Triangle Trip

The best option to go from Hong Kong International Airport (”HKIA” or “HKG”) to South China (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Huizhou, Foshan and Zhongshan) for business or pleasure is by bus (see my previous post with step by step directions). If you are not comfortable with taking the bus from HKIA and prefer the traditional train route, or simply want to stop in Hong Kong for a drink or meal, here is what you need to do to get to quickly get to Hong Kong Central then to Shenzhen or Guangzhou:

1.  Take the Airport Express train from HKG to Hong Kong Station; this drops you off in Central District. You can get a nice meal or drinks here (here’s my previous post on places to visit in Hong Kong if you can spare a day or two before going to the Mainland).

2.  From the Hong Kong Station in Central, look for the MTR train and take the Tsuen Wan (Red) line toward Kowloon.

3.  Get off at Tsim Sha Tsui station and walk to the East Tsim Sha Tsui station (a 10 minute walk)

4.  From the East Tsim Sha Tsui station, get on the West Rail line (dark purple) toward Hung Hom.

5.  Take the train one stop to Hung Hom (last stop) and transfer to the East Rail line (baby blue), which starts from this station.

6.  Stay on the East Rail line to the last stop. The East Rail line terminates into one of two stations, either Lo Wu (Luo Hu in pinyin) or Lok Ma Chau (station for the Shenzhen Free Trade zone). From here, go through customs to cross the border from Hong Kong into Shenzhen.

To get to Guangzhou, you will need to take the “Guangdong Through Train” . follow steps 1 to 4 from above. Instead of step #5, you will need to:

5b. Take the West Rail line (dark purple) train from East Tsim Sha Tsui station for one stop to Hung Hom (last stop) and walk towards the Express train station which is not part of HK’s MTR.

6b. At the train station, purchase a ticket for an express train to Guangzhou East station in Guangzhou. The price of the ticket should be around HK$150 to HK$190. I recommend you pay a bit extra and get upgraded to First Class.

Have a safe journey.

If you are flying to Hong Kong International Airport (“HKIA” or “HKG”) to get to South China (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Huizhou, Foshan and Zhongshan) for business or pleasure, there are many options to go directly from HKIA to Shenzhen and Guangzhou without setting foot in Hong Kong. The best option is to use one of the three to four bus operators that go from HKG to South China every hour.

As a frequent visitor of Hong Kong, below is quick read on what to do there. Hong Kong Island is probably half the size of Manhattan and you can probably explore it in less than four days. It has great public transportation, especially the modern subway. Traveling by train is probably the best way to avoid traffic congestion on buses.

Central – The central business district. Lots of people. Lots of shopping – probably the most Chanel, LV, Armani, etc. store per capita in the world. There’s a building called IFC2 by the pier. It has lots of food and hip bar: Isola, Red, etc. IFC2 has a ferry terminal that can take passengers to Kowloon Island – the Star Ferry.

Lan Kwai Fong (LFK) – located in Central. It’s got a lot of historical houses built on slopes. It’s a place where Westerners go for happy hour. Tons of hip restaurants and bars. Very diverse crowd.

Soho – a 10 minute walk from LFK (more like elevator ride). It’s got more restaurants. More trendy…

Victoria Peak – Located in Central. Take the cable car up to the top of the mountain and get a panoramic view of Hong Kong and Kowloon.

Causeway Bay – probably the busiest intersection in Asia. Causeway Bay has a Time Square. It’s the area where locals and foreigners shop.

Aberdeen – located on the other side of HK island (HK is separated by a large mountain). Arberdeen has great seafood.

Repulse Bay – a resort like area near Aberdeen. It’s got a nice beach and very quiet. It’s where the locals go to get away form City life. You can take a bus from Admiralty or Central to get to Repulse Bay. It is also on the way to Stanley.

Stanley Market – a walking flea market where you can pick up local art work and enjoy local food. It’s also off the beach. The Murray Building is one of the landmarks – old government building that was moved from Central. Not too far from Repulse Bay.

Kowloon Island is located across the channel from Hong Kong Island. I highly recommend taking the Star Ferry (US$2 or less) which takes you from Wai Chai or Central (IFC2) to Kowloon. At one point, the ferry was the only way to go from one island to another. While in Kowloon, check out:

Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade – the Star Ferry will drop you off at the Promenade. There are museums and shops along the Promenade. It also offers a great view of the Hong Kong skyline, especially at night. There’s also the Kowloon Walk of Fame (not quite Hollywood).

The Old Railway Tower – a landmark of Hong Kong is also located along the Promenade. It is also a concert hall and great place to get a panoramic view of Hong Kong Island.

Tsim Sha Tsui – perpendicular to the promenade are filed with shops – from brand names to local designers. The top floor of the Peninsula Hotel offers a great view of HK at night. They serve drinks and dinner up there. Felix and Aqua (on One Peking Road building) is good spot for drinks and view.

Temple Street Market or Mong Kok Market – it’s a flea market worth checking out. It has pretty good street food as well.

Tian Tan Buddha – located on Lantau Island (by the airport) would be a good hiking experience. You’ll have to take the ferry from HK to get there.

Amusement parks: HK Disney, Ocean Park.