Thursday, December 03, 2009

Hong Kong Trip Nov '09 (Attractions)

By the time we checked into the hotel room, it was already 3 pm. PaPa went out to buy some bread so we had a light tea-time in the room before going out to explore the city. It gets dark very early (6 pm) in Hong Kong. By 6:30 pm, it's total darkness.

Lan Kwai Fong (LKF)
We took the MTR to let the kids experience taking the train. From Causeway Bay station, we stopped at Central station and walked to LKF. On the way there, we saw a Crocs outlet. I knew the shoes are a little cheaper compared to our home country. For those above RM200, the price difference is bigger. Currently, they've having a promotion where you can be a member if you purchase above HKD800 and you're entitled to a 10% discount instantly (not for latest designs and cartoon designs though). We came out with 3 pairs. By the way, that's not the end of our Crocs purchase. hehehe

The place is not as happening as Bangsar. Not many people there although it was 6+ on a Saturday evening. Still too early?

~ a rather quiet Lan Kwai Fong ~

Repulse Bay
I checked the internet for some tour agency's itinerary. All of them included Repulse Bay as an attraction. So as tourists, we decided to go there as well. I know there's a temple (no joss sticks are allowed) with giant statues of Kuan Yin and other deities.

Surprisingly, the cab driver doesn't know about the temple and he dropped us off at The Repulse Bay, which "houses designer shops and award-winning restaurants and resembles the luxury hotel built in 1920 that originally occupied the site". We asked a guard and he didn't know either. We walked around that place as they were having a carnival. Then we spotted another guard. Luckily he was able to help us and directed us to the beach. The temple is just higher up along that beach. In my opinion, if you don't have time to waste, you can skip Repulse Bay. :D

~ the beach @ Repulse Bay ~

~ the temple @ Repulse Bay ~

The Peak
We took the Peak Tram. Bought tickets that included the Peak Tower Sky Terrace. It's the highest 360° viewing platform in Hong Kong. The view from the platform was magnificent. But very worried for the kids. The fencing is only about 4 feet high. Was holding tightly to didi and kept asking jie jie to stay next to me.

~ view from the Sky Terrace ~

~ sunset @ The Peak ~

~ the wok-like top : Peak Tower Sky Terrace ~

We didn't go into the wax museum (Madame Tussauds). Somehow we're not too interested to take pictures with "fake" famous people. hahaha Moreover, I'm sure the kids wouldn't appreciate it. Might as well save the money. :-) So we just took photos with Bruce Lee at the entrance.

Avenue of Stars & A Symphony of Lights
It was already dark when we reached Avenue of Stars. So we didn't see much of the handprints. The lighting show was quite interesting but spectacular? Not really. Maybe we didn't see it from the best angle. However the kids went "wah... wah...".

After that, we took the ferry back to Hong Kong island. We didn't explore much of Kowloon or the New Territories. That's the only time we stepped foot in Kowloon for the whole trip.

~ night view from Avenue of Stars ~

~ picture taken from the jetty ~

~ picture taken from the ferry ~

Big Buddha
After checking into Disneyland Hotel, our plan was to see the Big Buddha. It's on Lantau Island too. We took the MTR to Tung Chung (from Disneyland to Sunny Bay, then to Tung Chung). Must let the kids (us adults too) experience sitting in the train with Mickey ear windows. We didn't take the cable car (Ngong Ping 360) to the Ngong Ping Village (where the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery is). Instead we took a cab. The road was hilly and winding.

~ Disneyland Resort line train ~

It was a mad rush coz we had late lunch in Tung Chung. And thanks to MY bad planning, we're running late. The Big Buddha closes at 6 pm and the last entry is 5:30 pm. The cab doesn't go all the way in to the gate. We had to walk in. Reached the entrance at about 5:40 and the guards were kind enough to let us in. So it was a quick climb up (268 steps!), took a few photos and we were shooed down shortly (already past their closing time). Didn't even get the chance to circle the platform. In less than 30 minutes, we're back on ground level again. Gosh, that was streneous!

~ steps leading up to Big Buddha ~

Po Lin Monastery also closes at 6 pm and the shops are closed too, it's like a dead place. As there's nothing else to do, we took a bus back to Tung Chung station. There are many factory outlets there so we walked around to kill time before dinner. Saw a Crocs outlet and went in to look see look see. They don't have many choices, mainly the old models. Some with limited sizes. But they're a very good bargain -- about half the price of what we're paying here. Moreover, I got an extra 5% discount as a member. So we left with another 3 pairs (1 for my nephew, WQ). Bought bigger sizes for the kids to keep but I made a mistake of getting a current size for didi. Sigh... his current one was just bought recently. All in all, we bought 6 pairs of Crocs, a crocs o-dial (for keeping handphone) and a packet of jibbitz for RM640. Quite good deal, no? :D

~ clockwise from top left : Baya Kids, Gabby Girls, Beach, crocs o-dial,
jibbitz, Dora Flowers Kids, Crocband and Santa Cruz Corduroy Men ~

~ United Colors of Benetton for jie jie ~

Also bought a long sleeve top and long pants for jie jie (about RM60). We went to a shopping paradise and came back with only Crocs and a pair of clothes. hahaha Seriously, it was no fun shopping with the kids. Can't look at things in peace. We didn't even go to any night markets. On the day we arrived, we went to check out Sogo, which was very near to Park Lane. They were having a Jumbo sale (that weekend was the last 2 days of sale). It was so crowded. We followed the crowd in, just walked one round and couldn't wait to get out. :p It's like things were free of charge!

Next up : Day trip in Macau.

24 comments:

Sasha Tan said...

no wonder MIA so long la..
eh not fair hor.. u blur yr own pic but never blur the kids...

wenn said...

ya..the repulse bay is a fascinating place..

michelle@mybabybay said...

Wow so many crocs!

twin said...

good good bargain. the peak tram scary .. dun think i'll have that courage to travel in that. :)

yatie said...

wau it's a very inteesting holiday in hong kong. ffrankly, if i have a chance i want to go there again... many place haven't discover yet...

btw, it hink it's nrmal for kids to get sick esp when tired . cos my doter had same too but recover few hours later....

looks like u have fun.. i really want to go there again and in my mind hong, shenzen and macau..

donno when can do that wait till the baby out first

LittleLamb said...

next time u can share notes with me..if i plan to go HK with kids...

Nice trip... n more updates soon right

jacss said...

ehh...1 trip u already sounded like an experience visitor to HK edi, u surely had done a lot of homeworks...salute U :D
6pm of course early lar...LKF is famous for night ghost ma, haha
i think u covered more places than my 3 times visit to HK, LOL!
true that thou things can be exp've in HK but certain branding r much more cheaper compare to MY...good buy.
some more visit macau wor...no wonder battery flat lar :D
can't wait for yr disneyland post, hehehe

Family First said...

Wah, you so seh-tak spend Rm640 just on slippers? I would never do that with my money. I kinda kiam-sap on branded stuff.

Oliveoylz said...

LKF only comes alive after 7pm, ma...it gets pretty crowded, the later the better...

That sure is a collection of crocs you have there! You bought crocs to last you for the next 5 years! Daddy's and didi's crocs color very sharp! Vermillion! Nice:)

You did very well, covered many places with 2 kids! Very geng! Didn't bring stroller for didi ah? Spotted you carrying didi at LKF...Grow muscles edi huh?

Btw, it's impressive how u climbed 536 steps up and down in 30 minutes with 2 kids somemore!!! All the food you ate won't make u fat with this kinda exercise :)

wen said...

ya, no fun at all shopping with kids. our eyes are on the kids instead of the stuffs we wanna buy.
LKF no ppl? no busines ah? too early la, 6pm wor.. shd go ther around midnight and u see tons of drunkards there! haha!

isee many smiley faces in the photos. u must be very happy hor that u turned yellow..

Mummy Gwen said...

Wow..you really did your homework. You know so many places..very geng. Can you read Chinese? Wah..so many Crocs..they are really nice.

Dora said...

Yeah I guess 6pm++ is too early@Lan Kwai Fong to see the crowd. I'm waiting u to post about the exploration in Disneyland! hehehe...

Gabriel said...

haha...nice! thanks for the tips.how long you were there?

slavemom said...

Sasha, not fair? Too bad loh, coz they don't hv a say here. HAHAHA *evil mommy laugh*

Wenn, read that The Verandah is vy nice restaurant.

Mich, how come I still feel we din buy enuff? Siao liao. :D

Twin, it's definitely not as scary as cable cars.

Yatie, ur recent trip was mainly spent in Disneyland, so I guess u din hv much time to explore HK.

Rachel, sure, np.

Jac, ya lor, the trip to Macau was quite hectic.

Family First, actually I'm a kiam-sap person too. But since it's suitable for the kids, buy for them loh. :)

Olive, 5 yrs? No lah, kids outgrow their shoes vy fast. That orangy one is not PaPa's. It's for my nephew in Pg. :)
Din bring the stroller. Too troublesome. Muscles... dun think so. Backache... definitely! hehehe

Wen, hv to be vy happy loh, spent so much $ edi. :p

Mummy Gwen, I can't read Chinese but hubs can.

Dora, I'll try to rush up my homework yeah. ;)

SJ, we definitely did.

Gabriel, we were there for 7D/6N.

Cynful Pleasure said...

Nice holiday!!! and they enjoy themselves very much!!

Lyne said...

Love your day-time outdoor pictures!

Serene said...

Wow, very nice shopping and sightseeing at Hong Kong. I likes all the photos here, especially the night scent taken at the jetty, very clear and nice. May i know what camera you're using?

andrewjune said...

CROCS are so nice! what a GREAT bargain in HK! i want to buy too when i go HK...hahaha...but i dont know when...

thks for shraing all the nice photos!

Annie Q said...

wow wow wow!! Have not been here a while, just read your post on your HK trip. Looks so much fun! You cover a lot places lei, travel by taxi is so expensive in HK, that's why we choose to travel by MTR. When i was in HK on april, there was a time my boys fall sleep in the MTR, too tired from Disney trip, i have to carry Fearles down from MTR and walk, but after that i manage to "bribe" him with some toys and sweet, and he walk. hahahahha.

Irene said...

yeah man, need yr HK notes. u really siao CROCS wei, so cheap meh. hehe!

jazzmint said...

slurp..looking at the avenue of star reminds me of GOL movie where terrence was standing there with gigi LOL.

Wah liao eh woman, u are a reall crocs fan!!

Sarah's Daddy and Mommy said...

Ai seh mommy, cannot see your pretty face.

slavemom said...

Cynthia, tiring but fun!

Lyne, thx for dropping by!

Serene, I'm using Nikon D40, an entry level DSLR.

June, maybe ur next hol destination? Rachael wud def love Disneyland. :)

Annie, I really tak larat carry my boy for long. If need to, hubs will be the one to carry. hehehe

Irene, actually can oso get this kind of bargain during their WHS. sigh...

Jazz, really? Forgot that scene edi loh.

Joanne, me shy shy mah. :)

Mummy Moon said...

The sunset shot is so nice, and I like all the night view shots as well. The crocs are good buy eh!