Short Gateway to Hong Kong
Finally got the chance to travel after so long as my hubby doesn't like me to travel because there won't be anyone looking after my boy or maybe he will MISS me? =p
Managed to convince him to let me travel overseas partly because I'm EXPECTING again. Who knows when will it be my next trip after I had my NUMBER 2?
This is also my first time taking Cathay Pacific airways. Got the good deals from MISA Travel (an online agency) @ S$700++ for hotel and air fare.
Travel period: 04 Jun 2014 to 11 Jun 2014 (8 days 7 nights)
Airlines: Cathay Pacific
Hotel: Dorsett Mongkok, Hong Kong (Previously known as Cosmo Hotel Mongkok)
Overseas Buddy: Yen Ching
Airlines: Cathay Pacific
Hotel: Dorsett Mongkok, Hong Kong (Previously known as Cosmo Hotel Mongkok)
Overseas Buddy: Yen Ching
Day 1
This is our first time taking the airport express train. It is so much cheaper than taking a cab (if I never remember wrongly cab to hotel cost about S$50++).
Airport Express only @ HK$140 for 2 (Kowloon station)
*Must purchase this over the counter to enjoy the promotional price.
*Must purchase this over the counter to enjoy the promotional price.
^^ so proud
Dorsett Mongkok, Hong Kong
We have stayed the same hotel from our last visit at year 2012. It was previously known as Cosmo Hotel Mongkok but now it have changed to another hotel named Dorsett Mongkok, Hong Kong. Basically it just the change of name. The interior of the hotel room still looks the same.We love this area as there are food stalls and supermarket just right opposite the hotel. The free shuttle bus also brings you to the popular area like Langham Place, Mongkok. This hotel is better than Cosmo in a way that it has a smart phone for each room and you can share the smart phone WIFI anywhere to multiple mobile phones unlike Cosmo, they only have WIFI in the hotel lobby.
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We are so tired after landing that we sleep half of the day and just had random dinner opposite hotel.
After dinner - Shopping @ H&M Langham Place
Day 2
Breakfast (Dim Sum): Jasmine Garden 八月軒
Address: Shop 35, Level 3, Langham Place, 8 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
This is our favorite dim sum place in Mongkok but pity that some of the food in the menu are not the same as before. My favorite food is the chicken feet in abalone sauce. Super nice..
For Yen Ching, she find that their standard of the food have dropped. Not as nice as before.
Argyle Centre @ Mongkok Exit D2
Next stop is to our favorite shopping place Argyle Centre.
Argyle Centre used to be easily spotted by the New Town Mall 新の城, but now it is replaced by some jewelry shop which make us walk round and round looking for the place. Easiest way is to go there is by the MTR exit.
This is the place where they sell the cheapest and latest fashion clothing.
This is the place where they sell the cheapest and latest fashion clothing.
Favorite snacks @ Argyle Centre entrance
Spinach cold noodle with toppings
Favorite snacks @ Mongkok
Smelly Tofu
I will only buy the smelly tofu from this stall. I find it the nicest among all that I have tried.
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Common dessert place in Hong Kong
許留山Hui Lau Shan Healthy Dessert
Day 3
Happen to know that Mcdonald selling hello kitty football theme in Hong Kong, therefore I have asked Yen Ching to go for breakfast at the Mcdonald opposite our hotel.
The hello kitty here is super cheap and you can get the one whole set with the limited edition kitty soccer ball with just one extra value meal purchased.
Hello kitty set 6+1 limited edition: HK$228 incl. HK$50 food coupons = S$38
The Mcdonald breakfast are not as good as Singapore but the food price is much cheaper. Even the lunch set, McSpicy meal (approx HK$28) is cheaper than any other meals. Can you believe it?
Next Stop - Hiking (just kidding but it was really like walking and walking. Finding and finding)
1st stop: Cat Street @ MTR Central Station (Antiques)
2nd stop: Causeway Bay - Time Square, Causeway Place
3rd stop: Dinner @ La Maison @ MTR Wan Chai
Cat Street - Selling Antique items
I wanted to go Cat street because I thought there will be selling vintage items and we had a hard time searching for the street. Partly it is quite difficult to ask for direction as we don't know how to speak Cantonese. After searching high and low, so regretted coming here as they are selling those antique China kind statue and not the vintage stuff I am looking for. This is why I say it was like hiking cause we have been walking and walking for like hours....
Lunch @ Cafe de Coral 大家樂
After walking and searching for some times I was so hungry that we just find a place for FOOD along the street. Actually we don't even know where we are at. Haha
Mid - Levels Escalator - - - Causeway Bay MTR
Online direction says that we have to find this escalator which will lead us to Cat street. It was a LIE!!
We went all the way up via the escalator and lead us to nowhere and this is a one way escalator. If you want to reverse you have to climb the stairs all the way down.
Haha our this trip is to explore places where we never been to and the result was unsuccessful. =(
This trip we intend not to take any cab, but walking hours at Central with my BIG tummy is a challenge. Therefore we surrendar and took a cab to our next destination, Causeway Bay.
We went all the way up via the escalator and lead us to nowhere and this is a one way escalator. If you want to reverse you have to climb the stairs all the way down.
Haha our this trip is to explore places where we never been to and the result was unsuccessful. =(
This trip we intend not to take any cab, but walking hours at Central with my BIG tummy is a challenge. Therefore we surrendar and took a cab to our next destination, Causeway Bay.
Jardine's Crescent (Street Market) @ Causeway Bay
This is the place if you want to buy luggage. We happened to find a shop selling cheaper luggage as compared at Ladies street (w/o bargaining) in this street. The outer shop selling auntie's clothing which might turn you off but actually inside their are more trendy fashion shop.
It is located just beside the very big outlet of FOREVER 21.
There are a lot other malls at Causeway Bay but mostly not very cheap. It is more suitable for people looking for branded stuff, like Time Square, etc.
La Maison
Address: Flat
B, 1/F, Mountain View Mansion No 2-10, Swatow St, Wanchai
Operation hours:
Lunch: 12:00 to 14:00 (Mon-Fri)
Dinner: 18:30 to 22:30 (Mon-Thurs), 18:30 to 23:30 (Fri-Sat), Closed on Sun
For reservation, please call (852) 2628 3888
*Better call to make reservation in case the restaurant are fully booked.
Found this restaurant from website and decided to give it a try.
The place was not hard to find, it's just that you have to get in from some "security door" and there will be a nasty old uncle coming to open the door for you asking where you going in Cantonese yet he don't understand other language with your reply. Lucky there was other guests going to the same place and we just follow them. You will need to take the lift to level 1. Yes, lift to level 1.
We were lucky that they are able to squeeze out seats for us as we did not make any reservation and there were some birthday event reserved on the day.
Not long, we were directed to our seats. The service there was good, and there is a manager who only serve/introduce wine and water. We were served with free starter from the chef and free glass of wine from the manager (but too bad I can't drink). Anyway so nice having so much free stuff. haha
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First came was the cute bread cover with its blanket. The bread is freshly baked and served with toppings like salmon, cheese and goose liver. Most important it is free flow.
Our Orders:
Appetizer
Escargot de baroque (Snail with Garlic Butter & Potato Puree)
*GOOD*
Soup
French onion soup (me) & mushroom soup (yen ching)
*GOOD*
Main Dish
Black Angus Rib Eye with truffle sauce (me) & Pan Fried Grouper Fillet with Lime Sauce (yen ching)
*AVERAGE*
Dessert
French fudge chocolate cake (aka lava cake)
*AVERAGE*
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Day 4
1st stop: Tsim Sha TsuiBreakfast @ Canton Street (Sweet Dynasty-Closed down already so to random restaurant for Breakfast, Taiwan Beef Noodle)
2nd stop: Mongkok - Ladies Street
Lunch @ Ladies Street one of the Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳
3rd stop: Yau Ma Tei - Temple Street (No Photo taken)
Dinner @ hotel thai restaurant (Thai Pad)
Taiwan Beef Noodle @ Tsim Sha Tsui
The food here taste normal but the price is quite expensive.The pig liver porridge taste very weird. The liver taste like rubber. I don't think I will go back there for meals again.
Granville Road (Shopping) @ Tsim Sha Tsui
Another shopping paradise in Hong Kong. There are some shops selling cheap clothing and this is where you can find local designer shops too.
Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳 @ Ladies Street
Pass by random Cha Chaan Teng and just went in for lunch. It was surprisingly quite nice and the LALA are super big and fat. Worth to visit again.
Temple Street @ Yau Ma Tei
Similar to Ladies Street but items here are much cheaper which you can save your lower down price skill. Sometimes it is quite tiring to keep lower down the price with the seller.
There are lots of food stall at temple street too. But I feel like eating Thai food today so didn't get the chance to try the food there. I will definitely go there again and try the food. Most of the food stall are so crowded which makes you more like wanting to try it.
Happily walk and walk, totally forget to capture any photo. =(
Thai Pad @ Dorsett Hotel
I have craving for thai food so here we are at our hotel restaurant for dinner. The food are quite nice but i realized Hong Kong thai restaurant does not have clear tom yum soup. They only have the soup with coconut milk I think.
Day 5
1st stop: Citygate Outlets @ MTR Tung Chung Exit B
2nd stop: Mongkok again
3rd stop: Dinner opposite our hotel
Citygate Outlets @ Tung Chung
I wanted to get a pair of adidas shoes, that's why we went all the way to the adidas outlet at citygate as a lot of people say outlet usually sell more cheaper and so here we are.
It was totally a waste of time going all the way to Tung Chung. The outlet doesn't have much design and stuff for us to look at. Boring..
Thai Restaurant opposite Dorsett Hotel
Forget to take a photo of the restaurant name. It is just located opposite our hotel.
We saw this place while we went to the supermarket to get our favorite local ice lemon tea packet of 6 and decided to give it a try.
The price is about the same as the hotel thai restaurant but the food here is much better and it is very crowded during dinner time.
Definitely a place to visit again. Thumbs up ^^
Lastly, a mask before I go to bed. =)
Day 6
OOTD
Breakfast - 大师傅 粥品
Another food stall just opposite our hotel. Selling very nice congee suitable for breakfast before we head down to Disneyland.
Disneyland Hong Kong
MTR to Sunny Bay and change to Disneyland MTR
The Disneyland MTR look so nice.
Short distance to Disneyland entrance from the MTR station. But with the SUPER hot weather, the walk can kill you any time. lol
Forget to bring my card use to buy the ticket online end up we got to repurchase it at the customer service counter. Luckily the queue was not that long. Mainly because most people buy it online which is easier and faster.
Ticket price: HK$450 (1 day) & HK$585 (2 days)
Main Street, U.S.A.
Disney Coin Machine
You can find this coin machine at any gift shop. Each Disney character coin cost about HK$15 which you can pay with by your OCTOPUS card (MTR card) or 3 x HK$5. Each coin machine has 3 different design for you to choose from or you can just get the 3 of it in a go. =)
I have got most of the coins. Have you?
Adventureland
1st stop: Festival of the Lion King (Stage Show)
2nd stop: Jungle river cruise
3rd stop: Raft to Tarzan's treehouse
Toy Story Land
1st stop: Toy soldier boot camp (Photo-taking)
2nd stop: Toy soldier parachute drop
3rd stop: Slinky dog spin
Toy Story Land
1st stop: Toy soldier boot camp (Photo-taking)
2nd stop: Toy soldier parachute drop
3rd stop: Slinky dog spin
Tomorrowland
1st stop: Orbitron
2nd stop: Stitch encounter
3rd stop: Buzz lightyear Astro blasters
4th stop: Lunch @ Starliner Diner (Must try the fried chicken)
Main Street, U.S.A.
Fireworks at the end of the day
Day 7
Breakfast @ Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel - Crystal Lotus
Reservation: (852) 3510 6000
(MUST inform the staff
I was so disappointed that we didn't get to order the Disney Signature Dim Sum. Online they only say need to make reservation but didn't indicate that when you make reservation you have to inform the staff that you are having the Disney Signature Dim Sum. Basically I think people go there only for that.
Chef recommendation
Tasmanian Crab and Pumpkin stuffed in Whole Crab Shell
I don't find it nice and is quite creamy after a few bites you won't feel like eating it.
Mystic Point
1st stop: Mystic Manor
Grizzly Gulch
1st stop: One round photo-taking
Lunch @ Main Street - Corner Cafe
3:30pm - Flights of Fantasy Parade
(Slight view of the parade while having lunch)
Fantasyland
1st stop: The Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh
2nd stop: The Golden Mickeys at Disney’s Storybook Theater
3rd stop: It's a Small World
4th stop: Mickey’s PhilharMagic (4D Show)
Hang Heung Cake Shop 恆香老餅家
Last minute thought of getting some local famous wife biscuit since this is our last night in Hong Kong. Time to think of something to buy back for family.
Manage to Google one of the shop at Mongkok.
I got the address yet we still do not really know the exact location. But luckily this brand is quite famous, therefore we manage to get the direction from people.
Day 8 (Last Day)
Breakfast @ Opposite hotel
One of the many Cha Chaan Teng 茶餐廳
Time to leave to the airport
But first let's take a last photo in the hotel before we leave and our stuff we bought for the 7-8 days.
Lunch @ Hong Kong Airport - Saboten
Address: 7E163, Level 7, Departure Level, Terminal 1,
Hong Kong International Airport Restricted Area, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong
BYE BYE HONG KONG!!
I realised that I will come Hong Kong every 2 years. So will I be back next 2 years.
Yen Ching wait for me. I will settle with my kids and travel with you once again. =)
