Family Escapade in Hong Kong Day 1

This is a long-overdue graduation treat for the two kids. They wish to see the Disneyland.  They love Disney characters and watch almost all Disney movies. Hong Kong Disneyland is the most accessible among other Disneyland Resorts.  

Our initial plan is a cheap trip and we chance upon a seven-peso (P7) fare of Cebu Pacific when they launched their 7 millionth passenger promo in November of 2012. It's indeed a treat! It's just P10,907.45 for the four of us - Clark - Hong Kong - Clark!  We even choose our seats and have a 20 kg luggage allowance to HK and 40 kg luggage allowance from HK to Clark!  Affordable airfare is an advantage in availing promotional flights.  One of the disadvantages is the inability to choose the date.  Since, we are not able to choose our desired date, while making an online booking, we have ready dates in mind – all our birthdates and anniversary date. In this way, we both have the leisure and the celebration in one.  Sometimes, promotional offers are not applicable during holidays. We prepared to sacrifice our office days.  Another disadvantage is the inability to fly through the airport of our choice.  This trip is not via Ninoy Aquino International Airport but via Clark International Airport or the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.   It is our first time to travel via the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.  It is located in Clark Special Economic Zone, Clark Field Pampanga, 43.2 NM northwest of Manila.  It is accessible from Manila via the North Luzon Expressway or NLEX, Dau Exit, then entering the Clark Main Gate and going straight ahead and turning left at the traffic signal after the Shell and Flying V Stations on the left.  For those who are travelling by bus, there’s a lounge at the Trinoma, and the Genesis bus will bring travelers directly to DMIA.

The DMIA opens around 5:45 A.M. The first flight is around 7:00 A.M. The departure gate leads us directly to the check-in counter.

The check-in airline personnel directs us to the travel tax counter.  We pay P1,620.00 each for adult, P800.00 for children below 11 years old, and P200.00 processing fee.  We then pay P500.00 each terminal fee and proceed to the  Immigration Counter. 

We make sure that we have the necessary documents.  Passports must not expire within six months from the date of the travel.  We bring  photocopy of the passports and keep an e-file copy in our mobile device.  Filipino tourists  do not require a visa for a 14-day visit in Hong Kong.

Travel from DMIA to Hong Kong International Airport is almost two (2) hours.  Hong Kong International Airport is one of the largest engineering and architectural projects in the world which started its operations in 1998. 

  It has two terminals. It is just like all the other international airports which require long walk before reaching the immigration and the luggage counters.  It is equipped with walkators, anyway and the signages are user-friendly.

We book online for the two-way  Airport Express ticket with unlimited access to the MTR.  It is expensive yet very convenient.  After claiming our luggage, we proceed directly to the Airport Express.  The Airport express operates from the airport to Tsing Yi, Kowloon, and Hong Kong Station.   Our first option is to alight in Hongkong, then Central Station and take the Tsuen Wan line to Tsim Sha Tsiu and exit at Exit B to our hotel.  Our Hotel is walking distance from the Exit B of Tsim Sha Tsiu.  However, as Signal Number 8 is raised when we touch down in Hong Kong, we take the second option. We ride the Airport Express from the airport to Kowloon station. From Kowloon station, we ride the red taxi to our hotel.

The hotel booking is placed four months in advance. We stayed in two hotels during our three-day vacation.  We prefer a comfortable place to stay.  The considerations for choosing the hotel are the following: 1) walking distance from and to the  MTR; 2) has a family room for four;  and 3) has free Wi-Fi. For the first two nights we  stayed at Hotel Benito.  It is in Cameron Lane, Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui and our last night is spent in Disney's Hollywood Hotel.

Everything regarding this family trip is planned ahead of time.  When the airfare is confirmed, we start planning our itinerary.  Numerous websites and blogs are available in the internet for new Hong Kong travelers like us.  We also want to fit in Macau tour in our trip, however, we decided to let go of the Macau tour because we don’t want to cramp everything during our three-day and three- night Hong Kong escapade.  Here’s our itinerary. Our  first day is the Ngong Ping 360, The Peak, and Night Market.  On the second day, we plan to visit Ocean Park and the Disneyland for the third and last day.  We booked our entrance tickets online except for the Peak.  Ngong Ping is booked seven days before the scheduled ride.  The websites of these tourist spots are very helpful.

Well, despite the planning, we need to be very flexible to adjustments.  It is signal number 8 in Hong Kong when we arrive.  Signal number 10 being the strongest, signal number 8 renders the city's operation not in normal condition - public transportation like buses, taxis, and MTR are not within the normal operations.  Our first destination is Ngong Ping 360.  Its operation is suspended because of the weather condition and we presume that it is also not favorable to visit The Peak.  We don’t want the bad weather to ruin our vacation.  So we just explored the Cameron Road and search for a Chinese restaurant.  In front of our Hotel is the Burger King and on its left are Mc Donalds and KFC.  The children are tempted to rush through Mc Donalds but we insisted to try Chinese cuisine instead.

 

Because of the weather, we think that we are not in Hong Kong because it is unlikely for a well known busy city to be so quiet. There's a dearth of open shops, but we are so amazed that people seem to mushroom when the night unfolds.  We experience the night life in Hong Kong.