Hong Kong 14 hour layover
Hey there,I'm going to be taking a trip from Toronto, Canada to Sydney, Australia for the month of May (2013). I've got a 14 hour layover in Hong Kong from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm and I was just wondering if that's enough time to get to the city and do anything. I figure I should at least try to see part of the city while I'm there instead of being stuck in the airport for a whole day.
So if 14 hours is enough time, are there any suggestions of what I could do and how I could get there and back to the airport on time?
Thanks for your help!
1
14 hours is plenty of time to do something. But what that something is very much depends on you and your personal likes and dislikes. With a whole day up your sleeve, you could pretty much do anything and you certainly don't want to even consider spending all that time in HK airport. Getting from the airport to central HK (And back) is simple using the Airport Express train so my suggestion would be for you to hop on that as early as you can (Leaving your baggage at the airport or checking it through to your Aussie flight) and then just go for an explore. Go and have Dim Sum somewhere, check out the back-street markets, walk up to Victoria Peak (If you're feeling energetic), have a look around the little temples. Enjoy your day.2
While the airport express train is fast, you get a better view from the buses into town. The route is the same, but the road bridges are higher up than the rail bridges.Alternatively, you could stay on Lamma island (where the airport is). Cross the mountain by bus or cable-car; visit a monastery with a giant Buddha statue and good vegetarian lunches; go down to the beach at Silvermine Bay (Mui Wo)...
3
I recommend that you go to downtown Hong Kong -- it is quite walkable. I did browse the back streets, including open air meat and fish markets. Some very interesting shops. The main streets do have department stores with familiar 5th Avenue, NYC names. Also, the airport does have a Cartier shop and others, so that can also be interesting. I went on a tour that took us on a bayside promenade from which we could see the entire city of Hong Kong just across the water.4
#2 - I presume you meant Lantau Island though, not Lamma .Lantau is nice... scenic, less crowded, and not the clichéd views of Hong Kong that everyone sees. For anyone who has more than two days in H.K. I would highly recommend getting out of the city, and exploring the green expanse that makes up a majority of the city's landmass.
Given just 14 hours... I don't know... i'd be tempted to do the cliché touristy stuff. It would be like arriving in Heathrow and spending the day exploring nearby Kew Gardens instead of going into central London and at least checking out some of Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Tower Bridge etc...
5
As you have limited time, definitely take the Airport Express train downtown. You will have plenty of time to get Dim Sum at City Hall, browse the markets and shops, and visit Victoria Peak.6
Thanks everyone for the input! It seems that going into the downtown area is the best option for the short amount of time I have there. And I'll probably try to visit Victoria Peak. (I'm assuming that the Airport Express train is pretty well marked in the airport.)#1 - You mentioned that I can leave my bag at the airport or check it into my flight... Is there any additional cost for doing this? And are there clearly marked places where I can leave my bag? (Sorry, this is my first time traveling internationally.)
Also, does anyone have any idea how much a day like this would cost in Hong Kong currency? (Airport Express return train ride, a meal or two - nothing fancy, a trip up Victoria Peak, maybe a tour of a Temple or Museum or something.) I figure I should exchange some money before I even get to Hong Kong... just not sure how much.
Thanks again!!
7
A day in Hong KongUse your ATM card to get cash when you arrive at the airport.
A return ticket on the Airport Express is HK$100. See http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/fares_tickets/tf_index.html
Peak Tram is HK$65 return. http://www.thepeak.com.hk/en/5_5_6.asp
Star ferry is from HK$2.50 one way. http://www.starferry.com.hk/services.html#tst2
Museum of History is HK$10. http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/History/en/admissions.php
Dim Sum meal would be around HK$150-200 for two people. http://www.openrice.com/english/restaurant/sr1.htm?dishes_id=1036
Checking in your bags for an onward flight is free of charge (if check in is open). If not open, use left luggage: http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/passenger/arrival/t1/baggage/left-baggage.html
8
Assuming your entire journey Canada - Australia is on one ticket, just check in your bags all the way to Sidney. Say this is what you want when you check in in Toronto, and then forget about your bags until you arrive in Sidney.9
I went to HK on a Visa run from Shenzhen and spent 5 hours total in the country, had a good time, a nice lunch, went to top of VP and walked around the churches and took ferry across bay to the Kowloon area, you could have a lot more fun and see some great parts of the city and enjoy some good food, heck, find a good Spa for a steam and a massage for a few hours, could be ideal. I spent like $30 USD. Its pretty easy to get around HK on public transport/on foot, safe as heck too.12
Another alternative, if its a separate ticket and you can't check in early at the airport, you can check in downtown at Hong Kong station, where you get off the airport express. They allow check-in 12 hours before the flight.
