I went for a
trip to Hong Kong and Macau for 5 days and 4 nights together with a friend, her
sister, and her other friend last August 14-18, 2012. Originally, the itinerary
is a full packed one, something very common to backpackers but due to some
circumstances and the Typhoon Cyclone Signal 3 raised to 8, we are only able to
accomplish about 60-70% of the plan. Also, originally, this trip is supposed to
be a challenged budget trip but then we never expected the expenses we met
along the way. Regardless of the shenanigans, I had fun and I enjoyed the
thrill of being in another country where not everyone can speak and understand English.
Here’s our
trip itinerary, the shenanigans and the expenses that goes with it.
Day 1 August
14, 2012
2:00 am –
Bus ride from Avenida to Dau, Pampanga Php
130
My
friends and I rode a cab to the scary Recto area to the Avenida Genesis Bus
Terminal to catch the 2am trip to Dau, Pampanga. There is no need to book a
trip there earlier as buses come and go at an hourly basis. The bus can get
really cold though so wear thick and warm clothes.
4:00am – Early breakfast Php
100
Since
we booked a 2-hour flight with no meal add on, we opted to eat an early
breakfast to the only fast food available – Jollibee!
4:30 am –
Shuttle Bus to the airport Php
100
It is about 15-30 minute drive from the Dau Bus Terminal to the airport
so I do not suggest hailing a cab for it. Shuttle buses or what they call air-conditioned
jeepneys are stationed nearby and they charge Php 100 per person on the way to
the airport and Php 50 if going back.
5:20 am – Checked
in at Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Clark, Pampanga
-
Paid Travel
Tax Php
1,620
-
Paid Terminal
Fee Php
600
-
Went through
Immigrations
The fact
that the travel tax to Philippine residents is a bit more expensive than my one way ticket to Hong Kong is
maddening. Go figure.
7:20 am - Clark
to Hong Kong Flight via Air Asia Php
1,469
I booked our flights under the new Malaysian Carrier Air Asia and being
new, promos are practically cheaper compared to other airlines. I bagged one
way ticket to Hong Kong for only Php 1334.40 all in, but I had to add some add
ons that caused me spoilage fee and that’s what we divided within the four of ourselves
hence the Php 1,469.
9:15 am - Arrival
at Hong Kong International Airport
-
Went through
Immigrations
Man, Hong
Kong Immigrations officer are tough! Do I look like someone who will whisk away
from her good family and good life in the Philippines to find a work there? I
don’t think so. The horror of being pulled out from the queue into their office
is scary. Nothing much to worry though since I am there to tour for a few days
and I have every document needed just in case they question me. What I couldn’t
believe is they even asked how much money I have! Haha! Great to experience
such adrenaline though.
-
Claimed
baggage
-
Bought 3 day
Unlimited MTR Airport Express Travel Pass HKD
220
If you are
touring Hong Kong for a limited time only, it is easier to go to places via
their subway system. We bought the Unlimited MTR Airport Express Travel Pass
for HKD 220 and this grants you passes to any MTR stations and lines and a one
way trip from the airport (which we took since we won’t be going back to the
airport as our flight back to the Philippines is in Macau).
-
Acquired
maps and brochures of the city
I swear I
would have died there if not for the maps! For someone considered
geographically stupid, I am proud of myself.
11:00 am –
En route to Guesthouse
11:30 am –
Changed currency from Philippine Peso to Hong Kong Dollars Php
12,500
Foreign
exchange is low. 1 HKD is about Php 5.55-5.75. It varies in money changers
though. I suggest that you have enough money in HKD to get you out of the
airport and just have the rest changed into HKD through the hundreds of money
changers around the city.
12:00 nn –
Checked in at Kyoto Guesthouse in Chungking Mansions, Nathan Road, Tsim Sha
Tsui HKD 391
We chose this cheap guesthouse located in the backpackers’ Mecca of
Hong Kong – Nathan Road. Pretty small but cozy, a little bit nicer to other
guesthouses we’ve seen online and the caretaker is a Filipina so it’s a plus. A
night is Php 700+ only so I guess this is okay if you’re just after a bed and a
shower. Alert though, there’s a lot of Indians in the area. Just Google and you’ll
know why.
-
Rested and
strategized, revised the itinerary
-
Bought water
and stuff at local sundry HKD
20
2:00 pm –
Late lunch at McDonalds HKD
21
I
am in awe of their McDonalds. It is like our Starbucks back here at home. It
just doesn’t make any sense to me why their Big Mac is less expensive compared to
their Fish Fillet Sandwich? Must be the fish? Yes?
-
Explored
Nathan Road and nearby areas
4:00 pm –
Traveled to MongKok District and to the Ladies Night Market
-
Bought
pasalubongs and trinkets to bring home HKD
736
Shopping
capital for a budget as they say. But we ended up spending most of our money
here. Tip: Do look around first. A bracelet (which you can get for Php 20 back
in the Philippines) costs Php 100 in equivalent here – almost the same price
for a ‘I Love Hong Kong’ t-shirt! The tinderas can get a little aggressive too,
so unless you’ll buy it, do not touch it!
8:00 pm –
Back to the guesthouse
-
Rest
Day 2 August
15, 2012
8:00 am –
Went to Central District to find BDO bank
10:00 am –
Explored Victoria Harbour and Avenue of the Stars
Figured
we won’t make it back tonight on time for the Symphony of Lights Show, we chose
to visit at this time of the day when the sun is pretty high and the camera
will appreciate it best.
12:00 nn –
Lunch HKD
27
1:00 pm –
Nan Lian Garden, Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple
3:00 pm –
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Cultural Center, Clock Tower
All free that day since it is a Wednesday
4:00 pm –
Ferry Ride to Hong Kong Island HK
2.50
4:30 pm –
Explored Central District by foot
5:30 pm –
Peak Tram Terminus HKD
220
-
Madame
Tussauds Wax Museum
-
Victoria
Peak Sky Terrace
I am not
sure how much they are separately but we bought the 3-in-1 package for HKD 220.
The line is really long by the time we got here and it is so wrong of us not to
ask around where to fall in line. We fell in line for nearly 2 hours only to
realize that we are on the line for the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace only.
9:30 pm –
Double decker bus ride to the ferry terminal HKD
5
Not expected but on our way back to the Ferry Terminal, we saw this
double decker bus which toured us around Central ala London. Haha.
10:00 pm –
Ferry Ride back to Kowloon HKD
3
They
say riding a ferry across the Hong Kong Island is an experience of a lifetime. I
don’t see the reason why. The water is murky and uh, salty.
11:00 pm –
Back to the Guesthouse
Day 3 August
16, 2012
8:00 am –
Times Square Hong Kong, Jardine’s Bazaar and Jardine’s Crescent
9:00 am –
Visit to World Trade Center
-
Brunch HKD
32
-
Bought
slippers HKD
40
-
Bought
snacks HKD
30
10:00 am –
Lantau Island, Giant Buddha, Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car
The
crappiest of all days when the Typhoon we left in Manila came haunting us in
Hong Kong! Typhoon Cyclone Storm Signal number 3 was issued earlier that day
and the Cable Cars stopped their operations.
11:00 am –
Disneyland Hong Kong HKD
399
As if our day couldn’t get much crappier, even the silly outdoor rides
for kids are not operating. They are forced to ask us to leave at around 10 in
the evening just in time for the fireworks when signal number 8 is expected to
be issued that same hour. Boo.
-
Bought
pasalubongs HKD
140
10:00 pm – Back
to the Guesthouse
Day 4 August
17, 2012
9:00 am – Early
check out at the Guesthouse
10:00 am –
Turbojet ride to Macau HKD
150
11:00 am – Arrival
at Macau Ferry Terminal
-
Went through
Immigrations
-
Tour of the
city by bus
You can get
by and get through many places if you’ll take advantage of the free shuttle
buses of the casinos.
-
Kun Iam
Shrine
11:30 am –
The Venetian Macau
-
The Shoppes
Canal
12:00 pm –
Check in to the Victoria Hotel Php
2,440
1:00 pm –
Late lunch at McDonalds HKD
40
1:30 pm –
Senado Square
-
Leal Senado
-
St. Dominic’s
Church
-
St. Paul’s
Ruins
Your visit
to Macau is never complete without visiting this site.
-
Lou Kau
Mansions
-
Alleyway and
stores to the Ruins HKD
62
-
Macau Museum
-
Fortress
Hill
-
Na Tcha
Temple
-
Old City
Walls
7:00 pm –
Back to the hotel
10:00 pm –
Hotel and Casino hopping
-
Grand Lisboa
-
Emperor
Palace Casino
-
MGM
-
Wynn Hotel
and Casino
-
Macau Tower
-
Nam Van Lake
4:00 am –
Back to the hotel
Day 5 August
18, 2012
8:00 am – Na
Tcha Temple, Cable Car
-
A Ma Temple
10:00 pm - Back
to Senado Square for pasalubongs HKD
190
11:00 pm –
Margaret Café e Nata for egg tarts HKD
90
The best Portuguese Egg Tarts in Macau, as they say.
12:00 pm –
Check out at hotel
1:00 pm –
Back to the Venetian Hotel
-
Late lunch
2:00 pm –
Sightseeing of the other half of the Venetian and surrounding hotels
-
City of
Dreams
-
Crown
5:30 pm – En
route to the airport
7:00 pm –
Check in at Macau International Airport
9:25 pm - Macau
to Clark flight via Air Asia Php
2,503
11:25 pm - Arrival
at Diosdado Macapagal InternationalAirport
-
Went through
Immigrations
-
Claim baggage
11:40 pm – Car ride back home
Pocket
Money Php 8,000 + 6500 + 1000 = 15,500
Air
Fare Php 4,500
Taxes
and Fare Php 5,000
Total
Budget Php 25,000.00
Total
Expenses in Peso Php 8,962.00
Expenses
in HKD HKD
2,818
Unrecorded
expenses
for
buses, cabs, and water HKD 30
Total
Expenses in HKD HKD 2,848 ~ Php 16,275.00
(computed at an exchange rate of 1 Php = HKD 1.75)
Overall
Expenses Php 8,962.00 + Php 16,275.00 = Php 25,237.00
Not
the plan, I assure you. But my plan and budget aren’t ideal either. Imagine,
Php 10,000 for 5 days including a side trip to Macau? Never gonna happen. But I
think it’s still possible as long as you stay far away from pasalubongs and
other things you might end up buying.
Where
the Php 237 came from, I don’t wanna know. As far as I am concerned, I returned
to the country with my emergency money of USD 300 untouched, spare money of Php
700, and HKD 30. So no, this isn’t a budgeted backpacker’s trip. :/
Photo posts soon!
xN
