After my Study Abroad exchange finished in Australia earlier this year, my Cathay Pacific flight home had a stop-over in Hong Kong, and I would have been a bit of an idiot if I didn’t take the opportunity to visit and explore my first ever Asian city! It has been a few months since I visited, so some of my recollections may be a bit fuzzy in places, but at least it’s better late than never in writing this report!
So, being on a late night flight from Brisbane, my flight landed at about 7:30am Hong Kong time. Luckily, as Hong Kong time is behind Queensland time, this allowed me to get quite a bit of sleep on the flight over, although not too much. Being armed with an army of maps and directions for how to get to my hotel, I set off from Hong Kong International with a sense of trepidation but also excited.
The Airport Express train runs directly from the airport to Tsing Yi, Kowloon and Hong Kong Central. Just in case you’ve got no idea how long of a journey you’ve got left, this helpful bar ticks along as you get closer to the stations.
Bored of the journey? Why not watch a bit of TV! Not a fan of Ice Hockey or don’t want to listen to the sound? Turn your seat’s own headrest speakers down!
As my hotel was located near the Yau Ma Tei station in the middle of Kowloon island, I decided to avoid Hong Kong Central station and instead get myself used to changing trains on their Metro system by changing at Tsing Yi and Lai King…
Here’s a map of the Hong Kong Metro, so you at least have some idea of what the hell I’m on about.
What I hadn’t accounted for, however, was how I would be arriving right in the middle of morning rush hour, and all the trains were jam-packed full of people. I didn’t manage to get any photos of this as I was too busy trying to find my way through the maze of people, but the amount of people heading toward Hong Kong island was insane.
This train is emptied compared to the first morning. It does make me glad that I didn’t decide to go all the way to Central though!
Anyway, after finding my way to Yay Ma Tei, and then coming out completely the wrong exit for my hotel and having to cross over Nathan Street, I found my hotel within a minute of the station. As it was still early, I had to drop my bags off at concierge, and after a quick change of shirts and quickly grabbing out a bit of cash from my suitcase, I headed off towards my first activity of the trip; Disneyland!
My hotel for the visit; the 4* Cityview hotel located just off the main Nathan Road shopping and dining district of Kowloon island and right next to the Yau Ma Tei Metro station. The hotel had the feel of a fairly luxurious 4* British hotel, but with the price of a 2* British hotel!
I approve of 3D Metro advertising signs!
I also approve of the non-3D signs!
Hong Kong Disneyland is incredibly easy to find with pretty much every Metro station through Kowloon and the main Hong Kong islands having signs for it. After arriving at Sunny Bay, you can jump straight onto the Disneyland Resort line that takes you straight to the park.
You know you’ve found the right train once everything goes Disneyfied!
The inside of the carriages were full of Hidden Mickeys, such as these awesome Mickey rail things.
Proof that I was actually there. I had to wear my Disney shirt for the day.
The carriages also had a few more nice touches, such as these brass figurines lining the sides…
…And photos of Walt showing his love of trains.
Hooray, finally there!
The path towards the entrance was fairly bare but featured these pictures of a ton of Disney characters. Anything with Simba in is good in my books.
Just before the main gates, there is a fountain area featuring all of the Mickey Mouse gang. Here’s Mickey just casually surfing on Monstro’s back… Well, I assume it’s Monstro, but just a bit high?
Goofy is getting the hell away from there!
Disneyland costs around £55 for a one-day ticket and Magic Kingdom costs a little bit more. Hong Kong Disneyland, however, for a park which is just as good as Magic Kingdom and possible a little bit better than Disneyland, is a whopping £20 cheaper at just £35 entrance!
After being more than willing to pay this amazing entrance price, and having budgeted and withdrawn plenty of Hong Kong $ for the trip, I proceeded to hand over my money, only to have it given back to me with the lady pointing out that I had given her the Yuan that I had got out for Shenzhen, and I had actually left all of my money in the hotel!
Err, woops!
So after paying with my card, I was finally in the park!...
Still to come:
Hong Kong Disneyland
Ocean Park
Hong Kong Sight-seeing and shopping
So, being on a late night flight from Brisbane, my flight landed at about 7:30am Hong Kong time. Luckily, as Hong Kong time is behind Queensland time, this allowed me to get quite a bit of sleep on the flight over, although not too much. Being armed with an army of maps and directions for how to get to my hotel, I set off from Hong Kong International with a sense of trepidation but also excited.
The Airport Express train runs directly from the airport to Tsing Yi, Kowloon and Hong Kong Central. Just in case you’ve got no idea how long of a journey you’ve got left, this helpful bar ticks along as you get closer to the stations.
Bored of the journey? Why not watch a bit of TV! Not a fan of Ice Hockey or don’t want to listen to the sound? Turn your seat’s own headrest speakers down!
As my hotel was located near the Yau Ma Tei station in the middle of Kowloon island, I decided to avoid Hong Kong Central station and instead get myself used to changing trains on their Metro system by changing at Tsing Yi and Lai King…
Here’s a map of the Hong Kong Metro, so you at least have some idea of what the hell I’m on about.
What I hadn’t accounted for, however, was how I would be arriving right in the middle of morning rush hour, and all the trains were jam-packed full of people. I didn’t manage to get any photos of this as I was too busy trying to find my way through the maze of people, but the amount of people heading toward Hong Kong island was insane.
This train is emptied compared to the first morning. It does make me glad that I didn’t decide to go all the way to Central though!
Anyway, after finding my way to Yay Ma Tei, and then coming out completely the wrong exit for my hotel and having to cross over Nathan Street, I found my hotel within a minute of the station. As it was still early, I had to drop my bags off at concierge, and after a quick change of shirts and quickly grabbing out a bit of cash from my suitcase, I headed off towards my first activity of the trip; Disneyland!
My hotel for the visit; the 4* Cityview hotel located just off the main Nathan Road shopping and dining district of Kowloon island and right next to the Yau Ma Tei Metro station. The hotel had the feel of a fairly luxurious 4* British hotel, but with the price of a 2* British hotel!
I approve of 3D Metro advertising signs!
I also approve of the non-3D signs!
Hong Kong Disneyland is incredibly easy to find with pretty much every Metro station through Kowloon and the main Hong Kong islands having signs for it. After arriving at Sunny Bay, you can jump straight onto the Disneyland Resort line that takes you straight to the park.
You know you’ve found the right train once everything goes Disneyfied!
The inside of the carriages were full of Hidden Mickeys, such as these awesome Mickey rail things.
Proof that I was actually there. I had to wear my Disney shirt for the day.
The carriages also had a few more nice touches, such as these brass figurines lining the sides…
…And photos of Walt showing his love of trains.
Hooray, finally there!
The path towards the entrance was fairly bare but featured these pictures of a ton of Disney characters. Anything with Simba in is good in my books.
Just before the main gates, there is a fountain area featuring all of the Mickey Mouse gang. Here’s Mickey just casually surfing on Monstro’s back… Well, I assume it’s Monstro, but just a bit high?
Goofy is getting the hell away from there!
Disneyland costs around £55 for a one-day ticket and Magic Kingdom costs a little bit more. Hong Kong Disneyland, however, for a park which is just as good as Magic Kingdom and possible a little bit better than Disneyland, is a whopping £20 cheaper at just £35 entrance!
After being more than willing to pay this amazing entrance price, and having budgeted and withdrawn plenty of Hong Kong $ for the trip, I proceeded to hand over my money, only to have it given back to me with the lady pointing out that I had given her the Yuan that I had got out for Shenzhen, and I had actually left all of my money in the hotel!
Err, woops!
So after paying with my card, I was finally in the park!...
Still to come:
Hong Kong Disneyland
Ocean Park
Hong Kong Sight-seeing and shopping