The place I like best in Macau is Coloane, a former island with a elegant touch of its own.coloane, macau

coloane, macau

Nearby there is a bakery famous for Portuguese egg tarts, the Lord Stow’s Bakery (1 Rua de Tassara, Coloane Town Square).  Don’t miss it.  For Macau government’s tourist office’s introduction about the bakery, see here.

How to get there:

Take bus No. 26, 26A, 25, 21A, 15. All buses go to Coloane town square.

 
The sightseeing tower dominates the night landscape

The night landscape

A square tucked away from the tourists thronged city centre

A square tucked away from the tourists thronged city centre

In front of the Barra temple, an exhibition on June 4 democracy movement in China

In front of the Barra temple, an exhibition on display about June 4 democracy movement in China

 

It is the best, because it has a serene setting, away from the casinos seen everywhere in Macau. It is the best also because the hotel is unique in space design and elegantly decorated. Every hotel room has a balcony, a separate living room, a bedroom as well as bathroom. The hotel is actually the tourism school in Macau. So the service is offered by the school students, who are friendly and eager to help.

The hotel is called Pousada de Mong Ha.

You will get a welcome drink and a small box of chocolates upon arrival. The hotel also offers shuttle bus service three times a day to the major the spots in the city from the hotel.

The breakfast is fresh, served in a restaurant nicely decked out. It is quite everywhere in the hotel, including over the breakfast. I totally enjoyed the breakfast and the ambience when I was there.

It costs MOP640 for a room from Sunday to Thursday. The other days of the week will be slightly more expensive.

pousada de mong ha

Pousada de Mong Ha, located in a hill

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Bedroom, with a separate living room and bathroom next door

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the restaruant for breakfast

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a corner in the hotel

How to get there:

The only disadvantage about the hotel is its location – hard to find.

It is better just to take taxi from the ferry pier, costing about MOP40 and taking about 15 minutes. The hotel website has details of its location and provides direction in Chinese for you to print out to show to the taxi driver.

If you want to take bus, take No 12 from the pier. The fare is MOP3.4. Get off at TDM (Macau’s TV station). There is a crossroad ahead. Turn left and walk straight to (about) the second street on the left. You will see a garbage collection point, behind which is a small hill. Walk up the stairs of the small hill and you will find the hotel.

 

If you need to travel from Lowu to Hong Kong International Airport, here’s the easiest way – take the airport bus from Sheung Shui train station on the East Rail Line.

After going through the Hong Kong immigration, you will find yourself at the Hong Kong Lowu train station. Board the train, and get off at the first stop – Sheung Shui station.

Take exit B2, to get to the Sheung Shui Bus Terminus, where you will find A43 airport bus. It takes about 1 hour to get to the Hong Kong International Airport, with a bus fare of HK$29.2. The bus is every 15-30 minutes.

For details of the bus route, please go to this bus company website to key in the bus route number for checking. Note that the first part of the schedule is for transport to the Airport from Luen Wo Hui (in Fanling, which is about 2-3 stops to Sheung Shui station), and the second part of the schedule is for transport from the Airport.

 

new york friesIf you like French Fries, and you are in HK, try New York Fries in Harbour City, an upscale shopping mall in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Despite its name, New York Fries is 100% Canadian, with franchise locations throughout the country.

Potatoes are freshly cut into French Fries and fried in sunflower oil and olive oil in the store. I’ve been to the store twice thus far and highly recommend it. The Fries feel fresh, healthy and tasty.

new york fries in HKThere is only one New York Fries store in Hong Kong. The store in Harbour City is pretty small, with about 4 to 5 tables only. But right next to the store, there is a balcony with seats and tables, commanding a nice harbour view. That should be the place to savour the fresh French Fries, especially when the weather is pleasant.

The menu is very focused – selling the French Fries from small to jumbo sizes, and hot dogs. A big cup of Fries in its jumbo size sells for HK$38. The tomato sauce comes free, but if you want the premium sauces such as sour cream or gravy, you have to pay extra.

How to get there

MTR Tsim Sha Tsui station, exit A1 (Kowloon Park). Turn right to the Haiphong Rd. Walk to the end. The shopping mall facing you is the Harbour City.

Or take the star ferry. Harbour City is right next to the star ferry pier in Tsim Sha Tsui.

New York Fries is located on the second floor of Harbour City.  To see the exact location of the store, click here.

Website of New York Fries: www.newyorkfries.com

© 2012 Journey to Hong Kong