Trip to Macau and Hongkong- Day 8, Part 2 Ladies Market, Mongkok & Bidding Adieu to Hongkong

                                   Hongkong Macau Travel Blog

The ladies market is located on the Tung Choi Street in Mongkok which is part of Old Hongkong. This whole place is so lively, colorful at all times and is one of the most densely populated areas in Hongkong.



The ladies market is famous especially for leather goods, apparels, souvenirs and good street food all at very affordable prices.. The market is flooded with small shops all selling almost similar items but at different prices, hence one needs to be careful that we do not overpay for any item.  There is also a flower market & gold fish market close by to ladies market, but we did not have time to check them out.

Mongkok Market, Hongkong- How to get there?

The ladies market is about 5 mins walk from Mongkok , Mongkok East & Yau Ma Tei stations. Depending on the line you take you can get down at any of the 3 stations & follow the exit signs leading to Ladies Market.

Crowded Street outside Bonjour

Mongkok Market Hongkong-What I bought from Ladies Market ?

1.  A clutch
2.  A pair of bead studded slippers for HKD 100 (refer to my post here) (wondering y I stopped with one as they are extremely comfortable)
3.  4 Hongkong T shirts for Women for HKD 100
4.  5 Hongkong T shirts for Men for HKD 100
5.  Some souvenirs

My Clutch

T Shirts

Footwear

Above 2 Photos Courtesy : Internet

General Shopping Tips in Hongkong :

1. Branded perfumes are a much cheaper there than India especially brands  such as Estee Lauder & Dior.
2. You need to start  bargaining from at least half the price of what is quoted in the local street markets which will allow you to get a good deal. 
3. Bonjour & Sasa have sample branded perfumes for sale.. Those who want to try out many brands can buy them.
4. Face masks are a must buy from Bonjour.
5. Skincare products are better than cosmetics in Hongkong.

Post a lot of walking and shopping we were really tired and thirsty and what better way to quench your thirst than a delightfully fresh juice. Litchi is our favorite fruit and the litchi juice we had from one of the shops tasted heavenly. Really could not stop with one :) … 

Crossing the Victoria Harbour  by Ferry:

This is one among the most recommended things to do while in Hongkong and we were unable to do the same during our first day due to foggy / smoggy weather. Thankfully we finally got the opportunity to cross the Harbour while heading back to the hotel. We took the ferry from the Hongkong side to Kowloon and thanks to the clear conditions we enjoyed some breathtaking views of the Hongkong skyline during the 10 minute ride. Really something not to miss and if I had more time would have done it again and again!!!

Maritime Museum

Skyline view from ferry

We went back to the Hotel, collected our luggage from the concierge & took the shuttle to the Kowloon station to take the Airport Express train to the Airport…

I felt terrible to leave this lovely country and to get back to work the next day after such a beautiful vacation.

Hongkong Airport Express Train:

The Hongkong International airport is located on Lantau Island and it might take more than an hour to reach by taxi or bus. So we decided to take the Airport Express train from Kowloon which would reach the Airport in half an hour. Like in Delhi  we can check in our baggage at any of the stations where Airport Express Train stops ( Hongkong, Kowloon and Tsing Yi ). We checked in our luggage at the Cathay Pacific counter in the Kowloon MTR and proceeded to the Airport Express Train & reached the Airport pretty early.

Hongkong Airport Express Train

Photo Courtesy : Internet

Hongkong International Airport (also known as Chek Lap Kok Airport ) is one of the busiest airports in the world with 66 boarding gates and a lot of branded shops to shop from. We spent our rest of the time walking around the Airport & I had tears in my eyes with  the trip finally came to an end at 10 : 35 pm when the flight took off...

Coming up next in Travel section : My Trip To Maldives

Trip to Macau & Hongkong - Day 8, Part1 - Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens Hongkong

Trip to Macau & Hongkong Day 8 – Part 1, Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens

Hongkong Macau Travel Blog

Our last day in Hongkong dawned bright and sunny and what a week it has been. This small little country has really captured my imagination and I have enjoyed every minute of my stay here. On our last day we had loads planned as our flight was only departing at 10 :30 in the night.

So after a relaxing early morning swim and some light snacks (we were saving up for the big lunch) we checked out and bid farewell to Eaton Hongkong. Eaton Hongkong is probably not the most luxurious we have stayed at, but we did enjoy our 5 day stay.

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden Hongkong :

A serene 33000 sq ft lush garden built in 1934 with a Nunnery, Buddhist Temple and vegetarian restaurant located among the hustle & bustle of the Kowloon city. The entire Nunnery and Nan Lian garden Hongkong was built based on Tang Dynasty Architecture where no iron nails were used & the complete structure was made using wood.

An oasis at the center of the city- All lush and green

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens Hongkong- How to get there?

The best way to get there is via the MTR. From any destination take the MTR to Diamond Hill station which is on Kwun Tong Line.  Entrance to garden is about 5 minutes walk from exit C2 (Plaza Hollywood) at 60 Fung Tak Road (under flyover). There are tourist direction signs from the station exit. 

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Gardens-Our Experience: (Spiritual though)

The minute we stepped into the Chi Lin Nunnery, the sounds of the road faded away & we heard mild traditional Chinese instrumental music which was so pleasant and the whole thing seemed like a dream. There were lily ponds, bonsai trees & some rocks placed with artificial geyser. What more do we need for the finale :)

Hubby in front of geyser

Inside Nan Lian Gardens

Hall of Celestial Kings

We took some pics around the Nan Lian Gardens with the sky scrapping buildings as background and the Hall of Celestial kings where statues of Sakyamuni Buddha are located. We prayed in the temple & roamed around the Lotus Pond & took beautiful pictures. We had an excellent lunch at the vegetarian restaurant inside the Nunnery which served Authentic Chinese Veg food. The backdrop of the restaurant was an artificially created small waterfall. It looked as though we were sitting a midst mountains.

Amazing views of surrounding landscape

Veg Restaurant is behind the Waterfall

We left the place after spending sometime there & headed to Mongkok for some shopping in the Ladies Market….

Stay Tuned Ladies  :)

Trip to Macau & Hongkong- Day 7, Part 2-Tsim Sha Tsui , Central & Times Square

Hongkong Macau Travel Blog

Well day 7 was fully about shopping and where better to get some cosmetics than at Tsim sha Tsui, Central and Causeway Bay in Hongkong.  After a really good lunch at Stanley Market Hongkong we were a little tired and after some rest headed straight off to continue our shopping spree

Tsim Sha Tsui Hongkong :

Shopping at Tsim Sha Tsui was initially not a part of our plans, but we had seen some great Bonjour and Sasa showrooms very close to Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station exit and decided to give it a go. This turned out to be a very good choice as we later found out that shops in Central and Causeway Bay were more expensive.

Hongkong is such a bustling place and there is no better place that truly captures its spirit than Tsim Sha Tsui either in the day or night. If you do not like crowds and colourful signs this may not be the place, but for us it was such a great experience as we loved the vibrant atmosphere.

Tsim Sha Tsui- Outside i-Square Mall

To take a look at my Hongkong Cosmetic Haul please click here.

Hongkong Central :

The name says it all.Central is really the centre of Hongkong where all the fun and excitement is. We took the MTR from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central and as soon as you exit the MTR station the first thing you notice is the remarkable change in the architecture of the buildings as compared to the Kowloon side, as beautiful skyscrapers dot the skyline to rival any city in the world. 

Beautiful Skyline

Obviously the 2 standout buildings are the IFC 1 and IFC 2 ( International Financial Center ) towers with IFC 2 having a huge mall and the famous Apple store.

IFC 2

Apple Store

We did some window shopping and my husband spent time at the Apple store but we noticed that most of the goods were quite costly. But we did find time to take some beautiful snaps of Central.

Causeway Bay and Times Square Hongkong :

The next stop after Central was Causeway Bay and Times Square and we took a bus from outside the Central MTR station & headed towards Causeway Bay. You can also reach Causeway Bay by taking the MTR from Central. If you want to experience the Hongkong Tramways, trams travelling to/from Western Market, Kennedy Town, Shau Kei Wan, North Point and Causeway Bay stop on Yee Wo Street about 5 minutes walk from the Times Square.

Me outside Hysan Place Caueway Bay

We first got down at Sogo Departmental Store Hongkong, which was considered as one of the better shopping centres in that locality that offers good deals. Unfortunately we really did not find many good deals when we visited, but however it was a great experience visiting the place.

In front of Sogo

The famous Times Square mall Hongkong is just walking distance away from Sogo Departmental Store and the whole region is modeled around Times Square Newyork. .Though it may not be as glitzy as the original version, the whole area is really abuzz and colorful with large number of shops along the sidewalk. There are also a variety of street food and juice shops that you probably would feel tempted to try. We visited the Times Square mall Hongkong where we had our dinner at the food court post which we did some cosmetic and dress shopping at the mall.

Times Square

And finally after a really long day we took the MTR back to our usual Jordan MTR station,  headed back to the hotel drop dead tired and feeling really sad that we would be leaving this beautiful country the next day. 

Trip to Macau and Hongkong – Day 7- Part 1, Stanley market and Shopping Tips

Hongkong Macau Travel Blog

Now comes the most interesting day for me.. Yeah you guessed it right- Shopping !!!! 

Long list of items to be purchased, mixed feelings inside me since only one more day in Hong Kong but the LONG WAIT (for shopping) of 6 days comes to an end because we were heading to Stanley Market.

About Stanley Market Hongkong :

Stanley market is one among the best shopping spots in Hongkong where we get a lot of local merchandise at great prices.The market is located in a region called Stanley which is along the coast overlooking the ocean. The Waterfront Promenade is an excellent location for taking pictures & trying out different street food at several restaurants. The journey to Stanley Market is extremely scenic with winding roads , posh houses and a beautiful bay view as you travel.

Stanley Market Hongkong- How to get there?

The best and probably the most scenic way to reach Stanley market is by using the bus services from outside the Central MTR station. Citybus services 6, 6A, 6X and 260 from Exchange Square Bus Terminus (MTR Central Station Exit B) on Hong Kong Island serve Stanley Village Bus Terminus for Stanley Market.  The bus that we travelled was  Bus no 6 which travels a very scenic route via Wan Chai, Stubbs Road, then climbs high up through Wong Nai Chung Gap and skirts the Tai Tam Country Park with some spectacular views before descending to Repulse Bay and following the coastal road to Stanley. The bus journey takes approximately 50 minutes.

View from Bus

Stanley Market-The Waterfront:  

As soon as you arrive at the Stanley Market bus stop , follow the signs ( which are not hard to miss )  to reach the waterfront , It takes a good 5 min walk to reach the waterfront  and the first thing you notice is a beautiful boardwalk lined with trees , benches , souvenir shops and restaurants to grab a quick bite as you enjoy the views. Do not miss to relish the gelato ice cream as you slowly walk along the pier & take photos that can be cherished forever.

Beautiful pathway

The Ocean

Stanley Market Shopping:

Walk to the left of the Promenade at Stanley Market Hongkong  & you will find small shops in alleyways (reminding you of Diagon Alley from the famous Harry Potter) ranging from souvenirs, dresses and good quality leather goods. I had read reviews before my visit & was prepared for haggling but reviewers had warned about rude shopkeepers. I was a little apprehensive about bargaining at Stanley Market Hongkong , but saw many of them do that & became quite comfortable after that. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the shopkeepers who were very friendly & were ready to give discounts.

Stanley Market-What we purchased:

1. 4 excellent quality handbags (2 for HKD 180) 
2. 4 T-shirts for HKD 100 
3. 5 Hongkong printed T-Shirts for HKD 100.

 There is yet another small bag inside this which can be detached too :)

Stanley Market Hongkong- Shopping Tips:

• Start bargaining from at least half the price of what the shopkeepers quote at all shops at Stanley Market
• Try to be polite to them & do not argue much. If they are not willing to reduce the price, kindly walk out. You will surely find the same stuff elsewhere.
• Please keep track of the route inside the Stanley market or you are sure to lose your way ( All streets look similar). 
• Be careful of your belongings as it can get a little crowded during weekends.
• Do not forget to carry your swimming trunks/ suits as the water at Repulse Bay is really tempting for a dip.

Stanley Market Hongkong- Good Indian Lunch Destination: 

There is no shortage of good restaurants at Stanley but we had developed a huge longing for Indian food & decided to eat at CURRY TIFFIN, a small restaurant that serves Authentic Indian food. The restaurant is a little difficult to find as there are not many signs but you can take the help of shopkeepers who seems to know the place.

We had a sumptuous lunch & headed back to the bus stop to go to Repulse Bay beach. I would surely recommend this restaurant for people going to Stanley Market.

Repulse Bay Beach:

On our way back to the Hotel, we alighted at the Repulse Bay beach (which was once a place most sought after by pirates), took a stroll in the beach and watched the locals enjoy their Sunday afternoon with kids playing around. We could spot The Ocean Park rides from here. The repulse bay area has the Hongkong’s most expensive houses and resorts next to The Peak.

Repulse Bay Beach

Stanley Market Hongkong- General Tip:

All litchi lovers, do try out the litchi juice available in the Stanley Market..

Trip to Macau & Hongkong - Day 6, Part 2 - Victoria Peak & Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Hongkong

Victoria Peak & Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Hongkong

We left the Ngong Ping village in the cable car, came back to our room, relaxed for a while. In the evening we decided to go to the Victoria Peak to enjoy the views of the skyline from the peak which is one of the must do things in Hongkong.

Victoria Peak & Madame Tussauds Wax Museum Hongkong- How to get there?

We took the Tsuen Wan Line to Admiralty Station from Jordan MTR. We followed the exit instructions in the station & walked about 15 minutes to reach the lower Peak tram station.

Hongkong Tramways

The best way to reach or rather the most sought after mode of transport to the Victoria Peak is the peak tram. 

What is the Victoria Peak and the Peak Tram ? 

Victoria Peak is a mountain in the western half of the Hongkong Island and is popularly known as the Peak. For long it has been the abode to Europen Elite and now to the most affluent of Hongkong due to its panoramic views and pleasant climate.  

View of Hongkong Skyline from Peak

Hongkong Peak Tram is probably the cheapest and most beautiful way to reach the top and one among the things to do in Hongkong. The views of the Hongkong Island and skyline is breathtaking as the tram ascends slowly to the Peak. The Tram service is in operation for 120 years and the return fare for an adult is 40 HKD 

When we reached the lower peak terminus at around 5 in the evening we noticed that the queue was so long that it would have taken us close to 2.5 hours just to take the tram. We hired a cab from the lower terminus and paid HKD 100 & reached The Peak in about 20 minutes. But missing out on the peak tram journey is something we regret. 

Peak Tram Hongkong

  Photo Courtesy: www.citytraveltips.com

Victoria Peak-At the Top  : 

At the top there is the peak tram station, Peak Tower mall which has the Madame Tussuads Wax Msueum , Sky Terrace 42B viewing deck and the Peak Galleria Shopping mall. The visibility was quite poor that day and hence did not get the best view of the skyline. We instead roamed around the mall near The Peak Galleria & visited the Madame Tussauds Museum.

At the Top- Victoria Peak

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum : 

The world famous wax museum located at the highest point of Hongkong – The Peak, housing wax statues of over 100 world renowned celebrities. This was our first ever visit to any Madame Tussauds and we were excited to see how life like all the statues looked. 

Hubby with Princess Diana-  Madamme Tussauds Hongkong

Big B- Madamme Tussauds Hongkong

The tickets are a little pricey at HKD 225 per person and the wax statues are arranged on themes such as Hongkong Glamour, Historical & National Heroes, Music Icons, The Champions and World Premiere. Some of the notable celebrities include Hugh Jackman, Iron Man, Amitabh Bachan, Barrack Obama Princess Diana , Albert Einstein, Johny Depp, Bruce Lee, Yao Ming, George Bush, Mohammad Ali , and Mahatma Gandhi to name a few. We spent an hour taking pics next to all the statues & had a great time as all of the statues were so life like. 

 Madamme Tussauds Hongkong- Thats Meee with Marilyn Monroe

                                   

 Madamme Tussauds Hongkong- Mr. Obama

We had dinner at McDs at the Peak Galleria Shopping centre and took a bus back to Admiralty station, to take the MTR back to Jordan. 

Hongkong Victoria Peak and Peak Tram-Tips : 

1. If you are planning to visit on weekends do reach the lower Peak terminus early. We reached around 5 in the evening and there was a waiting time of 2.5 hours for the tram. 
2. Quite an obvious one , but do only go to the peak on a clear day as the fog/ smog can really spoil your views of the skyline. 
3. Do sit on the right side of the tram to have better views ( Read this in many blogs ). 
4. Spending extra money at Sky Terrace 42B for access to the viewing deck is not worthwhile as you can enjoy the same view for free from the top of the Peak Galleria Shopping mall.  
5. Do try out the the bakery at the Peak Galleria Shopping mall as the egg tarts were very tasty there. 

It was a long tiring day and as the trip was coming to an end in 2 more days we were really sad to leave Hongkong.

Trip to Macau & Hongkong - Day 6, Part 1- Lantau Island, Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastry

Lantau Island and Big Buddha 

Lantau Island is the largest island in Hongkong where Hongkong International Airport as well as Disneyland is located. Ngong Ping plateau which is part of the Lantau Island features the Tian Tan Buddha, Po Lin monastery and Tai O Fishing Village.

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Big Buddha Hongkong - How to get there?

From Jordan MTR, take the Tung Chung line & reached the Tung Chung station. Head to the Exit B & cross the road to the Ngong Ping 360 ticket counter.

Note : Since our hotel was close to Jordan MTR, I am giving directions with respect to that station. But I am sure there would be sites which can you give you travel directions from any part of the country.

Big Buddha Hongkong- Tickets and Packages :

There are a variety of packages that suits each individuals needs even if duration of stay is only for a few hours or the whole day. All information regading packages can be found here : http://www.np360.com.hk/en/

We had a time constraint as we wanted to visit Victoria peak in the evening and hence had allotted 4 hours for this visit. Hence we did not book any package and only booked the round trip cable car ride for the two of us. Post the visit we felt this was the best as it gave us time to enjoy at our own leisure. The two way tickets cost us HKD 150 each ( Standard Cabin ).

Big Buddha Hongkong- The Cable car ride :

Heavy winds and rainfall was predicted on the day we went there, but fortunately cable car operations were not suspended. It is 5.7 km long cable car ride  & takes about 20 minutes to reach the Ngong Ping Village. Cable car should be the ideal option to reach The Po Lin Monastery though buses are also available as the views and the journey is really surreal. Do not miss the sight of flights taking off & landing in the Airport & the beautiful lush mountains on the other side while traveling in the cable car.

View of Hongkong City from the cable car

Heading to Ngong Ping Village

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Ngong Ping Cable car stop

Ngong Ping Village :

When you alight from the cable car, you enter the Ngong Ping village where the Po Lin monastery as well as Tian Tan Buddha is located. The village houses several restaurants & souvenir shops where one can buy postcards or souvenirs to take back.  The village though very beautiful has become more commercialized due to the large number of tourists that has diminished its charm a little.

Huge entrance to Ngong Ping Village

Tian Tan Buddha :

Tian Tan Buddha is a 34 meter Bronze statue which sits majestically atop the hill gazing down upon you showering his blessings. From the Ngong Ping Village it is just a 5 minute walk to Po Lin monastery from where you enjoy first glimpses of the Buddha. Take the 240 steps from the village to reach the calm & serene surroundings of the Buddha with the mist and cold breeze gently caressing your face. At the particular moment we felt that there was nothing more we need in life.There is also a museum which tells us about the life story of Gautama Buddha and the history of the Tian Tan Buddha statue.( Museum entry is free if you purchase the lunch coupon from Po Lin Monastry ).

View of Tian Tan Buddha from the bottom

Getting a closer glimpse of Tian Tan Buddha

23 m Tian Tan Buddha 

Buddha in Ngong ping Village

Po Lin Monastry and Lunch :

Post our visit to the Buddha we were hungry and what better place to have food than the in house restaurant of Po Lin monastery that serves authentic Chinese Vegetarian food. The ticket counter for the lunch is next to the steps heading to The Buddha. The lunch meals costs HKD 100 per person and is one of the best Chinese food I have ever eaten. From the freshly plucked lotus stem, to the asparagus dipped in beautiful sauces and an unique dessert to conclude,  there was not a single element of the meal that I did not enjoy. This is one authentic experience that should not be missed.

Po Lin Monastery, The Wisdom Path

Big Buddha- The Wisdom Path:

The Wisdom Path

Post our lunch we decided to explore the regions surrounding the Tian Tan Buddha. We had read that the pathway leading to the Wisdom Path is really beautiful and the views are really amazing. It took us almost 20 minutes to reach the Wisdom Path. (You have signs to lead you on and hence it is easy to find. ) Wisdom Path features an arrangement of 38 giant wood columns measuring 8-10 metres tall and 1 metre wide to showcase calligraphic works by master of Chinese studies Professor Jao Tsung-I. These wood columns are arranged in a "∞" pattern. We spend almost 20-30 minutes standing there just enjoying the beautiful views the cool breeze, the calmness and serenity of the surroundings. No words more to describe and highly recommended.

View of the South China Sea from The Wisdom Path

Wisdom Path

Tai O fishing Village: 

Tai O Fishing village is most popularly known for its Venice style houses and pink dolphins. Unfortunately we did not have the time to visit Tai O fishing village but there are buses from the Ngong Ping Village with good frequency that take you to the village. The recommended visit time is 1-2 hours and if we come back again we surely would love to visit.

There are a variety of other interesting things to do here and my suggestion would be to plan to spend the whole day here to enjoy everything.

Coming up.. Part 2