Hong Kong Macau Budget Trip

Welcome to Hong Kong! Our professional guide will be waiting for you in the arrival lobby when your plane arrives at the airport. You will find your name sign in a visible location. After picking you up, the guide will take you to the hotel and then you will have a good rest.

Hong Kong is located in southern China. It sits across from Macau and includes Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and another 262 small islands around, covering 1,106.66 square kilometers of land and 1,648.69 square kilometers of ocean. After World War II, Hong Kong’s economy and society developed rapidly. It not only ranks among the “Four Asian Tigers” but also grows into one of the world’s richest regions, being one of the regions with the highest living standard in the world.

Hong Kong is a highly prosperous free port and an international metropolis, known as the “Pearl of the Orient”, “paradise of cuisine” and “shopper’s paradise”. The city is a hub where Chinese culture and Western culture come together and integrate. It is also known as the “Nylonkong” along with New York and London. It is the third-largest financial center in the world, an important international financial, trading, and shipping center, and an international center for science and technology innovation. Being one of the freest economies and the most competitive cities, it ranks the third among the world’s first-tier cities by GaWC.

Option Tour:

If your flight arrives in the morning, you may choose to spend the rest of the day traveling to some local tourist attractions.

The first one we recommend is Man Mo Temple. Man Mo Temple is a temple complex built in the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) and is mainly composed of three buildings: Man Mo Temple, Lit Shing Kung, and Kung Sor. In the Man Mo Temple, Wendi (the God of Literature) and Wudi (the God of War) are worshiped. Generally, in the south of China, the God of Literature is believed to be Wenchang while in the north of China, he is believed to be Confucius. The Lit Shing Kung is the place where some other gods are worshiped. The Kung Sor is a place for Chinese people to discuss official business and find solutions for disputes. In the temple complex, two objects have been kept for over a century. They are a bronze bell and an official sedan in the Qing Dynasty.

The next one is Cat’s Street. The Cat’s Street is an antique market in Hong Kong, also known as Lascar Row. When Hong Kong was first colonized, many Indian sailors and soldiers liked to gather here to sell goods, and therefore Hong Kong people named the street Lascar Row. In addition to expensive artworks, there are also antique appliances, old toys, old postcards, old posters, etc. It is a good place for people who love nostalgic things to hunt for treasure.

In the afternoon, you can go to Wong Tai Sin Temple first. Wong Tai Sin Temple is located in Kowloon and is one of the most famous temples in Hong Kong. Wong Tai Sin is a god in Taoism, who is famous for curing sickness, healing wounds, and promoting charity. Hong Kong people believe that Wong Tai Sin gives responses to every prayer, and is able to predict one’s fortune. Therefore, people from all walks of life come to the temple to worship the god. It is just a way to show their expectations for future life. You may make a wish here.

Then, you can visit Ladies’ Street. It is a famous place for sightseeing and shopping, usually opening from the afternoon to late night. It was originally called Tung Choi Street. Since most of the items sold at the stalls here in the early days were clothing and products for women, it has been commonly known as Ladies’ Street.

Man Mo Temple

Ladies’ Street

After breakfast, your half-day visit to Hong Kong begins. The first place you will visit today is Victoria Peak, the most famous tourist attraction in Hong Kong. You will take the Peak Tram to arrive at the top of the peak. The peak tram has been in operation since 1888. It is the first motorized public transport after Hong Kong was colonized and the first funicular railway in Asia. The Peak Tower in the shape of a bowl standing on the top of Victoria Peak is a masterpiece of the famous British architect Terry Farrel. It is a good place for sightseeing, entertainment, dining, and shopping on Victoria Peak.

After that, you will travel to Aberdeen Fishing Village, which is located on the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. As early as over 200 years ago, it was a haven for pirates, as well as a fishing village. Today, the village, as a tourist attraction, still carries the characteristics of traditional fishing villages as there are hundreds of boatmen living here. Taking a sampan here is a traditional way for sightseeing, during which you may take wonderful photos.

The last attraction today is Stanley Market. Stanley is a beautiful seaside village in the south of Hong Kong. It was once a British military stronghold and the administrative center of Hong Kong Island as well as the location of Hong Kong’s heavily guarded prison. Stanley Market is an open-air market and a must-visit place for visitors who come to Stanley. Stalls and shops selling all kinds of goods including traditional Chinese crafts, antiques, rattan products, paintings and calligraphy works, clothing and fabrics are laid out end to end, so you can buy some souvenirs here. 

Options:

1. You can go to Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade in the Kowloon District to visit the Avenue of Stars and take the famous Star Ferry.

2. Temple Street is a good place to relax. Being the most famous night market in Hong Kong, Temple Street stays open from 14:00 to the next morning. Every night, the street is full of various goods and food stalls with affordable prices.

Aberdeen Fishing Village

Victoria Peak

After breakfast, we will drive to Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal on Lantau Island, which is about 32 kilometers away. It takes around 35 minutes to arrive there. Then, you will go to the top of the mountain by cable car. There are mainly two kinds of cabins available, Standard Cabin and Crystal Cabin. The major difference between them is the cabin bottom. The bottom of the Crystal Cabin is transparent and you can fully enjoy the beautiful scenery just under your feet, which makes your trip more exciting. We usually arrange the Standard Cabin for you. If you want a Crystal Cabin, please contact us to upgrade.

After getting to the peak, you will visit one of the most famous attractions there, the Big Buddha. The Big Buddha is a statue of Buddha Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. It is the biggest seated bronze Buddha statue in the world, with its body being 26.4 meters high and its base being 7.55 meters high, and covers an area of about 6,567 square meters and weighs more than 250,000 kilograms. The base of this statue is a three-story building and houses a bell on which images of Buddha and scriptures are carved. This bell rings every 7 minutes and rings 108 times every day, carrying the meaning of helping people get rid of 108 troubles.

Po Lin Monastery is the next attraction. It was founded in 1906 by three Buddhist monks from Jiangsu Province of mainland China. The stone arch in the front of the monastery, which shows the name of the monastery, faces the big Buddha. Three bronze statues of the Buddha are enshrined in the main hall, respectively representing one’s pre-life, present life and future life.

After lunch, you will pay a visit to Ngongping Village, near the Big Buddha. In the village, there are many shops selling souvenirs. It’s a good place to buy some gifts with Chinese features for your family and friends. In addition, you can enjoy various Chinese traditional snacks and western snacks.

Your visit to Hong Kong is coming to an end here and then we will send you to the port where you will take the ferry to Macau. When you arrive at the port in Macau, our guide will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel.

Macau is one of the two special administrative regions in China (the other is Hong Kong), located in southern China. In 1553, the Portuguese obtained the right of occupancy in Macau, and in 1887, Portugal formally occupied Macau. In 1999, the Central Government of the People’s Republic of China resumed its sovereignty over Macau. For centuries, the eastern and western cultures have blended with each other in Macau, making it a unique city with a large number of historical and cultural relics. The historic urban area of Macau was officially listed as the United Nations World Cultural Heritage in 2005. Moreover, Macau is an internationally famous free port and one of the world’s best tourist destinations. It is also one of the world’s four gambling cities along with Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Monte Carlo, and one of the most densely populated areas in the world, being a highly developed place in the world.

Big Buddha

Po Lin Monastery

In the morning, you will first go to Senado Square, one of Macau’s four squares. It was originally used as a place where officers in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Portuguese discussed and negotiated official business. Many of the buildings around Senado Square are of a European appearance. They have great aesthetic value in architectural art and are valuable cultural relics.

Then you will visit the Ruins of St. Paul’s Church, one of the landmark buildings in Macau, designed by an Italian priest and completed with the assistance of Japanese artisans. It is the front part of St. Paul’s Church which was once the biggest Catholic Church in the east. From the ruins of the church, you can see the whole building integrates European architectural style during Renaissance with the Eastern architectural style. The church of Baroque style was about 27 meters high and 23.5 meters wide, including 5 floors. Now you can just imagine what it was like before it was destroyed by fire.

The last site in the morning is Monte Fortress. The fortress is the largest, as well as the oldest one in Macau. The construction work began in 1616 and ended in 1626 during the Ming Dynasty, originally owned by St. Paul’s Church. It was built to protect the priests in St. Paul’s Church against pirates. Later, it served as a military fort belonging to the government. In 1622, thanks to the Monte Fortress, the Dutch fleet was defeated during the Macau defensive war.

After lunch, you will pay a visit to Macau Tower, a member of the World Federation of Great Towers, to enjoy the landscape of Macau. The tower covers an area of about 13,400 square meters with a total height of 338 meters. It is higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris and is the eighth highest free-standing sightseeing tower in the world. The building work of the tower took 3 years and 1 billion patacas (124.9 million US dollars). It serves as a place for sightseeing, conference, and entertainment.

The next station is Venetian Macau, the largest hotel in Macau and the second largest casino resort in the world. The hotel includes a convention and exhibition center, a shopping mall, and a casino. It is also a place to enjoy wonderful shows. In 2008, the Venetian Macau Hotel was selected as one of the top ten charming hotels in China. Its architectural style follows the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, USA, and has been considered as a replica of it. The hotel is based on the theme of Venice, with arch bridges and small canals. You will feel as if you were traveling in Venice of Italy.

Then you will arrive at Sands Cotai Central, a famous shopping center that was opened in 2004 and is one of Macau’s landmarks. Known as the world’s largest tourism project, its interior furnishing and service standard all meet world-class requirements. In addition to duty-free stores, Sands Cotai Central also accommodates three world-famous hotels – Conrad Hotel, Holiday Hotel and the internationally renowned Sheraton Hotel, providing more than 5,000 guest rooms and various dining facilities.

Optional Activity:

You can enjoy the House of Dancing Water Performance, which is performed at 17:00 and 20:00 respectively, and each lasts for 90 minutes. Please note that the performances are closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ruins of St. Paul’s Church

Venetian Macau

Today, your trip in Macau will come to an end. After breakfast, your tour guide will escort you to the airport. Hope you have enjoyed your trip and we are so honored to provide our service for you. Feel free to contact us if there is any need.

Author: Huihui Liu

Proofreader: Vivian Zhou