Hong Kong & Macau Itinerary: Our 5d4n DIY Trip (Nov 2018)

Hi, guys! After a couple of months, I am again back to blogging and vlogging (?) 💓 I was busy on something that I will share to you when the time is right. (May pa suspense!)

Last November 17-21, 2018, Lemuel, the bloggerjowa, and I, redeemed our free flight to Hong Kong. Thank you so much, HSBC and Cathay Pacific!!! I am proud to say that we had an amazing trip, in the absence of a travel agency. We had the spend a lot of time creating and polishing our itinerary. Since language is a barrier at Hong Kong, our end in mind was to travel without asking the locals. Of course, in actual, we still had to ask the locals.

Let me share with you our mini travel guide.

GETTING AROUND

I really admire HK's transportation system. In Hong Kong, we stayed at an AirBnb unit located in Wan Chai, seven minutes walk from Causeway Bay MTR. Majority of our mode of transportation is through MTR and walking. It is a series of connected subways. Getting around was a breeze with the help of Google Map. We also rode buses and trams. They both have fixed routes, pick up, and drop off points. I think that is the reason why there's no heavy traffic. No one is going down anywhere they want.

We were on our feet a couple of times. I noticed that older locals are still healthy and fit. In Ocean Park Hong Kong, we had to queue for 85 minutes. The couple in front me are in the age 75 and I haven't seen them complain, stretch, sit in the gutter, even once, while us, and Koreans behind, were consistently doing it. Talk about being strong!

At the airport arrival hall, we picked up our Octopus card. It is the loaded all around card that you can tap to pay things like food in 7eleven, fare at MTR, buses, and trams, and of course, Hong Kong milkteaaaaaaa!!! During the trip, I believe we drank 10 cups of it. HAHAHA. Going to our accommodation, we rode the Airport Express Train (booked via Klook) and the H1 free shuttle bus.

Airport Express Train

bloggerjowa as the map using Tram station map and Google map

MTR

Ferry to Macau

Bus of Macau

INTERNET ACCESS

In Hong Kong, we got sim card with unlimited internet access through Klook. In Macau, we bought sim card with 3 days 1.5 GB data for 45 HKD. Tip: roam around to canvass. I have seen two stalls located at the center selling the same sim card but for 200 HKD.

We booked our tickets, sim card, and octopus card through Klook. Attractions like Ngong Ping and Ocean Park really have separate lane. This is not a sponsored post. :) I am writing to share, so that in your future travel, you may consider it. 

FOOD

I like the egg waffles, Hong Kong milktea, and Portugese egg tart. I still prefer the Japanese, Italian, and Arabic cuisine, than Chinese cuisine, cooked at Hong Kong. 

Hong Kong food:

locally made egg tart for 5HKD

Macau food:

Jollibee HK Milktea <3

Portugese egg tart

McDo as savior of Lemuel

lunch at airport

Below is our actual itinerary:

DAY 1 - Lantau Island

06:30 AM - NAIA

08:05 AM - Flight to Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA)

10:45 AM - Landing at HKIA, get klook sim card and octopus card

11:15 AM - Pass the immigration counters, leave baggage at "Left Baggage" station

12: 30 PM - Ride bus (S56) to Tung Chung Cable Car Station

01:00 PM - fall in line for Ngong Ping Crystal Cabin Car

01:45 PM - Cable car ride (8 pax per unit) - you may join strangers

02: 10 PM - roam around Ngong Ping, take photos with the buffalos, eat fishball, go to Buddha

03:50 PM - Go back via cable car to Tung Chung (tip: choose round trip crystal cabin car since regular cabin has a very loooong line)

04:20 PM - ride bus (S1) to go back to HKIA

04:40 PM - get baggage

04:47 PM - 05:15 PM - Ride Airport Express Train to Hong Kong Island station (you can just show the QR code upon entering the train)

05:40 PM - ride free shuttle bus to hotel near the accomodation

06:30 PM - check in

07:30 PM - 9:45 PM - stroll and food trip around Wan Chai

DAY 2 - HONG KONG ISLAND + KOWLOON

08:00 AM - Walk to Tonnochy road to ride the Tram going to Bank Street

08:30 AM - Fall in line at The Peak Tram

09:00 AM - 10:00 AM Stroll The Peak, since we went early, Madame Tussauds and Art gallery is closed, it was a foggy morning so we weren't able to see the famous view at the deck

10:00 AM - 10:10 AM - eat pinoy food at the park near the Peak station near Bank St, many Filipina OFWs are selling Pinoy foods there.. Sunday is their rest and chikka day.

10:27 AM - eat at The Canteen food court inside mall near Admirality MTR station

10:40 AM - ride MTR to Ocean Park station

11:20 AM - 05:00 PM Enjoy Hong Kong Ocean Park, buy food for tom and duct tape since the handle of my luggage was broken

7:30 PM - Go to Tsim Sha Tsui

08:30 PM - Change money at UK Exchange Co Ltd., Chungking Mansion, Tsim Sha Tsui

08:30 PM - take photo at Avenue of Stars, Garden of Stars that time is closed

09:00 PM - 10:00 PM - eat at Cafe de Coral, each set here comes with HK milkteaaaaa

10:15 PM - 11:00 PM - buy pasalubong at Temple Street Night Market, haggle!!

DAY 3 - Central then Macau

10:50 AM - leave luggage after check out then go to Causeway Bay MTR

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Stroll at Central, Pottinger Street, and Graham Street, eat at Jollibee 👌

01:30 PM- refund Octopus card value and leave the card huhu

02:15 PM - get luggage at AirBnb

02:30 PM taxi ride to ferry (around 64 HKD)

2:45 PM - ferry to Macau via Turbojet

04:00 PM - go to accomodation via feet and bus then check in

06:30 PM - stroll around the area

07:10 PM - Pray at St. Lawrence Church, Macau

07:20 PM - 08:00 PM - eat Mcdo, I love the HK Milktea Mcflurry and Angus beef burger creations

08:30 PM - 11:00 PM - endless walking with sore feet from Largo de Senado to Ruins of St Paul, Na Tcha Temple, then Mount Fortress, and Bishops Office (this is Lemuel's favorite part)

11:10 PM - 12:00 AM - walk to accommodation with lots of rest due to sharpened ankle hahahahah

DAY 4 - Macau Part 2

10:00 AM - buffet breakfast

12:00 NN - 1:00 PM ride cable car at Jardim da Flora, stroll Guia Hill, take photos at Museum of Guia Fortress, explore Guia Lighthouse, enjoy the view of Macau

02:15 PM - take photos at Fisherman Wharf, drink Gong Cha wish ur gf was hot like me (okaaayyy, that was a joke)

03:00 PM - travel to Panda panda pandaaaaa

4:00 PM - 04:45 PM - explore Seac Pai Van Park to see the pandaaaaaasss and other animals

05:00 PM - explore Parisian Macau then Venetian Macau

07:00 PM - 08:20 PM Buy pasalubong at Old Taipa Village shop (sad that we only have 100 HKD that time, we forgot to change money, there was no money changer there)

08:30 PM - go back to Ole London Hotel and change money

09:50 PM - super late dinner at McDo (again! :D)

DAY 5 - Go back to MNL

08:30 AM - Brekky

10:20 AM - Pack up and check out

10:45 AM - Check in at Turbojet ferry to SkyPier - This is superb as we checked in our luggage, we were told that the pickup will be at Manila. We do not need to get the luggage then check in again to airplane.

11:00 AM - buy Koi Kei Egg Tart 💗 

11:20 AM - waiting area of Turbojet

11:30 AM - ETD from Macau to HKIA

04:15 PM - flight to MNL

06:50 PM - landing at NAIA, heavy air traffic

Pak! OOTD pa more!

Bodhi tree

Ngong Ping

TIPS:

1. Get to know the place before going. I believe in spontaneity. However, you may lose a lot of time if you are so unprepared and you might end up going places from side a to side b.
2. Do not bring a lot of tissue paper. Public toilets are with AC system and with free tissue papers.  Do not be like me. Haha.
3. Wear comfortable shoes. Central area especially Pottinger Street and Graham Street are very inclined and made of cobblestones. If like us, you will explore that area, your feet may be sore. Haha!
4. Bring umbrella and hydrate. Wag gumaya sa akin. Laklak nang laklak ng milktea hahahahhaa
5. November is the best time to visit Hong Kong and Macau. The temperature was around 21 C to 28C. I visited those places last May 2014. It was a really hot and dry week. I gained melanin in my skin.
6. Buy octopus card. Pre book tickets. It will save a lot of time. In Macau, ready your coins if you do not have Macau Pass card. All buses have fixed 6 HKD or 6 MOP rate. They cannot give change. They work on exact payment only.
7. Set a budget. Bring USD and change at Chungking Mansion near Tsim Sha Tsu MTR station. They give the best money exchange.
8. Plan ahead you OOTDs to avoid over packing. ✌
9. Take lots of pictures. Respect the environment. Live like you are a local, not a nasty tourist.
10. Enjoy every moment.

Bombarding with you lots of photos:

Hong Kong Photos

tram going to The Peak

bloggerjowa with his favorite anti theft bag

old tram

Pottinger Street

Graham Street

Macau Photos

View from Mount Fortress

Largo da Senado

Fisherman's Wharf

Seac Pai Van Parque

Parisian Macau

Venetian Macau

With all of these information and photos, I hope that I brought you to Hong Kong and Macau. Fully loaded, noh? Sayang flight and accommodation. Sulitera to. 😆

I and jowa really love traveling when we can. It makes us know the culture, geography, traditions, and locals, of another place. It makes us inspired storytellers. We travel not to escape but to be in love with life.

With much love and effort, 'til next time,