HONG KONG Itinerary and Budget Travel Guide

Hong Kong has been the popular destination for travel junkies and even first-time travelers. It is famous for people and families who want to travel for leisure, too.

This country is modern and industrialized, which causes a lot of people the misconception that it is expensive.

Compared with other countries, Hong Kong’s culture is not too different to the Philippines.

Its reliable transportation system, major tourist attractions, and mouthwatering foods are very friendly and appealing to people of all ages and gender, making it one of the best countries to go to, even if you are on a budget or a first-time traveler.

Hong Kong Budget Travel Guide

DAY 1

I arrived in the country early in the morning. Upon arrival and passing the immigration, I immediately bought an Octopus Card to ride a bus to reach Tsim Sha Tsui (you need to switch trains if you choose the Airport Express Train), where I stayed.

Upon check-in at the hostel, I immediately went out to maximise my stay and the iVenture card. Here are the activities I did:

1:00 PM: Magical World

3:00 PM: Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck

6:00 PM: Hong Kong Water Works

DAY 2

When I went to Hong Kong the first time, I did not have the chance to go to Ocean Park since I choose Disneyland. Luckily, the iVenture Card includes a day of fun in Ocean Park.

8:00 AM: Peak Tram Round Trip (you can visit Sky Terrace in Victoria Park and Madame Tussauds, but I opted not to)

11:00 AM: Trick Eye Museum

1:00 PM: Ocean Park

I also used this day to buy souvenirs for my family. I always buy magnets and stickers in Ladies’ Market and Temple Street Night Market since I am too lazy to bring shirts and other things plus my siblings prefer stickers over food.

DAY 3

For the third and final day of my trip, I used this day to explore Macau. At first, I was thinking about going to Disneyland. But since I only have very limited budget and I am trying to stick to it (I already exceeded my 10,000 budget so I really, really need to focus) plus I want to maximize the iVenture Card.

If you are planning to go to Macau, I suggest waking up very early. The Ferry opens at exactly 9:00 AM and the last trip is 23:59.

7:00 AM: Ferry to Macau

9:00 AM: Start of the Macau Tour TKW Sightseeing Day Tour. We visited the following places:

• Ruins of St. Paul
• Na Tcha Temple
• A. Ma Temple
• Macau Tower
• Mount Fortress
• Leal Senado Square
• Venetian Macau
• Macau Tower
• Casino Lisboa

4:00 PM: VIVA La Broadway Show (as far as I know, they only have 1 time here)

7:00 PM: Pier 16 Macau 3D World

9:00 PM: Ferry back to Hong Kong

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

The first time I went to Hong Kong, I thought I already went to the fascinating places of the country, but I am wrong. Three days is not enough to tour the place.

If you decided to purchase the iVenture Card, make sure to take note of the places where you want to go to. Although I went to a lot of places, I still missed trying other activities such as the Rickshaw sightseeing open bus, Ngong Ping 360 Standard cabin, and the Noah’s Ark. Still, I really like the trip. It made me realize that time is fast, so you need to make the most out of it.

TOTAL EXPENSES

I exceeded a bit of my travel budget of 10,000 for this whole trip since I wanted to try the iVenture Card. Here’s the breakdown of all the expenses I made:

IN PHP

1,500 = Airline Ticket (I booked during Cebu Pacific’s Piso Fare)

1,500 = Hostel for three days

1,000 = Food for three days (Since the hostel I booked doesn’t include free breakfast, I ate a lot during the day)

1,000 = Souvenirs for my family

5,950 = iVenture Card

1,972 = Ferry

IN HKD (Conversion: 1 HKD = 6.60)

300 = Octopus Card

TIPS TO SAVE MONEY

Always use their bus or train. Taxis in Hong Kong are not exactly cheap. However, most of the tourist spots in the country are accessible via public transportation. Hong Kong Trams are affordable means to get around the city while MTR is the quickest way to travel.

Don’t forget the Octopus Card. This is similar to Taiwan’s Easy Pass, London’s Oyster Card, and the Philippines’ Beep Card – It is an all-purpose card that you can purchase upon arrival at the Airport or any MTR stations. You can use it when riding the metro to get a discounted rate or for the ferry, vending machines, and shops.

Bring a water bottle with you. I mentioned this in the Taiwan Travel Guide: Bring a water bottle with you at all times can save you a lot of money. A bottle of drinking water in Hong Kong is quite expensive, but there are a lot of refilling stations in the area and in tourist spots like Disneyland.

Save with a Hostel. Let’s face it, accommodations in Hong Kong are expensive. Even a single bedroom can cost you approximately 1,500 PHP per night. If you are traveling alone, why don’t you try staying in a hostel or dormitory instead? A bed will just cost you 500 PHP (or less) a night. Plus, you can meet interesting people, too!

Recommended Tour Packages in Hong Kong:

• Central and Sheung Wan Food Tour – Book via Klook
• Airport Express & MTR Travel Pass – Book via Klook
• Best of Hong Kong Island Book via Klook

Also Read:

• • Travel Cheap: How I Spent 3 Days and 2 Nights in Taiwan for Only PHP 10,000
  • 10 Ways to Enjoy Hong Kong on a Budget
  • Travel Guide: Lesser Known Places to Go in Macau