope that you will buy some tea leaves/tea sets off them. (However, if you are travelling in a tour group, a visit to a ';tea ceremony'; is definitely on the agenda.)

Enjoy Beijing.

get time from datetime

Accomodation for HK Sevens - Good Location PLEASE HELP

Hi,

I am looking for a good location to stay for the HK Sevens. Any ideas would be appreciated. Price range about 80 - 150 USD a night, hotel type accomodation.

Thanks, Sevens HK

Accomodation for HK Sevens - Good Location PLEASE HELP

Hotel rates during Sevens is around double the usual rate, many hotels will exceed your budget. Try Luk Kwok Hotel or Harbour View International House, both in Wan Chai, not far from the stadium.

visiting people in china -- do you need gifts

I found some pen pals for my 8 year old son one in hong kong and one in beijing -- and we plan to meet them when we get there. A chinese friend told me that it was customary to bring gifts to a chinese home --

does anyone know if that is true -- I%26#39;m happy to bring the kids some tshirts from la but not sure --

la3

visiting people in china -- do you need gifts

yes it%26#39;s true. You never visit someone as a guest without presents.

it depend son yourself

it depends .

waht%26#39;s your interest?

let me know it, i wll give you my opinion

it depend son yourself

My son likes sports, is active, wants to see the military musuem, will want to paddle boat, see the soldiers, hike the wall

I think he would like to do things that are different like take a cooking class or do something active.

la3

it depend son yourself

if you son like solider ,he can try terra cotta wrrriors and climd the hua shan moutain

it%26#39;s very nice in Xi%26#39;an

Thank you -- do you know about biking in xian -- my son is small and usually rides on the sidewalk at home but his friend older brother told him he rode in xian so now he wants to,.

is there a lot of traffic and cars?

thanks,

la3

Metropark Hotel, Hong Kong Island

Are there two Metropark Hotels? I have seen a mention of Metropark Kowloon. I am thinking of booking the Metropark Hong Kong Island. Can somebody please help me with the following questions.

Is it in a good spot for convenience of eating out at night?

Is it worth paying extra for a harbour view room?

Is it worth paying a supplement for breakfast?

Metropark Hotel, Hong Kong Island

There are two Metropark Hotels on HK Island, one in Causeway Bay and one in Wanchai. There is also a Metropark in Kowloon at Mongkok and I think also another Metropark somewhere in Kowloon.

The original one is Metropark Causeway Bay which is operated by the management arm of CTS (China Travel Service) and has carried the Metropark branding ever since it opened around five years ago. Last year CTS took over the management of three or four other existing hotels and rebranded them with the Metropark name, for instance the Concorde became the Metropark Mongkok.

The Metropark Causeway Bay (Tung Lo Wan Road) is the one with the excellent harbour views and yes, it%26#39;s worth paying extra for a harbour view room. It%26#39;s actually on the boundary of Causeway Bay and North Point at the eastern end of Victoria Park.

There is a very good breakfast buffet with a wide choice of western and asian food. I think it%26#39;s a little pricey though at HK$140 (you get a discount of 20% I think if you%26#39;re a long stay guest). I tended to alternate between the hotel and the following two places.

1. Cafe Eos at 42 Electric Road near Tin Hau MTR Station (about 3 mins walk) where you can get a good cooked breakfast for around HK$45. It%26#39;s small scruffy cafe which surprisingly has the HK Quality Tourism Award but the food is very good.

2. Olivers Super Sandwiches on the ground floor of the World Trade Centre just across Victoria Park next to the Excelsior Hotel. You can get a decent breakfast for around HK$30.

There are plenty of places to eat in the locality. Times Square (10 mins walk) has plenty of restaurants and there are many others in Causeway Bay.

There are reviews of this hotel elsewhere on this website.

Metropark Hotel, Hong Kong Island

If you want to see the Metropark Causeway Bay and it%26#39;s exact location you can find it on Google Earth by typing the following coordinates in the Google Earth search box ;

22 16 52.89N, 114 11 31.17E (include the spaces, stops and comma).

Zoom in to an eye altitude of about 1000 feet and it%26#39;s very easy to identify, you%26#39;ll see the oval shaped roof with the swimming pool.

The harbour view rooms look out across Victoria Park (you can clearly see the football pitches), Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter, along the length of the harbour and across to Kowloon.

Tours from Australia

Hi, we are planning a tour in September. Anyone travelled with Wendy Wu? We lke the itiniery but not sure about the company, as Helen Wong seems to be the one people I have spoken to have done. We are looking at the 28 day Highlights of China.It%26#39;s not a budget tour.! We may never go back , so want the best experience we can get. Happy to go with a tour company as we don%26#39;t have the time or resources to organise out trip as a lot have done. Any info welcome.

Tours from Australia

I agree with annemc that the fear of going with a budget tour is that 1) you may never return to China again and, 2) you will be stranded in a foreign country with food poisoning, motion sickness, hepatitis, or a number of other nightmares...

We went with a mid- to high-end tour operator last year, they offer several classes of tours with different durations. The longest one, I believe is the 20-day Grand Tour and that is also their luxury package and comes with a Yangtze river cruise and foray into Lhasa. We were very satisfied with our shorter one, though the Grand is definitely on our wishlist. But even with the shorter one we were able to stay in five-star hotels pretty much all the way so I must say we were pretty comfortable and well taken care of. THe company is called ';Let%26#39;s Travel China'; and based in the US, they have a website by the same name, I think they%26#39;ve been around for only several years but they seemed veyr reliable.

Hope this helps, reply to this post if you want to hear more about our experience!

natural beauty

a japanese name

Flights from London to Shanghai

What is best Virgin non stop or Emirates via Dubai. Is Emirates worth the inconvenience of a couple of hours stop off.

Flights from London to Shanghai

Friends travel by Emirates and always rave about it. Is there any chance they will throw in a free stop one night stop over hotel? My friends received this on there way over to Europe from OZ land

Flights from London to Shanghai

I flew BA on this route - got a very good price on zuji.com

this depends on what class where you want to travel in. Economy....you%26#39;re better off with Emirates. Emirates is more spacious, better service. As for business class, that will be Virgin as they have the flat beds...and Emirates does not. Emirates first class will not be good either, as it is not their suite version.

Breakfast in Knutsford Area

Instead of having breakfast in Standford Hillview, we are planning to have breakfast outside. I know that Standford Hillview is just behind Knutsford so do they serve breakfast on the restaurants/eateries there?

How much do they usually charge for food in Knutsford? Either Breakfast or Lunch?

Thanks!

Breakfast in Knutsford Area

In general, the restaurants at Knutsford do not serve breakfast. However, you can walk into the Miramar mall and find some small coffee shops that have breakfast. If you are up for Chinese cafe fares, simply walk down the hill to Kimberly road and you will find many of them.

Lunch at Knutsford will cost on average HK$100 per person if you order their lunch sets.

Breakfast in Knutsford Area

Thanks Sammy!

Where can you get cheap lunch? I%26#39;ve heard that you have eateries in TST? and even Malls ? How much does food in these eateries cost?

If you walk around Cameron Road, Kimberley Road, and Carnavon road.... you have SO many choices of fast food, cheap eateries, high end restaurants, Starbucks, gelato place, Hui lan san, Japanese Ramen shops, cafes..... you would need at least 3 months to all of them.....

cheap yet quality LOMO cameras in HK?

i%26#39;ve always been a fan of LOMO art, and recently, i decided that i would purchase my very own lomo camera.

i tried using the photoshop effect to imitate lomo-style art. but you can%26#39;t deny it, lomo looks waay better, even if u don%26#39;t put any thought into composing the photo.

anyhow, i seriously hyperventilated when i discovered that LOMO now has an official store in Hong Kong! but then, i also heard some discount stores might also carry some lomo cameras.

so anyway, have any of you guys tried purchasing lomos at these discount stores?

%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; where are they located? (please be specific, and give me their websites if possible) who should i look for?

%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; are they any good? no defects?

%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; are they waay cheaper or just similarly-priced as the ones from the official store? any good deals?

or do you suggest that i just buy at the official store to make sure i get an authentic lomo camera?

and since i%26#39;m a newbie, what do you suggest should i buy?

%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; LC A+ or Holga?

thanks a bunch!!!

cheap yet quality LOMO cameras in HK?

Hmmm.

Quality and Lomo should not be used in the same sentence. The ';special'; quality of pictures taken with Lomo cameras is due to their terrible lens. If you enjoy the look, fine, enjoy but don%26#39;t worry about getting a ';real'; or ';authentic'; Lomo. The construction, in addition to the poor lens is cheap.. I doubt anyone is bothering to make rip-offs. And,m if they are, the effect is probably pretty much the same as produced by real Lomos.

Paul

cheap yet quality LOMO cameras in HK?

Hi geek_goddess!

I bought my Lomo Action Sampler from Page One Festival Walk branch (in Kowloon Tong) and saw the same stuff behind the cashier at their harbour City branch (the one beside Citysuper) in April 2006. Most of the models I saw where the action sampler types, none of the classic ones. I remember seeing the same stuff once in Montage, that model/hobbys shop in Greenbelt 4. The one I didnt see was the one I bought (Holga) in Maine.

Hopefully they have a showcase of models at their new store.

I%26#39;m not familiar with the official Lomo store in Hong kong but after I%26#39;ve checked www.lomography.com, this is what I got:

THE NEW LOMOGRAPHY SHOP IN HONG KONG

===============================

Place: LOMOGRAPHY SHOP HONG KONG

G/F, NO.2 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

(Near Hollywood Road )

Opening Times: Monday to Friday 11 AM to 7 PM

Contact %26amp; Info:

Lomography Asia Pacific

Office and Shop

G/F, No.2 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Phone: +852 2525 5417

Fax: +852 2525 5467

E-mail: info@lomographyasia.com; contact@lomography.com

http://www.lomographyasia.com

I%26#39;m not very much into Lomo (used mine rarely), but am always suprised with the works I%26#39;ve seen so far. I guess you%26#39;re more a fan than I am. I never found them to be cheap though. Just in case you havent visited the asian site, check out www.lomographyasia.com and of course www.lomography.com. Other info you might need might be there.

Hi geek_goddess!

I bought my Lomo Action Sampler from Page One Festival Walk branch (in Kowloon Tong) and saw the same stuff behind the cashier at their harbour City branch (the one beside Citysuper) in April 2006. Most of the models I saw where the action sampler types, none of the classic ones. I remember seeing the same stuff once in Montage, that model/hobbys shop in Greenbelt 4. The one I didnt see was the one I bought (Holga) in Maine.

Hopefully they have a showcase of models at their new store.

I%26#39;m not familiar with the official Lomo store in Hong kong but after I%26#39;ve checked www.lomography.com, this is what I got:

THE NEW LOMOGRAPHY SHOP IN HONG KONG

===============================

Place: LOMOGRAPHY SHOP HONG KONG

G/F, NO.2 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

(Near Hollywood Road )

Opening Times: Monday to Friday 11 AM to 7 PM

Contact %26amp; Info:

Lomography Asia Pacific

Office and Shop

G/F, No.2 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Phone: +852 2525 5417

Fax: +852 2525 5467

E-mail: info@lomographyasia.com; contact@lomography.com

http://www.lomographyasia.com

I%26#39;m not very much into Lomo (used mine rarely), but am always suprised with the works I%26#39;ve seen so far. I guess you%26#39;re more a fan than I am. I never found them to be cheap though. Just in case you havent visited the asian site, check out www.lomographyasia.com and of course www.lomography.com. Other info you might need might be there.

thanks for the replies, guys!

hi paul,

just in case u misunderstood, i%26#39;m not really looking for knock-offs, i%26#39;m after great deals on real lomos. and i doubt if anyone has really bothered to make fakes, right?

i%26#39;ve heard about lomos being poor in quality but yeah, i do like their look. hmm, i guess i%26#39;m just going to save myself a bit of trouble and just buy from the official store, the HK Lomo embassy...so i wouldn%26#39;t have to waste time haggling %26amp; so i can make sure what i%26#39;ll be getting is brand new.

hi impulse_traveler! yeah, pinay, hehe :)

yup, i%26#39;ve been to their site and i saw that the new HK store didn%26#39;t carry as many products as the ';official'; store. still, they had all the newbie cameras in stock and that%26#39;s fine by me.

i might buy a Holga then since the LCA+ is way more expensive. i would%26#39;ve gladly invested more money for an LCA but frankly, i don%26#39;t know if the added features will do me any good. the Holga seems to have all the basics covered already so i might as well get that instead. i saw from the lomo asia site that the Holga pack is available at their HK branch.

just out of curiosity, HOW MUCH was your action sampler %26amp; Holga? I might get one too, the price is pretty reasonable (even if i don%26#39;t think i%26#39;d be using it often, maybe occasionally when i%26#39;m feeling artsy...)

thanks again!

.

Am looking at the action sampler box clear box case right now and I don%26#39;t see a tag price (I assume it%26#39;s. I can%26#39;t recall how much I purchased it in HK$ but am sure it wouldn%26#39;t be more than 2T in philippine peso since I remember that in Manila it was more than P2T which is why I got it in Hong kong though I didn%26#39;t look around then for lesser priced shops since I was in a hurry. So I guess that would be around HK$250-280.

As for the Holga, I bought that way back in October 2003 on impulse when I was studying in Maine. That one I still haven%26#39;t used, ever! I think it was around US$40, or else I wouldn%26#39;t have bought it. I didn%26#39;t know anything about lomography then, I just saw it and was curious about that plastic 120 medium format thing in a simple black and blue box. Nothing fancy. No filters or other kit items as I%26#39;ve seen packaged with it later on. I thought it could be a nice toy I could play with and pack in my camera bag. Never packed it in my bag yet. Guess I just can%26#39;t find the time to explore those tools yet. Someday...

%26lt;hi impulse_traveler! yeah, pinay, hehe :)%26gt;

And oh, I%26#39;m ';pinoy'; :)

Hope the posts helped! Enjoy your HKG trip!

Oasis Hong Kong Airline

I returned yesterday from Hong Kong on Oasis Airlines and was pleasantly surprised by the service and quality. I travel to China / Hong Kong about four times a year and usually travel Virgin Premium Economy. As the Oasis Business class fare was cheaper than Virgin Premium Eco%26#39; it made sense to give them a try. The cabin decor is a little dull and uninspiring compared to Virgin although they are somewhat ';neon'; anyway. The seats in business are excellent, wide with a great reclining range and plenty of space between the seat in front (not flat bed like Virgin Upper or BA first class but you will be paying four of five times the price). At £ 470 each way plus tax the total came out at just over £ 1000 which is great value compared to the others.

Moreover, the flight wasn%26#39;t at all full so on both outward and homeward legs there was space to move around the cabin so that you weren%26#39;t sitting next to somebody else. On the home leg the main business class cabin only had two people in it and around twelve people upstairs.

Food was O.K. and drinks plentiful if you wanted them. The flights took off and arrived on time and the cabin crew were attentive without being over bearing. The inflight entertainment was limited but with the flight times as they are most people slept on both legs of the journey (8.20 evening flight out and 01.30 flight back).

I didn%26#39;t see the economy class cabin but there were no audible complaints as we disembarked. As the flight wasn%26#39;t full it%26#39;s probably worth taking a chance on economy as there is probably space to spread around making the 11+ hour flight a bit more bearable.

I%26#39;m not sure how long they will last as an airline with such low fares and limited capacity but I%26#39;d certainly use them again with Business Class fares at this ';low'; price.

Oasis Hong Kong Airline

Hi,

Its good to hear pleasing comments, my daughter and i are flying to Hongkong with oasis [economy class] in sept ,thought we would give them a try,as like you say the price is very reasonable.

suzi

Oasis Hong Kong Airline

Glad to hear some feedback on Oasis.We have booked for October.

Economy class though!Thanks for taking the effort to inform other travellers.

Thanks.

We are flying with Oasis next month in economy, I will let you know how we get on, we usually fly to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific, we are hoping Oasis can%26#39;t be as bad as them!

Great to hear a positive report. Have been flying with Virgin for years, but as am living in Dublin, the transit through Heathrow is becoming less viable by the day. Missed the HK because could not connect due to foggy weather, also missed the return flight as the HK flight left an hour late :(

The %26#39;saving grace%26#39; on Virgin was the selection of entertianment channels - but it was reduced to about a quarter of the the normal selection earlier this month.

So, is it Oasis via Gatwick, or KLM via Amsterdam? Have not heard any one say a good word about Luftansa economy class for a long time....

PASSENGER REVIEW OF OASIS HONGKONG AIR

23rd Jan 2007, Flight O8 700 HKG - LGW

SUMMARY

This is a fantastic airline offering a great service at exceptional value. In many ways, Oasis should probably be charging a premium ticket price to other airlines! Where else can you get a flight with no check-in or immigration queues at both ends, get on board at midnight, eat a meal, fall asleep for 12 hours, wake up at Gatwick at 6am, and be out of the airport and on the road in a hired car in less than 20 minutes? If you are on holiday in Hong Kong, you are basically getting an extra FULL day in Hong Kong without having to pay for an extra hotel night (because the flight is so late at night).

TICKET BUYING EXPERIENCE

I had difficulties using Oasis%26#39; website to book the ticket. After completing the forms online and submitting them to go to the next page, the website seemed to get ‘stuck’ and brought up the %26#39;Error 404 website not found error %26#39;. This happened about 4 times over 2 days. I don’t know whether this is a problem at Oasis server or the circumstances at the time (I was using the internet in Taiwan during the time that Taipei had an earthquake which had disrupted internet connections around the region).

When I was asked if I wanted to reserve my seat online, I decided to go for it. I normally use a website www.seatguru.com to find seat configurations in commercial aircraft - but I didn%26#39;t need to - Oasis provide a map of the seat configuration for you. However, I was a little alarmed when I chose a seat (with no seats in front) and it added HK$800 to the price!!! My thoughts then were that this airline was just going to be another RyanAir or EasyJet that wanted to squeeze every penny out of the customer...

CHECK-IN EXPERIENCE AT HKG

I checked all my bags in at 11.am on the morning of the flight at the Hong Kong Station check in. This is all handled by the Jardine group so has nothing to do with Oasis. My luggage weighed in at 26kg which is 3kg above the 23kg allowance (I was fearing an excess baggage surcharge – but nothing was said).

BOARDING EXPERIENCE AT HKG

At this time of night (11pm) the airport is practically deserted (there are only two other flights shortly after the Oasis flight – and no more flights until about 5 or 6am. Getting through immigration and security was very quick – no queues whatsoever!! Best experience I have ever had at HKG airport.

AIRCRAFT

The Aircraft is a 747-400 and was formerly owned by Singapore Airlines so it has a superior service and maintenance history behind it (reassuring for those who have a fear of flying). All the main bits that should be there are there (4 engines, 2 wings etc...)

AIRCRAFT INTERIOR

The aircraft interior still retains the old Singapore Airlines purple upholstery and is clean - but far from new. The seats are comfortable, have a good pitch and good legroom. The cabin temperature on the parking apron (and throughout the flight) was a very comfortable 25 degrees (previous reviews had said that temperature control was a major issue).

HKG DEPARTURE

The aircraft was off the blocks and was pushed back from the terminal at 1.20am (exactly on time). The safety demonstration was carried out manually (no video). The demonstration was very clear, and easily understandable (In English and Cantonese). The cabin staff were extremely polite, professional and very courteous at all times.

The captain announced that there would be a safety video - but this was never shown (I can only assume that he thinks he is still with his previous airline and hasn’t got out of his well rehearsed lines!! Well, at least we know we have an experienced pilot here!

Roll out at 1.43a.m

As there are very few aircraft departing HK at this time of night, taxi-ing time to the runway is very quick. We were airborne in 20 mins.

AIRCRAFT CAPACITY

Economy class was about 40% full (or 60% empty for pessimists), so there are plenty of empty seats! Many people (including myself) were fortunate to have complete rows to themselves for the entire flight.

PASSENGER PROFILE

Passengers mostly seemed to be HK Chinese students and British holidaymakers. 60% Caucasian, 40% Asian. Main age group was between 20-40. Very few business travelers. During the flight, I did have a peek behind the curtain and had a walk around in business class on the lower deck. Business class seats looked just as good as any other airline.

IN FLIGHT MEALS

An evening meal was served 30 mins after takeoff after reaching cruising altitude. There was a choice of fishcakes or noodles with pork. Plastic knives and forks are used. The meal is quite light but who needs a big meal this time of night anyway? Water and drinks are offered continuously throughout the flight. Snacks are also available at surprisingly VERY reasonable prices (about HK$15 I think).

IN FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT %26amp; SUNDRIES

Each seat has its own monitor. They all seemed to be working fine (previous reviews suggested not). However, there is not a great deal to watch. There are about 16 classic movies (dont expect new movies) and some music channels as well as the moving map. However, very few people were actually watching anything as after the meal, its already 2.30 am HK time, the lights in the cabin are off, and most passengers are only concerned with sleeping.

INFLIGHT COMFORTS

Each passenger is given plastic earphones, a blanket and a pillow. For the earphones, the sockets are the 3 pin type, so if you want to use your own headphones, then you need an adapter. As for the blanket - it%26#39;s amazing! It%26#39;s the only one I%26#39;ve ever had on an aircraft that doesn%26#39;t actually cling to you and emit that horrible static!!!

GATWICK ARRIVAL

The aircraft arrived at the gate at 6.28am (on time). There were no queues at all at immigration (straight through for both EU passport holders and foreigners). The luggage came off the carousel at 6.40am (I would call this a miracle by British standards!).

Malaria tablets+insect bites in late March to mid-April

We%26#39;ve planned a 3 week tailor-made trip from late March to mid-April visiting - Beijing:Yangshuo:Xian:Chengdu:Emei Shan:Chongqing (Dazu):Yangtze cruise and Shanghai.

I react badly to insect bites and we would like to know if we need to take malaria tablets-for these places at this time of year. If so, what tablets do you recommend ?

How much problem will there be with other insects at this time of year - any advice ?

Malaria tablets+insect bites in late March to mid-April

The cure is worse than the disease.

I have lived as an expat in PNG,Singapore, Indonesia and now China 6 years.

There is far more side effects from taking the tablets.It will not prevent the infection and if you are infected can mask the symptons.

Do alot more research and ask people who have lived in the tropics before you consider this drastic action.

Side effects can be liver damage and worse.

Malaria tablets+insect bites in late March to mid-April

You should discuss with your doctor, since they know your specifics, but doctors also tend to over recommend, as they are not familiar with regions and seasons in China.

You should also look at government websites (the CDC, WHO, Health Canada, etc) for information about the level of risk and times of risk in these areas. I think you will find that malaria is not very prevalent in these places at the times you are going.

Now for my two cents: Reacting badly to insect bites has nothing to do with your risk for malaria. In fact, since you react to insect bites, you are going to want to avoid bites whether or not there is a risk of malaria. The best way to avoid malaria is not to take tablets, but to avoid getting bitten in the first place.

I doubt you%26#39;ll have major problems with mosquitos this time of year, but there will probably be some. I would bring good insect repellant with high DEET content and perhaps purchase some mosquito coils to use at night.

I lived in rural China for a year without taking tablets and I didn%26#39;t catch anything--though mosquitos did disturb my sleep a few times. The risk to the typical tourist is not high.

deny a home rental applicat

hotel in hong kong with best access to transportation

Dear Everybody,

Hi everybody, it is me again, Picar from Indonesia.

As mentioned earlier, in coming April my family and I will visit hong kong for holiday purpose. We will be over there around 7 days.

Last time, I have already posted a topic : ';looking for an apartment for short stay in hong kong'; and got replies from all of you. However, I could not the ones which meets my requirement.

Just for your information, the total of us would be 6 persons : 2 adults, 1 old man, 1 teenager, 1 child (9) and baby (2).

I need 2 rooms with connecting door because my son needs attention and handling from more than one person.

Therefore, now I need your help again to recommend some nice hotels with following features:

-4 stars hotel

-easy access to transportation. If possible, I prefer to stay at a hotel which sits on top of subway station and also near to shopping area.

-nice and bigger room.

-location could be in Kowloon or in Hong Kong island.

-able to offer connecting door

I would really appreciate for your reply.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Picar

hotel in hong kong with best access to transportation

the only hotels that i know that is on top of an MTR station is the 5*s Pacific Place hotels. U can choose hotels that are near an MRT which might work out better for your budget.

Causeway Bay hotels are very convenient so the best way to do this is to check prices and choices for hotels for ur date of stay at asiabesthotel.com (a site I had trust for quite a few years for my trips to SIN and now will try to get one for HK weekend stay).

Good Luck

hotel in hong kong with best access to transportation

To de last one,

Thank you for your advice. You are a helpful person.

Ok. I will check with Pacific Place and hotels in Causeway Bay.

Please help me again if I have anything to ask.

Kind regards,

Picar

Prudential hotel would be another one that is above the MTR station. However, it%26#39;s catered to mainland tourists, always groups and groups of them checking in and out. It%26#39;s above Jordan MTR. Escalators and some stairs required to access the MTR station.

It%26#39;s also a 3 star hotel at max.

The other hotel I think you really should consider is the Excelsior. It%26#39;s NOT above the MTR, but it%26#39;s VERY well and conveniently located, near shopping centers, dining options, and from the exit of the hotel, you can walk straight, flat ground... all the way to the elevator access to the MTR station of Causeway Bay just outside SOGO.

I think they have connecting rooms too. You can%26#39;t go wrong with Excelsior.

Dear Katetam,

Thank you for your advice. I will look into Excelsior Hotel. Hopefully it meets to my family%26#39;s need.

Kind regards,

Picar.

Just to remind you, Excelsior is old, the rooms are not the latest, hip, and modern furnishing like other hotels around Kowloon and HK. The only advantage is its location, and the staff.

Royal Plaza is above KCR station, which is actually convenient too.

Anyways, I wanted to comment that with your travelling cofiguration, I highly recommend you travel by taxi around HK, it%26#39;s not expensive, and would save you a lot of troubles, and will be easier to transport around HK with elderly, and baby...etc.

So, perhaps you can consider finding the hotel that suits your needs and budget first, and worry about the transportation second. Like I always say, transportation in HK (compared to many other cities).... it%26#39;s very efficient, and can%26#39;t see it to be problem as long as you are in the city (Kowloon/HK island).

Dear Katetam,

Thank you again for your info.

Please let me have your advice for following poitns:

-so, which hotel I should take which is suitable for my family. Actually, it is not a must that the hotel location should be on the top of MTR station. It is okay if the location is just near (walking distance) to the station.

-I really need your advice for the hotel because I absolutely don%26#39;t know about Hong Kong. If possible pelase offer the hotel which has: good location, easy access to transportation, nice and big enough room.

-how many max passengers for a taxi? My family members are : 2 adults (incl. me), 1 old man, 1 young woman, 9 years and 2 years old boys. Can a taxi take them all?

-if my hotel in Causeway Bay area, how long does it take for a taxi to reach Ocean Park?

I am really looking forward to having your advice again and thank you for your kind attention.

Kind regards,

Picar

Which hotel is really hard to say b/c it depends on your budget, and what month you are visiting, if it%26#39;s high season, you might not be able to get the hotel at the rate you would if you came off season.

Anyways, Convenient hotels to transportation, I will give you a list, you might need to see which one suits your budget, and find out from them about connecting rooms. (Do realize, connecting rooms is a request, not a guarantee at most hotels.) I suggest you inform them about your DEFINITE need for a connecting room, have the hotel confirm it in writing 2 days before you arrive.

1) I suggest you look into a few options :

Have you looked up Lanson Place? Ashley Apartments? Horizon Suites? YMCA salisbury%26#39;s family suite? Langham Place%26#39;s Family suites? This might be more suitable than just 2 connecting rooms.

Harbour Plaza North Point%26#39;s Apartments?

The hotels you can consider:

From 5 star down to 2 star:

Hong Kong side:

Island Shangri-la, Conrad, Marriot, Park Lane, Excelsior, Metropark, Harbour Plaza North Point

Kowloon side:

Langham Place, Sheraton, Marco Polo Hong Kong, Royal Plaza, Miramar, YMCA Salisbury, Marco Polo Prince, Prudential, Park Hotel, BP international,

Taxis- take maximum 5 passengers, sometimes if a baby, they will take six. but if your child is 2 years old (you said baby before). Most likely you need to take 2 taxis then.

Regarding Causeway Bay to Ocean Park, if no traffic jam, you can be at Ocean Park in 15 minutes by taxi or less.

There is a bus just for Ocean Park at Admiralty MTR station, if you don%26#39;t want to take taxi.

Dear Katetam,

Thank you again for your info. I am honored with and really appreciate your help.

I will give a try to look through your suggestion and hopefully I can find one. If the hotel or apartment could meet my inquiry, then I don%26#39;t mind to adjust my budget up 4-star hotel or apartment.

Regarding my stay in Hong Kong, actually if I am not mistaken I have already mentioned that I will visit Hong Kong in April 2007. I will depart from Indonesia on 14 April and would spend about 7 days over there.

There are 2 options for me:

1st option

Staying in Hong Kong island or Kowloon for the whole week.

2nd option

From 14 - 17 April we stay in a hotel or apartment in Hong Kong island or Kowloon.

From 17-21 April we stay in Disneyland hotel.

I am now comparing between 2 options above by getting as much as possible the information hotel and apartment in Hong Kong or Kowloon area. Do you have any idea which option is ideal for my family needs?

Kind regards,

Picar

natural beauty

Should I attempt border crossing Shenzhen to HK on May 3

Hi all,

I am trying to plan my crossing into Hongkong. I would like to know if it makes sense to going to HK by Ferry on May 3rd? I am worried that the border crossing might be the busiest on this day since HK%26#39;s May holiday ends this day instead of on the 7th.

I do have a choice right now of going into Hongkong from Guangzhou by air on May 4th, but I would like to be there for May 3rd if possible.

Please advice.

Thanks,

RLI

Should I attempt border crossing Shenzhen to HK on May 3

As long as you purchase your ferry ticket in advance, I don%26#39;t see any problems otherwise. The good thing about the ferry service is there is always a limited, or set, number of people going on the boat and then across the border so the line can only be so long. On the other hand, the land crossings may receive an undetermined increase in traffic on the peak days, resulting in long lines that can last for an hour, especially for the foreigners holding visas.

Should I attempt border crossing Shenzhen to HK on May 3

Hi Sammyfloyd,

Could you be more specific about the peak days? Am I right that people from HK only have May 1st-3rd off? I should have paid more attention to the news last year for that time period.

Thanks,

RLI

People from HK only has May 1 off. May 2 and May 3 are not public holidays.

Do you mean that you want to travel by ferry from Shekou (about 1 hour from Shenzhen) rather than the land border at Lo Wu?

School %26amp; colleges in China have 7 days holiday but most to the intercity travel happens at the beginning and end of the holiday so the 3rd should be fine. Just allow more time than usual for the border formalities.

It does not seem to be worth flying such a short distance. If you are beginning in Guangzhou and have no particular reason to go via Shenzhen then you could consider leaving China via Zhingshan or Zhuhai ferries also.

The ferry I was thinking of was the Shenzhen ferry that leaves from Fu Yong, near the Shenzhen airport.

Sammyfloyd

Thank you for the clarifications... Now I am not so afraid to travel on the 3rd.

Zhuhai2007

Thank you as well.

HI,

I take the Ferry system from China to HK often and back and forth, I would suggest Shekou Ferry terminal. Usually not big lines on either side of the borders.

Hongkong visit.

Will be doing a three night stopover en route Sydney to Manchester at end of January 2008. Any recommendations for reasonable hotel would be welcome. What is best way to travel from Airport to visitor areas please?. What are the must-sees? Any info. gratefully received.

Hongkong visit.

i hope this list can help u with some activities while in town :

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i8229-Hong_Kong…

As for lodging, have u decided whether u want to be on Kowloon (i find it more value for $ around here) or HK Island side ?

On HK Island, a great location for tourists is Causeway Bay so try hotels like Metropark, L%26#39;Hotel, Rosedale, Express by holiday Inn etc

Good Luck

PS. the public transportation is very efficient in HK so u can get around just by MRT and buses if u dont wish to take a cab (which is also fairly cheap for a big city like HK).

Hongkong visit.

The easiest way is to catch the train from the Airport to Kowloon or Hong Kong Central station and then a taxi to hotel (there is free shuttle bus at these stations but taxis are CHEAP in HK).

The train is straight ahead of you when you leave HK Customs. You need to buy a ticket before you get to the train. look for ticket booths.

for hotel look at this site..........lots of people say the Langham Place Hotel near mongkok is very good and good price. Hotels on the island tend to be more expensive as for businessmen and Kowloon is for tourists.

Salisbury YMCA/Langham Place

I know that these are two very different accommodations. I am currently booked at the Langham Place but after much reading perhaps the location and view of the Salisbury may be better. Please advise.

Laurie

Salisbury YMCA/Langham Place

Hi! my wife and I and my two teenage daughters have just booked our third trip to Hong Kong.The first visit was booked at the Park Hotel,Chatham Rd.Sth. Hotel was O.K.,but the location was not great.This prompted us to try the Salisbury for the second visit,what a difference! The location is faultless,two minutes from the Star ferry,two minutes from Nathan Rd.

The secret at the Salisbury is to book a harbour view room on the highest floor possible (we were on the 14th) the view is to die for and with that view you do not even think about any shortcomings in quality of fittings or service,(not that there were any) We always book our flights and hotel ourselves so that we can pick any particular details ourselves. We spoke direct to Kitty Lo at the Salisbury for this years booking and have two high floor harbour rooms....can%26#39;t wait....good luck and happy holiday.

Salisbury YMCA/Langham Place

Thank you for your information Mel51. This is the tailend of a vacation that starts in Singapore, on to Bali, back to Singapore and finally Hong Kong (3 weeks total). We are a family of 5 (kids are 18, 15 and 10) so we require two hotel rooms. We are staying in 5* accommodation in Singapore so perhaps I should try and save a bit in Hong Kong. I am certainly not used to spending 400.00 to 500.00 Canadian dollars a night on accommodation but as this is a special trip (oldest daughter graduating from highschool and going away to college) we are trying to stay at some nice places.

Any other comments would be appreciated.

Laurie

Just to let you know,I%26#39;ve just dug out my booking confirmation for the %26#39;Y%26#39; and it works out,(harbour view on high floor) at 148 canadian dollars a night per twin room (plus 10% service charge) A great price for the same view as the Peninsula next door which must be at least four times the price!!! Keep the extra money in your pocket it will go a very long way in hong kong!!! P.S. Don%26#39;t miss Temple St, night market whilst you are in H.K. it%26#39;s a real experience.....

Mel51,

How did u booked your stay? did u use their website? Looks like as very good deal. Please advise.

Thanks,

Jay

Hi! In answer to your question, yes, in the first instance I checked availability of the rooms I wanted ,on the dates I needed ,via the web site,I then confirmed by e-mail but I spoke direct to Kitty Ho at the hotel by %26#39;phone to give my credit card details as I%26#39;m still a bit old fashioned about sending financial details via e-mail.

We are flying this time with Oasis Hong Kong to give them a try,I don,t know if you have heard of them,(its a new company), but they are doing flights from London to H.K. for 拢75 gbp. each way,plus taxes,this should turn out to be the cheapest holiday to H.K. ever!!!

( if only I can keep my daughters away from the shops!!!)

My wife and I are staying at the Salisbury YMCA Hotel in Kowloon as I write this, in a harbour view room on the seventh floor. We had reserved a twelfth floor room but it turns out there are no smoking rooms above the seventh floor. Regardless, the view is fantastic as is the location. The 250 square foot rooms are a bit snug, about like a Holiday Inn Express, but the furnishings, cleanliness and amenities are top notch. I booked directly through the Y%26#39;s own web site, and their winter special rate for a harbour view room is US$129. A standard room is US$99. As all the guide books say, this is probably the best hotel value in Hong Kong. If you are not a smoker ask for a high floor for a better view of the 8pm light show.

Dr Ben or is it Borat? Good online maps and unique info

A lot of people ask about good maps and unusual places to visit. Before I went to China I found this rather odd online report written by Borat look alike Dr Ben. It has great pictures and loads of useful information.

See

http://www.drben.net/ChinaReport/Index.html

Plenty of intriguing info on Beijing, Chengde, Datong, Hong KOng, Llasa, Luoyang and Xian.

Dr Ben or is it Borat? Good online maps and unique info

Great info!

Thanks!

client time

Hotel in Lecong

Hi, can anyone recommend any hotels on Lecong? I%26#39;m planning to travel in mid April. Thanks

Hotel in Lecong

Hi, thought I would just update my earlier post. I visited Lecong in May 06 and stayed at the Hotel Fortuna. I%26#39;ve stayed at many 4/5star hotels around the world and this hotel is right up there with the rest of them. Hotel was only recently built and opened when I visitied and the rooms were large and well appointed (although beds were very very firm). Surprisingly, the rooms were not significantly different to many Westin hotels I%26#39;ve stayed in Australia and SE Asia.

Pool area was not yet open and there were plans for a golf putting green as well.

I can highly recommend this hotel for both business and leisure. Given the lack of choices of hotels at this level in Lecong, I%26#39;m sure it will be in high demand particularly during times of trade fairs in Lecong.

hockey

Greetings : )

I will be going to Yangshuo via Guilin early February with my 13 year-old son and staying for 4 months. He has mixed feelings about being so far from home for, what seems like forever in the eyes of a teenager. He%26#39;s trying to stay open-minded and realizes what a great experience it will be......... but..........he has made one request......that he bring a couple of hockey sticks to play road hockey. We land in Beijing and are travelling south overland...backpacking....and I can just imagine what it will be like trying to cart these sticks around. Is there ANYwhere in the south of China that we might be able to buy a stick once we get there??

hockey

angelaw2

I am guessing that you are coming to teaching english at one of the many schools in Yangshuo and before you leave Canada my recommendation is get a TEFL certificate in Canada in your remaining time there if you do not already have one or a Degree of some kind.

Around Yangshuo and Guilin hockey sticks would be a dream and almost impossible to find however I am certain around West St your son will find plenty to entertain him. Table tennis badminton basketball are the games of chioce here.

When you come bring two things which are hard to get in Guangxi personal deodorant and a good mosquito repellant because those rice fields around Yangshuo grow more than just rice.

The night life around Yangshuo will be terrific for you but there is not a whole lot to do at night for your son unless he really likes going online and playing games against other players from anywhere in China where language does not really matter.

Taking into your son into consideration and if you are teaching I would check out the scene in Gaungzhou as the salaries are way higher and there are more things for him to do

Lucky Aussie

hockey

Lucky Aussie:

Thank you so much for the tips. I do have one more question, if you don%26#39;t mind. How difficult would it be to bring the sticks from home and Mail them on to Yangshuo? Would they have a chance of making it and would the price be reasonable? What about the size, do you think that would be a problem?

Thanks, Aussie.

eyeshadow gloss

Tiger Balm Gardens

When we first went to Hong Kong in 1988,we visited a weird place called Tiger Balm Gardens,We have been back to H.K. several times but no-one seems to know of it now.We are going to H,K. again this year and I just wondered if anyone knows what became of the gardens?

Tiger Balm Gardens

The Tiger Balm Gardens with it%26#39;s garish statues was on Tai Hang Road and closed about seven years ago.The site was to be redeveloped as I think luxury apartments although a small part of the gardens ( a temple or something I think) were to be preserved and incorporated in the development.

I last went there about four years ago and although it was a construction site with no public access most of the gardens did seem to be still intact and there wasn%26#39;t much sign of any new development.

Tiger Balm Gardens

It was sold in 2000 for 100 Million HKD to a developer, to be turned into luxury flats called ';Legend at Jardine%26#39;s Lookout';. The pagoda and the main mansion will be preserved.

Air Fare Cost for Shanghai to Xian

I am planning a trip to china with 5 adults and 1 baby around April 23 2007. I am planning to stay in Shanghai for three days before heading out to Xian.

What is...

- the best way to get discounted air fare?

- the typical price (any special surcharges?)?

Thanks in advance

Air Fare Cost for Shanghai to Xian

check fares from www.ctrip.com. this is the largest local online travel shop. typically the cost of discounted ticket is about 900rmb one way from shanghai to xian. full price ticket is normally upto 50% more. avoid travel nearer to 1st May holidays (known as golden week in china). travel will be more expensive and very crowded.

Lhasa/Lanzhou/Zhongwei

I plan to fly to Lhasa from Chengdu and then return by train.I was thinking of getting off at Lanzhou and taking another train to Zhongwei. Has anyone done this trip and is Zhongwei worth the extra travel...which is really out of the way. And can I get to Xian from there by train?

Lhasa/Lanzhou/Zhongwei

You can check the train schedule through www.adventurechinatrip.com/chinatrain.asp for the arrangement.

Cheers

Lhasa/Lanzhou/Zhongwei

Thanks....I have checked all the train timings and it fits in...provided the Lhasa train is not very very late. But is Zhongwei worth the trip. Or is it just hyped up.

Did you see the post from Dec Thomas on the difficulty of an individual getting a Tibet travel permit?

Maybe you can shed some light on getting it.

I am told that the days of travelling in a group to Tibet are now over. Individual visas are easy to get... Simscozy Travel in Chengdu or some hostels in Xian can also help.

life satisfaction

Visa at Pudong Airport?

Possible to get a Tourist Visa at the Pudong Airport?

Visa at Pudong Airport?

Are you coming from the US? If so, the airline won%26#39;t even let you on the plane at your point of origin without the proper visa. Airlines are subject to large fines if they let a passenger that does not meet a country%26#39;s entrance requirements onto a flight and they are denied entry. Therefore, they check your passport and visa carefully before you board.

raquel

Visa at Pudong Airport?

What is your citizenship? Try your local Chines embassy for this query. Apply before you fly!

I think someone posted that you can stay in Shanghai for up to 48 hours without visa(mainly to lure cruise passengers to spend money in Shanghai)

鈥eopledaily.com.cn/english/200008/01/eng200鈥?/a>

';For the convenience of foreign travelers who change flights between the two airports in Shanghai, with the approval of the department concerned, ....., all foreign travelers who are in transit through the Pudong International Airport and the Hongqiao International Airport within 24 hours can be visa-free and citizens of some countries can even enjoy this favorable treatment for 48 hours. No charge is required of such travelers while performing visa-free formalities.';

The problem with the above is that the airlines don%26#39;t really know about it. My in-laws ran into trouble with this last year. They thought they had a double entry visa for China and came to visit us in Shanghai, we all flew off to Thailand and then they planned to fly back to Shanghai, spend the night then fly out the next day. When we got to the airport in Ko Samui the agents discovered that they only had single entry visas and they were forbidden to even go to the international terminal in Bangkok. Thai Air and United insisted that they could not enter China and they ended up having to stay in Bangkok for 3 days until United could get them on a flight (Christmas/New Year time). No one even mentioned the 24 hour visa-free stay in China which they met the requirements for. Partly our fault because we didn%26#39;t know about it but it sure would have saved them a lot of hassle and money.

Your citizenship will be the key to determine whether you need to apply visa in advance or apply at PuDong Airport. If you are US citizen, you NEED to apply visa in advance (usually it takes about 7-10 days). If there%26#39;s no China Embassy in your area, you will have to send it via a travel agency along with your passport. Your US passport must have enough blank pages and need to be at least valid 6 months prior to passport expiration. Check online information by using key words China Embassy in United States

If you are Taiwan citizen who carries a special passport called ';Tai Bao Zheng';, then you are allowed to enter PuDong Airport and apply visa at the passport. ..be sure to have a passport photo with you. If the counter is not busy, you can get the VISA within 20 minutes. You can apply for a ';Tai Bao Zheng'; if you have a valid Taiwan passport and a valid Taiwan ID, and a passport photo, you can apply for ';Tai Bao Zheng'; and visa at the same time. The counter is located on the far right before the customs.

I did not edit my post. I meant if you have a Tai Bao Zheng, you can apply visa at PuDong Airport (not at passport)...sorry!

Your top three...

Hello!

We will be in Hong Kong for three days (my hubby, me, and my 18 year old brother) - None of us has been before, and I don%26#39;t even know how to BEGIN picking out stuff to do! Will you share your top three favorite things to do/that you have done in Hong Kong? (Or tell me how to start deciding on my own, haha!)

THANKS!

Your top three...

Hope this list can help with some activities while u r in town :

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i8229-Hong_Kong…

Your top three...

Good place to start is

discoverhongkong.com

1) Definitely visit The Peak! http://www.thepeak.com.hk/full/en/index.php

Best time to go is before it goes dark so can experience the view both in daylight and at night.

2) Star Ferry

3) Symphony of Lights show - it%26#39;s on every night at 8pm. It%26#39;s best viewed from the Kowloon side. After the light show, go to Temple Street night market.

Train Travel in China

I am planning to take the overnight train from Shanghai to Beijing. I have read that you can not get tickets until 30 days prior to departure on the Z trains. And the only way to get advanced tickets from abroad is to use one or two on-line services that will get the tickets for you at an additional cost. I am concerned as I do not have flexibility in my date of travel that I may not get the tickets for the date I want.

Does anyone have experience in purchasing tickets on-line 30 days before? Are you assured of getting the tickets you want?

How reliable are train times? Can I plan on going on a tour the day of arrival by train in Beijing - or is that risky as the trains are often late or delayed? I have traveled around Asia enough and missed enough connections to know that nothing is assured in life - but an idea of the general status of the train service would be helpful.

Thank you.

Train Travel in China

Hi there:

The tickets of overnight train from shanghai to beijing, especially for soft sleeper ticket, could be easily purchased at the same day of departure, just go to the ticket office at the shanghai railway station. Easy!

You don%26#39;t need to be worried about beijing-shanghai trains. They operate very on time.

BTW, if you want detailed china train timetable, you can check through www.adventurechinatrip.com/chinatrain.asp.

Good luck:)

eyeshadow gloss

Octopus Card & other questions....

Hi, can anyone help? I%26#39;m coming to Hong Kong with my husband and daughter soon. We are staying at one of the disney hotels.

How does the Octopus card work? I was looking at the one that gives you 2 airport rides then unlimited rides on the MTR. Do I need one card per person, or can I just use 1 card between us until the money runs out? I don%26#39;t really understand how it works, do you hand your card over for the ticket price to be deducted then get your card back with the right tickets for the journey?

Also can someone tell me which are the nearest MTR stations to the Jade Market and The Tram Station for the ride up to The Peak.

Finally....what is the weather like in mid April please?

Thanks.

Alf.

Octopus Card %26amp; other questions....

The Octopus Card is a plastic credit card sized card containing a readable chip upon which it%26#39;s monetary value is stored.

You can buy it when you arrive at the airport, at any MTR Customer Service Centre and a few other outlets. To use it you simply waft it over the card reader when you enter a station and again when you leave and the journey value is deducted. It can also be used on almost all public transport in HK, trains, buses, Peak Tram, ferries, and more recently some taxis. Public transport in HK is almost cashless now. You can also use it at an increasing number of shops, cafes and other outlets to purchase goods (eg 7-Eleven concenience stores which are all over HK, MacDonalds and Wellcome and Park %26#39;n Shop Supermarkets).

The card reader displays the outstanding balance each time a fare is deducted and you can top up the card at any time via ';add value'; machines in MTR stations, at any 7-Eleven store and some other outlets.

The card costs HK$150 for adults, HK$100 for students aged 12 to 25 or HK$70 for kids aged 3 to 11.

These are the basic minimum amounts and if you wish you can add value when you first purchase the card.

Of these amounts HK$50 is a refundable deposit which you can claim (less a small handling charge) by handing in the card when you leave HK and the card has a negative value of HK$35.

i.e if you have HK$100 balance you can spend HK$135 without adding value as the HK$50 deposit is still there.

The value remains on the card for 3 years so if you intend returning to HK you can keep the card and use it on your return.

You need a card each and these cards are very intelligent.

There is a Tourist version of Octopus which in my opinion only serves to confuse and you%26#39;re just as well getting the normal Octopus. The Octopus website can be found at;

www.octopuscards.com/consumer/en/index.jsp

Other than the Airport Express public transport in HK is very cheap compared to the UK and it%26#39;s easy to use, plentiful and reliable and the Octopus Card makes travelling around simple.

Nearest MTR station to the Jade Market is Yau Ma Tei and for the Peak Tram lower terminus is Central (follow the signs) or Admiralty (via Pacific Place up to the escalators and through Hong Kong Park). There%26#39;s also a free open top bus number 15C from the new Star Ferry Pier to the lower Peak Tram terminus.

In April humidity and temperature starts to rise, average temps should be around mid 20%26#39;s and there may be mist and there may be rain on some days but it%26#39;s not a very wet month, probably drizzle. It should still be reasonably pleasant before the summer heat and humidity arrive but who knows, the weather seems to be more unpredicatable these days. I was there in November and it was nothing like it usually is for most of the month.

Octopus Card %26amp; other questions....

SolentTraveller,

Thanks for these valuable info. Now I know that the octopus card is a must in HK and really appreciate your precious input. One more question regarding this card is can we use it in the ferries cause I am planning to visit Lantau Island and others by taking the ferry or whatever speedboat. Can we?

Thanks again,

Jay

Yes, you can use Octopus on the ferry services to the main outlying islands of Lantau, Cheung Chau and Lamma. All are worth a visit and the Ordinary (as opposed to Fast) Ferries from Central Ferry Piers on HK Island to Mui Wo on Lantau and Cheung Chau have sun decks at the back where you can sit out making the ferry trip in itself a very enjoyable cruise. You can also ';island hop'; between these islands using the Inter-Island Ferry Service.

There also is a lesser known small kaido ferry service operated by Fortune Ferry Company between Tai O and Tung Chung on Lantau Island (and Tuen Mun in the New Territories) which also accepts Octopus. This ferry can be useful if you want to do a sightseeing round trip from Tung Chung via cable car to Ngong Ping and the Buddha Statue, then the stilted fishing village of Tai O then back to Tung Chung.

Alfmeister,

If you are staying at one of the Disney hotels, I don%26#39;t suggest to Airport Express trains because they are design to go urban and does not have a stop on Lantau Island. Take a taxi ride to the Disney hotels which costs less than 拢10.

The OP is talking about a different Octopus card from the one described in the replies. To get a regular octopus (designed for residents) you must pay a $50 deposit that cannot be refunded within the first 30 days. The one for tourists includes the airport express (either single or return) and is fully refundable at the airport. However it only carries $20 worth of ';stored value'; ($180 for the AE; $50 deposit %26amp; about $50 for 3 days worth of MTR) so you need to put another $50 or so immediately to use on the ferries %26amp; buses - and no you cannot share because it cannot ';remember'; 2 journeys at one time, also the ';free MTR'; travel is of course for one person.

If you are not using the AE; or not likely to use $50 worth of MTR is 3 consecutive days then just pay cash. (MTR %26amp; Ferries give change, buses don%26#39;t)

The 3-day Airport Express tourist pass no longer carries HK$20 worth of ';stored value';.

And the HK$50 deposit on a regular ocotpus card can be refunded within the first 30 days (or later) but carries a fee of HK$7 if refund less than 3 months from the date of issue of the card.

Hi everyone, thanks for all your replies. I did notice that the Airport Express doesn%26#39;t go directly to Disney but I had no idea of the distance from the airport in terms of taxi fares. So, I%26#39;ll take a taxi now I know it%26#39;s about 拢10 as that%26#39;s roughly the same amount as the train fare for all of us with an Octopus Card anyway. Is there a recommended taxi company to take from the airport or can I just take any one? What is it customary to leave as a tip?

I%26#39;m a little bit confused as to getting an Octopus Card or not now as opinions seem to differ on the refund.......if I give you a summary of the journeys I might take perhaps it might help.

So, I%26#39;ll get a taxi to Disney. Then I%26#39;d like to go on the MTR from Disney to Tung Chung to get the Cable Car up to Ngong Ping and then return to Disney the same way. Following day I%26#39;d like to go from Disney over to Kowloon and HK Island where I want to see the Avenue of Stars and the Light show and also take the Peak Tram and maybe visit the Jade market and then I%26#39;ll be returning to Disney. Following 2 days will be spent at Disney unless we have to buy anything we need to go back to Kowloon or HK Island for. Then we%26#39;ll get a taxi back to Airport.

So, do I bother with a card or not and if I get one do I just get the ordinary one and leave the tourist one alone?

Where is the new star ferry terminal %26amp; what%26#39;s the nearest MTR station please?

Thanks again to anyone who replied the first time.

Alf.

So what is the maximum that we can charge the octopus card for? can we charge it with what ever amount of money upon arrival at the airport? and which one do u recommend, the regular or the tourist version? By the way I am staying 5 nights in HK and travelling with wife and 2 kids and am kinda stressed to set up all the itinerary. I really appreciate ur help gentlemen!

Thanks again,

Jay

P.S.

Where is the best place to see the light show?

I had thought to do the peak earlier in the day and then maybe take the star ferry over to Kowloon and see it from the avenue of stars but if I am returning to Disney straight afterwards with a tired child is the travel back to Disney easier/quicker from HK Island? Does anyone know the best place to download an MTR map from?

Thanks again.

Alf

JayD2006,

The octopus card store value up to the maximum of HK$1000, in multiples of HK$50. In most cases, get the regular card unless you use MTR a lot. For 5 nights, add HK$50 or 100 to each card when get the card.