Hong Kong - At last!
Cathay Pacific are a wonderful airline - we flew economy there and back and it was probably the most comfortable economy seating I've ever experienced.
I was there for 4 nights - staying in The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Hong Kong Island. This hotel is very well located for access to shops, bars, restaurants and the different transport networks. Rooms are really nice and comfortable and now they offer a smartphone service with every room so you can always be online - whether inside or outside of the hotel. I found this invaluable as I was able to keep on top of work while out and about. Breakfast in the hotel had everything to offer you could want and more.
Hong Kong Island, in my opinion, has a slightly more Western feel. Times Square shopping area (maximum 10 minutes' walk from hotel) has all sorts of shops and restaurants that you could want. We enjoyed a night out in Wan Chai area and sampled a typical karaoke bar - great fun! Our first full day (Friday) gave us the chance to see a few parts of HK. In the morning we visited Stanley to check out their market and the promenade with its cafes dotted along... a really nice peaceful place to sit, relax and enjoy a morning coffee. From there we headed to 'The Peak', a tram journey up to a look out point that affords fabulous views.
Lunchtime on the Friday we enjoyed a feast at the Dorsett Mongkok hotel in their Thai restaurant, Thai Pad and had a tour of the hotel - it is really well located and the rooms are really pleasant. Great for families as well. We then had some free time so I headed to the 'Ladies Market' area in Mongkok and eventually we made our way back over to Hong Kong Island by the MTR, the underground train service. It is very inexpensive - a one way journey from Kowloon over to Hong Kong Island cost little more than £1.
Saturday we had a tour planned through the HKTB - 'Sai Kung Coastal Treasures Tour' This gave us the chance to change pace and relax on a boat cruise around the coast - we were able to get off and visit a traditional temple, and ended up in Sai Kung - a traditional fish market town. The promenade was full of fresh fish stalls and bustling local restaurants filled with families and friends chatting together - a really nice place. We were treated to a fabulous lunch banquet in Loaf On restaurant. Dinner on Saturday was over in Lan Kwai Fong area of Hong Kong Island - the place to be on a Saturday night full of hustle & bustle.
Sunday gave us a chance to take another tour run by the HKTB - this time the 'Revitalization Experience'. We got to visit a museum that showed different Hong Kong housing developments through time and also make some of our own handicrafts at a local art college workshop. After the Tour we got to visit the Jade Market.
Our trip was coming to an end so on Sunday night we dined in Nan Hai No. 1 over on Nathan Road, Kowloon. The restaurant has an outside balcony where we watched the light show from (this runs every night at 8pm). Dining out in HK is a very popular thing to do - with lots of courses to share. We sampled some Peking Duck along with lots of other delights. Once dinner was over we headed to the Star Ferry Terminal that runs between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island - and headed over to our hotel. The crossing was less than £1 and took about 15 minutes or so - it was lovely to be out on the water and get the views of all around. We got off at the Wan Chai stop and The Cosmopolitan Hotel was only about 20 minutes' walk from there - very handy. It was then time to get packed as an early call was awaiting us the next day to start the journey home.
My overall experience of Hong Kong can be summed up in one word - fabulous! I cannot wait to go back and bring my family. It has so much more to offer than what I ever thought it would. There are beaches dotted around that are lovely to go and relax at. There are places like Stanley and Sai Kung where you can take a day out to relax and slow down the pace a bit. Getting around is really easy and there are multiple types of public transport you can use. Hong Kong is not just a 'stopover' destination on your way to somewhere else - it is a holiday spot in its own right. I would most definitely recommend to go for a week at least and even make a two-centre holiday out of it - stay in Kowloon part of the time and Hong Kong Island part of the time - and see the difference in the two areas for yourself.
The Cosmopolitan Hotel and their sister hotel The Dorsett Mongkok are great hotels for the budget conscious traveller without having to sacrifice on quality. If you have any questions on Hong Kong - or would like me to put an itinerary together for you - please just ask! Flying time took about 12 hours from London and you are 8 hours ahead of UK time, so it is a journey. My best advice if you are going is to take a comfortable pair of walking shoes, a camera and an open mind - and just enjoy every single thing you get to see and do.