Speak Dream

Our Home Away From Home…

We arrived in Hong Kong at around lunchtime and went to our hotel, the Park Hotel . The ground floor lobby was undergoing renovations and there were no sofas or seats for guests to lounge in, which was quite inconvenient. However, they more than made up for it with their rooms. The hotel has just recently had their rooms renovated, so everything looked new and exuded a spa-like atmosphere. The hotel is located in the Tsim Sha Tsui area, and it is just a few minutes walk to the MTR station, Star Ferry Terminal, museums, and other landmarks such as the Avenue of Stars. There are also many shops and restaurants scattered around the vicinity.

Walking Around…

In the afternoon, we walked to Kowloon Park (about 15 mins walk). The weather was cool and we had our jackets and scarves on for good measure. It was quite relaxing to stroll through the park. There were lots of benches where you can rest and just enjoy the lush greenery. There were several water fountains, gardens, fish and bird ponds, and even an aviary for bird-lovers.

Flamingoes at Kowloon Park

I must admit, even though I don’t particularly find birds appealing, it felt good to pass the time just watching the flamingoes showing off and socializing among themselves. There was also an abundance of trees, which, given the small size of Hong Kong, was a refreshing respite from the bustle of the city. Read the rest of this entry »

3. Plan Your Own Itinerary (continued)

It’s quite easy to get around in Hong Kong because the public transportation’s very convenient. It’s a very tourist-friendly place. At the airport, keep an eye out for the stands where you can get free detailed maps of Hong Kong and other useful information for visitors. Get some extra maps for future reference.

And if you’re sentimental like me, remember to keep your all your tickets and brochures (to the Peak tram, HK Disneyland, or other attractions and receipts) for your travel scrapbook when you get back home. Read the rest of this entry »

A few days ago, I returned home from a short (5 days, 4 nights) vacation in Hong Kong with my family. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, and everything went smoothly. So here I’d like to share some tips based on what we did right, that might help you make your next vacation a hassle-free and more enjoyable one.

1. Research and Compare Prices.

Do this months before your planned trip. The Internet is a great way to research on how much airfare and hotel rates are to and from your destination. You can try going directly to airlines’ websites, or going to sites like Travelocity and Expedia , which let you compare rates of different airlines. You can also contact travel agencies in your area for basic packages, which include round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, and round trip airport transfers, which may be cheaper and often come bundled with a half-day city tour.

After researching and comparing prices, we ended up choosing a local travel agency. If you choose to go with a travel agency, ask them for a hotel listing (with rates) that you can choose from. Use the Internet to look up their websites and try to choose a hotel that is closer to places of interest that you would like to visit while you are in Hong Kong. Consider choosing a hotel near an MTR station and shopping areas. Most hotel websites also have a map of their vicinity that you can download for reference. Read the rest of this entry »

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