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Hong Kong (HK) feels like a second home to me. My husband was raised in Hong Kong and I have been lucky enough to visit over 10 times. This, however, was our first trip as a family of four!
First things first, lets chat about the flight. Yes, we flew direct (with BA); yes it was very long BUT the kids were amazing! Having an overnight flight meant the kids were ready to sleep once we took off. We made sure everyone ate dinner before we flew (thank you Wagamamas at Terminal 5!) which meant we didn't need to worry about food for our son (he's allergic to dairy and nuts) on the flight. We also made sure we packed lots of snacks (biscuits, wraps etc) in case anyone got peckish on the plane. BA were very good about the allergies but I admit it wasn't easy to get a meal for him. We couldn't pre-book an allergy safe meal so the crew had to muddle something together. The crew were great and checked all the allergens for us and recommended in future try to book a vegan meal for our son.
We arrived mid afternoon and my father in law took us to the hotel. There were plenty of taxis available though and the MTR (equivalent to the tube) is very efficient in HK if you don't have family to visit.
We stayed at The Fullerton Hotel, Ocean Park on Hong Kong island. The hotel was BEAUTIFUL. All rooms overlooked the South China Sea and we had a room with two double beds. There was a great coffee machine and kettle (with TWG tea, IYKYK) and the most amazing smelling toiletries in the bathroom.
I very quickly got used to the amazing view!
We stayed on a room only basis which worked really well because we all woke up late with the jetlag and would of missed breakfast if we had booked it!
Room service was available until 23.30hrs which we made use of several times and the food was always hot and arrived promptly.
Our room was cleaned daily though being an eco-conscious hotel, towels and bedding were changed only as needed/ requested.
The hotel had a free shuttle bus to Wong Chuk Hang and Ocean Park stations which was very helpful. It was just one stop from Ocean park to Admiralty, taking you to the centre of Hong Kong Island. From here we could explore HK Island or take the MTR/ Star Ferry over to Kowloon side (my favourite side).
If you're staying for any length of time in HK, it's worth getting an Octopus Card (like the Oyster card in London). This is a prepayed card for travelling around the MTR. You can also use it on the Star Ferry, in taxis and to buy products at shops like 7/11. Most larger station have kiosks you can buy these from and most people in Hong Kong speak very good English.
We stayed for a total of 10 nights in Hong and packed the stay full of exciting things to do. I feel like each may need a blog in itself but these were the top attractions I would recommend to fellows travellers:
The Peak: This is THE spot for your HK skyline pictures. Make sure to visit on a clear day/ night as it's pretty high up and if it's cloudy you wont see the view. You take the tram from a stop at the base of the peak near Central. Tickets can be booked via Viator or on the website but its best to book in advance and be prepared for a queue as it is a very popular attraction: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hong-Kong-SAR/The-Peak-Tram-Ticket-in-Hong-Kong/d35959-366941P507?medium=social-share-copy
HK light show: Every night at 8pm the sky scrappers of HK come to life in a special laser and music light show. The best view of this is from the harbour area of Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) but if you're not worried about hearing the music, walk up to the top level of the car park at Ocean Terminal Shopping centre and you'll have a great view with hardly any crowds!
Star ferry: You can catch the Stary Ferry between TST (Kowloon side) and Central (HK island side). The star ferry is a short boat ride across the harbour which is a great way to see the views and also if you fancy a break from the MTR.
Shopping: There are SO MANY shopping malls in HK. My favourites are Ocean Terminal in TST and Festival walk in Kowloon Tong. Both can be reached by the MTR and both have a mixture of shops from high end luxury brands (Think Ralph Lauren etc) to the more affordable brands (think Uniqlo, H&M etc).
Ocean park: The only theme park I know of that has Giant Pandas and a cable car ride between the areas of the park! Since I last visited they have expanded the aquarium and have a polar experience now too. Ocean Park is also home to Panda twins but note, extra tickets need to be bought to see the twins (my daughter was slightly disappointed we didn't realise this!) but your main tickets allow you to see the two adult Pandas. There are several rides and play areas also as well as food outlets. I will be writing a seperate post about where we ate with allergies! You can easily spend a full day here so be sure to pack your sunscreen and hats whilst exploring.
Disneyland: Despite its small size, we still managed to spend an entire day here from 10am until the park closed at 9pm! The park is split into different areas including; Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland (with great rides about Iron man and Ant Man), Adventureland (with Tarzan's Treehouse), Frozen Ever After, Fairytale Forest, Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point.. Be sure to pack water, sunscreen and snacks! You can buy tickets online at the website or with Viator: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hong-Kong-SAR/Hong-Kong-Disneyland-Park-Ticket/d35959-242747P113
Ngong Ping Cable Car and Big Buddha: We didn't get to show the kids the Big Buddha this time but if you have a chance, its definitely worth seeing. You can buy tickets on Viator and take the cable car through the mountains to find the Big Buddha: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hong-Kong-SAR/Hong-Kong-Travel-Pass-Combo-MTR-Pass-Ngong-Ping-Cable-Car-and-Big-Buddha-Tour/d35959-5910MTRCABLE360?medium=social-share-copy
A lot of people we spoke to in the UK before we travelled were concerned about the safety in Hong Kong after previous incidents. However, I felt totally safe and to me, Hong Kong is still a city I love with huge character, charm, life and light.
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