Hong Kong Tour: A Beautiful Travel Experience

I visited Hong Kong twice when I was still in Manila, Philippines. Hong Kong is just approximately one and half hour away from Manila, it is like eating the snack at the airplane, then you just sit for the next one and half hour and then you look at the airplane windows and then you can see the skyline of Hong Kong. I never blink and definitely smile, I know I am off to a good visit. Approaching Hong Kong through the airplane when you look at the airplane windows is amazing as you can see the tower buildings, water surroundings and the never ending commercial places -- the skyscrapers. I was joyful because I needed a break at that time from work, studies and children. I was sitting down at the plane thinking I will really have a good time, and I did.

Joining a tour is cheaper

My Hong Kong trips were beautiful travel experiences. I joined a tour because it is cheaper that way, supposedly, and yes it is really cheaper than buying your plane tickets, hotel accommodations, food etc. on your own for the next five days. When you buy a tour ticket, all the necessary preparations like board and lodging, airfare is already included, all you need to do is pay the amount and wait for instructions from the travel agent. No problem with Hong Kong visa either, they are willing to give you visa when you arrived there as they welcome tourist and the money they bring in. I bought a five day four nights ticket at the amount of 400 USD dollars. It fetches price from 400 to 500 USD now from Manila, Philippines.

One disadvantage of tour is that you are bound to the schedule of the tour group and mealtimes. The second time I went to Hong Kong I went on my own without a tour group.

Now let's talk a little bit about Hong Kong's history, government and culture. Hong Kong is one of the two special regions administered by China together with Macau. It is located on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl Delta River and South China Sea. According to resources "wikipedia" -- "the name "Hong Kong" is an approximate phonetic rendering of the Cantonese pronunciation of the spoken Cantonese or Hakka name, meaning "fragrant harbour" in English".

Overview of Hong Kong's Government, History and Culture

• Hong Kong was a sovereign of The United Kingdom from the time of Opium war 1842 until 1997 when they gave the sovereign to Peoples Republic of China. They were colonized by the Japanese from 1941 to 1945.
• Hong Kong has an increasing multi-party system, half of the member of legislature is controlled by very few.
• The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, the head of government, is selected by a 800-person election committee.
• With the principle "one country, two systems", Hong Kong is different from Mainland China
• Hong Kong is one of the world's leading international financial centre
• Hong Kong is a capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation, free trade and minimum government intervention under the ethos of Positive positive non - interventionism.
• The value of the Hong Kong Dollar is the 9th most traded currency in the world.
• Global center of trade
• it is a place where the East meets the West like Singapore, the culture is mixed -- Oriental and Western

High Place like Victoria Peak--high place where you can view Hong Kong on the top where you can ride the cable car.

• Skycraper -- Hong Kong is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour.
• There are 7,000 plus skyscrapers in Hong Kong, putting the city at the top of world rankings.A prominent landmark on Hong Kong Island, International finance Center (IFC consists of two tall skyscrapers, the IFC Mall, and the 55-storey Four seasons Hotel at Hong Kong.
• At night there are establishments where you can dine atop the skyline where you can see Hong Kong at places, I don't need to look at the glass outside, all I did was sit down, I have fear of heights.
• Hong Kong has a high population density

Restaurants are world class-- Asian cuisine, Chinese food, mixed Asian and Western. There are also numerous western restaurants everywhere where they serve everything Continental and Western menu, but of course you would like to taste the Asian cuisine-- Chinese.

The Avenue of Stars :

• I like this avenue, this is an avenue fronting the harbour in honor of Hong Kongs famous people in the entertainment world. As we all know several respected stars in Hollywood have originated in Hing Kong cinema like, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat. A number of Hong Kong film-makers have also achieved widespread fame in Hollywood, such as John Woo, Wong Kar- wai and Stephen Chow. This place is beautiful and night and many people are there just sitting down across the bay.

Parks and Wildlife :

• Ocean park/Oceanarium
• Zoological and Botanical gardens

Places I visited when I was in Hong Kong

Shopping Capital of Asia

• Manila, Philippines like Hong Kong is a good destination for women, now I know that before I went there, shopping capital I like to say that because you can buy expensive and cheap items form all the signature items a woman loves, shoes clothes, jewelries, you name it.
• They have shopping centres and complex which are interconnected buildings, shopping galore.
• The night market at Stanley and Yau Ma Tai where you can buy all cheapest items for souvenirs
• Electronics, new gadgets, CDs are everywhere, laptops are also cheaper

These are the top shopping malls although you can find hundreds of them scattered around at Hong Kong

• MegaBox
• Sin Tat Plaza
• Argyle Centre
• Lang Ham Place

Transportation system

• Hong Kong is modern and the transportation system is one of the highly developed in the world. People in Hong Kong used public transportation system, 90 percent of people. They use the Hong Kong Tramways or MTR. All you need to do is buy the Octopus Card and you can ride the train on and off the different places around Hong Kong.
• Tour of Hong Kong using the Star Ferry -- The Star Ferry service, founded in 1888, operates four lines across The Harbor -- Victoria Harbour that provides scenic views of Hong Kong's skyline for its 50,000 plus daily passengers.

Culture and Arts Places worthy of visit

• Hing Kong Arts Center
• Fung Ping Shan Museum
• University Museum and Art Gallery

Hong Kong Disneyland at Lantau Hong Kong

• It is the smallest DisneyLand. The park consists of four themed lands similar to other Disneyland parks: Main Strret, U.S. A Fantasy land, Tommorowland and Adventureland. You can ride the train MTR when you would like to go there if you are at the mainland Hong Kong.

Other Travel Links:

Tips on traveling for vacation

What travelling can do to a person

My wish list of places to visit Part II

My wish list of places to visit Part I

Travel to the southeast asia

Travels in Europe

Prettydarkhorse's Travel HUBS

PHILIPPINES HUBS

• Philippines-Pearl of the Orient seas
• “Panagbenga“ : Flower festival in the summer capital of the Philippines -- Baguio City

• Boracay White Beach, Philippines -- One of the Worlds Best

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