Hong Kong holiday

Hong Kong holiday guide I swear by DK Eyewitness guides. Not only for pre-trip planning...but for use on location. Both domestic and international (own the typical...Italy, France, etc). For my China / Hong Kong trip, I am disappointed that a guide for China is not available. However....the "top ten" version makes up partially for my loss. The top ten guide provides a very focused tutorial for my 3 day stay. Allows me to strategically have the best use of my time and help me understand the less obvious. Not only descriptive...but pictorially. I plan to buy more "top ten" guides. For my mainland China guide...I bought the National Geograpic Traveler China guide. The next best thing to the DK Eyewitness series. Highly recommended... Nat'l Geo quality with a hint of DK. Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides: Hong Kong (Eyewitness Travel Top 10) Product Description A better value than all the competition, these pocket travel guides offer travelers the insight of local experts to easily plan the perfect trip. Take the work out of planning any trip with DK's Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides. Branded with DK's trusted and familiar "Eyewitness" style, these compact guides make finding the best every destination has to offer easier than ever before! Perfect for business travel and vacation, searching for the finest cuisine or the least expensive places to eat, the most luxurious hotels or the best deals on places to stay, the best family destination or the hottest nightspot, Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides provide current, useful information based on the insight of local experts to find the best of everything that each destination has to offer. " Pretty good little book for first time travelers. I bought this book and took it with me when I was in Hong Kong last month. You can just throw in your backpack while in Hong Kong and use it when needed." " I guess I simply don't like the top 10 style compared to the typical style of the Eyewitess Guides. This is just not as well organized or easy to find information in. Plus you miss out on things you may enjoy but are not considered Top 10. The regular Eyewitness Guides are great!" Read another guide Day 1 This guide covers my vacation to Hong Kong in July 2007. I touched down at the airport in the afternoon and my first destination was Causeway Bay Times Square shopping mall, a mega shopping complex with hundreds of shops for your retail therapy. I just had to fill my stomach first so in I went into a chic looking Japanese restaurant for my first meal of the trip. It's dark inside with red lighting and decoration, creating a soothing feel, and serving decent fusion food with reasonable prices. I had a smoked salmon pizza before going on to explore the shops there. By evening, I decided to head for The Peak. You can't say you've been to Hong Kong if you have not been up to The Peak. I took the Peak Tram leading to The Peak, and the tram ride is very, very steep going up. However the tram never had an accident in its years of service (since 1888), and that's indeed a calming thought throughout the journey. The views at the top of the Peak are awesome. You can see the outline of the island and opposite it, the Kowloon mainland. It's the best place to see Hong Kong in one good look, with the neon lights at their colorful best. There are plentiful of restaurants at The Peak, with choices for everyone ranging from Chinese to Japanese, Indian and Western cuisines. Some restaurants even offer stunning views from their location. The Peak provides a nice ambience and enough activities for one to spend a pleasant night away at one of the tallest point in Hong Kong. Day 2 The second day begins with a hearty breakfast opposite the hotel in a 'cha can teng' (Hong Kong restaurant). Their menu is certainly overwhelming with choices. With over 100 dishes to choose from, there's bound to be something you can't wait to try. After breakfast, sight seeing starts from Jordan to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST). I bought a few things along the way, all the while trying to avoid dripping water from the air condition ducts of the buildings. This is the one single thing I don't like about Hong Kong. You really have to be on the lookout and stay vigilant to avoid the dripping water. I did so by looking out for the puddles of water along the pavements. But it can get tiring sometimes. Shopping on a Sunday at the shopping malls practically means crowds everywhere. For those who wish to bring your children to Teddy Bear Kingdom at Tsim Sha Tsui, the place is now closed and only a small exhibition of bears is available on the top floor. By afternoon, I took the MTR to Mong Kok, and headed straight to the Ladies' Street and Sportswear Street nearby. I tried the famous desserts at Hui Lau Shan dessert shop before taking the train back to Tsim Sha Tsui in the evening for the laser show at the Avenue of Stars. Personally I feel the laser show is over hyped, but the night view of the harbour-front is a must-see. It's simply romantic. Day 3 Day 3 started early with a trip to the Tian Tan Buddha at Lantau Island. I took the MTR to Tung Chung station, before changing to bus No. 23 to Ngong Ping village. The cable car service which was recently launched, was suspended due to an accident involving a falling cable car during maintenance. That is a pity as the view from the gondola is supposed to be magnificent. The bus ride took about 45 minutes, and brought visitors to the foot of the long stairs where the hugh Buddha sits. This place is crowded on weekends, and it's the largest outdoor Buddha you can find anywhere (so says its website). Just beside Tung Chung MTR is the City Gates shopping complex. In it houses Nike, Adidas, Timberland, Esprit, Columbia, Body Shop factory outlets, all offering great discounts. I did some shopping there before calling it a day and head for Disneyland. Most fortunate, at Disneyland's entrance, they have an item deposition counter where visitors can deposit heavy bags and luggage before entering the theme park. Hong Kong Disneyland is divided into Fantasyland, Pirateland, Tomorrowland, and Main Street, U.S.A. There are thrilling rides to pump up your adrenalin levels, and street entertainment where anything can happen. Don't be surprised if a trash can suddenly talks, or a musical extravaganza suddenly taking place on the streets. There are plenty of charming shops and restaurants inside the resort, so anyone can easily spend a full day here. The best part is to witness the night sky come alive with dazzling pyrotechnics at 9pm everyday. Amazing fireworks explode to the choreographed sounds of classic Disney music. It's an awesome display that's not to be missed. Day 4 Day 4 is a tour of HK Island. I went from Central to Admiralty, and finally to Wan Chai. I walked a long way to find the famous dim sum restaurant at Central, the Maxim's Place City Hall. But it's well worth it. They are still serving dim sum in the traditional push-cart way, and stamping our card with little stamp chops. And I thought I can only see that happening on TV. At Wan Chai, there's the modern Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, with the Bauhinia Square in front of it. It is one of the most prominent landmarks in Victoria Harbour, and it was where the significant hand-over of Hong Kong to China in 1997 took place. By the time of departure, I was still craving for the pork chop burger that was just so delicious, but that had to wait till I make another visit to the city again. Having a desire to know the world, Hosh loves traveling and digging deep into other countries' cultures, food, lifestyles and attitudes, infusing herself with the spirit and soul of each foreign place. Go out explore the earth, it will not be a wasted trip on this planet, she believes. For more information on cheap airfares and hotels, head on to http://www.getcheapholidays.com