Asia – Maldo Travels

Singapore – A Modern Multicultural City

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 22:16:52 +0000

Coming from Bali, it’s a 2-hour 45-minute flight and we landed at 11.45 AM. Getting through customs is quick and after collecting our bags, we went looking for transportation options into the city. The airport has free WiFi so you can get a Grab¹ or head to the taxi stands. Since we were going to be in the city for a couple of days, we decided to get a 3-Day Tourist Pass for unlimited access to the metro and buses. Our hotel was in Bugis, and the quickest public transport option from the airport was a 45-minute bus ride. After settling into our hotel, we went for a walk to nearby shopping centers and grabbed some food. At around 6 PM, we headed to Boat Quay where there are several riverside bars and restaurants. There’s a nice atmosphere here and lots of locals seem to come here after work. At around 10 PM, we headed to Arab Street where there are some middle eastern restaurants and bars. It’s a nice area and there was some live music entertainment here as well. At around midnight, we walked back to the hotel to get some rest.

The following day, we headed to the Singapore Flyer by bus which was 20 minutes away. Tickets cost 33 SGD² but we just took some pictures of it. We then took a bus to Chinatown which went via the Marina Bay Sands hotel. We walked around the streets of Chinatown and got some souvenirs from there as well. Next, we headed to the Marina Bay Sands since we booked a stay there which you can find out more about here.

A friend who lives in Singapore told me to check out the indoor waterfall at the airport before getting my flight back. So I headed to the airport about 3 hours before my 10.45 AM flight to have some time to find it. Some airlines have early check-in so that you can drop off your luggage whilst wandering around the airport. Four terminals surround the mall in the middle called Jewel where the waterfall is located. We first walked over to the mall and in the early hours, only the lower half of the ‘water wall’ is turned on. At 8 AM, they turn on the upper half of the waterfall and it’s an amazing sight. You can also take the free monorail between terminals which goes through the Jewel and right next to the waterfall. Surrounding the waterfall, there is a multilevel indoor forest with many trails leading to viewpoints. The Jewel has lots of stores, a cinema, food options, and activities for kids keeping any tourist busy before a flight.

Singapore – Gardens and Rollercoasters

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 23:46:00 +0000

When walking around Chinatown, we came across a Visitor Center that sold discounted tickets for Universal Studios and the domes at the Gardens by the Bay. The tickets for Universal Studios cost 71 SGD³ each and tickets for the domes cost 26 SGD each. The theme park is located on Sentosa Island and is accessible by public transport. We were coming from the Bay and it would normally take about 40 minutes to get there by public transport. Since we left quite late, we decided to get a Grab⁴ instead which is much quicker taking about 15 minutes and costing 10 SGD. We got to the park at around 11.30 AM and first went to some self-service machines to print out our tickets. We then picked up a map at the park entrance and planned which rides to go on. The park has several different sections with different themes. We decided to go through the park in a clockwise direction. The queues for the rides weren’t that long and on average, we waited about 30 minutes. There were rides for all ages and the themes throughout were great. At around 5.45 PM, the park begins to close and the guards begin to cordon off the queues directing people to the exit. After leaving the park, we decided to cross the boardwalk since it was a scenic walk. Overall, it was a fun and eventful day at the theme park.

After crossing the bridge, we got a Grab from the Vivo City mall to Gardens by the Bay. It was a quick 10-minute drive costing 14 SGD and we got there at around 6.45 PM. The park is huge and we mainly wanted to see the supertrees. We followed signs for Supertree Grove and got there before sunset. We then walked to Dragonfly Bridge where you can get some great pictures with the Marina Bay Sands hotel and the Singapore Flyer. The bridge can get quite busy with tourists though so you have to be patient to take pictures. At around 7 PM, we headed to the domes which was a 5-minute walk away. It’s a nice walk through the gardens with lots of photo opportunities. With our tickets, we had access to both of the domes and we first went to the Flower Dome. Inside, there are trees, plants, and flowers from all over the world in picturesque arrangements. We walked around taking pictures for about 20 minutes and then continued to the Cloud Forest Dome.

This dome is opposite the Flower Dome and upon entering, you arrive at a man-made waterfall. We then walked around the ground floor and as you look up, you can see a mist being emitted from some sky walkways making it look like a cloud. Some lifts take you up to these sky walkways where you can get a view of the dome from above. Inside the central structure, there is also a small museum and exhibits with information on the site. We spent about 40 minutes at this dome before heading for some food. There is a popular outdoor street food area called Satay by the Bay which is a short 10-minute walk away. There are lots of tasty food and drink options here in a great atmosphere. We were done with food at around 10 PM and then walked over to the Helix Bridge. At night, the bridge is lit up with colorful lights and makes for great pictures with the Marina Bay Sands in the background. From here, we then headed back to our hotel to get some rest.

Singapore – Marina Bay Sands

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 22:38:30 +0000

After booking my flight to Singapore, I immediately started looking at the famous rooftop infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands. There’s an observation deck next to the pool, but the only way to get pool access is by staying at the Marina Bay Sands hotel. It’s best to book your stay directly on the Marina Bay Sands website to know exactly what you’ll be getting. There are several room options and after doing some research, I found it would be best to go for a room with Club55 access. You can check the website for the privileges available at Club55, but the highlight is complimentary beverages & canapés from 5 PM to 9 PM. The price difference for a room with Club55 access would be the cost of an evening with fine dining followed by drinks at a bar, so it’s definitely worth it. A complimentary breakfast is also provided to sweeten the deal.

Once you’ve booked your stay, the hotel will reach out 3 days before your stay for you to register your details with them. The check-in time is 3 PM and early check-in is highly unlikely and pool access is only provided after 3 PM. We got there at around 4 PM for check-in and we were upgraded to an Orchid Suite with a City View. Our check-in was at Tower 1 and we had to walk across to Tower 3 to get a lift to our room which was on the 46th Floor. The suite was huge with a living room facing the Gardens by the Bay, and a massive bedroom facing the city. The en-suite bathroom was like another room on its own with a spacious bathtub and separate shower. The room truly offered premium comfort and we spent some time settling in.

At around 5.30 PM we headed up to the infinity pool to take some pictures. We then headed down to Club55 at 6 PM for the complimentary beverages and canapés. It was quite busy but we managed to get a table by the window with a city view. The waiter handed us a drinks menu and then let us know we could head up to the self-serve buffet area for the canapés. There was a good selection of alcoholic beverages including Gin, Whisky, Bourbon, Cognac, Tequila, Vodka, Rum, Wines, and Champagne. There was also a range of hot drinks, beverages, and juices to choose from. Our waiter came around regularly to take more drink orders and to collect our plates. We stayed there until around 8 PM when we headed back up to our rooms to change into our swimsuits. We then headed up to the infinity pool which stays open until 11 PM. After the pool, we got changed and went to check out the casino which was on the lower level. We played a couple of games of roulette and then headed to the rooftop bar of CÉ LA VI in the hotel. This bar turns into a club in the late hours with a DJ on set playing chart music. We stayed until around 3 AM and then headed down to our room to get some rest.

The following morning, we headed up to the rooftop restaurant Spago in Tower 2 for breakfast. This is a very popular spot and there was a queue at this time. We waited for about 10 minutes to be sat down and the waiter pointed out the options in the buffet-style layout before showing us to our table. There were lots of options available including different style eggs, dumplings, buns, noodles, rice, some meats, cereal, bread, juices, and hot drinks. It was a very tasty and filling breakfast with a great view of the city. We were done with breakfast by 10 AM and went to check out the observation deck. There are good views of the city and Gardens by the Bay from here. The checkout deadline is 11 AM so we then headed down to our room to pick up our things and checked out of the hotel.

Nusa Penida – Scenic Island Beaches

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 23:14:50 +0000

We booked this tour in Kuta for 800,000 IDR⁵. The tour bus picked us up from our hotel at around 7.30 AM and it’s a 30-minute drive to Sanur Beach. We’re given our boat tickets here and have 15 minutes to walk around the beach. It’s quite empty in these early hours but some of the stalls are open if you want to grab snacks or drinks. The ride on the speedboat to Nusa Penida takes 1 hour and we arrive at around 9.15 AM. We get off on the north side of the island at Toyapakeh. There are several guides here picking people up so you have to wave your receipt for yours to spot you. We then get on another tour bus and head to Kelingking Beach. The island is quite mountainous and we drive through the winding roads of the mainland to reach the south-west side of the island. It takes about 50 minutes reaching our first destination at 10.15 AM. We arrive at the cliffside which has an amazing view of the beach and the peninsula reaching out into the sea. We only have about 15 minutes here to take pictures so we can’t head on the trail down to the beach.

Our next stop is a 30-minute drive away to Angel’s Billabong arriving at 11 AM. This is a natural infinity pool that looks over the sea. However, it was closed off so you cant swim in it and can just take pictures from around it. It is very busy here and we stayed for about 10 minutes to get some pictures. We then headed to Broken Beach which was a 5-minute walk away. This destination is a cove where an arch in the cliffs lets water flow in to form a pool. We get around 30-minutes to walk around the perimeter before heading back to the tour bus.

At around noon, we continue to our last destination at Crystal Bay stopping for lunch at a tourist restaurant. We’re done with lunch by 1.15 PM and reach Crystal Bay at 1.30 PM. This is a popular sandy beach lined with beach chairs, umbrellas, and bars/restaurants. We’re given snorkeling gear and the guide says we don’t have to swim too far to see some sea life. We head into the water and is very shallow for about 20 meters. There are corals and rocks in the shallow water so it would be best to head out with water shoes. It’s a great snorkeling spot where you’ll get to see plenty of corals, fish, and other animals swimming around. We had about 2 and a half hours at Crystal Bay and we spent most of our time snorkeling. We then also grabbed some ice-cold beers and sat on some benches in the shade enjoying the view.

At around 4 PM, we headed back to the harbor which was a 30-minute drive away. We got on the boat and were back at Sanur Beach by 5.30 PM. Our pick up was late and arrived at around 5.50 PM. This was rush hour time and after dropping off other tour groups at their hotels, we reached our hotel at around 6.30 PM.

Mount Ijen – Blue Fire Crater

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 21:36:52 +0000

When looking online, the cheapest tour to hike to the Mount Ijen Crater was around 120 USD⁶. We decided to book tours once we arrived at Kuta since it’s usually cheaper to buy once your there. We found a 1-day private tour that cost 1,500,000 IDR⁷ which was around 105 USD at the time of writing. Our driver picked us up from the hotel at around 6 PM and we headed to Gilmanuk Harbor on the western tip of Bali. The drive took around 5 hours making a stop at some stalls on the highway about halfway through. Once we reach the harbor, the driver becomes our guide and buys our tickets for a ferry to Ketapang. We took the 11.30 PM ferry and it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to cross the Bali strait. At Ketapang harbor, our driver/guide then takes us to the Jeep that’s waiting for us with another driver and Ijen guide. Note that the clocks have gone back 1 hour so it’s still around midnight when we arrive. It’s then about a 1-hour 30-minute drive to the base camp at Bumi Perkemahan Paltuding. In these early hours, it’s pitch black and freezing cold outside. We take refuge in a cafe to get a hot drink and some food before beginning our hike.

At around 1.45 AM we set out with some flashlights to climb Mount Ijen. It’s a dirt trail and starts with a gradual initial ascent which gets steeper. We took a couple of breaks and took these opportunities to look up at the starlit sky which was a wonderful sight. After about 40 minutes, we reach a refuge for a 10-minute break. There are some benches to rest on and you can buy some drinks/snacks at a stall. We then continue for another 25 minutes to the top of the crater. Once at the top, our guide shows us how to put on our gas masks to protect us from the sulfur clouds. It’s then about a 30-minute walk down the crater. The trail here becomes gravel/sandy and is much steeper so it can be quite slippery if you’re wearing trainers. Pay attention and give way to the miners climbing up the crater since they can be carrying around 80 KG on their shoulders. Once at the bottom of the crater, the sulfur smell is quite strong even with the gas masks on. You can see the miners at work here and they also have a stall selling carved sulfur rocks as souvenirs. It is here where you can see the famous blue fire burning down the side of the crater. We got down there at 3.40 AM and there was already quite a big crowd. It’s an amazing sight and it hides behind sulfur clouds which makes it tricky to get a picture that captures its beauty. We stayed for about 15 minutes before heading to the top of the mountain for sunrise.

We started to see some light at around 4.30 AM and we got to our sunrise spot at about 4.50 AM. It’s still quite cold and there are some stone structures to take refuge in while waiting for the sun to come up. One of the guides got a little bonfire going in one of them and people gathered around to warm up. As the sun comes up, it’s a beautiful sight but a bit of an awkward spot as there’s a massive mountain that stands in the way of the sunrise. We stayed until around 5.20 AM and then started our journey back down.

On the way down, we made several stops to take pictures of the lake but it was very cloudy from the gases. However, the view of the surrounding landscape is breathtaking as you can see mountain peaks above a seabed of clouds. We made a stop at a restroom which you can find at the rim of the crater before making the descent. Then, we began our descent at around 6 AM, making a couple stops for pictures of the landscape we had not seen on the way up in the darkness. Along the way, we saw miners offering to take people in their carts. The way down was much quicker and we got back to the car park at around 7 AM.

After getting changed, we get back in the jeep to head out on the 1-hour 30-minute drive back to the Ketapang Harbor. We took the 9 AM ferry back to Gilmanuk harbor. With the 1-hour time difference, we reached the harbor at 11.30 AM and then set out on our 5-hour drive back to Kuta. We made a stop for lunch at a highway buffet-style restaurant which was probably the most authentic Balinese meal I had. We got back to our hotel at around 5 PM and went to get some sleep to rest from the exhausting but unforgettable experience.

Bali – A Full Day Tour Around Ubud

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 23:07:49 +0000

A couple of my friends who had been to Bali said that Ubud was one of their favorite places to stay. Since we didn’t have time to stay there, we took a private transportation tour which went to some of the sites around Ubud which cost 700,000 IDR¹ each. We were picked up from our hotel in Kuta at around 8.30 AM. Our first stop was at Tari Barong Jambe for a traditional dance show and we got there just in time for the 9.30 AM show. It’s an outdoor stage and tickets cost 100,000 IDR. Upon entrance, they hand out a program with the stories of the scenes for you to follow. The show lasts about an hour and it was interesting but it was a little too long and I don’t think it was worth it. Next, we continue another 10 minutes to Celuk Swing & Luwak Coffee. At this site, they sell the famous Luwak coffee. The entrance is free and one of the attendants takes you around the site on a guided tour. She stopped at several photo spots and talks about the procurement process of Luwak coffee. She then leaves us at a bench with a tea and coffee menu for us to get free samples of. We get a choice of 13 but the Luwak Coffee sample costs 50,000 IDR. There is also a swing next to the benches over the terraces and she tells us it costs 300,000 IDR. After the samples, she takes us to the shop if we’d like to buy any of the samples we tried. Overall, this was site was an interesting experience and well worth the visit. The drinks were very good and we ended up buying some, but the swing was a little too pricy.

We then get back to the car and continue another 5 minutes to the traditional Balinese Batuan Temple. Our driver dropped us off near the entrance and told us we first need to pick up some Sarongs opposite the temple. This was to cover up our bare legs since we were wearing shorts. Entrance to the temple is free but there is a donation box when you pick up the Sarong. There are several shrines at the temple and the detailed carvings throughout are very impressive. We spent about 20 minutes here walking around and taking some pictures before continuing.

Our next stop is a 10-minute drive away to Tegenungan Waterfall and we got there at 12.30 PM. Our driver dropped us off near the entrance and tickets cost 40,000 IDR each. It’s about a 15-20 minute walk down to the waterfall and on the way, there are several photo spots at some viewpoints. Once at the stream, you can get in to go for a swim. The water is quite shallow but it gets deeper closer to the waterfall. There are some buoys and rope to cordon off access to the waterfall so you can’t get too close to it for safety. A short walk down the stream, there is a small spring water pool you can get into. There are also some benches and toilets just outside the pool. There’s also a bridge to cross to the other side of the stream. You can then climb up the other side to a restaurant where there is a swing over the waterfall. We didn’t have time to check it out since we had to be back up at the parking lot by 1.45 PM.

The final stop is at the Tegallalang Rice Terrace which was a 35-minute drive away. This spot is very busy with lots of traffic on its 2-lane road so the driver dropped us off a short walk away. There was a guard helping people cross the road and he asked for a donation. We thought this was for entering the rice fields but after going down some steps, there was another official asking for donations to the rice terrace. We gave the guard 20,000 IDR and the 30,000 to enter the rice terrace. The views of the terraces are amazing. There are several swings but they cost around 300,000 IDR which is quite pricy. There were also locals with their tools offering photo opportunities but we didn’t ask how much. You can walk down to the stream and then climb up to the other side of the terraces. On the way up to the other side, there is another official asking for donations. We gave 20,000 IDR and continued to the top. It’s a nice place to visit but there are lots of tourists and the locals charging ‘donations’ everywhere. We finished our visit at around 3 PM and met our driver in a nearby parking lot. We then headed back to Kuta which took almost 2 hours with horrendous traffic.

Gili Islands – A Remote Paradise

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 22:01:37 +0000

Coming from Kuala Lumpur, we arrived at Bali International Airport at around 10 PM. Getting through customs was fairly straightforward and when exiting, there were several tour sales reps around. We found an ATM at the airport to get cash out and then we got a Grab¹ to our hotel in Kuta. We didn’t have boat tickets yet for the Gili Islands so we asked our driver who gave us a Whatsapp number for a sales rep. There was no more space on the boats departing from the nearby port at Serangan, but the rep said there was a boat leaving from Padang Bai to Gili Trawangan at 10 AM. This harbor was about an hour’s drive away and the sales rep said he could offer us return tickets plus transportation for 1,600,000 IDR² for both of us. It was quite pricy but it was similar to what we found online for just boat tickets. The car picked us up at around 8.30 AM the following day to take us to Padang Bai. There was a lot of traffic getting out of Kuta but we made it to the harbor in time for the boat. The pier at the harbor was very busy with lots of people waiting to get on their boats. We’re all given stickers to help the staff determine who goes on which boat. As you board the boat, they take your luggage to secure onto the boat. You then head down to sit in the lower deck. The boat travels quite quickly and about 20 minutes in, the captain announces that people can head to the upper deck. Beer is also available to buy on the boat. It’s quite a long journey and we arrived at Gili Trawangan at 12.30 PM.

The Island

We stayed on the largest of the Gili islands, Gili Trawangan, which is also known as Gili T. The main strip on the east side of the island is filled with tour agencies, restaurants, hotels, and bars. There are also lots of certified scuba diving agencies, many of which also offer accommodation. This part of the island is very lively and great to relax in during the day. It has beautiful sandy beaches with crystal clear blue waters. In the evening, you can catch the sunset whilst having a drink or some dinner with a view of the sea. At night, the bars have live music and there are 2 or 3 clubs on the strip. The atmosphere is great with people dancing on the beach outside the club. There is also a night food market that does some great barbecues and fresh seafood. The west side of the island is less busy and has some resort hotels. It’s a great spot to catch the sunset and it’s a short 25-minute walk from the east side. You can also rent bikes if you’d like to explore more of the island.

Snorkeling

We booked this tour for 100,000 IDR each and the boat left the pier at 1.30 PM. The first snorkeling stop is at the shore of Gili Meno. There are some corals here and lots of colorful fishes. The main attraction is some statues on the seabed where lots of fish swim around. The water is clear, calm, and quite shallow which makes it great for snorkeling. We spend about 30 minutes here before heading to Turtle Point. The waters here are much deeper and fewer fishes are swimming around. The highlight here is that you are pretty much guaranteed to spot turtles swimming or resting on the seabed. We made 2 stops at different parts of the Turtle Point and got to see lots of turtles. We stayed in the area for about an hour and 15 minutes before heading to Gili Air for some food. We’re taken to a restaurant inland and then have some time to walk around the island. This is the smallest island and much quieter than Gili T, but it also has similar sandy beaches with crystal clear blue waters. After a short walk, we then headed to the boat and back to Gili T.

Lombok – Waterfall Tour

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 23:21:27 +0000

After several beach days on Gili T, I looked into some adventurous tours. We found a private tour to visit some waterfalls in Lombok on a day trip for 400,000 IDR¹ each. The speedboat left from the beach at 8.30 AM and it was a short 20-minute sail to the Lombok harbor on the northwest side of the island. At the harbor, we waved our tour ticket and someone came over to take us to our transportation. It took about 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the starting point of the trail to the waterfalls. The driver said he’ll be waiting there and we headed out with a guide who was waiting for us there.

First, we head to the Tiu Kelep waterfall which takes about 50 minutes to reach. On the way, we go past Sendang Gile waterfall and the guide says we’ll stop here on the way back. The trail starts by following the canal and is partly paved. When we reach a stream, the trail becomes a little more tricky and at some points, you have to climb over boulders and fallen tree trunks. There weren’t many people on the trail and when we arrived, there were only about a dozen people there. It’s a 2-platform waterfall where the lower waterfall is wide and the upper waterfall is narrow and tall. There are several photo spots around. You can also try and get closer to the waterfall but you get wet by a mist created from the water splashing down.

We spent about 20 minutes at Tiu Kelep waterfall before getting back on the trail to the Sedang Gile waterfall. It took about 20 minutes to reach the waterfall and there’s a rest area with benches. This waterfall is taller but you can also get close to it and have a shower beneath it. We also spent about 20 minutes here before heading back to the car. At the starting point of the trail, there’s a restaurant where we had some lunch. At around 2.15 PM we then begin the journey back to the harbor to catch our boat back to Gili T. We got there at around 3.45 PM and in the main pier, we asked where the next boat to Gili T leaves from. They pointed us to the beach area and we saw some people gathered around there waiting. The boat came at 4 PM and got back to Gili T by 4.20 PM.

Kuala Lumpur – 1 Day Layover

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 22:52:27 +0000

Our flight from Hong Kong was scheduled to depart at 11.50 AM. We took a public transport bus from Causeway Bay to the airport which cost 40 HKD⁸ each and took about 1 hour and 30 minutes. We were there during the protests so there was heavy security at the airport. It took us about 20 minutes to get into the airport, but once inside, checking our bags and going through the usual security was quick. It was then a 4-hour flight to Kuala Lumpur and we arrived at around 3.45 PM. Going through customs was quite quick and then we connected to the airport WiFi to call a Grab⁹. Our hotel was about an hour away near KLCC Park and cost 74.80 MYR¹⁰. Having been to Kuala Lumpur before, I decided to spend a little more on a hotel with a view since the ticket for the Sky Deck Observation Tower was quite pricy. We stayed at the Expressionz Suites which has an infinity pool with a view of KLCC.

After checking into the hotel, we headed up to the pool to catch the sunset. At the reception, they told us there were 2 pools; one with the view of the Petronas Twin Towers on the top floor, and the other on a lower floor. We were told we first had to go to the pool on the lower floor and get a ticket for the pool on the top floor since there was a limit. There was a 10 person limit for the infinity pool with a view and we were about 20 in the queue. We waited in the lower pool for about 2 and a half hours and got to the infinity pool at around 8.40 PM when the sun had already set. It was still a great view but we only stayed for about 15 minutes to take pictures since it was getting a little chilly. We then headed out to the Alor Night Market to get some food. A Grab cost 9 MYR and took about 15 minutes to get there. The market was very busy with lots of options available. After some food, we headed a shisha bar on the main road which had a happy hour going on.

The following morning, we went for a walk around KLCC Park. On my last visit, access to the Petronas Twin Towers was closed for a public holiday, but this time it was open. It was a cloudy day but we decided to get tickets anyway which cost 80 MYR each. The tour of the Petronas Twin Towers first goes to the Sky Bridge. We get about 10 minutes here to take pictures and there are information panels with a map of the surrounding buildings. Next, we head to the observation deck on the 86th floor. There’s a small exhibition here with information on the project of building the iconic towers. We got some great views from up here despite the foggy weather. We were given about 15 minutes to go around the floor taking pictures before getting on a lift back down to the lobby. It was a nice visit but felt quite rushed as we are given a very limited time to go around.

We then walked from KLCC to the shopping malls in Bukit Bintang via the air-conditioned passageways. We grabbed some food there before heading back to the hotel to pick up our bags. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 7.35 PM so we left at around 4.30 PM to avoid the rush hour.

Hong Kong – Scenic Island City

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 10:42:00 +0000

From Beijing, it’s a 3-hour 30-minute flight to Hong Kong. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 3.30 AM so we took a taxi to the airport for 130 RMBRenminbi.'>⁹ plus a 10 RMB airport toll. Since there was no traffic, it was a short 40-minute drive to the airport. In these early hours, the airport was very quiet so checking our bags and getting through customs was quick and easy. We landed in Hong Kong at 7 AM and once again went through customs and security quite quickly. There are bus and train options to get from the airport to the city. We connected to the airport WiFi and got an Uber¹¹ since we wanted to get into the city quickly. It took about 45 minutes to get to our hostel in Causeway Bay and cost 332 HKDHong Kong Dollar'>¹². Our room wasn’t ready yet so we left our bags and set out to explore the city.

The City

We stayed in Hong Kong for 4 days and other than checking out some viewpoints, we explored the city. There’s a very well organized metro system which makes getting around the city quick and easy. The fares depend on how far you’re traveling on the metro and you can check on the machines which can be set to English. We stayed in the Causeway Bay area which is bustling with lots of shops and restaurants. It’s also a short ride on the metro to Central where there are more malls among many skyscrapers. There is also a lively nightlife in Central with many bars and clubs in the area. Central also has ferries to cross the bay or for a day trip to Macau. Ferries to the mainland at Tsim Sha Tsui cost 3.70 HKD. At Tsim Sha Tsui, there’s a nice boardwalk called the Avenue of the Stars which goes along the bay. It’s a good spot to catch the sunset but we decided to catch the sunset at the Sky 100 observation deck in the International Commerce Center building. We bought our tickets for 135 HKD each and found that it’s cheaper to buy online rather than at the ticket office. Back on the Central side, there is also an Observation Wheel at the AIA Vitality Park which costs 20 HKD each. Overall, Hong Kong is a beautiful city that can be explored at your own pace via public transport.

Victoria Peak

This viewpoint is easily accessible via a funicular and its cheaper to buy tickets online. You get great views on the journey up to the peak and once at the destination station, there are several viewpoints. There are also some shops and restaurants there as well as the Madame Tussauds wax museum. From the station, there is another viewpoint along a trail that goes down the mountain which is a short 10-minute walk away. After taking some pictures there, we followed Google Maps for the Victoria Peak viewpoint. We got a bit lost and ended up at Victoria Peak Pavillion which was also a nice viewpoint. We then had to make a bit of a U-turn to get to Victoria Peak. The route is mainly along narrow roads with a couple of cars occasionally passing by. The last 5 minutes of the walk is along a dirt path going through trees and bushes. Once at the top, you get a great view of the city and the bay. The way back down to the station took us about 25 minutes so it’s not that far away.

Suicide Cliff

Another hike to a viewpoint is the infamously named Suicide Cliff. Although the path can be a little treacherous, it’s a fairly straightforward hike up to the viewpoint. There are several trails to the viewpoint and we chose to do a long one starting at City One metro station. We followed the directions on this site and they also have a handy Google Maps route. It’s a scenic hike with several views of the city along the way. From City One, we walked along the road towards Lion Rock Country Park. Once inside the park, there is a dirt trail going through trees. There is a small stream along the way to fill up your water bottle if you have a filter. It was very hot when we went with temperatures reaching 34 degrees. The route goes through Kowloon Peak Viewpoint which has great panoramics of the city. It’s possible to get a taxi/Uber here if you’re not into hikes. From this viewpoint, the route continues into the mountain and there is a warning sign saying it’s not safe. This is when the hike gets more difficult as the trail goes through overgrown grass and bushes. I was wearing shorts and got a couple of cuts from the bushes. Eventually, the trail leads past some antennas of the radio station and arrives at Suicide Cliff. The views of the city’s skyline from here are amazing. Overall, the hike was very tiring taking about 4 hours and 30 minutes to get to the top but with rewarding views. It was then another hour to go down to the main road. We were looking to get an Uber but it was about 5.30 PM now and the traffic was horrendous. So we decided to walk another 30 minutes to Choi Hung metro station to get back to our hostel.