This is the last day of our trip. As usual we woke up early at 6:00 am. We went down at around 7:00 am to the hotel’s Function Room located in the 6th floor where they serve their buffet breakfast at only HK $55 (for me it is cheap). We met fellow Filipinos who have their tour package for 3 days from Philippines and I think it is affordable now to tour Hong Kong from Philippines.
At around 8:00 am we were in the MTR station. This time we bought a Tourist day pass; this is a pass that is unlimited for 24-hour use. When we calculated it, it will save us money instead of taking single journey pass. The tourist pass cost HKD 55.
Today’s destination: The Peak Tram and Sky Terrace 428. The weather was still cloudy and cool; it was nice to take a walk. We got out at Lai King Station and boarded the train going to the Central Station. When we got out of the MTR, we were amazed to see many fellow Filipinos gathered in the Chater Park. I think this is the place where Filipinos gathered every weekend. We saw them chatting, sharing food and even leading worship celebrations. The park was almost full considering that it was still early morning. We asked one group if they could direct us to The Peak Tram. They said to just follow the signage on the road. So we did.
We were like hiking in a mountain going to the peak, it was an uphill walk. We saw the beauty of the city and even saw one Cathedral ground where it says “Panatilihin po natin ang katahimikan, nang hindi magambala ang mga sumasamba.” (Please remain silent so other worshippers will not be bothered). This is one of the good things in Hong Kong, religious practices are not being restricted.
When we reach The Peak Tram Lower Terminus, there were a variety of choices to suit the needs of every customer. We chose The Peak Tram plus the Sky Terrace 428 (The Peak Sky Pass); we paid HK $75.
The Peak Tram, as most of us agreed, is the only way to truly experience the beauty of Hong Kong's natural wonders. The Peak Tram is arguably the most enduring emblem of Hong Kong's unique past. It has seen war, been featured on films and television and played host to numerous dignitaries.
The Peak tram offers return tickets for HK 40 and HK 28 for single pass and operates from 7:00 am till 12 midnight and departs every 10-15 minutes.
The Sky Terrace 428, standing at 428 metres above sea level, is the highest viewing platform in Hong Kong offering a stunning 360-degree panoramic view across the Hong Kong. Ticket price is HK $40 (for adults) and operates every Mondays – Fridays from 10:00-11:00 pm and during weekends & Public Holidays from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm.
We have a limited time because we need to go back to the hotel maximum 1:00 pm. So we tried to go as fast as we could. It was still a little bit cloudy so we could not see the whole Hong Kong skyline and nearby islands, but we loved the view anyway. They also have a program “say I love you at The Peak”, where you could write in a heart shaped paper and hanged it in a heart-shaped figure. Of course, we tried it ourselves.
After taking photos and adored the sceneries which took us almost an hour, we decided to go back to the hotel. On our way, we passed through Madame Tussauds wax museum. Initially, it was part of our itinerary, but we thought that our time was inadequate. But after contemplating a bit more, we decided to proceed because we thought that since we were already there why not take the opportunity. We will just look what’s inside (to satisfy our curiosity) then we will return back to the hotel, anyway we still have time as it was only 11:00 am.
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, part of the renowned chain of wax museums founded by Marie Tussaud of France, is located at the Peak Tower level 1 on Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, is a celebrity-inspired attraction that connects guests with famous people, events and famous times, featuring six themed areas. The Hong Kong branch houses nearly 100 wax figures of internationally-known personalities, with Asian figures taking up more than a third of the total, of which sixteen were Hong Kongers. It operates 10:00am – 10:00pm, Mondays through Sundays and Public Holidays.
After paying an entrance fee of HK $190, we started to walk inside. The first star that greeted us was none other than Jackie Chan, no personal photo allowed to be taken with his figure; if you want to have a photo with him, you could check their booth at the exit of the museum.
We took every photos of every celebrity we pass through and started with Asian Starswax figures which includes Sandra Ng, Louis Koo, Li Bingbing, Ethan Juan, Leslie Cheung, Andy Lau, Leon Lai, Cecilia Cheung and Jay Chou. Kung Fu Stars including Bruce Lee, Donnie Yen, Jet Li & Michele Yeoh. Hollywood StarsAudrey Hepburn, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Robert Pattinson, Johnny Depp, Nicole Kidman, Meryll Strip and Marilyn Monroe. World Leaders Barack Obama, George Bush, Mahatma Gandhi, Lee Kwan Yew, Adolf Hitler, Sadam Hussein. Cultural figures Madame Tussaud, Pablo Picasso, Lang Lang, Albert Einstein, Rembrandt van Rijn and William Shakespeare. Royalty Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip – Duke of Edinburg, Princess Diana, Prince William – Duke of Cambridge & Catherine “Kate” Middleton – Duchess of Cambridge. We also pose to Sports Stars Lee Lai Shan, Liu Xiang, Yao Ming, David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods and Chiyonofuji Mitsugu. Character wax figures Astro Boy, Spiderman. Pop Stars Leo Ku, Miriam Yeung, Teresa Teng, Anita Mui, Micheal Jackson, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Madonna, Twins.
We were really amused as they were really looked like true personalities. We saw the intricacy of each creation in one of the area there. After seeing and having photos with the figures, we started to get out of the museum at around 12:00 pm, boarded the tram and MTR and before 1:00 pm, we were at the hotel. We reached the airport in time for our lunch and boarded our flight back home. This time, the flight was not delayed.
Personally, I really enjoyed this trip compared to my previous trip in Singapore. And I plan to return to visit other tourist attractions in Hong Kong such as the Nyong Ping Cable car, Ocean Park and maybe return to The Peak for the Nature’s walk. I love the beautiful creation of God, I was mesmerized by it. Hope that you too could visit this wonderful place.
Just Sharing:
The lessons I learned on this trip are as follows:
- Get a cheaper hotel near the MTR station, we got an expensive one, I think. Check online for promotional rates. I am using booking.com for online hotel booking, I believe it is safe. When you find cheap hotel, book it at the time you saw the cheap but good hotels, look for “free” cancelation condition in order to block the booking and you could check afterwards if there is a more cheaper hotel for the travel dates, you could switch it anytime without paying cancellation fees.
- Use the MTR to save money on transportation. Search the internet how the MTR works in a country. I believe that all Metro even in different places will pass through one of the popular place/ tourist spot so you could take a walk or taxi from any station there.
- Bring bite size foods, so you could eat anytime you are hungry.
- Buy souvenirs in the local souvenir shops because I think every tourist destination have a special place where they sell cheaper souvenirs.
Other Useful Information:
Tourist Day Pass:
- The Tourist Day Pass (the Ticket) can be used for “any one day”* of unlimited travel on the MTR and Light Rail (except Airport Express, MTR Bus, East Rail Line First Class and travel to/from Lo Wu Station or Lok Ma Chau Station) within one month of the date of issue.
- Use of the Ticket is restricted to tourists (non-resident in Hong Kong) who have been in Hong Kong for less than 14 days at the time of purchase. A valid passport or similar valid proof of tourist status must be shown at the time of purchase/ collection.
* “Any one day” means 24 consecutive hours starting from the recorded entry time of the first entry time of the first journey on MTR (except Light Rail). Travel on Light Rail only becomes effective after the first journey has been made on the MTR.
MTR Hotline 2881 8888
About Transport:
Transport Complaints Unit 2889 9999
Police Hotline 2527 7177
Road Co-op Lost & Found 187 2920
24 hour Free Hotline for Lost Property on Taxi
Hong Kong Visitor Hotline 2508 1234
(9am-6pm daily)
Hong Kong International Airport 2181 8888
Taximeter displays fare in HK$. The flag fall charges are as follows:
Urban Taxi (Red) HK $20
N.T. Taxi (Green) HK $16.5
Lantau Taxi (Blue) HK $15
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