Iloilo Travel Guide Diary: Iconic rides in Hong Kong

“Getting there is half the fun”. It depends whether you take it figuratively or literally. In my case, it is always a mix of both as I have discovered in my travels. While leisure travel is not essential right now, a #throwback trip will be as unforgettable.

To continue, my most recent visit to Hong Kong was back in 2019, I really enjoyed my journey and discovered a lot - even before I reached my destination!

“Asia’s World City” is my first trip abroad and to “celebrate” its anniversary, I went back to rediscover and uncover more, in 2017. Good thing, there’s a direct flight from Iloilo to Hong Kong (v.v.) and there are more to choose from if connecting via Manila, Cebu and Kalibo (to name a few). Once connected, the massive and modern Hong Kong International Airport welcomes you to the city that never sleeps - in this part of the world. And that’s where the discovery of the iconic rides of Hong Kong begins…

One of Hong Kong's signature views as seen from The Peak

It starts with the fact that Hong Kong has one of the most highly developed, most sophisticated and most efficient transport systems in the world. Yes, all superlatives and surprisingly, it’s very easy to use even if it’s your first time. With basic and simple know-how, you’d find yourself slaying your Hong Kong travel like a local!

But first you must get an Octopus Card. This contactless smart card was developed back in 1997 to allow commuters to travel in most public transport using a single card without the hassle of cash extracting everytime and it is a “must” for most visitors to Hong Kong.

Octopus Card for tourists as reflected on the design

Octopus services have since been expanded and now can also be used in fast food outlets, convenience stores, supermarkets and vending machines, among others. It’s really worth the initial HK$150 “investment ” having the HK$50 as deposit and an initial stored value of HK$100. It is available for purchase at the airport, MTR stations, etc. (Read more about Octopus Card)

Now that we’re ready, let’s begin our iconic Hong Kong rides journey. 

DOUBLE DECKER BUSES 

I always have associated these buses with HK and this was the first “touristy” thing I experienced in Hong Kong back in 2016. It was my first time, so naturally, I had to take the top deck and get as near to the front as possible to get the thrill of it.

Double decker bus at The Peak going to Pier 7 Star Ferry (HK$9.80)

From the airport, it is a 45-minute, very convenient and the cheapest way to get to the city and runs 24/7. Remember A21/N21 for these buses will take you from the airport up to Victoria Harbour passing through popular districts such as Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui (TST).

A21 Airport Bus passing by Tsing Ma going to Tsim Sha Tsui (HK$23-33)

Double deck buses servicing the airport (HK$33/day and HK$23/night) have luggage areas at the bottom deck for traveler’s convenience. Don’t  worry, they have security cameras focused on your bags which you can view on the screen on the top deck. There's also an LED display which announces the upcoming bus stop - just be sure to note which one you're getting down.

Monitor showing your baggage on the lower deck with the LED  display above (showing CITYBUS)
updating passengers with the current and next bus stops.

Just tap you Octopus card or drop your EXACT fare when you get on the bus – the bus driver won’t give you change. And you got to admire these drivers - maneuvering these big buses along the crowded and narrow streets of HK. Try the ones going up the snaking uphill road going to the The Peak (HK$ 9.80 from Star Ferry pier in Central) and you’ll surely know why “getting there is already half the fun”. (Read more about HK Buses)

My mother enjoying the upper deck of the bus to her own, during our 2016 trip.

STAR FERRY 

Star Ferry docking at Central from Tsin Sha Tsui (HK$ 2.20)

Now this one’s really an icon and certainly one of my favorites. This ferry service between Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon peninsula  and Central or Wan Chai on Hongkong island has been operating for more than 100 years.

It never really gets crowded at Star Ferry so you got to change seats to enjoy the view - day or night

The ferries are composed of two decks two decks and criss-crosses Victoria harbor between 630am to 1130pm.   

There's my token (blue chip) and my change

It is the cheapest mode of transport between the peninsula and the island – more or less HK$3.0. (The cheapest bottled water I found costs HK$5). While tapping your Octopus card is the most convenient, I just love using the vending machines for the ride token. Just press the fare button, drop your coins and get your token – in seconds!

The less-than-10-minute ride offers a great way of viewing the world’s most popular and beautiful skyline – day or night. And its pier on Kowloon is right beside the TST Promenade which offers the best skyline view – on land. (Read more about Star Ferry)

Star Ferry with Hong Kong's iconic skyline

M.T.R. (MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY)

Often regarded as among the world’s best, the Hong Kong MTR train system can take you almost anywhere in HK! Most probably, all the sites in your itineraries are within the routes of the MTR, so better research which stations you hop in and hop out, or make some train changes.  

Traveling during off peak hours makes you enjoy the MTR almost to your own

And it’s really advisable to have your accommodation near an MTR station so your travels won’t be a hassle. The guest house (in 2016) and the hostel (in 2017) where I stayed in were just literally just a minute walk from the TST MTR!

Glass doors protect commuters from having direct contact with the train upon arrival

Most stations are interconnected with the surrounding buildings and malls. Some of them are like malls themselves given the number of shops you encounter. Don’t worry, signages are everywhere and exits marked accordingly.

Trains are come and go as faster than the crowd builds up even during rush hour. They say that during rush hours, trains arrive every 20 seconds! And this is where you would appreciate your Octopus card. Just tap when you enter and exit stations – no need to count money at the kiosk to get your tix! Don’t’ forget to reload you card to keep up with your travels. And always, "please mind the gap". (Read more about MTR)

DISNEY MTR TRAIN 

An offshoot of the MTR exclusive for the Disneyland Resort, this train brings you to the “Happiest Place on Earth” via the Sunny Bay station. And again, “getting there (Disneyland HK) is already half the fun” as the trains already make you feel the excitement of Disneyland even if you’re still a mile away or two. 

There's no mistaking where you will be headed

The iconic Mickey Mouse shaped windows and handle bars already stir the excitement of the child in you as you anticipate your whole day Disney experience. Most riders wait for an empty train just to have their photos taken with the iconic symbols.

Comfy seats in an iconic train

As always, the Octopus Card makes everything easy and convenient as you just tap your card upon entry from any MTR station in HK up to the exit at Disneyland. 

CABLE CARS

Tired of subterranean travels? Why not reach for the sky with two amazing Hong Kong’s cable car systems – NP360 and Ocean Park.  

The view from the gondola at the Ocean Park cable car system

Take the MTR all the way to Tung Chung station to have the “world’s most amazing cable car experience” via the Ngong Ping 360. The almost 6-km state of the art cable car line makes riders feel the “natural high” traveling through outstanding scenery – lush greens, high mountains and dazzling seas. You will encounter long lines but it will more than compensated when the journey begins. To add more thrill, try the Crystal Cabins – glass-bottomed gondolas to give you the “floating in the air” experience.

Single and roundtrip journeys for standard cabins priced at HK$145-210 while Crystal Cabin (HK$200-290)
compared to bus from Tung Chung which starts at HK$34-54 round trip.

The 25 minute journey ends at Ngong Ping - a culturally-themed village (more like an al fresco mall with heritage design) on a high plateau in the heart of mountainous Lantau Island. But the main attractions there are the Big Buddha (you will have to climb more than 250 steps) and the Po Lin Monastery (a religious and gastronomic experience). (Read more about Ngong Ping 360)

Reaching high for the sky

Over at Ocean Park Hongkong, there’s a 12-minute cable car ride that connects the Waterfront (main entrance and where the big aquariums are) and the Summit (where the thrilling rides and dolphins/sealions show are) areas. It’s part of the entrance fee (HK$480) and you can have unli-rides on them with breathtaking views over Deepwater Bay, Stanley Peninsula, and Lamma Island.

DING DING TRAMS

I missed riding these trams back then and it was on my bucket list in my 2017 trip. And it was a nostalgic experience even though I haven’t had any before. This only runs on Hong Kong Island and despite the presence of the more modern and faster MTR system running parallel underneath, it is has survived in the modern times and still as a means of transport.

Did you know you can charter the whole tram per hour as a party venue for a maximum of 40 pax? 

Named after the sound of the trams make when stopping, these trams are like slimmer double deck buses. You go up the tram’s back door and you pay your fare - flat rate of HK$ 2.30 when you go down the front door. Be sure to take note which stop you're going down but if you get lost, go on just have an adventure! (Watch CNN Travel Feature)

Comes in all colours and designs - the power of advertising

What I also love about the Dingding trams is that it gives you a free and leisurely tour of orderly chaotic streets Hong Kong. So I took a 4-km. joyride from Victoria Park (after wandering around Wan Chai and getting lost in Causeway Bay) up to Central for my next destination. Indeed, “getting there is already half the fun” (Read more about Dingding Trams)

MID-LEVELS ESCALATORS

Hopping off the ding-ding tram somewhere in Central, I looked around for what I also missed during my first visit – the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system. So I gazed around, followed signs, turned left, made a right turn and climbed inclined pathways – to no avail. I thought I was lost – until I looked up to what seemed to be a pedestrian overpass. I was literally underneath the Mid Levels Escalators! (Watch CNN Travel Feature)

Why walk when you can... 

I thought it was a looooooong escalator on a hillside (that’s why I missed it) but the system is not a single continuous escalator but a series of 20 escalators and 3 inclined moving walkways (travelators). It is said that a complete journey takes around 30 minutes so I decided to try it until the end. But when people started to thin out as I went further above, I decided to travel back – down the stairs.

Just one of the many escalators

The limited space in the narrow streets made it impossible to build two escalators. So single lane escalators travel downwards from 6am to 10am daily, enabling commuters to reach their offices in Central and, after 10am, the flow is then reversed so that the escalators travel uphill until midnight. 

Beneath the escalators is SoHo district, HK's entertainment zone with all the shops, cafes, restaurants,
stalls, old-style market and more you can imagine.

But what excited me the most about this (mis)adventure, is that  a journey on the escalators offers an excellent opportunity to explore the bustling streets of Central and Hong Kong's oldest market district plus street food stalls alongside cafes and bars in HK’s great nightlife area – all within a block or two of the escalators. Add to that are famous antiques and art district, museums, pocket parks, night markets, historic buildings and temples. Now that’s really an “escalating” Hong Kong experience! (Read more about the Mid Levels Escalators)

THE PEAK TRAM

But perhaps no other HK ride gives you a more literal escalating experience than The Peak Tram. The 1.4- km tram is the world's steepest funicular railway - with the sharpest incline at 45-degrees. It offers breath-taking views over the northern coast of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon as well as the skyscrapers of Central.

The iconic Bank of China building (the one with X's) serves as guide when locating the lower terminus of The Peak Tram, which is just 2 blocks away.

It is one of the modes of transport going up The Peak (there’s bus 15 from Star Ferry pier and you can hail a cab or walk around an hour) and certainly the fastest. Well, it takes around 10 minutes from the tram to reach the The Peak from its lower terminus BUT lining up for tickets and waiting to board the tram may take 30 mins to 1 hour (or even longer) during peak hours usually  around 5-7pm.

The Peak hour at the tram is not only reflected outside the terminal...

The Peak’s lower terminus is two blocks away from Bank Of China Tower (the building full of X's) and it can be reached from Central and Admiralty MTR stations on foot. From Star Ferry pier (Pier 7) walk over to Pier 8 and catch bus 15C which will take you directly to this terminus.

... but also inside lining up the tram and even inside the tram itself.

Ticket price ranges from HK$32 (single) to HK$45 (round trip) with discounted prices for minor and eldery. They also have Combo passes which allows you to ride the tram, see the view from the Sky Terrace and visit Madam Tussaud Wax Museum.

And don't leave without your own version of this iconic Hong Kong photo...

The Peak showcases Hong Kong especially at night and it's always a breathtaking experience.

Indeed, getting to my favorite Hong Kong destinations via these iconic HK rides are already half the fun. Being a little prepared with some research makes these rides a lot easier to tame in this bustling megalopolis. But sometimes, getting lost along the way and coming up with an alternative solution may prove even more fun – you will learn something you will surely never forget!