The best time to travel to Hong Kong. Independent travel to Hong Kong. When to go? Best time to visit Hong Kong

For a long time I compared in my head all the points on this review. Many thoughts, even more impressions. Here I want to describe the main reasons why you should come to Hong Kong at least once in your life and I will describe the entire trip step by step - from idea to implementation and return home.

1. IDEA

The idea didn't come from me. But I was the instigator of the trip. It’s just that with the onset of the crisis, with my moving and setting up in a new place, the trips were relegated to the background, and even the third plan, so I decided to resume them. But I dreamed of a completely different country - Japan, I have long dreamed of getting there someday (and I will get there!), But my fellow travelers convinced me in favor of Hong Kong.

I did not consider Hong Kong for the reason that I had already been to China, and I thought that nothing would surprise me there - if I knew how wrong I was! And in September we decided - we're going! The dates were chosen mid-February, because no one would give me a vacation, and because of the February holidays and long weekends, you can take days off for a few days.

2. PURCHASE OF TICKETS AND HOTEL BOOKING

The most convenient way to get to Hong Kong from Moscow is with a direct flight offered by Aeroflot. For the period from February 15-27, we purchased a ticket for 27,500 rubles (round trip for one person from Moscow). For two, 55,000 rubles with all taxes and fees. Tickets were purchased in October 2016 (almost 4 months before the trip).

We booked the hotel in November, chose on the skyscanner website. We chose a Best Western hotel with a view of Victoria Bay and a rooftop pool. Hotel on Hong Kong Island next to Sai Yang Pun MRT station. I recommend choosing a hotel not far from metro stations, it will save you a lot of time and money in the future. In addition to the metro station, we also had a pier with Macao Ferry Terminal nearby.

By the way, another reason why we did not go for example in January is the Chinese New Year. During this period, it is difficult to find a hotel and everything in the city is very expensive, so our dates played into our hands.

3. ARRIVAL AND WAYS TO GET TO THE CITY

The airport is not as difficult to figure out as it might seem at first glance. I didn't think it was all that big. The biggest in my memory, it seemed to me, was in Bangkok. The first thing to decide before departure from Russia is how you are going to get to the city - this is important!

You can get there in three ways:

• Taxi - the most expensive mode of transport
• Aeroexpress - the fastest way to get to the city
• Bus - the most economical option.

As a budget traveler, we opted for the bus. But, we looked at the route we needed to get to the hotel in advance in Russia. We needed the A10 bus. However, if you haven't looked up the itinerary, you can do so at the airport using free wi-fi. In extreme cases, you can contact the driver of a bus with the address of the hotel and ask if he goes on that route. Just in case, we checked with the driver, who even told us at which stop we should get off.

If you choose express or bus and plan to use public transport during your stay, then you need to purchase an Octopus Card. You can buy it at the ticketing terminal right at the airport, or at the ticket office for the express train called TicketTrain. It is easy to find cash desks, but you can also ask at the information terminal.

The card costs 150 HKD. There are already 100 HKD on the card account, 50 HKD is a deposit for the card. Looking ahead, I’ll say that when departing from Hong Kong, you can return the card and receive the balance of funds and this deposit, minus a small percentage for use. This card is valid not only for all transport in the city (except for taxis, probably), but also in the supermarket you can pay for purchases with it. You can top up Octopus at special metro ticket offices, at metro terminals, and at various supermarkets at the checkout.

Our bus fare to the hotel was 48 HKD. On buses, the fare is fixed, but depends on the route.

If you decide to take the express train, the trip will be 100 HKD, you will get to the terminus of the Hong Kong dark green line, and then you will have to take the subway for a fee. We took the express on our way back to the airport.

3. CURRENCY AND MONEY

The exchange rate of the Hong Kong dollar against the ruble for our visit was 1 HKD = 7.8 rubles (we multiplied by In Hong Kong, all prices are indicated only in HKD, sometimes they write $, but it still means the local dollar. USD dollars will only be needed to change them in the exchanger for HKD.

We took with us part of the money in cash in US dollars and part of the money on a Visa bank card. In general, it turned out to be very convenient to use the map. Always, when we paid with a card, it turned out to be profitable, since the exchange takes place at the international rate without bank margins. You can also withdraw money from the card, but for the withdrawn 100 HKD (about 800 rubles) I was charged a commission of 100 rubles. Therefore, we decided to pay directly, while we had cash.

The exchange rate of USD to HKD for the period of our stay is different in different exchangers, often we changed 1 USA for 7.5 - 7.6 HKD. It was possible to buy Hong Kong dollars in Moscow in a multi-currency bank, but he offered us 9.5 rubles for one dollar, to which we decided that this was a rip off when the official rate was 7.6-7.8. Therefore, we bought US dollars for part of the money and left part of the money on the card.

There are exchange offices and ATMs at the airport, so you can easily withdraw money from the card and exchange it. The exchange rate at the airport is not the best, so we exchanged only 100 USD to buy Octopuses and get to the city. But now I understand that it was possible to buy travel cards with a bank card.

4. LOCATION, NAVIGATION

The most important thing that people often think about is: is Hong Kong China or not? Disputes are ongoing and some say no, while others, on the contrary. It belongs to China after all, like Macau, although it has its own laws and regulations.

Special territorial-administrative units of the People's Republic of China enjoying a high degree of autonomy. In fact, these territories are independent in resolving all issues with the exception of those related to defense or foreign policy. This status is enshrined in the Basic Laws adopted by the National People's Congress after the establishment of China's sovereignty over Macau and Hong Kong.

By the way, they have 2 official languages, English and Chinese, unlike mainland China, where, in my opinion, they didn’t even hear about English.

Hong Kong City is made up of islands and a peninsula. The largest island is called Hong Kong, the second largest island is called Lantau and the peninsula is called Kowloon. There are several smaller islands, but they are not highly developed and inhabited.

There is an international airport on Lantau Island, so this is the first place you will see here.

There are several more attractions on Lantau, which I will write about below. By the way, to navigate the city, I installed the MAPS application, the developers of which said that it should work without the Internet. It worked, but for a very long time, we ourselves figured out all the signs and in this case the application did not bring much benefit.

5. TRANSPORT IN HONG KONG

The most convenient way to get around the city is the metro. It was not in vain that I wrote in the paragraph about hotel reservations that it is more convenient to live near the metro station.

On the maps and around the city, the metro is indicated by such a red symbol, I just called it the letter "Zh". There are about 10-11 branches in Hong Kong, and all of them pass both along the islands and along the peninsula, and you can easily get from one island to another or to the peninsula by metro.

I really liked their subway. Well, firstly, on the platforms they have a glass railing from the railway tracks. Secondly, the train runs as silently as possible. You don’t even hear that the train has arrived, so you need to look carefully.

The trains themselves are much wider than ours, there is a lot of space in them, and for standing passengers, the handrails were made in the center so that they do not lean on those who are sitting - convenient and reasonable. The doors, it seemed to me, are wider than the doors of Moscow metro trains. And the most important difference is that the whole train is one solid car.

In the metro, the fare is not fixed, the cost depends on the distance traveled, although it does not always increase proportionally. For example, it was always more expensive to get to the center, even if you drove only 3 stations, but from the outskirts to the outskirts it was cheaper. Approximately we had amounts from 5 HKD to 26 HKD (Disneyland had the most expensive subway fare).

In addition to the subway, there are trams on Hong Kong Island, the paths of which pass through the entire island. Therefore, if you need to get to the center or to the other end of the island, you can take the tram. Trams, like buses, are double-decker.

They have a fixed price of 2.3 HKD and are the cheapest form of transport. But here it is customary to enter the tram from the back door, and exit from the front. By the way, the tram is a great option for making a sightseeing tour of the island, just get to the end and back.

Buses have a fixed fare, but the cost varies depending on the bus route. In the city, we only traveled by bus twice - from the airport and just rode from the center. When we just rode around Hong Kong Island, we paid 5 HKD.

There is another excellent transport option in the city - ferries. They ply the Victoria Bay, and connect the islands and the peninsula. And there are also intercity ferries, which are most comfortable. On one of these we went to Macau.

As an option for another sightseeing tour - a ferry ride from Hong Kong to Kowloon and back. It is better to do it in the evening, an unforgettable sight is guaranteed. The fare from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon and back is about 2.5 HKD if you go on the first floor and about 3.6 HKD if you go on the second.

6. TEN REASONS TO VISIT HONG KONG

1. The main and first reason to fly to Hong Kong was a visa-free regime of up to 14 days for Russians

Unlike the rest of China, Hong Kong is somewhat more loyal to guests and allows stays without a visa for up to 14 days. It turns out that you need to buy a plane ticket and wait for the departure date. Therefore, for those who do not like this delay with documents and for independent travel, Hong Kong is a very good option.

By the way, in Hong Kong they do not put a visa in the passport, but issue it as a separate document in the form of such a leaflet.

2. Combination of Asian and European culture

If you are accustomed to Western comfort, but you are interested in Asian culture and exotic, then you are welcome. Hong Kong combines the sophistication of England, in its double-decker trams and classical architecture, takes a little from America - its stunning skyscrapers and completes it all like a cherry on a cake - Chinese and Buddhist monasteries, temples, parks and more.

3. Hong Kong has the sea, so you can even combine it with a beach holiday, the main thing is to get in season

It is still cold in February to swim in the sea, although when we arrived it was 22-25 degrees Celsius, we even managed to get a tan and burn a little. In Macau, the weather was even better when we arrived there, about 30-33 degrees Celsius. But at the end of our vacation, the weather deteriorated sharply, it was about 10-12 degrees, we went to the coat in which we arrived from Moscow.

I think the beach season in Hong Kong starts in April, so if you plan to combine it with a beach holiday, choose the right time.

4. People and atmosphere

Many people compare Gokkong with New York, and those who have been to both cities prefer Hong Kong. I couldn't figure out why before? After all, America is no less beautiful and civilized country, and, I think, even much more developed. Until I came to Hong Kong personally and did not understand what was the matter.

Everything turned out to be simple - the people here are very responsive, friendly and well-mannered. They create a pleasant atmosphere with their mood, there is no feeling that you are not welcome here, but on the contrary. I felt this especially vividly in contrast after my return, when I rode the Moscow metro to work - there is invisibly irritability in the air, some kind of hostility towards each other, including you, contempt. They calmly push you, step on your feet, and many do not even think to apologize ...

In Hong Kong, people think about other people, always give way, local men often gave way to us. If they accidentally hit or push me, they immediately apologize. Moreover, there was a situation when I was to blame, but before I could open my mouth to apologize, anyway, the girl began to apologize first to me. Even if you are photographing something, they are patiently waiting so as not to spoil the frame, although we tried to skip them))

Absolutely any local can offer help in navigating the city, even if you don’t ask for help, but just stand and look at the map)) There was a case with us when we misunderstood the direction and went in the wrong direction, so the girl ran after us and , not sparing her time, spent to the desired stop. She was pleasantly shocked. Usually this is alien to residents of large cities, the principle of every man for himself works there. This, I think, is a truly high level of culture and social development.

It's amazing how they treat the cultural heritage of their colonialists with trepidation (here we are talking not only about Hong Kong, but also about Macau). As we noted, all buildings, Catholic churches that are not related to the Chinese religion are honored on a par with Buddhist shrines, some locals are even Catholics.

I don’t want to touch on politics here, but I immediately recall some countries where historical heritage that is not related to the religion of this country is destroyed with hatred.

5. Here you can get into the real

Since there are 5 of these parks all over the world, two of them are in the USA, one in Paris and one in Japan.

I think that Hong Kong is more affordable than the US and Japan, and I think cheaper than Paris, although I'm terribly interested in comparing.

Therefore, if your lifelong dream is to visit Disneyland, then you can consider Hong Kong for a vacation as an option.

6. Here you can see a real live panda and, if you have never seen it, then a red panda

Not what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised. In Ocean Park, we finally saw a real live panda. Such a sweet creature, but the whole time that we watched him, he was sleeping. Woke up only once, went to another corner, and went back to sleep)

But besides the traditional panda, here I first saw, and indeed learned about the existence of the red panda. More precisely, scientists are arguing what species to attribute this cute little animal to, as a result they called it a red panda or a fiery fox (firefox)

There are even 2 of them in Hong Kong. Many will say that you can ride the cable car without leaving Russia. Yes, but there are completely different landscapes that will not leave anyone indifferent.

One cable car is located on Lantau Island, and it lifts to the mountain with the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. But unfortunately on our visit, the road was under reconstruction, and will not open until July (those who are going on a trip in the near future, keep in mind).

But the second road is located in Ocean Park, and it runs along the edge of the mountain overlooking the sea. I was even a little scared to go. Since the day was overcast and the park was on top of a mountain, everything was covered with fog and the spectacle was breathtakingly awesome.

If they say about Hong Kong that this is Chinese New York, then Macau is Chinese Las Vegas. You can get from Hong Kong to it in just an hour, but you need to take your passport with you. Also, thanks to a visit to Macau, you can extend your visa-free stay in Hong Kong for another 14 days.

Since a trip to Macau is considered a trip abroad, upon returning back to Hong Kong, you fill out the migration card again and you again have 2 weeks to spare.

9. View of Hong Kong Island and laser show

In Hong Kong every day at 8 pm there is a laser show "Symphony of Lights". This is the largest permanent show in the world, which, for a minute, is included in the Guinness Book of Records.

However, in reality, you will not see anything special. The show is not just laser beams, but also animation on some skyscrapers. We were not surprised or impressed, most likely because the view of these skyscrapers is simply mesmerizing, and the addition of a few better greens does not change the overall already amazing picture.

Those who saw the show in Dubai city will be even more disappointed, there will not be the same spectacular performance. But it's still worth seeing the show at least once. At least for the sake of a beautiful view of Victoria Bay and impressive skyscrapers.

10.

Madame Tussauds museums are not as scarce as Disneyland parks. But a nice bonus from your trip, after all the above points, will be a visit to this museum and photos with celebrities.

In addition to the places listed above, there are some other sights of the city that you must definitely visit.

The Peak Lookout

It goes without saying that if you take the funicular up to Madame Tussauds, you will already be on the observation deck and see the view of Hong Kong from a bird's eye view.

Well, the opportunity to ride a funicular or mountain tram, if you have never ridden on it.

However, here you need to guess the weather. Our day turned out to be foggy, although even in the fog the sight is unreal.

Disneyland is a fairy tale and magic, pleasant emotions, but for adrenaline it is better to visit Ocean Park, where pandas and a cable car will be waiting for you.

In addition to the pandas and the cable car, there is simply the largest oceanarium, where we got stuck for an hour for sure.

An amusement park where you can choose carousels to your taste and age.

It is built on top of a mountain on one of the islands. You can get here either by cable car or by train that goes under the mountain. It consists of two levels, the lower one, where the pandas live and the oceanarium, and the upper one, where all the attractions are.

In addition to pandas, in the park you can see fur seals, walruses, sharks, even kangaroos and Australian bears - koalas.

Here you will see the scenery of old Hong Kong. The way the city used to be.

Avenue of stars on the embankment

Well, you will not experience delight here, only if you are not a fan of Hong Kong cinema. Here, of the familiar celebrities, there were only the hands of Jackie Chan and a statue of Bruce Lee)

But what a beautiful view of the embankment and the bay.

Big Buddha Hill is located on Lantau Island, there is also a second cable car. From this road, the view opens up much more interesting, and the cabins also have a transparent floor, but we didn’t manage to ride them, I wrote above why. But there is a second way to get to the Buddha, by bus for 35 HKD per person.

This was already the second big Buddha that I saw. The first one was in Bangkok, he was bedridden. And this one seems to be considered the largest of the sitting ones (they apparently have their own hierarchy of Buddhas there according to the position of his body), its height is about 34 meters.

To climb to the Buddha, you need to overcome 269 steps, but it turned out to be fast, for photographing and did not notice how it was already in front of him. It is so impressive in size that we noticed it even when we drove up to it by bus.

Having risen to the Buddha, a wonderful view of the monastery, its territory and picturesque surroundings opens up.

After Buddha, we went to Po Ling Monastery. This is where you can see the real Chinese culture.

Nan Lian Garden

This is a picturesque garden in Kowloon, which is made according to Feng Shui in the Chinese style. There is another functioning temple here.

In addition to the traditional oriental architecture, there is a very beautiful garden here, I have never seen such plants anywhere before. And here I saw Bonsai for the first time.

Kowloon Park

The largest park on the Kowloon Peninsula.

This is such a corner of wildlife where you can not only take a walk and spend time alone with nature, but also admire beautiful birds.

It is very clean and tidy here, the park is well-groomed, even strange, because it is free, like all other city parks.

Park on Hong Kong Island Zoologocal & Botanical Gardens

In this park, various types of plants are collected, special greenhouses are built and enclosures with animals are kept.

It is also a free city park with monkeys, limurs, turtles and so on.

Hong Kong Science Museum

There are a lot of attractions in Hong Kong without museums, but the weather is not always pleasant. Therefore, during the rain, in order not to sit in a hotel, you can visit a museum.

We were in the science museum and the space museum.

Ferry ride from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon (and back)

I already wrote above that the ferry can be used for a sightseeing tour, it is better to do it in the evening and look at the panorama of luminous skyscrapers.

Ferris wheel

Another good way to take a sightseeing tour is to take a ride on the Ferris wheel.

But even just walking around the center, you can see wonderful views of the city.

The local skyscrapers are impressive, many of them are very narrow and high, which sometimes makes you wonder how they can stand and not fall. By the way, some skyscrapers have free viewing platforms, I heard that you can go there with your passport, but we never got there.

We were lucky because we lived just a couple of metro stations from the center and we could easily walk here, but you can also arrange a sightseeing tour by tram along the entire island.

7. COUNTING FINANCES

It is time to discuss all the main nuances and costs. As already said, the tickets cost 55 thousand rubles for two. The hotel came out about the same, but it could have been rented much cheaper, just the higher the room, the more expensive the room, and we lived on the 33rd floor.

Plus we also bought a Mikimaus cap for about 100 HKD and food for 150-200 HKD. I think you can save money by not buying souvenirs and taking food and water with you, because everything else is already included in the price.

Two tickets to the Ocean Park cost 6850 rubles.

The principle is the same, in the park all attractions are free except for souvenirs and food.

A ticket for the funicular and the observation deck cost 88 HKD for one.

This is an ascent and descent and a visit to the observation deck. You can save money and take tickets without an observation deck, as there is also a free observation deck at the top.

wheel ticket

In total, 29 thousand rubles were spent on all entertainment for two people, excluding food and shopping and travel.

8. FOOD AND SHOPPING

Breakfast was already included in the price of the hotel, which is convenient. And breakfast was the only thing I could eat calmly. Although they were with a hint of Chinese cuisine, there was still a choice of food for Europeans.

Then we had to look for food ourselves. In the promoted chain restaurants and cafes, prices were simply sky-high. We decided to join the Chinese food and ate for some time in local eateries and cafes, but I did not last long. Although there is a description in English, they still bring not what you expect, I often came across spicy dishes that I could not eat, or other seasonings that I did not understand.

The Chinese meat and sausages are all sweet, we took a couple of pieces to try, and were a little surprised. By the way, sushi and seafood are delicious here.

They are sold immediately in sets, and all sold out on the same day. The Hong Kongers themselves often buy them, and we trust the taste of the locals and try to take the same as they do)

I really liked desserts and pastries, they have a lot of desserts with blueberries and blueberries, they just like to decorate cakes with these berries.

Shopping malls are like dirt here, at almost every turn. There are also markets, clothing, a flower market, a goldfish market, which are worth visiting at least just as an attraction.

As I already wrote, prices in Hong Kong are lower, but now this rule does not apply very much to clothes and shoes, due to the low exchange rate of the ruble. As a result, the prices in some chain stores are the same as in Moscow, so at first we didn’t see much point in shopping. Although I did buy a few things.

China is a country of tea, so you should bring good tea from here. We also took real Colombian coffee, which we don’t sell, or if you can find it, I’m afraid to imagine the prices. From food, we also bought fruit (mango) with us. a bottle of maple syrup, oyster sauce.

We also bought 3 branded 1 terabyte hard drives, one as a gift for the boss, and two for ourselves. for each came out about 3600-3800 rubles. By the way, they have a worldwide guarantee. It is generally beneficial to take technology here.

cosmetics

We also bought clothes and shoes for ourselves, since at first we did not count on hot weather and did not take particularly light clothes. We bought a lot of souvenirs and gifts for friends and family, so all the rest of the money, except for entertainment, went to food and shopping.

With us for pocket expenses, we took about 120 thousand rubles for two, and still about 20 of them remained, which we brought back.

CONCLUSION

Where can you save?

What can you save on if your budget is limited? Depends on your priorities. I would calmly give up shopping, it is not necessary to go to Macau, we just decided to kill two birds with one stone and see both cities. On the Peak, you could save money safely on the observation deck, since there is also a free place there. At Disneyland, take everything you need with you (food and water).

If you choose between Disneyland and Ocean Park, I would choose Disneyland, because it's not only carousels, it's a fairy tale, magic and mood. You can save on travel by replacing the metro with a ferry and tram, although this is not possible in all cases. But since we were not lucky with the cable car to Lantau, we went to Ocean Park and saw pandas at the same time)

To save on food, choose places where locals eat. There prices are always lower, and there is the possibility of traditional Chinese cuisine. The cheapest option is food from the supermarket, there are Welcome or 7eleven chains, there are also local ones. It is better to shop in the local, where the prices are a little lower. Well, if there is a place to cook, then generally go to the market and then cook the food yourself.

All parks in Hong Kong are free except for Disneyland and Ocean Park, so you can safely walk there. By the way, all public toilets are also free and they are even in the subway. In general, they even have supermarkets, bakeries, shops and boutiques in the metro, as if it is also a shopping center.

General impression

It was a journey filled with impressions, it seems to me that I returned from this trip a slightly different person. She began to relate to the world and people differently, rethought some values. In general, every country and city opens something new for you, and something changes inside you.

It was also my first independent trip, planned and implemented by us from beginning to end, without the help of agencies and tour operators. It was both a stressful and positive experience, but in general, such adventures are remembered the most. Well, we didn’t save much money, as in the same Israel, and spent much less on entertainment and excursions, because we went ourselves, we already allowed ourselves to buy something for the rest.

A futuristic city of light and an eternal transit city. People come to Hong Kong for a couple of hours, but it remains in their memory for a lifetime, as one of the most extraordinary cities on the planet, where skyscrapers prop up the sky, where they are reverent about the past and are so eager to look into the future that sometimes they do not keep up with themselves .

Despite the ubiquitous hi-tech, the city has retained the atmosphere of an elegant colonial era. Antique shops interspersed with newfangled boutiques, archaic streetcars overtake sports cars. Fashionable bars and restaurants compete with street vendors, and not always the first to win in the struggle for the way to the customer's stomach. There is always something to be surprised and to see, the main thing is to remember in time that you are not here forever.

Comparison of prices for tickets to Hong Kong and hotels on different sites - save up to 50%

Price calendar for flights to Hong Kong

When to go? Best time to visit Hong Kong

If we consider Hong Kong as a city for a transit stop, then the question: “When is the best time to go to Hong Kong” should be of last interest. Well, don't stroll along Alley of Movie Stars (Promenade, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon) because of the rain, and you won't take a picture with the statue of Bruce Lee... So what? But you can spend this time talking with the penguins in Ocean Park Hong Kong (Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong. Ticket price for adults is HK$280, about 1150 rubles, for children under 11 years old - HK$140, children under 11 years old are free).
Another thing is if you are going to stay in Hong Kong for a week or two (14 days - exactly how long you can stay in Hong Kong as part of a “visa-free” entry). Then plan your trip to Hong Kong best from september to late november - early december. It is winter in Hong Kong from mid-December to early March: cool, but the air temperature rarely drops below +15, sometimes there is a slight drizzle, but in general, the weather is clear and good for walking. The most unpredictable weather in Hong Kong is in the spring. Heavy rain gives way to bright sunshine and vice versa. In the summer, Hong Kong turns into the kitchen of a crazy chef: it fries, steams, it starts to rain from a clear sky. And, in general, absolutely normal weather for the urban jungle of Southeast Asia.

How to get to Hong Kong

Direct flights to Hong Kong are provided by these airlines. Aeroflot And cathay pacific. As a transit point, Hong Kong is convenient for the island of Taiwan and China. .
You can get to the city from the airport by taxi, the journey time is approximately 40-45 minutes. By train Airport Express, travel time depending on the desired station 20-25 minutes. If you are coming for a few days, it is best to purchase a transport card in advance - Airport Express Travel Pass. Double-decker buses of the company also run from Hong Kong Airport to the city. city ​​bus, the bus fare is the lowest (if buy a ticket in advance then a round-trip trip will cost HK $ 55 = about 230 rubles).

Where to live. The best hotels in Hong Kong

The main parameters for choosing a hotel in Hong Kong are at least 4 * with a view of the bay from the window. I managed to book such a hotel - I saved myself a lot of time that can be spent on other attractions. The best view from the windows of the hotel Salisbury Road in the tourist area Tsim Sha Tsui district Kowloon. Almost all 495 rooms of the hotel offer a magnificent view of the bay. In addition, this hotel is also one of the. Located on the same Salisbury Road hotel Peninsula famous for its fleet of Rolls Royce branded green, marked with the monogram of the hotel.
Equally majestic views and prices await you at the hotel The Ritz-Carlton, which occupies all floors above one hundred and second in the skyscraper of the International Trade Center, which makes it the tallest hotel in the world. On Hong Kong Island, a pleasant exception to the rule and the best in price-quality JJ Hotel on Wan Chai Road.

All Hong Kong hotels: price comparison across different sites - save up to 50%

Meal'n'Real. Landmarks of Hong Kong

Although most of Hong Kong's seven million residents live in skyscrapers in the central part of the island, the total area of ​​the "Special Administrative Region" is 1,130 square kilometers. Most of the area is occupied by the so-called New territories- a peninsula in the northern part, connected to the southern coast of China and surrounded by 265 islands, many of which are still uninhabited.
The center of this former British colony is Hong Kong Island, whose northern shore is lined with rows of skyscrapers. Central region. Opposite it, on the other side of Victoria Bay, is the area Kowloon, the southernmost point of the New Territories.
Start your first day in Hong Kong with breakfast (if you are flying on a direct flight, you will arrive in the city around 10 am and we are sure that a cup of strong coffee after the flight will not hurt) in a popular chain of cafes Fuel Espresso in Hong Kong. Then rise, literally and figuratively. Take a look at the city from above, climbing on. Then go down and go to hollywood road.
Start your Hong Kong tour from the gate of a Taoist temple Man Mo (156 Hollywood Road). The temple was built in 1848, but, as in the old days, in the courtyard of the temple, visitors are offered to tell fortunes for the future according to the ancient traditional chim system. You just need to shake the box of sticks with numbers written on them until one of them falls out, and then find your number in the divination book. Stroll along the shady Hollywood Road, whimsically lined with antique shops and galleries of ancient and modern art. Take a look at the gallery Wattis Fine Art (2/F 20, Hollywood Road, Central), which exhibits an exposition of black and white photographs of the city during the colonial heyday a hundred years ago. A little further is Pass Shelley Street, in the center of which the longest escalator in the world was laid in 1993.
The most affordable and cheapest entertainment in the city is ferry rides Star Ferry, from the deck of which offers a picturesque view of Victoria Bay. For only HK$ 2 (8 rubles) in any machine of terminals No. 7 and No. 8 (Man Kwong Street) you can buy a token (the machine does not give change), giving the right to cross Victoria Bay. This is one of the oldest tourist routes between the Central District and Tsim Sha Tsui, dating back to 1888. Although the two shores have since been connected by underground road and rail connections, the ferry remains the most exciting travel option, especially at night.

Another option for city tours, bright green, double-decker, ridiculously narrow trams with open windows in Hong Kong look like an anachronism. They look incredibly old-fashioned as they make their way between Hong Kong's tallest skyscrapers. The six tram lines are also the cheapest mode of transport, with a fixed fare of HK$2.30. Payment is lowered into a special machine at the exit of the car, and not at the entrance. Get on the tram at the crossroads Wan Chai Road And Johnston Road and drive to the stop Admiralty. Here take the metro to the station "Chi Lin Nunnery", near which there is a reconstructed temple of the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907), completely built of wood (without a single iron nail); By the looks of it, you will never guess that it was built in 1998. Surrounded by the tall buildings of Diamond Hill, this complex of tombs and Chinese gardens is worth a half-hour subway ride (fare HK$12=50 rubles).

For city park Kowloon Park(2 Austin Road, Tsim Sha Tsui) more than generously endowed with everything you need: turtles in the pond, parakeets in the aviary, a lake with flamingos, a sculpture park and a huge swimming pool. The pool is open from 6:30 am to 6 pm from November to May (entry costs HK$19, about 80 rubles).
Three important cultural landmarks line up on Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui: start with Museum of Cosmonautics topped with a dome (10, Salisbury Road, open from 10.00 to 21.00 on weekends and Mondays and from 13.00 to 21.00 on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; Tuesday is a day off, entrance is HK $ 10 = 40 rubles); then visit Museum of Art, which houses sumptuous pottery from the Ming and Tang dynasties (10, Salisbury Road, open from 10.00 to 18.00 from Sunday to Friday and until 20.00 pm on Saturdays; closed - Thursday; entrance - HK $ 10 = 40 rubles); and finish the tour at the beautiful Cultural Center built on the water, which hosts concerts and exhibitions.

The best places to shop in Hong Kong are in Central. Shops with souvenirs and handicrafts, luxury shopping malls, IFC (8, Finance Street, Central), as well as the myriad of tiny streets and market stalls throughout the city are all here. hollywood road, Queen's Road Central And Causeway Bay- reserved areas for shopaholics.
Tailor-made clothes are ridiculously cheap here, even if you decide to order a suit from the same tailor that made for Bill Clinton. Founded in 1957, the firm Sam's Tailor, on the first floor of the shopping center Burlington Arcade (90-94C Nathan Road), the very place where you can be in the fitting room next door to some star or politician.
For vivid impressions and inexpensive souvenirs, you can go to the night market next to the temple Tin Hau on temple street. And on Lady's Market (Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon) worth a look for scientific and educational purposes: having carefully studied a couple of counters with high-quality Chinese Louis Vuitton, in the future you will easily distinguish a fake from the original.

Cafes and restaurants in Hong Kong

Dim Sum is the pinnacle of fast food evolution: tiny flatbreads, pieces of brisket or stuffed pancake that can be eaten at any time of the day for only HK$10=40 rubles. There are plenty of good dim sum eateries in town, but if you can afford a 3 hour line, go to Tim Ho Wan (Shop 8, Kwong Wa Street, Kowloon. Open from 10.00 to 22.00); it is a chain of restaurants, but it was the establishment on Kwong Wa Street that received a Michelin star, becoming the cheapest restaurant to receive such high recognition. You can eat dim sum overlooking the harbor in Maxim's City Hall(1, Edinburgh Place, City Hall Low Block. Open Monday to Saturday 11.00 am to 3.00 pm and 5.00 pm to 11.30 pm. Restaurant opens at 9.00 am on Sundays and public holidays). But we warn you that many will not be comfortable, although tasty and how we love "authentic", in a huge hall with crystal chandeliers, where the human hubbub, champing and creaking of food carts does not stop for a second. You can easily dine on Chinese delicacies in the restaurant Lei Garden (Shop No. 3007-11, 3/F., International Finance Centre, Central). This is a famous restaurant chain in Hong Kong, but the best one is located in shopping mall IFC. And the most delicious fried pigeons will be offered to you in the restaurant Young Kee (32-40 Wellington Street, Central).

You can grab a quick bite at one of the open-air eateries, dai pai dong, which chaotically fill the dead end of the street Graham after the intersection with the street Stanley in the Central region. Here, for only HK$ 40 = 165 rubles, you can taste noodles from a giant bowl at one of the plastic tables in the company of random strangers.
In Hong Kong, you can try the national cuisine of almost any region of China and even the world, but the Hutong restaurant knows how to truly cook dishes from northern China. (28/F, One Peking Road), the taste of which here is complemented by a breathtaking view of the city from a height of 28 floors. Ma La shrimp, fried with lots of whole Sichuan hot peppers, are especially good here. There is so much pepper that it seems as if the shrimp must be unbearably spicy. But first impressions are deceiving. Book a table by the window in advance and come by 8 pm when the night illumination of the city begins: to date, 40 buildings are participating in the world's largest ten-minute musical show of city lights.

But before you start dinner, take a look at the legendary bar Felix In a hotel Peninsula. Perhaps dinner is no longer needed, but you can watch the light show here. The idea of ​​branded bars may seem wild, but Hong Kong knows no shame in anything related to money. It is worth dressing up well so that you are allowed on the terrace of an elegant Chater House Mall (11 Chater Road), immersed in neon light, where you should definitely drink a fiery Fire Opal cocktail - orange and mango juice with a good dose of alcohol. And then head to one of Hong Kong's clubs Dragon-I (60 Wyndham Street, Central), Volar (Basement, 38-44 D "Aguilar Street, Central) And Kee Club (6/F, Yung Kee Bldg, 32 Wellington Street, Central)- one of the coolest clubs in the city (just make sure in advance, or better, instruct the concierge at your hotel to organize your evening program so that your name is on the lists in the club).

Everything you need to know about Hong Kong if you are driving on your own. During the trip, we collected practical information and share it with you. Prices for tickets, food, hotels, transport, visa and attractions in 2019. Plus our tips and reviews from tourists. Bonus - addresses of inexpensive cafes. Everything you need in one place!

Exchange rate: 1 Hong Kong dollar (HKD) ≈ 8 RUB.

Flights to Hong Kong

The cheapest way to fly to Hong Kong is from Vladivostok - round-trip tickets cost from 16.5 thousand rubles (direct flight S7). In second place are Irkutsk and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, tickets cost from 23.5 thousand rubles. A flight from Moscow will cost 26 thousand or more, from St. Petersburg - from 30.5 thousand rubles, from Novosibirsk - from 30 thousand.

Visa to Hong Kong

Do Russians need a visa to Hong Kong? No, if the duration of the trip does not exceed 14 days. The purpose of the visit must be tourism, meeting with friends / relatives, transit or business visit (however, making a profit during the trip is prohibited).

For a longer trip to Hong Kong, you need to apply for a visa. You can do this in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok. Also, citizens of Ukraine and Kazakhstan do not need a visa for 2 weeks, but Belarusians will have to apply for it.

Required documents for visa: questionnaire in English (you can download at); 1 photo 3x4 for the questionnaire; Passport valid for another 6 months after the end of the trip. If you are arriving in Hong Kong through another country where a visa is required, this must also be presented.

The cost of a Hong Kong visa is $30. Do not forget to fill out the migration card in English before entering - it is usually issued on the plane.

There are more than 8 thousand high-rise buildings in Hong Kong, 1.3 thousand skyscrapers. Of these, 250 are more than 150 meters high. (Photo © unsplash.com / @bady)

Hong Kong is entangled in a network of public transport: there are many bus routes, there are subways, rare double-decker trams, ferries and, of course, taxis. The latter are expensive: red cars are HKD 22 for the first two kilometers, and then HKD 6 for every subsequent 200 meters.

In general, you can not even use a taxi in the city, as there is a convenient and not very expensive subway. In the metro, a one-time ticket costs from 3.5 to 55 HKD - the price depends on the distance. Trams are very cheap - the fare will cost only 2.5 HKD. The same is true for ferries (for example, Star Ferry) - a ticket from 2 to 3.4 HKD.

Attention: for trips, you should always have a change, as change is often not issued, and it is worth remembering this. This is not very convenient if you plan to stay in the city for more than 2-3 days, so tourists in their reviews recommend that such travelers purchase an electronic card Octopus. Its cost is 150 HKD, of which 100 is on the balance sheet (it can be replenished), and 50 is a refundable deposit (the balance on the card can also be returned), plus 9 HKD is held for use. You can pay for all types of transport, even some taxis, and you can also pay in certain stores and receive discounts. Thus, it saves money. Read more about the map.

We recommend that you thoroughly study the metro map and download a map of the city to your phone or tablet before traveling to Hong Kong on your own (although some tourists complained that GPS does not work well there - we saw this for ourselves). The metro is open from 6 am to 1 am.

Buses in Hong Kong are mostly double-decker, often there is a huge queue for them (and trams) at stops during peak hours. All stops are equipped with stands with route schedules and fares.

Hotels in Hong Kong

Don't expect to find cheap hotels in Hong Kong - you won't find much for less than $28 for a tiny double room. You have to come to terms with this. What you need to remember when choosing a hotel? Firstly, that real estate here is expensive, and its area is modest (but all the conditions are usually in the room). Secondly, we recommend looking for hotels on Roomguru in advance, a month or two in advance - there is a high probability that you will "catch" a good discount from a star hotel.

Hotels are cheaper on the Kowloon Peninsula, on Hong Kong Island everything is many times more expensive. If you are traveling with a family or a group, you can save on accommodation by booking an apartment or an apartment on the popular Airbnb.ru private accommodation service - there are many beautiful and interesting options, unlike boring hotels.

Food in Hong Kong: what to try?

"Culinary Capital of the World", "World Food Fair", "Gourmet Paradise" and other flattering names - it's all about Hong Kong. Despite the rather high price tag, tourists recommend not skimping and tasting the masterpieces of the local cuisine.

What food and drink is worth trying in Hong Kong? There are so many that it's impossible to list them all. Here are some of the things travelers recommend in their reviews and travel reports:

• A variety of dumplings (dim sum): with shrimp (haa gau), with pork and broth inside (xiao long bao). They look modest, but very tasty! Price from 13, on average - 20-25 HKD.
• Youtiao are long strips of deep-fried dough. These can be found, for example, in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.
• Egg tarts (egg tarts) are sweet and salty, specific. From 2 HKD per piece.
• Fish balls.
• Egg wafers (gai daan jai), there are also berry, chocolate, etc. From 15 HKD.
• Congi, congee (congee) - rice porridge. There are many options for the dish, there may be various additives (garlic, herbs, meat, etc.).
• "Pineapple" buns (baolaobao, Pineapple cake) - in fact, there are no pineapples, but they are very tasty. They say it looks like a pineapple.
• Sago Mix Dessert is sago, milk and fruit pieces. Reminiscent of Philippine halo halo and Malaysian ABC and ice kachang.
• Roast goose and Peking duck.
• Rice wrapped in lotus leaves.
• Noodles with wontons (Wonton Noodles).
• Sweet sesame balls (Deep Fried Sesame Balls).
• Milk tea.
• Tea coffee (inyun).
• Almond milk (Almond Milk) - about 10 HKD.

Food prices are high, especially in light of the fall of the ruble. For example, rice with meat at the food court will cost about 30-40 HKD. But in Hong Kong, you can save money by eating at local noodle shops - read how not to go broke on food in the article about.

Read also how to go and what are.

Addresses and names of inexpensive cafes, restaurants and eateries in Hong Kong

Experienced independent travelers know how to eat deliciously and inexpensively in Hong Kong. We have collected on the Internet the addresses of establishments where you can eat on a budget, and we share with you. Among them there are even cafes marked with one Michelin star!

1. One Dim Sum- 1 Michelin star. Prices on the menu: from 13 to 20 HKD. Address: Shop 1 & 2, G/F, Kenwood Mansion, 15 Playing Field Road, Prince Edward.
2. Tim Ho Wan Also 1 Michelin star. Prices on the menu: from 12 to 22 HKD. Address: Shop 72, G/F, Olympian City 2, 18 Hoi Ting Road, Tai Kok Tsui. There is a long queue at the entrance, at the entrance you need to sign up and wait. There are two more cafes at the following addresses: G/F, 9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Shum Shui Po And Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station, Central.
3. food court at Sogo Mall.
4. Tourists are advised to visit Yoshinoya- there come across inexpensive sets (20-22 HKD).
5. popular network Cafe de Coral.

Being in Hong Kong for only two days, we did not waste time looking for the aforementioned establishments and waiting in lines that form at the entrance to Michelin restaurants. Inexpensive food by Hong Kong standards is easy to find, you just need to turn into the alleys and look into small Chinese eateries. Often they also have a menu in English, you can also focus on pictures. Sellers often advise themselves what to try.

Attractions in Hong Kong: what to see on your own?

Look for interesting excursions on the Sputnik and . Individual and group, without crowds of tourists and in Russian.

Top attraction - famous Victoria Peak, a visit to which will cost a pretty penny: a tram to the mountain and back, entrance, binoculars - all this costs about 93 HKD. Tourists offer to cheat: climb to the peak on foot, since the views of the city are wonderful, and do not enter the Sky Terrace observation deck, but admire exactly the same views for free from the nearest park. You can go down (or up) by bus for 9.8 HKD (from / to Central metro station). We got there in the following way: first on the Mid-Levels escalators, then on foot to the peak, and back by bus. We were not lucky, because there was a dense fog, which more or less dissipated only at night, and we saw the city in lights only from the White Jade observation deck, where tourist buses stop. It costs about 10 HKD to reach it, as before the peak.

Another point of attraction for tourists is Big Buddha on the island of Lantau, in the village of Ngong Ping. Entrance to the Buddha is free, but to get to it, you need to spend money. There are several trekking trails outside the village.

What else can you see in Hong Kong on your own? Avenue of Stars (as of the end of March 2016 - under partial restoration), Ocean Park, Po Lin Monastery, Disneyland, various museums and many, many skyscrapers.

Safety

Despite the fact that the city is considered one of the safest in the world, travelers are advised to exercise some caution. In general, the advice that tourists give in their reviews and travel reports to Hong Kong is standard:

• do not wander at night into dark quarters far from the center and docks;
• do not lose vigilance in the crowd and keep an eye on bags and pockets;
• exchange currency carefully, and also check checks, bills and receipts;
• beware of barkers and helpers who promise services or goods at very low prices - you need to know the average price of a product in order not to fall for the bait. This technique of deceiving tourists is common on Nathan Road, so for shopping it is better to go to the Mong Kok market.

Wong Tai Sin and Sham Shui Po are considered unsafe areas.

What you need to know and remember when preparing for a trip to Hong Kong and going there on your own? According to the reviews of tourists, it is worth paying attention to the following points:

• traffic is on the left, so be careful on the roads;
• cross the road at pedestrian crossings and traffic lights - a fine may be issued for non-compliance with the rules;
• do not litter, smoke in unauthorized places, and also eat in the subway and parks - exorbitantly high fines are due for this (for example, for garbage thrown past the container, you can face a fine of up to 25 thousand HKD and imprisonment of up to 6 months - as it is written on garbage cans);
• we often met such information on the Internet that poisonous snakes are found in the parks of Hong Kong, to which we can say that we did not notice a single one (and there are no signs warning about this either). But there are warnings about poisonous rodent baits on the way to the peak;
• during the typhoon period (from May to November) it often rains and hurricane winds blow, there may be a threat of a typhoon - this is indicated by a scoreboard with alphanumeric designations T1-T10. The higher the number, the closer the typhoon;
• It is better to have a passport with you, as the police sometimes check documents.

Intro Image Source: © Colin Tsoi / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

Useful information about when is the best time to go to Hong Kong. Made an overview of the main seasons by months

A comfortable stay in Hong Kong, of course, primarily depends on the weather, and only then on the events that take place there.

When is the best time to go to Hong Kong - an overview of the seasons

Spring in Hong Kong

March, April and May are warm here, about 20-28 degrees and rainy. Moreover, the amount of rain increases towards May. That is, you won’t freeze, but you can get wet) If you are already going to go in the spring, then May will be the right choice. Separately, we read about

Summer in Hong Kong

June, July, August are hot, very rainy and very stuffy. It's hard in Hong Kong at this time. Hearts certainly better not to go. For those who are afraid of storms, by the way, too)

It is better to look for the best deals on tickets to Hong Kong on the Aviasales website. Great prices for early flight bookings. See for yourself!

Autumn in Hong Kong

September is a wonderful month)) The danger of falling into a tropical storm and a typhoon increases significantly. If you like extreme sports and unusual sensations - wellcome.

But October and November in Hong Kong are perhaps the best months to visit. The air temperature is about 25-27 degrees and there is very little precipitation.

September

And November))

Winter in Hong Kong

December, January and February are dry and cool in Hong Kong. If you are going to Hong Kong in winter, bring a couple of warm clothes. Well, the sun in winter is also not enough. We must also remember that in February they celebrate in Hong Kong. Tickets and hotels will rise in price sharply and the number of free places will decrease.

When is the cheapest time to fly to Hong Kong?

Another way to help you decide when is the best time to go to Hong Kong is the air ticket price calendar. We look, choose, book tickets.

By the way, compound trips are now becoming popular among tourists, when you can see several places at once in one trip. An example of a successful multi-trip would be a trip to Thailand via Hong Kong

Looking forward to your feedback on when is the best time to visit Hong Kong.

Price comparison for Hong Kong hotels

Hotels in Hong Kong are expensive. To find the best price for a hotel, guesthouse or hostel in Hong Kong, try this form. You will be able to compare prices from leading booking systems and find the best option.

This happened in the usual way for most of our people - you go to the tour operator, pay and go. After arrival, you turn to a fixed guide, pay and attend excursions. In August 2013, it dawned on me - should I go to Hong Kong on my own? I've been wanting to see it for a long time, and I don't need a visa.

After visiting several travel agencies, I immediately dismissed all options. During the 10 days of my stay there, I was offered prices far exceeding 100,000 rubles per person. Then I booked a hotel on the Internet through the Buckingcom system, found air tickets through Bravoavia - all this cost me 2.5 times cheaper than the tours offered by travel agencies. And this is literally 5 days before departure! And if I had taken care of it earlier, the savings would have been even more tangible.

Here is a short story about my stay in a 10-day solitary without knowledge of English (so, I can say a couple of words and phrases. I learned German at school and institute a long time ago) stay in this wonderful, urbanized, modern English-speaking - but at the same time time Asian city.

They flew out of Moscow in the evening at half past eight. The flight was long - 9 hours. I discovered an interesting fact while standing in the queue of a customs pass. I ask a couple of our people with a fairly large luggage where they are going. Home to India they say. Where? From home in Moscow. They have been living and working in India for a long time, and in their luggage is our usual food - sausage and other things that are not in India.

Approaching the border guard, I ask a young man of 30-35 years old where he is going. The answer stunned me - home, he says, to Greece from a house in Moscow. How many Russian people (well, Russian) have scattered all over the world !!!

After some time, we boarded an Airbus 330 of our glorious Aeroflot airline and flew to Hong Kong. The neighbor on the right was a young Pole who flew to Hong Kong for six months to work. We talked about life, although he allegedly did not speak Russian, but he understood. We slept a little - and here it is, Hong Kong. We landed at the Chek Lep Kok airport, located on a square reclaimed from the sea.

We exchanged some US dollars for Hong Kong dollars to pay on the bus (the exchange at the airport is not profitable, it is better to do it on the spot). In general, he took a bank card with him, with which he paid almost everywhere and everywhere. We left the airport - “the wind in the face” (that is, as if I got into a bathhouse, even my glasses fogged up) and into the double-decker bus No. 21, there is again coolness from the air conditioner. The cost is 33 HKD. Fourteen stops and we are there.

Rain is coming. By the way, after I bought tickets to Hong Kong, I remembered that in August there is a rainy season, I was even a little upset. The umbrella taken for this occasion came in handy a couple of times, and then it was possible to wait a little and then hit the road again. But the humidity is drop dead - 80 percent, because of it, the views in the photo turned out to be not so beautiful, foggy. But it was warm, 30 degrees.

Wi-fi was here and on the street. I even tried Skype with my homeland. But well it did from the hotel. In the same place, on the eve, I chose places to visit on the Internet, the names of sights and ways of delivering me. I wrote down the names, otherwise you won’t remember, they have very specific names.

First I visited the Avenue of Stars, where, by analogy with Hollywood, handprints of celebrities of the Hong Kong film industry are collected, of which I knew only two - Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. The statue of the latter is installed here in natural growth.

Nearby is the clock tower. In the evening at 20 o'clock local time on the embankment overlooking the island of Hong Kong, and I lived on the Kowloon Peninsula along Nata Road, a color and musical performance begins, which is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Skyscrapers and a laser show sparkle to the music on the opposite shore of Victoria Bay. The name of the business center is announced - and it begins to sparkle. Not bad, but only once. On our shore, the 100SKY business center was perfectly illuminated even without this show, with a variety of pictures. In general, the city is very colorful, high - skyscrapers, skyscrapers, and I'm so small.

Spent the whole day visiting ocean park. A couple of stops on the metro, which is called MTR here, to the Admirality stop, exit B, there are signs there. You get out - and take bus 629 to the park. The queue is decent, though still relatively early, solid Chinese. I see - sort of like the Scandinavians. I start to say something in English. The answer is Russian. There turned out to be a family from Khabarovsk, where I also had a chance to live for 5 years.

I walk around the park with them all day. There is also a huge aquarium above your head, where thousands of fish swim together. And sharks, and stingrays, and all sorts of different big and small ones. There are both North and South Poles with seals and penguins. There is a cable car, and a panda, and much more. The entrance costs like 145 $HK, I already forgot.

Dedicated another day Disneyland. I took the subway to sannybay, where I'm waiting for a special train to Disney. I'm going. To pass, I pay 6.5 HK dollars (as I understand it, this is a fee for a fabulous train) and go to the square in front of the entrance directly to the DL. To pass, I pay 450$HK. And here it is, the youngest (built in 2005) DL. Here, too, everything is beautiful, interesting. It is better to watch with your own eyes or read separately on the Internet.

Another place of interest - Victoria Peak, the highest point on the island from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the island. Hong Kong and the Kowloon Peninsula. So, we take the subway to Hong Kong station, exit D, from the bus station by bus number 15 we climb the peak along the serpentine. There is an observation deck, access to it is $ 40 GK, but you can not go out, but go along the hiking trail to the right of the building - there is also a great view.

The weather that day was not very good, and the view opened up foggy, and at the end of my stay at the peak, such a fog generally rose that nothing could be seen for 100 meters. I met our women here - one from Rostov-on-Don, others from Nakhodka . Ours are everywhere.

I also looked into Macau. This is Asian Las Vegas, a former Portuguese colony. But also not without adventure. On the Internet, I learned that you can get there either by sea or by air. The helicopter swept aside - expensive. Went to the pier.

I am looking for berth 4, I ask about Macau - they wave their hands somewhere up and say something in English. I walked along the pier a couple of times, examined everything - there is no boat anywhere in Macau. Yes, you still need to learn English! Already spat on this Macau, but went in the direction where the pier attendants showed me. After a while I saw another pier and a signpost. I bought round-trip tickets for 22 hours, costing about 300 GK dollars.

The "flight" on the turbojet lasted about an hour. It used to rock decently, like in an airplane in turbulence, only more abruptly. Sitting next to me were two Chinese women, a mother and daughter. I began to ask where they are from? They are from South Korea. Here is such a confusion. They asked me where I was from, and having learned that from rush, they shook my hand approvingly, raising their thumbs up. It was even pleasant and proud for the motherland.

Having sailed to Macau and after going through customs, I went to the bus that takes you to the Grand Lisboa casino for free. Sit down, go, come. Okay, freebie. Having walked a little around the lobby of the casino, I admired the beauties and went outside to look around the city. I went to a restaurant and ordered fish. They showed her alive, I agreed - and the cooks went to cook her, and while I was waiting, they gave me green tea. The fish was the tastiest. I ate it for about an hour. Licked all the bones.

Then I walked around the neighborhood of the casino. The casino itself and inside it is very beautiful. In the evening they shimmer with various lights. Along the way, I came across other casinos - there are many of them, really Las Vegas. I found some square with old buildings of Portuguese architecture. Like visiting Lisbon. I did a little shopping, bought flat sweet meat in the market, went to “my” Grand Lisbon casino.

The casino is huge, several halls on several floors. They play cards - I looked, sort of like a point. With electronic spinning tables, slot machines and real spinning tables - I don't know what they are called. A couple of times I bet 50 GK dollars each (this is the minimum chip), I lost. Another 50 on another table - and that's it, I said to myself "enough, no luck."

I went out into the street, wandered around the evening colorful Macau. Time to go back - there is a queue for a taxi. I remembered, on the Internet they reported that it was possible to go back to the port for free. Explained to the attendants what I wanted, they showed me the way down. While walking, I found another hall, but did not play.

Soon they were supposed to go back, but there is no boat and no. The local Chinese began to make noise, after which we were sent to Hong Kong with a delay of 40 minutes. There I am in the subway, but as it turned out later, it would be better to take the ferry. Cheaper - $ 2, and the subway 9. The subway is the most expensive mode of transport. Moreover, the price for each station is different. As I later found out, if you go with transfers, then it is cheaper than in a straight line.

The next day was my weekday. I went to Monastery of 10,000 Buddhas and then to a large bronze Buddha. Arriving at the monastery, I climbed to the top, as it seemed to me, of this monastery, but it turned out to be something like a cemetery. And nearby, real, live wild monkeys screamed and jumped in the trees. And the monastery turned out to be nearby, but it was necessary to go around the building, and there was an entrance to the mountain by a staircase, really studded with 10,000 statuettes of Buddhas (and maybe more).

At the entrance, two monks surrounded me and extorted donations, although admission is free. So, if anyone is there, drive them away, or give them the bare minimum. I barely made it to the top, where a square opens up with beautiful multiple Buddhas. Photographed them. There was another path with Buddhas going up, but I didn’t go there anymore, I was tired. Then I went down and went back to the subway.

Further to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island. You can get there by cable car, but I went by bus, having previously taken the subway to Tung Chung station. Cheaper and not so scary, especially since the weather was cloudy again and the view from the cable car would not have been very good. At the foot is the Buddhist monastery Po Lin, I did not go there - there was little time left, I was afraid to miss the return bus.

Big Buddha is located on the top of the mountain, and the statue itself is 34 meters high. An impressive sight - there was fog and the Buddha either appeared on the top, or disappeared completely, as if peeping from the sky. The staircase to it is 268 steps. Upstairs, next to him, some other female “buddhas” are sitting. So he doesn't get bored there.

Returning from the Buddhas, I devoted the evening to visiting the local Man Kun market (also called the women's market). Here, from lunchtime, an area, about a quarter, is blocked from traffic, and clothing and food markets with unusual fruits, vegetables, and seafood are located there. It was necessary to take apartments with a kitchen, I would cook these seafood there myself.

The locals have fun in the pedestrian zone. These are also amateur groups singing their songs. This and some scourged street dancers. In short, plunged into the local flavor. It was three subway stops from where I lived, and I then went there a couple of times at night (until 11 pm) walking back and forth along my Nata Road, taking in the night views. On the street they cooked octopus skewers, I tried it. Taste for an amateur, but I love seafood.

One day I visited the business center 100sky, its observation deck at an altitude of 360 meters. But this is not the very last floor of the building. There were still 10-15 floors above. The view from there is magnificent. The whole city and surroundings at a glance. Entrance 168 HK dollars.

Pictured is a beach on Lantau Island. The last two or three days were sunny, and I devoted them to a beach holiday. I visited the beaches of Repulse Bay and Deepwater bay (I didn’t really like this one), the beach on Lamma Island, the beach on Lantau Island (here the water seemed to me the hottest, I didn’t even feel such a temperature in Egypt). I traveled to Repulse Bay, Deepwater (they are nearby) by bus 973, to the islands by ferry. On the island, Lamma tasted giant shrimp - very tasty.

On the morning of the eleventh day, having packed my suitcase, I left the hotel, crossed the street - and to the stop of bus 21. For all the time I was driving on the roads of Hong Kong, I never saw any traffic jams. The roads are good, multi-level, a lot of interchanges. On the plane, the fellow traveler was our girl, who lives and is professionally engaged in kiting on some Philippine island.

Once again, I brought a lot of impressions and desires for even greater travels. Each time I learn more and more how it is better and cheaper to go where my heart desires.