Easy and beautiful walking trail in Sai Kung

 Hiking, Travel Tips  1 Response »
Apr 122009
 

The route is in Saigon, from Hoi Ha Village to Wan Tzai. The first part will be treading a path around the Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, which is protected and does not allow any fishing or interference of human activity. The water of the sea is therefore as calm and clear as a mirror. The Marine Park is simply serene.

The second part involves Wan Tsai, which is a small peninsula. Originally a burrow area, it was converted to become part of the Sai Kung West Country Park in 1996.

Wan Tsai s renowned for its picturesque natural setting and sweeping vistas of some coastal gems like Tap Mun. With nature trails and large camping facilities in the area, Wan Tsai is very popular with youth organizations arranging camping activities for the kids and the young.

The most pleasant walk, speaking from my personal experience, also lies in this part, Wan Tsai – with wide paths lined with tall green tress, dotted with yellow flowers – just like a shady boulevard.

How to get there:

Take minibus No 7 from Sai Kung, all the way to the last stop. The bus ride is about 30 minutes. Every 20 minutes there is a bus.

Where you get off the bus, is the entrance to Hoi Ha village. You will see a map on display showing the hiking routes in the area.

At the first crossroad after entering the village, turn right to a string of restaurants. Carry on and you will be on the way to see Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park at your left.

After half an hour walk, you will come to the intersection between Hoi Ha Wan and Wan Tsai. Just carry on, and soon a camping site appears at your left.

If you just go straight, you will find yourself see more camping sites unfolding, and then after some walk, you find youself having made a small circle and back to where the first camping site is. Then follow the original route back to Hoi Ha village, and take the bus back to Sai Kung.

If you don’t want to go the original path back, you can take ferry from a pier in Wan Tsai (which is inside one of the camping sites) to the Yellow Stone Pier, from where you can take bus to Diamond Hill MTR station.

Duration of the walk (from Hoi Ha village to Wan Tsai, and then back to Hoi Ha Village): 2-2.5 hours

 Posted by Anna at 11:26 pm

Hong Kong’s tram way

 Transport, Travel Tips  1 Response »
Apr 092009
 

Hong Kong’s icon, the 100 year old trams, are set to undergo change after a Hong Kong conglomerate Wharf (Holdings) which owns the Hong Kong trams, has sold a 50pc stake to French giant Veolia Transport. 

Hong Kong’ tramway started operation in 1904. There were 16 one-deck trams then. Now the 2-deck tram fleet has expanded to 163. 

Trams are the cheapest means of public transport in Hong Kong. Adults pay HK$2 (US$0.26) and children pay half that price. The fee has remained unchanged for over 10 years. That is pretty amazing. 

When you are in Hong Kong, don’t miss out a ride on this Hong Kong icon.  I hope the tram will remain as cheap a means of transport as it is, and its look and service will sustain the Hong Kong way after the new owner takes over.

 Posted by Anna at 2:55 pm

Sham Shui Po for a dose of reality

 Hong Kong As It Is, Where to Visit  1 Response »
Apr 082009
 

If you want to know a bit more about Hong Kong, other than visiting the sightseeing spots, go to Sham Shui Po. This area, according the latest government census, is the poorest area in Hong Kong. 

The result should not come as a surprise. Sham Shui Po has, as always, gathered many low-income households, including those of immigrants from mainland China and old people. Its household median income is HK$13,800 per month. The richest area in HK – Wanchai – is HK$30,000.

Hong Kong started its compulsory pension fund scheme only a few years ago. For the elderly, they don’t have pension funds to rely on and it is a common scene in Hong Kong that the elderly collect free newspapers/paper cardboards and bring to the recycle shops for a few dollars a day, just to make a living. In Sham Shui Po, you can easily see a scene of this, as elsewhere in Hong Kong.

And if you tour around Sham Shui Po and look carefully, you do feel that the area smacks a bit of poverty. There are shops and stalls that boasts cheap price everywhere. I went into a snack shop for breakfast. For a cup of soybean milk and four rice-dough sticks, I paid only little more than US$1. But I looked at the bottle of black sauce on the table. There was something moving on the surface of the liquid sauce. I could hardly finish my breakfast and I left. 

apliu market, sham shui poTip:

Besides seeing bits of reality of Hong Kong, you can visit Sham Shui Po for another reason – to visit its famous flee market Apliu Street Market, which sells all sorts of electronic stuff, from radios, clocks, to hifi and batteries, at low price.

How to get there:

MTR Sham Shui Po station. 

For going to Apliu Street Market, Exit D2 of Sham Shui Po station.

 Posted by Anna at 12:57 am

Visit a university? why not

 Travel Tips  No Responses »
Mar 292009
 

You may find this recommendation a bit odd: paying a visit to a university in Hong Kong? But if you see the photos below, you will probably be interested.

Hong Kong Science and Technology University, though being only 20 years old, is among Hong Kong’s top universities and earning high international standing. Its campus in Sai Kung is beautifully set among trees and surrounded by waters and mountains. Hong Kong’s another university, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, boasts a beautiful campus too, but it is not as easily accessible as Hong Kong Science and Technology University.

HKUST

Come to the University over the weekend when there is no class or during the summer or winter holidays. Stroll around and you will appreciate the calmness and beauty of the campus and its surroundings.

If you need a break, stop for the eateries here. Go to the atrium after passing the entrance piazza, and go down the elevators/steps – you will find three floors of canteen/food court/restaurant. There is even a McDonald here.

In the Academic Building, there is a cafe which sells cafe, salad and sandwiches. Outdoor seating is available. Its avocado Panini is gorgeous.

How to get there:

Take 11M mini bus from Hang Hau MTR is the easiest way of going to the Hong Kong Science and Technology University. It takes about 15 minutes.

There is also mini bus from Choi Hong MTR station going to the university.

Or take bus 792M from Tiu King Leng MTR station. It takes about 20 minutes.

 Posted by Anna at 6:38 pm

Budget airlines operating from Hong Kong and Macau

 Transport, Travel Tips  1 Response »
Mar 282009
 

Flying into/out of Hong Kong can be cheap, as quite a few budget airlines operate from the city.

From Hong Kong Airport:

Air Asia

Airasia flies to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur from Hong Kong.

HK to Bangkok: Starting from about  HKD470  for a one-way flight, with tax included.

HK to Kuala Lumpur: Starting from about HKD560 for a one way flight, with tax included.

Cebu Pacific

Cebu Pacific  has one of the best connections to the Philippines with very low price. Other flights from Hong Kong go to Shanghai, Singapore, Bangkok and several places in the Philippines.

Jet Star

Hong Kong to Singapore: one way ticket costs about HKD 560 up. From Singapore, Jetstar serves a big network around the region.

Hong Kong Airlines

With Hong Kong Airlines, you can reach all major tourist cities in Mainland China, such as as Guilin, Kunming, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing. Destination outside China is also served, such as Hanoi, Vietnam or Okinawa, Japan.

Flights to China on Hong Kong Airlines are not particularly cheap. It is even cheaper to take flights from Shenzhen airport across the Hong Kong border. The best place to make a booking for flights from China is through elong.

From Macau Airport

If you have time you could also consider taking the ferry to Macau (about HKD150 one way) and take a budget flight from Macau Airport.  Both Air Asia and Cebu Pacific operate from there as well and the price can be even lower.

For more about flying from Macau, view this post by me.

The good thing about budget airlines is, besides the obvious fact that they are on the cheap, the booking is based on a one-way price so if you travel around the region, it is a good choice indeed.

 Posted by Anna at 11:54 am
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