Hong Kong is a special place to us. It is where our parents originated from and where one of us grew up. We would normally spend at last a week there when we visit but this time, we only had 3 days…! There is so much to see, do and eat in Hong Kong, packing it all in 3 days was a difficult task…We went with friends and we were keen to show them the Hong Kong we know and love. iVentute Card really helped us to plan a trip and to make the most of our short time there. You can purchase an iVenture Card online before your trip and it allows you free access to 14 top attracts in Hong Kong and Macau as well as discounts on other attractions. You can purchase a 3 or 5 day pass and you have a month to use it from when the card is issued. The iVenture Card also comes with a free map and guide.
As soon as we landed in Hong Kong, we went to pick up our iVenture Cards. You can find their booth opposite arrival hall A in the airport. They open till 11pm which was really handy for us as we landed around 9pm. You can also pick up an Octopus Card in the airport while you’re there. The Octopus Card is basically a top up card for public transport and you can also use it to make small purchases in stores.
DAY 1
Peak
The Peak is one of HK’s most popular and iconic attractions. The Sky Terrace 428 gives you a panoramic view of the iconic skyline. The iVenture Card comes with a free roundtrip ticket on the Peak Tram. The ride itself is almost as great as the view from the top!
The iVenture Card does NOT include tickets to the Sky Terrace 428 but that can be purchased there at the entrance or you can even use your Octopus Card to gain access to the terrace. (Adult HKD $48)
Basic Information
Address: Peak Tram Lower Terminus, 33 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2522 0922
Opening Hours: 7:00 AM to 24:00 AM
Website: http://www.thepeak.com.hk
How to get here:
· Take bus 15C from Central Pier 8 or walk from MTR Central Station Exit J2 to take the Peak Tram from the Peak Tram Lower Terminus on Garden Road; or,
· bus 15 from Exchange Square bus terminus (near MTR Hong Kong Station, Exit D); or
· minibus 1 from the public transport interchange at MTR Hong Kong Station, Exit E
Admission:
Tram tickets- HK$ 45 Return, $32 Single (Free with iVenture Card)
Sky Terrace 428- HK$ 48
Combo tickets- HK$ 88 Return, $75 Single (without iVenture Card)
There is a lot more to do at the Peak than just the amazing view. There are a few shopping centres up there and a wide range of food selection.
We decided to visit the Trick Eye Museum (free with iVenture Card) while we were there. The Trick Eye Museum is renowned in South Korea. It features paintings on plain surfaces that appear 3D on camera thought optical illusion. The Trick Eye Museum in Hong Kong is located at the Peak Galleria Mall and it has over 70 photo points. This is one of those museums that you can interact with the art work. Feel free to climb, sit or stand on them and you will become a part of the masterpiece!
We had so much fun there and we spent most of the time laughing and just being silly!
Basic Information
Address: Shop No. 1, Level 3, The Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road, The Peak, Hong Kong
E-mail: enquiry@trickeye.hk
Tel: (852) 2813 1686
Opening Hours: 10:00 – 21:00 (Last Admission at 20:00)
Website :www.trickeye.com/hongkong
How to get here:
· Peak Tram from the Peak Tram Lower Terminus on Garden Road.
· Bus 15 from Exchange Square bus terminus.
· Minibus 1 from MTR Hong Kong Station public transport interchange.
Admission: HKD $150 (free with iVenture Card)
Ladies’ Market
Don’t let the name fool you, it’s not just for ladies! Ladies’ Market is a long street with over 100 stalls selling bargain clothes, hand bags, souvenirs and phone accessories. This is a great place to get your souvenirs and to practice your bargaining skills. Never settle for the first price they offer! It’s a long street, if the price isn’t what you want, walk away, there are plenty more stalls selling the exact same thing.
Basic Information
Address: Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon
Opening Hours: 11:00- 23:30
How to get here:
· MTR Mong Kok Station, Exit E2. Walk along Nelson Street for two blocks; or,
· take bus 1, 1A, 2, 6 or 9 from Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier and get off at Nelson Street
DAY 2
There are 2 major theme parks in Hong Kong, Ocean Park and Disneyland. Entrance to Ocean Park is free with iVenture Cards and you save 40% on tickets to Disneyland. We chose Ocean Park because we love pandas and we are obsessed with penguins!
This is one of the best features of the iVenture Card! We saved a whopping HK$438 each! Getting to Ocean Park cannot be easier! Gone are the days when you have to take a long coach trip! They have recently opened a MRT line so just get off at Ocean Park stop and you are there!
Basic Information
Address: Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Island
Tel: +852 3923 2323
Opening Hours: 7:00 AM to 24:00 AM
Website: www.oceanpark.com.hk
How to get here: MTR Ocean Park Station Exit B.
Admission:
With HK ID: HK$ 385 (free with iVenture Card)
Without HK ID: HK$ 438 (free with iVenture Card)
Food
After a day of fun, we treated ourselves to a nice all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ! There had all sorts of food there for $180 per person (drinks included!) We could barely walk by the time we finished.
DAY 3
Located away from the hustle and the bustle of the city, the Big Buddha can be found on Lantau Island in the Po Lin Monastery. The Buddha statue sits 34 metres high on a lotus throne. The statue faces north towards Mainland China to look over the Chinese people.
The best way to get there is by Ngong Ping Cable Cars. The journey starts from Tung Chung Station and the cable car takes around 25 mins. iVenture card gives you a free return ticket on the cable car.
Unfortunately, when we went, the cables were under maintenance and we had to seek an alternative route. This will also help those who are afraid of heights!
Take the MTR to Tung Chung Station and follow the signs to Ngong Ping Cable Car terminal. Next to that you will find a bus station. Go to stop 23 and there is a bus that takes you directly to Po Lin Monastery for HK$17.20 (weekday) or $27 (weekend). The bus ride was very comfortable and scenic but if we had the choice, we would use the cable car instead!
In order to get to up the Big Buddha, you will have to climb 268 steps… which is not as bad as it sounds! The view from the top is phenomenal. You really get to see experience a different side to Hong Kong.
After seeing the Big Buddha, we headed over to the Po Lin Monastery where we enjoyed a nice vegetarian lunch.
Don’t forget to visit the Wisdom Path when you’re there! It’s a short walk from the Po Lin Monastery. The path is a series of 38 wooden steles displaying calligraphy of prayers. It was such a peaceful and beautiful place!
Basic Information
Address: Ngong Ping
Lantau Island
Tel: +852 2985 5248
Opening Hours:
Monday – Friday:
10:00 AM – 18:00 PM
Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays:
9:00 AM – 18:00 PM
Website:
How to get here:
· MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take Ngong Ping Cable Car, which takes around 25 minutes. Then walk for around 10 minutes to the monastery; or,
· MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take New Lantao Bus 23 from Tung Chung Town Centre, which takes around 45 minutes. Then walk for eight minutes; or,
· catch ferry from Central Pier 6 to Mui Wo, then take New Lantao Bus 2 to Ngong Ping Village, which takes around 40 minutes.
Cost: Nnong Ping 360 Cable Car: HK$ 185 (free with iVenture Card)
Food
We had dinner at Yum Cha in Tsim Sha Tsui. They are probably most famous for their animal shaped steam buns! Just look at how cute they are. I also highly recommend the fried calamari!
A Symphony of Lights
Every night at 8pm, there is a light show at Tsim Sha Tsui water front and no trip to HK is complete without seeing it. Watch the coloured beams and building light up and dance to with music.
Try and go a little earlier to get a nice spot. We went at 8pm and because part of the waterfront was closed for maintenance, we were left stuck behind a large crowd of people…
Basic Information
Address: Buildings on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
Tel: +852 2508 1234
Opening Hours: 8pm daily
Vantage Points:
· Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre: MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit L6. Follow the signs and walk for around five minutes.
· Golden Bauhinia Square: MTR Wan Chai Station, Exit A5. Follow the signs, take the skybridge to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and head for the Golden Bauhinia Square.
· A favourite vantage point for viewing the show is from a boat on the harbour. Check out these harbour cruises for ideas.
Cost: Free
To our knowledge, the iVenture Card is the only Hong Kong city pass available. The pass was easy to collect and we had no problem using it at. I really like the map and guide that they provide as it made planning our trip a lot easier. The iVenture card offers a wide selection of attractions for free and everything we intended to see if Hong Kong were included.
I highly recommend this card, especially if you are visiting Hong Kong for the first time. We didn’t have a lot of time in Hong Kong; otherwise we would have made a trip to Macau as well with our iVenture Card! This card has a lot of potential but if you want to make the most out of the card, you must be prepared to do some serious planning!
**Disclaimer- We were gifted with complementary iVenture Cards but as usual, all opinions and comments are our own**
Reference:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/uk/index.jsp
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