My friends and I have been itching to travel outside the country for quite some time. That’s why as soon as our schedules and budgets aligned (or before the excitement to prepare for a trip died out), we immediately booked our flights to The Concrete Jungle. Once booked, you’d feel like you have one less reason to push back the plan. 😛

This article is your ultimate guide to your Hong Kong-Macau Escapade – with deets on our experiences, and the iconic landmarks. (Note: I’ll be posting destination-specific articles too! ♥)

Travel to Hong Kong: Immigration Story

Before anything else, I’ll start this one with my immigration experience because of the “yearbook controversy” that caused quite a hullabaloo last March. 🙂 I’m not gonna lie. The horror stories got to me because it was my first time traveling out of the country after a long time! Thankfully, it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. The immigration officer I was assigned to was pretty chill, and our conversation went something like this: 

IO: How long is your stay in Hong Kong? 
Me: 5 days
IO: Today until..?
Me: Until the 18th. 
IO: Are you traveling alone? 
Me: Nope, I’m with my friends.
IO: How big is your group?
Me: There are 5 of us. 
IO: Are you working for a private company?
Me: Yes.

*stamp* 

Talking to the immigration officer in Macau was a different story, though. He just started his shift so he had the energy to throw more questions my way. Haha.   

Prepare: 

• Passport 
• Roundtrip Tickets 
• Hotel Booking Confirmation
• Travel Itinerary (better if you also have docs confirming the booked activities i.e. Disneyland) 
• Certificate of Employment 
• Company ID 
• Old Passport with Stamp (prepared this just in case lol) 
• Bank Statement (I just have this one for good measure, but I don’t think you really have to get one) 

I kid you not. I also prepared some of our old photos (even graduation ones) just to prove we’ve been friends long since the trip. LOL. Nervous Betty took over. Well, the officers didn’t ask for any of those. Remember to be calm and confident because you’re not going to do something illegal anyway.  

Arriving in Hong Kong

My friends and I first secured everything we needed such as the Pocket WiFi and Octopus Card rental, then got some bills exchanged to HKD just so we have some pocket money. After that, we boarded the Airport Express just to try it, and to get to our destination faster.

Itinerary: Day 1

We arrived in Hong Kong before noon so we had a lot of time to walk around, scour the area for good eats, and just take in that Hong Kong air (which wasn’t as humid as ours, btw). 

Ramada Hotel

We headed straight to our hotel of choice, Ramada Hotel, which is situated near Jordan Station and Tsim Sha Tsui. This isn’t exactly the posh accommodation you’d want to spend a lot of time in. The rooms are small, but it’s manageable if you’re out and about anyway. Just come home and crash. Try to check Agoda, Booking, or Trip!

Cheung Hing Kee Shanghai Pan-Fried Buns

Visit this small food stall selling flavorful dumplings to try the Michelin star pan-fried buns! We ordered the Classic, Crab, and Truffle flavors, and it’s so good! Try not to take a large bite right away if you don’t want to burn your tongue or the roof of your mouth. I had to learn this the hard way HAHA. The soup inside the dumplings was hot hottttt. Poke a small hole to suck out some of the soup before biting! You’re also free to watch the staff prepare the dumplings in the open kitchen, before pan-frying it. 

Fat Boy Shop 

The food here was honestly not right up my alley, but if you’re all for trying legit street food, this could be a good spot. They’ve been given the Michelin plate award and are known for their Hong Kong-style snacks including octopus, pork liver & turkey gizzard marinated in soy sauce. 

Kowloon Park

This large public park in Tsim Sha Tsui is where you can do a lot of activities. It’s so big we haven’t had the chance to explore it fully, but there’s a mini soccer pitch, roof garden, fitness trail, maze garden, aviary, lily pond, tree walk, and more! Since I was crunched for time to go to the harbour, I did my morning run here instead.

Avenue of Comic Stars 

This one’s located inside Kowloon Park and is different from the Avenue of Stars (although you can say it was modeled after that). The 100-meter-long street featuring local comic character figures makes for a nice stroll.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre 

Got a thing for performance arts, heritage, and culture? This is your place! Plus, you can take lots of aesthetic photos outside. 

Avenue of Stars

Although it’s a pity we didn’t get to see the Avenue of Stars at night (because you’d have a gorgeous view of the skyline), expect to find famous entertainment stars immortalized via handprints and statues here. 

Itinerary: Day 2

We were in the mood for a pretty chill day so we headed out to try the world-renowned cable car experience, and explore the shopping spots in the village.

Ngong Ping 360

This was honestly one of my favorite parts of the trip! We had a fun crystal cabin experience. The glass bottom was scary at first, but you’ll get the hang of the bird’s eye view. It helps not to think about how you’re going to fall down the sea or the rolling grassland slopes. Lol. Once you reach Ngong Ping Village, you can go to the 5D Theatre (Motion 360) or The Big Buddha (must-visit!), try various international food choices, shop for cultural pieces, or visit all photo spots like Stupa Square, Blessing Drums, and Bodhi Tree. 

ALSO READ: Keep or Skip: Is the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Experience Worth It?

Citygate Outlets

The outlet mall is perfect for shoppaholics. There are over 150 world-renowned premium brands to choose from, as well as over 40 international dining hotspots. You’ll see this mall immediately after alighting Tung Chung station, and before even getting to the entrance of Ngong Ping 360. I suggest you shop here after Ngong Ping 360 just so you don’t have to carry all your big bags with you while exploring the village. 

Ladies Market

Just to get minor shopping out of the way, try Ladies Market! This is a 1 km-long street where you can buy souvenirs, clothes, bags, and more. Prepare to bargain hard because the vendors would usually start with inflated prices. They would also cozy up to you by calling you “Beautiful” or “Handsome” in your language! If you get hungry, you don’t have to worry because there are lots of local food shops around. We randomly chose one for our late lunch. You can quickly wander off to get wonton noodles, snacks, or milktea. 

Lan Kwai Fong

Ah, the iconic district where the party (supposedly) never stops! Haha. It’s safe to say we had a good time here, but it’s super expensive! You can choose from various bars and clubs to drink and have fun. There are a lot of Pinoys around, and they got your back in LKF! 

Itinerary: Day 3

The Vegas of Asia is well worth a day trip from Hong Kong! We left before noon and returned past 9 pm (if I remember correctly). If you want to make the most out of your trip, leave early! Don’t make the same mistake we did, because there are a lot of good places to check out aside from the obvious casinos.

I’m sure a lot of travelers plan their trip with both Hong Kong and Macau in mind, and we couldn’t pass up the chance! We followed The Poor Traveler’s guide (check it here) to get to Macau.

1. Take the MTR to Sunny Bay Station.
2. Board B5 Bus to HZMB in Lantau Island. Fare: HK$ 5.8.
3. Go through Immigration and Customs inspection.
4. Ride the shuttle bus to Macau. The ticket office is within the restricted area, after Immigration. Fare: HK$ 65 (regular times), HK$70 (midnight to 5-59am).

Venetian Macao Resort Hotel

As soon as we reached Macau, we lined up for the free bus service bound for the Ferry terminal. Then, we boarded another free bus to take us to the Macau Venetian Hotel #tipidtips. You can easily get lost in the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel modeled after the Italian city of Venice, so you might as well eat and try out various cuisines in the food court first. Gotta love the sky-painted ceilings! If you’re down for some fun, you can try your luck in the casino or shop from premium brands. Literally shop ’til you drop.

The Londoner Macao

The casino resort on the Cotai Strip makes for another interesting destination because you’ll find London-themed accents at every corner. We practically took photos of everything. Lol. I heard they will also launch this entertainment extravaganza called the Changing of the Guard at the Crystal Palace lobby atrium starting May 26. This recreates the dramatic display of the British pageantry. 

Itinerary: Day 4

We’re off for an eventful day at Disneyland so we cleared all other destination spots for this. 

Kowloon Park 

Disneyland opens at 10am, so I was able to squeeze in a quick jog around the city and the park to start my day! It’s best to go here early in the morning (if you hate big crowds), and if you want to watch the locals practice tai chi. 

Cafe de Coral 

We love coming to Cafe de Coral because they serve decent food, and it’s well worth its price! Feel free to try out everything on the menu. Some of their Signature Dishes include HK Style Curry – Beef Brisket Curry, Chicken in Glutinous Rice, and Crispy Roasted Danish Pork Belly. Don’t forget to order milktea too!

Hong Kong Disneyland 

You can already feel the Disney magic as soon as you board the MTR’s Disneyland Resort Line at Sunny Bay Station! We got our tickets from Klook so entry to the park would be faster, and it sure didn’t disappoint. What can I say? You’ll have the time of your life trying the attractions and watching the “Momentous” Nighttime Spectacular. Light snacks and drinks are allowed inside the park, but do check the restrictions just the same. 

Itinerary: Day 5 

Depending on the time of your flight back to Manila, you can probably do a quick visit of other attractions, indulge in a shopping spree.

Kwun Tong 

We originally planned to go here to shop, but at the time we got so tired and wanted to rest, so we decided to head back to our hotel. Come to this place, though, if you’re looking to score good deals from outlet stores. 

Mong Kok

This is a pretty reliable area for last-minute shopping. We bought the majority of our pasalubong from here!

Other tourist attractions: 

• Victoria Peak
• Madame Tussauds
• Choi Hung Estate 
• Nan Lian Garden
• Hau Wong Temple
• Kowloon Walled City Park
• Senado Square
• Ruins of St. Paul’s

Expense Breakdown 

The trip cost me around P38,400 in total.

Pre-Hong Kong-Macau expense

We booked our airfare, hotel, and most of our activities in advance (here in the Philippines) so we wouldn’t have to worry about those once we get to Hong Kong. Total expense was ₱25,795.172. 

Roundtrip Tickets including travel tax and 20kg Baggage to and from PH (shared with a friend) = ₱9,143.33
Disneyland = ₱4,095.00 (click here for the discounted ticket)
Pocket WiFi Rental = ₱390.00 (click here for the discounted Pocket WiFi)
Octopus Card with 50HKD load = ₱644.00 (click here for the discounted card)
Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car (Crystal Cabin) = ₱2,183.00 (click here for the discounted ticket)
Hotel = ₱8,264.84 (you can check Agoda, Booking, or Trip)
Others (Food/Transpo) = ₱1,074.95

Hong Kong-Macau expense

I spent 1,669.65 HKD or roughly ₱12,689.34 on food/drinks, transportation, and minor shopping. The actual cost might be less, but I used a 7.60 PHP conversion, which was the highest one I’ve exchanged my money with. 

TOTAL: ₱38,484.51

Take a look at our trip highlights!

@positibetty

as usual, laaaate post! haha sharing our 5D4N #hk and #macau sample itinerary!! 🫶 #xyzbca #fyp #tiktokph #traveltiktok #travellife #hongkong #macao

♬ original sound – mrmask_guy

Notes 

📌 Wear comfortable shoes because there’s a lot of walking involved. Our group had a minimum of 15,000 steps a day.
📌 Bring your own water to stay hydrated.
📌 Make sure your card works for international banking (backup expense/shopping).
📌 Always bring a pen with you, especially if you’re expecting to fill up info sheets or forms (airport). 
📌 Antigen test wasn’t checked, but make sure you have your Vaccination Certificate (VAXCertPH). 
📌 If you didn’t bring enough HKD, and still have bills in PHP or USD, I advise you to just exchange your money outside the airport where rates are more competitive. 
📌 Avail the Octopus card because you’ll mostly use it to get around (except in taxis and some red minibusses), and to buy food from restaurants or supermarkets. Here’s where we got ours. You can claim it at the Hong Kong International Airport upon arrival, and return it on your last day. We also got a refund for the unused load!
📌 Prepare the exact amount for the buses because they don’t give out change. 
📌 The majority of electrical outlets in Hong Kong take a three-pronged UK-style plug, so you better bring an adapter. Good thing the hotel we were staying at also had some USB ports. 
📌 Bringing a powerbank or two could come in handy.
📌 The MTR or Mass Transit Railway is the most popular mode of public transport in Hong Kong, but there’s no shortage of buses, trams, and taxis. You can also take the ferry for a cheap, and quick way to commute between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Whatever you choose, it’s best to study the transportation lines and stops in advance. It takes some getting used to, but you’ll manage! Download the Moovit app, or check the site to see detailed routes on a map, and easily get to anywhere in Hong Kong.
📌 There’s WiFi in most places, but it pays to have your own Pocket WiFi for a hassle-free experience. Thanks to Klook, we were able to score a good deal and use it for both Hong Kong and Macau. There’s a HKD500 security deposit that’s refundable upon return. Click this link to get yours.
📌 You don’t really need to have your Hong Kong Dollars exchanged for Macanese Pataca. The establishments there accept HKD. 

I guess that’s all there is to our HK-Macau trip! It was my first time traveling to these places, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Ang daming cutie nerds, awow. Check back for updates on the detailed guide for some destinations. ♥