Hong Kong Macau In-depth Tour

Welcome to Hong Kong, one of the best places to go for foodies and shopaholics. Upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, you will see our guide waiting for you with your name sign. Then you will be escorted to your hotel. On the way, he or she will give you a general idea of the tour and some information about Hong Kong. Then you may have a rest at the hotel before you officially kick off the tour.

Optional Tour (if arriving in the morning):

In the morning, we will visit Chi Lin Nunnery. Known as one of the most impressive attractions in Hong Kong, Chi Lin Nunnery is a must-see site for Buddhism enthusiasts. The nunnery is reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in its architecture and was built in the 1930s. One interesting fact about Chi Lin Nunnery is that no metal nails were used in its construction. It was built in this manner to showcase the harmonious relationship between humans and the environment. And there is an old Chinese belief that if buildings are built without metal but with wood only, the life of the buildings will be much longer. Different parts of wood pieces are locked together in the similar manner as a jigsaw puzzle. Three different gates, each with its representation, are at the entrance of the nunnery. The three gates represent compassion, wisdom, and the skills of people respectively.

Then let us continue to visit another tourist attraction, Nanlian Garden. Covering an area of 35,000 square meters, Nanlian Garden is also built in the construction style of the Tang Dynasty. Besides being dominated by wood structures, the garden is studded with clusters of bizarre rocks and decorated with lots of old and valuable trees. In the garden, besides appreciating the wood structures, you also have many other things to do. There is a souvenir shop that you can buy something for your family and friends, a vegetarian food restaurant where you can try some local vegetarian delicacy, a Chinese tea house where you can have a cup of tea and relax, as well as a multi-purpose function room to cater to the various needs of tourists.

In the afternoon, we will go to Wong Tai Sin Temple. Wong Tai Sin Temple is the busiest and best-known temple in Hong Kong for fortune-telling. Enshrined in this traditional Chinese-style building complex, the immoral Wong Tai Sin is believed to be responsive to every prayer. You can try to make a wish here! Visiting this temple, you can appreciate the well-designed statues as well as feel the strong Taoist culture.

The last place we will take you to is Ladies’ Street. Ladies’ Street is also called Ladies’ market. It is one of the largest and most famous street markets in Hong Kong with more than 100 stores. This street is famous for its stores and stalls selling clothing, accessories, and souvenirs at an affordable price. Here, you can find everything you can imagine, like clothing for children and adults, shoes, bags, necklaces, cosmetics, watches, toys, CDs, sunglasses, jade products, small household items, and others. 

Today you will have a half-day tour. After breakfast, we will take you to Victoria Peak on the west of Hong Kong Island. Victoria Peak has an elevation of 554 meters and is the highest peak on Hong Kong Island. The peak is famous for its nice ecological environment and beautiful scenery. In the early days, the peak was a popular place for prominent officials to build residences. In 1868, Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell, the 6th governor of Hong Kong built a summer residence on the peak. Today, it has become a tourist attraction offering not only a panoramic view over the city but also a chance to experience Hong Kong’s residence culture. On the peak, there is a shopping mall and you can purchase from trend-setting fashion goods and accessories to personalized souvenirs like authentic Chinese handicrafts.

To get to the peak, you will take the Peak Tram, which rises 396 meters above sea level. The tram, first opened in 1888, is one of the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways. We are pretty sure that the amazing visual illusion you get (sitting on the tram and looking out of the window, you will feel as if the buildings you see are tilted) as your tram goes higher will make your trip an unforgettable experience. 

Then you will visit the Aberdeen Fishing Village located in southwestern Hong Kong Island. Aberdeen is considered the origin of today’s Hong Kong. In this village, villagers live in their floating homes and fishing is a way of life for them. Besides the well-known residential boats, Aberdeen is also famous for the floating restaurant-Jumbo Kingdom. We will arrange a sampan (a small wooden boat) for you to have a closer look at the floating restaurant and how the local fishermen are living their lives. 

For the last stop of our half-day tour, we will take you to an open-air street marketplace, Stanley Market. In Stanley Market, you will find shops that sell all kinds of souvenirs like shirts with “I heart Hong Kong”, Chinese brushes, oil paintings, and jade products. And you may experience the art of bargaining. If shopping is not something you like, you can also choose to walk along the Stanley bay nearby, or sit down in one of the cafes there. 

Today’s journey ends here, and our guide will transfer you to the hotel. Hope you have a good rest.

Free Time Suggestion:

For your free afternoon, you can visit the Avenue of Stars. It is a scenic seaside promenade located in the east of the Tsim Sha Tsui area. The Avenue of Stars stretches a total length of 440 meters from Hong Kong Museum of Art to New World Centre. It follows the models of Hollywood Avenue of Stars in Los Angeles. The names and handprints of many distinguished Hong Kong film stars like Jackie Chan and Andy Lau, are embedded in special plaques and arranged chronologically on the avenue, to commemorate the history of the film industry in Hong Kong. Apart from the handprints, there are also thousands of exhibitions related to films and many cultural shows co-organized with overseas institutions held here.

Another place that we recommend is the Temple Street. It is a street market that many tourists like to visit. Here, you can look for street bargains or eat some inexpensive Chinese food. Actually, the Temple Street night market is one of Hong Kong’s tourist shopping highlights. It is also known as the paradise for foodies, providing various kinds of food. The Wonton Noodles, the Clay Pot Rice, Beef Balls, as well as Fish Balls are all worth tasting and they all represent Hong Kong’s unique food culture. A visit to Temple Street will offer you an unforgettable experience in Hong Kong.

Aberdeen Fishing Village

Peak Tram

After breakfast, we will drive southwest to Lantau Island. It will take about 1 hour and 10 minutes to drive there, and the total distance is about 50 kilometers. You will get off your vehicle at Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal to take the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car (standard cabin) to ascend the Lantau Island. If needed, you can contact us to upgrade your service to take the Crystal Cabin, which is equipped with a glass-bottom for you to feast your eyes on the marvelous beauty of the island from a bird’s eye view. 

When you arrive at the top, you will visit the Bronze Buddha. Situated on the peak of the Muyu Mountain on Lantau Island, the Bronze Buddha is the world’s largest outdoor bronze statue. Built in the early 1990s, it is made of 202 bronze pieces with a weight of 250 tons. The statue is 23 meters high, and the total height of its pedestal is about 34 meters. Its face imitates the Lusena Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes (in Luoyang City), and the dress pattern as well as headdress refer to the Shakyamuni Buddha in the Mogao Grottoes (in Dunhuang City). Undoubtedly, you will be amazed by the magnificent statue.

Then we will visit Po Lin Monastery. The Polin Monastery in Lantau Island is a Buddhist temple complex. Although it is a popular attraction to tourists, the temple still maintains its essence as well as traditions and is well-frequented by the believers. There are several halls in this Buddhist complex. When you enter the main hall in the monastery, you may find that the Chinese characters on the top of the main hall spell out “Po Lin Temple”. “Po Lin” means “precious lotus” in Chinese. And lotus is a special symbol in Buddhism, meaning “purity”.

After lunch, you will have some free time at Ngongping Village. With an area of about 1.5 hectares, it is adjacent to the Big Buddha and Polin Monastery. Ngong Ping Village is a culture-themed village where you will find all sorts of shops selling culture-related souvenirs. 

Today’s journey ends here. We will go to the port of Hong Kong, and go ahead to Macau by ferry. Our local tour guide in Macau will pick up you at the port there. Then you will be transferred to the hotel and have a nice rest. 

Optional Activity:

After visiting Ngong Ping Village, there’s an optional tour to take the public transportation to Tai O Fishing Village. Tai O is the oldest fishing village in Hong Kong and one of the most popular attractions. It is not just a culturally rich attraction, but also a hot spot for eco-tourism. It would be a good choice to take a sampan in the fishing village to admire the breathtaking scenery around.

Po Lin Monastery

Bronze Buddha

Today, our tour in Macau officially starts! After enjoying your breakfast, we will go to the first destination -- Senado Square. Senado Square is located in the middle of the Macau Peninsula. It is a town square in Macau and one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are many commodity shops, traditional Chinese restaurants, snack stalls, and cafes on the square. Fashionable clothing, famous snacks, and the beautiful environment make it a popular tourist attraction. Lion dance and dragon dance are usually held on special days such as the Chinese New Year. If you come here on such days, make sure you have a look!

Then we will visit the second stop in Macau – the Ruins of St. Paul’s. Undoubtedly, as the most famous landmark in Macau, the Ruins of St. Paul’s is the remaining part of the facade of the original St. Paul’s Church, next to St. Paul’s College. The church and college were built by the Jesuits between 1602 and 1640, and were mostly destroyed by a devastating fire in 1835. The Ruins of St. Pauls was restored between 1990 and 1995. In 2005, it was officially listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Macau.

Next, we will move on to the Monte Fortress. As one of the must-visit places in Macau, it is also one of the most historically significant attractions. Built in 1617 and completed in 1626, it is also called St. Paul’s Monte Fortress, and is often referred to as “Da Pao Tai” by Macao residents. Covering an area of about 10,000 square meters and shaped in an irregular quadrilateral shape, the fort used to be the core of Macau’s defense system in the old times. 

After lunch, we will go to Macau Tower. You can’t miss this important landmark of the city. With 56 floors and a total height of 338 meters, the Macau Tower set two Guinness World Records in 2006 for the “highest bungee jump from a building” and the “world's highest commercial bungee jump facility”. (This bungee jump is not included in our itinerary. If you want to have a try, you can buy the ticket of that on site.)It was designed by the famous architect Gordon Moller from New Zealand. The tower was invested by Ho Hung-Sun (a famous businessman in Macau) after his visit to the Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand. He liked the Sky Tower so much that he decided to build one like that in Macau. The construction of the tower began in 1998 and finished in December 2001, on the 2nd anniversary of Macau’s return to China. Eversince, Macau Tower became a hot spot for travelers around the world, attracting about 1 million people to visit per year. 

Next, we will go to the Venetian Macau. The Venetian is a luxury resort that integrates hotels, casinos, exhibitions, and shopping outlets. With the theme of Venice, the water city of Italy, Venetian features arch bridges, small canals, and all sorts of shops. If you are a shopaholic, this is the place you cannot miss.

Optional Activity:

The House of Dancing Water was created by Franco Dragone in 2010 to be part of the unique design of City of Dreams (an integrated entertainment resort). Performed in the nice environment of Macau’s City of Dreams, the House of Dancing Water is a spectacle not to be missed. Inspired by Chinese culture, the 90-minute show hardly gives you any time to breathe: dance, acrobatics, high diving, jiu-jitsu, motorcycling, burlesque... take turns on stage. Each performer has his/her own showtime to present his/her talents, and the whole show is like a Hollywood blockbuster, full of dazzling visual effects. The non-stop cheers from the audience during the show are enough to prove how amazing the show is.

Tips: This show is staged twice per day (except Tuesdays and Wednesdays). One at 5 pm, the other at 8 pm. 

Senado Square

Macau Tower

Today your 5-day trip to Hong Kong and Macau will come to an end and the guide will drive you to the airport according to the time of your flight. We hope you have a pleasant and relaxing journey and look forward to serving you again!

Author: Zhang Yu

Proofreader: Li Yiwen