Travel tips: Hong Kong / Macau

It was a last-minute decision to book a flight for the holy week to Hong Kong. Oh such impulsiveness! But in the end, the money spent and the panic cramming were well worth it.

Two other friends and I spent a 4-day getaway to Hong Kong, with a 1-day visit to Macau. It was a fun, amazing, heel-torturing adventure.

For our 4-day itinerary, click here.

Here are some tips when going to/around Hong Kong and Macau:

Check the weather - Before going, check the weather. Hong Kong is way more beautiful on a clear day especially if you'd like to enjoy the scenery from Victoria Peak or Ngong Ping 360 cable car. Also, pack clothes accordingly. We weren't prepared for the cold so we had to spend more time and money looking for sweaters and wind-breakers.

Money exchange - don't bother exchanging your PHP to USD. You can change your PHP to HKD directly in Hong Kong with a very good exchange rate, especially somewhere near Central - where a lot of Filipinos gather.

Octopus card - Get one from the nearest MTR station. It's convenient, you can use it almost anywhere and it eliminates the need for small change. You can get it for 150HKD (100HKD will be available to you and 50HKD will be a refundable deposit. Any unspent amount will be refunded with your deposit when you return it. Oh, but there's a 9HKD handling fee if you return it in less than 90 days.)

Shopping - if you see something you really, really like, buy it immediately. You might not find something like it again.

Take the bus - If you're not in such great hurry, take the double-decker bus instead of the MTR, it's a great way to move around the city. It's cheaper and you get to do a lot of sight-seeing.

Tram ride - When you're in Hong Kong island, take the Tram to move around the city. It's super inexpensive for only 2.3HKD and the views are amazing. On your way to HK island from Kowloon, you might as well take the Star Ferry too.

Food - Although there are a lot of McDonalds and BurgerKings around, try looking for authentic hole-in-a-wall places where you can find unbelievably amazing food in a super cheap price. For example, we found this small noodle place near the Ladies Market where they offer different varieties of noodles for only 22HKD.

Attractions - Ask your hotel/hostel for discounted tickets. They normally have cheaper rates than the actual price.

Macau
Food - try the beef jerky and the egg tart. Delicious!

Free shuttles - almost all hotels and casinos offer a free shuttle to/from the Macau Ferry Terminal, avail of these shuttles to save some money on transportation.

Gambling - even though you're not a gambler, allocate some money for a little betting on Macau's many casinos. I'd recommend The Sands as they have tables with low minimum bets. It's a great experience! But of course, if you've lost the allocated money, know when to stop.