When i purchase my flight ticket with Cathay Pacific, the cheapest was this 12 hours layover in Hong Kong from Penang - San Francisco. Thinking well 12 hours to kill in Hong Kong is actually a blessing rather than a punishment for me, Win win!!!
So what to do in Hong Kong with 12 hours layover time?
As i was planning i was torn between going to Victoria Peak or Wong Tai Sin(a popular place of worship in Hong Kong) as my flight will be arriving in Hong Kong around noon i'm thinking maybe this round i'll skip Victoria Peak ( i would prefer to go there early in the morning or during sunset) So Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon district it is!!
The flight was on time reaching HK as plan in noon. First thing i do after arriving HK is to stop by the visitor center booth to get some infos, maps and the Octopus card(can be used in all the public transports, very important and much more convenient as taking the bus they don't have change you'll have to pay the exact amount) As for money they use HK$, luckily my mom had some which was more than enough for my 12 hours excursion :)
The visitor center booth is located strategically, as u exit from the arrival door the booth is just right in front( it's hard to missed it) They were really helpful, professional and speak good English. I would rate 5 stars out of 5 stars for their service. As for the Octopus card i purchased it at the booth next to the visitor center
this is not my first time visiting Hong Kong but it's been few years so i'm excited about this layover
Octopus card
more info ------ > Octopus card
the HK$100 was enough for my round trip to and back and also the subway. However the Octopus card can be top up(with cash) in case you used up all the value @ Convenient stores like 7-11, k-mart McDonald's or at the Metro stations. Octopus card reload info
ok got everything i need (this time gonna do it the old school way).....here i go!
First stop - Wong Tai Sin
taking the bus #A29 bus station, just follow the sign board it's easy to find
bus stop
everything is labeled clearly(English) and easy to find
lucky me, no waiting and i had the whole bus to myself, got the best seat!!
cost HK$42, just scan the Octopus card once when getting on the bus and that's it( no need when exiting the bus) bus info
There are few ways to travel out from the Airport to Kowloon or to Hong Kong Island. There are taxi, some take the Airport Express train which is the fastest way to travel (takes about 24 minutes to Central) Airport Express info, but taking the bus is more economical also i have alot of time
after about 40 minutes bus ride I've arrived, there wasn't much stop in between(but remember to ring the bell when you want to get off). There is a destination display in the bus of announcing all stops, so no worries there if it's your first time in Hong Kong. The bus stop is just right next to a shopping mall. lot of restaurants. Bough a bottle of mineral water and a yummy egg tart and toilet break before i headed to the temple which is just right behind the shopping mall
time for Selfies!!!
It's Sunday so it's crowded in the temple but it's interesting to watch the locals praying and "kau cim" where you kneel and shuffle the fortune sticks in a bamboo cylinders while you pray or make your wish until one of the sticks dropped out. The fortune stick is then taken to a fortune tellers in the temple to decipher
this is the god of love, if you are unmarried or single give this god a try
I've seen some of the view here before, in Hong Kong dramas hahaha
the temple is quite big, i spend almost an hour plus here cam whoring
rub rub for more money....... :) before i go
the shopping mall
ok time to head to Mong kok taking the subway which is just next to the shopping mall
with the Octopus card is it's convenient
once out of the subway.....Mong Kok is a happening place lots to see
lots to eat too
signage everywhere, don't even need a GPS, i just follow the map i got and the street sign
Ladies market, shopping street selling from souvenirs,bags to small knick knack
HK's iconic taxi
Fa Yuen Street, i see alot of fruits here
just next door is the Goldfish street @ Tung Choi St
if you are looking for fish pet this is the place
i used to have this fighting fish
Tin Hau Temple
walked down south along Nathan road to Yau Ma Tei. This area used to be a shallow bay sheltered by a sand bank and used as a home by the boat people. From ca 1800, Yau Ma Tei build a temple to Tin Hau, the Goddess of Seafarers.And when this area was developed in the 1864, the temple was enlarged and greatly beautified and it was moved to a new square in 1876 when the town was rebuilt
in the center of the temple is an altar to Tin Hau
many locals hangout in this square
still heading wouth along Nathan Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
its was quite a distance to walk but its a nice walk for me
love how they built a support for this old tree
@ Hong Kong's Avenue of Comic Stars
Hong Kong beloved comic character Lao Fu Zi....i grow up reading this comic although I can't read Chinese character
Shopper's Boulevard more shopping, this place reminds me of Orchard road in Singapore
Kowloon Park
too bad Avenue of Stars is under renovation but it's still nice here to enjoy the view of Hong Kong Island from Kowloon
it's east to get to HK Island just take the ferry cost only HK$3-4
i still have plenty of time but i think but i want to get back to the Airport before it gets dark. Enough walking for today!
I just walked back to Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui to catch my Airport bus (near I Square or any stop along Nathan Road). Can't missed it.....just take the bus #A21 you'll see "Airport" written on the bus. I saw alot of the Airport bus passing by just hopped on one
bus take about 40-50 minutes from Tsim Sha Tsui to Airport
it's amazing i walked from Mong KOK station to Tsim Sha Tsui. The distance is about 3km(if walk straight along Nathan Road) but i did more than that
by 8pm i was safe and sound back to the Airport and 4 more hours to kill before my flight hahaha
Hong Kong Airport is nice(way better than US's airport) lots of good restaurants and more shopping
And that's my 12 hours layover in Hong Kong!
The next time if i have another 12 hours i'll want to visit Victoria Peak and the Big Buddha(this is one nearer to the Airport)
ps: i'm so not looking forward to my 13 hours flight. I'm surprise that Cathay Pacific food sucks as Hong Kong has so much yummy food to offer, The only thing that is good in my flight is the breakfast peanut congee.....trust me order this instead of the egg n sausage YUCK~
till my next adventure
~ zoi gin ~
