Journey Across East: Exploring the Macau and Hong Kong

I will share with you my 4 days experience exploring Macao and Hong Kong. Will also add our budget and detailed itinerary as your guide.

#macao #hongkong #budgetanditinerary

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Pre-Flight Expenses: Planning Your Finances Before Takeoff

	Amount
Plane Ticket	Php 7, 419.27 (each)
Accomodation	Php 3, 021.4 (each, room good for 4pax)
Hong Kong Disneyland	Php 4,311.00
Travel Tax	Php 1,650.00
Total	Php 16, 401.67

Before our trip, we had several expenses to take care of. It's important to note that the figures provided here are for reference only and may differ from your own. To ensure a smooth journey, we recommend booking your tickets well in advance, preferably around six months ahead, and carefully planning your accommodation. By proactively managing these aspects, you can better estimate and allocate your travel budget, allowing for a more enjoyable experience in Macao and Hong Kong.

Hostel Honest Review

I would like to give my honest review of our hostel accommodation. We booked a stay at European Hostel in Chung King Mansion, Tsim Sha Tsui. All I can say is that the place was really shocking. I expected this before we arrived because I did my research after booking, and most of the comments were negative. I wanted to cancel the booking after my research, but unfortunately, I couldn't due to the no cancellation policy. So, we had no choice but to go through with it.

When we arrived, I was really culture-shocked. The area was extremely crowded, and the strong smell of spices from Indian food was overwhelming. The place was bustling with people from various backgrounds, including Filipinos, Indians, and Pakistanis. I was very tempted to book another hotel because of this experience. Knowing myself, I usually prefer staying in a nice and cozy hotels.

The place was nice in terms of location because it has a near MTR Station, this is also best hostel if you are in a tight budget and wanted to enjoy Hongkong.

You can check it here and see the reviews. Link

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Day 1

Trip to Macao, China

When visiting Hong Kong, it is possible to travel to Macau because both Hong Kong and Macau are Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of China. They are located in close proximity to each other, with Hong Kong situated on the southeastern coast of China and Macau on the western side of the Pearl River Delta. The two regions are connected by various transportation options, making it convenient for travelers to visit both destinations.

For Transportation, we took bus since its more cheaper that ferry service. You can also choose ferry to get there. The travel from Hong Kong Immigration to Macau will take approximately 1 hour.

By taking advantage of the visa arrangement between Macao and Hong Kong, tourists can conveniently visit both destinations without the hassle of obtaining separate visas. For detailed information on how to reach these destinations and make the most of your trip, feel free to visit my TikTok account @inner_pisces.

Senado Square, also known as Largo do Senado, is a historic square located in the heart of Macau's city center. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Macau.

From the immigration to Senados Square take 21A bus, and for important note transportation fees are all worth 6 Pataka only, no need to use the octopus card from HK.

Senado Square's combination of historical architecture, cultural significance, and vibrant atmosphere makes it a must-visit destination in Macau. It offers a glimpse into the city's rich heritage and provides a unique experience for tourists.

The Ruins of Saint Paul's are actually a short distance from Senado Square, making them our next destination. Be sure to wear comfortable footwear, as there will be a lot of walking. The Ruins tend to be quite crowded; I believe this area is one of the most crowded places in Macau. We didn't even go upstairs to see the Ruins up close because it was so sunny and crowded. I also don't recommend visiting Hong Kong and Macau during the summer since it gets really hot.

Fun story, while strolling around the Ruins of St. Paul, we stumbled upon a store that looked like a clock and watch gallery (not sure). We went inside and pretended to be really interested in the clocks and watches. But in reality, we just wanted to cool off since the store had aircon.

After that we went to The Venetian, Londoner and Parisian.

We just take our Lunch here in COD (City of Dreams) Mall. We went inside, at first its a bit intimidating.

Trivia, Macau was also know as the Las Vegas of Asia, since the late 20th century has become a major resort city and a top destination for gambling tourism. Its gambling industry is seven times larger than that of Las Vegas.

Here are few snaps I have.

This is also an iconic location, as it was a shooting place for the Korean series "Boys Over Flowers."

For this trip we spend;

	Amount
Trip from HK to Macau (Via Bus)	Php 1,100 (each)
Food (Lunch and Dinner)	Php 2,000 (each)
Transpo diff places in Macau	Php 1,300 (each)

Important Note: You can use HKD in Macau, but you'll receive change in Pataca. Make sure to use your Pataca currency while in Macau because it won't be accepted in Hong Kong.

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Day 2

Disneyland Hongkong!

Both Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland are wonderful and truly the happiest places on earth. However, Hong Kong Disneyland is larger compared to Tokyo Disneyland (I think so). One thing I love about Hong Kong Disneyland is that every show is in English. Haha!

The itinerary for today, we will just ride as much as we can, witness the float parade, eat and the iconic Firework display.

This is my first time witnessing the magical fireworks display at Disneyland. It was truly breathtaking, with vibrant colors lighting up the night sky and perfectly synchronized music adding to the enchantment. The entire experience felt like a dream come true, capturing the essence of Disney magic in every burst of light.

	Amount
Hongkong Disneyland 1 Day Pass	Php 5,649.99 (each)
Food (Lunch and Dinner)	Php 3,400 (each, including other drinks like water, snacks, coffee and etc.) Also, Disneyland is a bit pricy when it comes to food.

Important Note: I don't think you can ride all the rides in Disneyland with a regular pass. If you want to fully experience all the attractions, consider getting an express pass or booking a 2-day access pass for Hong Kong Disneyland.

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Day 3

Today's itinerary is HK City Tour.

We prepared late because of yesterday's activity (Disneyland), and we are planning to start our day with a coffee at Mcdonalds

Quarry Bay Monster Building is a famous spot where Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo shot scenes for the movie "Hello, Love, Goodbye."

Getting here requires a long walk and can be difficult to locate.

After that we just went nearest Mall to freshen up, and visit One Pacific Place Mall.

Hong Kong Park., its walking distance between Victoria Peak so we went here first to since it is just for free.

Victoria Peak is a hill on the western half of Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin, and locally as The Peak only generally.

Basically, its more on over view and you can experience the historic Tramp

We just take few pictures with a nice view of whole Hong Kong and take our lunch inside.

Here are the few snaps we had in Victoria Peak.

Central Pier, Victoria Harbor, this viewing deck at Victoria Harbor overlooks the Kowloon side of the island and has become a recurring spot. This is completely free, and this is also called as Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

While you’re at the waterfront, head toward Tsim Sha Tsui East to check out the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade, Avenue of Stars, Clock Tower, Hong Kong Cultural Centre and enjoy 'A Symphony of Lights' in the evening. 

And that's it for our city tour here in Hong Kong.

	Amount
Victoria Peak	Php 1,299 (each)
Food (Lunch and Dinner)	Php 2,400 (each)

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To sum all the expenses;

	Amount
Preparations	Php 16, 401.67
Transportation (Loaded our Octopus Card 150HKD)	Php 1,121.03
Day 1 - Trip to Macau	Php 4,400.00
Day 2 - Hong Kong Disneyland	Php 9,049.99
Day 3 - City Tour in Hong Kong	Php 3,699.00
TOTAL	PHP 34,671.69

Note: The total expenses will vary depending on your preferred itinerary, plane ticket, hotel accommodation (we opted for the cheapest option), and other expenses such as shopping and souvenirs. Use this blog as your travel reference.

Thank you so much! Please like this blog if you found it very helpful.

See you on my next one!