Hong Kong - Macau Itinerary, Expense, Travel Guide and Personal Notes

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Last month we finally had our first out of the country trip, I shared this exciting adventure with my sisters and Jac. I planned the entire trip and we agreed to have a free flowing itinerary to savor the culture and the place.

During our stay in Hong Kong, we have encountered a lot of our kababayan. I even experienced a tagalog speaking vendor at the Ladies Market which made realized how many of us have been to Hong Kong and Macau and most were already a frequent visitors of both countries. On the other hand, I also observed that we still have these significant numbers of people who’s going to do it for the very first time, perhaps their first out of the country – like us. I am having this article for them. Hong Kong-Macau Travel Guide and Personal Notes includes all the things that I observed to be very helpful for first timer when travelling and getting around in both Hong Kong and Macau. I will also publish the daily itinerary we end up following, soon after this article.

 

Let me start my guide with the list of documents we’ve had handy.
 

Documents

1. Passport
2. Proof of Identification (we had our company ID for this since according to some readings it could serve as an immediate proof of work and financial source to support the travel.)
3. Printed Copy of Plane Ticket (Includes the return ticket booking)
4. Printed Hotel Booking (This was checked upon exit from PH immigration. You are required to declare when filling up the immigration form.)

Traveling via Clark International Airport

 

 

The ticket we got was a flight to Hong Kong via Clark International Airport, that make our first day start in traveling to Clark through Genesis Transport which is facilitated by Clark-Trinoma Airport Lounge. Travel time is 1:45 minutes, fare is Php200.00. We used this transportation on both journey to Clark and back. It was convenient, efficient and busses depart and arrived on time.

 

We arrived at Clark airport around 4:15 in the morning for our 7:45AM flight. Then follow the immigration procedure at the departure area.

 

Pre-departure Immigration Process & Fees:

 

1. We took a small form (embarkation document) at a counter near the entrance; it is small forms where you will be ask to provide your basic personal and destination information like Passport number which is referred to as Travel Document number and residency in your destination country (Hotel Address).
2. We completed the form and fell in line to check the in counter, then were asked to pay our travel tax and terminal fee (in order).
3. Went to the Travel Tax counter and paid Php1,620.00 then on the terminal fee area we paid Php600.00 (750.00 for NAIA Terminal).
4. Went back to the check-in counter (No need to fall in line) and present the receipt to get your boarding pass.
5. After that we went through the immigration counter and were asked about our purpose of travel, job, companion and our return date. Then lastly is the final baggage security check.

 

Arrival in Hong Kong International Airport.

 

We boarded the aircraft and landed in Hong Kong international airport after the 1:45 minutes flight. Since we don’t have a check-in baggage we can promptly go to the arrival area where we were stopped by an immigration representative. We were asked of almost the same question (this time in group), who you’re travelling with, where you staying, purpose of travel and the budget; then was directed to the immigration Counter.

 

1. In the immigration counter we presented our passport with another immigration form (a form that the airline provided while we were in the plane, almost the same information as the first form that we submitted to the immigration upon exit.)
2. Was asked of the same questions like until when we are staying in Hong Kong, who we’re travelling with, where we’re staying, purpose of travel.
3. Changing Currency and Commuting to our hotel:
4. We walked towards the airport’s lobby and look for a money changer. We had peso since we were told the converting to USD first won’t make a lot of difference. NOTE: they do not accept small bills which is 50.00Php and below.
5. After having our peso converted to HKD, we proceeded to airport express counter and bought an Octopus Card mainly for transportation purposes. (We had Octopus card since it is more convenient and flexible, it allow us to take both buses and trains and even use it in a lot of store purchases unlike the MTR Unlimited pass. It is also reloadable through a lot of vendo machines on the MTR stations and Mall like CityGate Outlet based on our experience. We consume a total of HKD200.00 the entire trip via Octopus Card.)
6. We follow the sign going down to take bus A21 to Tsim Sha Tsui where we are going to stay. For faster way you can take Airport Express Trains, but that would be more expensive.

 

Getting Around Hong Kong:

 

We walked a lot (using the map we had from the airport), and then took trains and buses. At first I was worried about the language gap, but don’t let it worry you. Based on our experience the directions are always a look away from you and it is everywhere and all signs have its English Translations. It was very easy and comprehendible just follow the signs. This works very well on riding trains and using subways. Few directions and transportation information I have on my notes.

 

• I’ve seen having an accommodation with in Tsim Sha Tsui is a great advantage for first timers. The following guide mostly has TST as the start off point since this is where our accommodation is located and getting around has been easy breezy for us.
• Tsim Sha Tsui is the 13th stop counting the Airport terminal as the first.
• Buses have the screen that flashes the next stop. Stop button is used to prompt the driver that you are alighting the bus on the next stop.
• HK Taisan Harilela Mansion is accessible via a minute or two away from Exit A1 of Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station. (In case you will check-in here)
• Trains have the line map that shows the destination and the stations. This should guide you every time you use the trains.
• Single Journey ticket: If you ran out of load in your octopus card and don’t feel like loading, there are vendo machines for single journey train tickets. It accepts coins and bills below HKD50.00. When using this ticket Tap it to enter the station, then remember to use the Blue Exit gate (there are usually three based on our observation – yellow, green and blue) and insert the card to exit (like how we do it in MRT and LRT here in Manila).
• Tsim Sha Tsui to Victoria’s Peak: Board at the Tsim Sha Tsui station to Central Station via Tsuen Wan Line. Follow the sign going to Exchange Tower. When you’re already at the Exchange Tower building climb down to the ground floor and look for the bus terminus. Ride Bus15, fare is HKD9.80. (Do the other way to get back. NOTE: Near Citibank tower there is a Peak Tram Terminus going to Victoria’s peak which cost HKD75.00 for two way ride.)
• Tsim Sha Tsui (Nathan Road and Humphrey Intersection) to Avenue of Stars: Walk Straight toward Salisbury Road (5minutes or less). Use the subway to get to Cross Salisbury. The harbor is visible right from the exit of the subway. Directions are also available along the path.
• Tsim Sha Tsui to NgongPing 360 at Tung Chong: Board at the Tsim Sha Tsui station via Tsuen Wan Line. Take Interchange Lai King Station to Tung Chong. Follow the sign to NgongPing 360 Terminal
• Tung Chong to Ngong Ping Village: You can take the Cable car, tickets are available up at the terminal (some tour agents offering a tour which we find a bit pricy so be aware). In our case we took a bus at the #23 stop in the ground terminal on the same area, fare is HKD17.90. Both start operating at 9:00AM.
• Ngong Ping Village to Tung Chong: You can take a bus but we took the NongPing 360 Cable Car Crystal Cabin this time. The ride cost us HKD160.00.
• Shop at CityGate Outlet Mall: This is right at the Tung Chong Ngong Ping Terminal and MTR Station.
• Tsim Sha Tsui to Ladies Market: Board at the Tsim Sha Tsui station to Mongkok Station via Tsuen Wan Line. Use the E1 Exit, Ladies Market is right at that Road.
• Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal to Tsim Sha Tsui: Board the train in Sheung Wan entrance and exit is available on the arrival building) to Central then take Interchange Station Tsuen Wan line to Tsim Sha Tsui.

Crossing Boarder to Macau:

 

Hong Kong-Macau: Macau is approximately 1:45 minutes away from Hong Kong; we boarded a ferry from China-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal Tsim Sha Tsui Harbor. We left our hotel at almost 6am and reached the ferry terminal in less than 30 minutes by foot (with some sightseeing).

 

• Macau Ferry fare is $190.00 (HK-Macau) and (Macau HK) via turbo jet. For cheaper fair you can try Skyjet.
• Macau Ferry terminal – Fisherman’s Wharf: From Macau ferry terminal. We walked straight to Fisherman’s Wharf to start our Macau tour (Less than 10 minutes' walk).
• Macau Fisherman’s wharf - Venetian Hotel: After we roam around Macau Fisherman’s wharf, we walk back to the ferry terminal and ride a free shuttle bus going to Venetian Hotel.
• Venetian Hotel - St. Paul Ruins: From Venetian Hotel we went back to the ferry terminal via same transport and boarded a free shuttle bus from Wynn Hotel. (We initially plan to take a Pharaohs hotel and casino shuttle bus since it is closer to our next destination which is St. Paul Ruins but we can’t find one.) From Wynn, we agreed to take a cab to St. Paul Ruins since our feet were already aching badly from the three days of walking around Hong Kong. Cab cost us 20.00 Pataca and we paid HKD.
• St.Paul Ruins - Macau Museum: From St.Paul Ruins, we climbed the fortress hill and reached Macau Museum.
• St.Paul Ruins – Koikei Bakery: Then, we walk down and to Koi-kei Bakery to buy some pastries that we could take home.
• St.Paul Ruins – Senado Square: We follow the map and walk towards the Square, and dropped by a little park with fun mural paintings.
• Senado Square - Wynn Hotel: From Senado Square we walk back to Wynn passing Lisboa Hotel and Casino.
• Wynn – Macau Ferry Terminal:  From Wynn hotel we took a free shuttle bus going back to the Macau ferry terminal.
• Back to the ferry, we purchase a ticket back to Hong Kong and follow the same immigration process.

 

Other Notes:

 

• In Macau, they widely accept HKD.
• You need coins if you want to take a bus since they require exact fair and won’t give you a change.
• You can take advantage of the free shuttle services. According to some they played some casino game to avail, but in our case we weren’t asked.

 

Things you might want to know:

 

Most Guesthouses or Hong Kong Accommodations offers cheaper tickets to almost all of the major tourist spot and activities in Hong Kong, they even have a discounted ferry tickets. Have time to find them and you will surely save around 15-30HKD in every ticket.

 

In Hong Kong their appliances uses 220 Volts like ours, it’s just that their electric outlets are intended for rounded blades, so you have to buy universal adapters that fit our common 2 prongs flat blade plugs. We had ours for 30HKD from an electronic store down our building, but heard that it only cost 20HKD in some store. And this how it looks like.

 

ABOVE INFORMATION WERE BASED ON HOW WE DID IT. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DROP A COMMENT IF YOU FEEL LIKE ADDING SOME OR SAY YOU HAD A BETTER WAY THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE.

 

 

***Updating this post with the itinerary of the actual activities we had in Hong Kong and Macau. I did not include the shopping budget. :)

Hong Kong - Macau 4 Days 3 Nights Itinerary & Expenses
-------------------------------------------------------------------Day 1-------------------------------------------------------------------
***Conversion use is 6.00 PHP / 1 HKD **all rates were already calculated per PAX.***		HKD	PHP
Trinoma - Clark Airport
4:45 AM	Bus 1:45 minutes travel time	36.67	220
	Meal	20	120
Pre-Departure Procedure
4:45 AM	Check in
	Terminal Fee	108.33	650
	Travel Tax	270	1,620.00
5:00 AM	Immigration Procedure
HK Airport
10:00 AM	Immigration for arrival procedure
	Octopus Card costs HK$100 plus HK$50 deposit.	150	900
From the Airport to Tsim Sha Tsui
	Board an Airbus 21, a double decker bus to Tsim Sha Tsui (13th Stop) the name of the stop was displayed on the screen inside the bus.
	HK Taisan	433.33	2,600.00
Tung Chung Station to Victoria Peak
1:00 PM	Tung Chung to Central / Hong Kong Station
	Bus 15 from Star Ferry Pier or Exchange Square direct to the Peak	16	96
	Victoria Peak Sky terrace
	Lunch	50	300
	Bus 15 from Victoria's Peak Back to Hong Kong Station	10	60
Ladies Market
6:00PM - 8:00PM	Central Station to Mongkok Station - Exit E2
	Dinner	50	300
Total Day 1		1,144.33	6,866.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------Day 2-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hotel -Ngong Ping
7:00 AM	Breakfast at McDonalds	20	120
	HK Island to Ngong Ping 360, Giant Buddha, and Ngong Ping Village in Lantau Island
8:00 AM	TST - Lai King Station
9:00 AM	Tung Chung Center - North Lantau Via Bus	23	138
10:30 AM	Arrived at North Lantau
	Photo Op
	Climb the Giant Buddha and took the Inside Museum Tour	30	180
12:00 PM	Lunch at Vegetarian Café ( Free Dimsums from the entrance fee in Giant Buddha)
	Stroll around Ngong Ping Village
1:00 PM	Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Ride - Crystal Cabin	160	960
1:30 PM	Citygate Outlet - Shopping
5:00 PM	Tung Chung to Tsim Sha Tsui
	Went back to Guesthouse for a quick Rest
Avenue of Stars
7:00 PM	Walk from Guesthouse to Harbor
8:00 PM	Watched Symphony of Lights
9:00 PM	Dinner and back to the Guesthouse	50	300
Total Day 2		283	1,698.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------Day 3-------------------------------------------------------------------
Off to Macau
6:00 AM	Breakfast	30	180
	Walk to the Ferry terminal
7:30 AM	Buy ticket for HK-Macau- ticket	160	960
Hong to Macau Ferry via TurboJet  (08:45 - 10:30)
	Get free maps and brochures at Macau Tourist Information
	No need to exchange currency to Macau Pataca since Hong Kong Dollar is accepted almost everywhere.
10:30 AM	Fisherman's wharf (walking distance from the ferry terminal)
	Walk back to Ferry terminal and took a shuttle bus to Venetian Macau
12:00 PM	Venetian Macau Casino and Hotel tour - free admission
	Ride free shuttle from Venetian Macau Casino to Ferry Terminal to Wynn Hotel		-
	Lunch	70	420
2:30 PM	Wynn Hotel and Casino - took a cab to St. Paul Ruins	20	120
	St. Paul Ruins
	St. Paul Ruins Museum
	Climb the Fortress
4:00 PM	Went to Koi Kei to shop for pasalubong
	Walk to Senado Square
4:30 PM	Senado Square
	Walk back to Wynn Hotel and took a
	Pass by Lisboa Hotel and Casino
5:20 PM	Ferry terminal and bought a ticket back	185	1110
Hong to Macau Ferry via TurboJet  (05:45 - 7:30)
8:30 PM	Dinner at TST
	Meal	50	300
Total Day 3		515	3,090.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------Day   4-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hotel - Airport
6:00 AM	A21 Bus to Airport
	Food	50	300
7:00 AM	Aji-ichiban
Arival at Clark then off to Manila
10:45 AM	Clark Airport to Cubao by Bus	36.67	220
Total Day 4		86.67	520
Over All Expense exclusive of Airfare		2,029.00	12,174.00
	Two way airfare		3,500.00
	** Pocket money for shopping and Pasalubong		-
Hong Kong - Macau 4 Days 3 Nights Expenses			15,674.00

>>> Hong Kong - Macau : Day 1 and Prior

>>> Hong Kong Day 2 - The Giant Buddha and Ngong Ping 360 Crystal Cable.

>>> HK Tai San Guesthouse at Harilela Mansion - Our Hong Kong Stay