[arao]

Originally Posted by Hatari

Just got back this week for a 4 day trip with my wife.

Apart from Disneyland (havent been), not much to do with a child.
Try the Tian Ten Buddha at Lantau, its a nice 5km cable car ride.

HK is great for local food, bars etc - outstanding crab/pork/prawn etc
The view from Ozone (Bar) on the 118th floor at the Ritz carlton is unreal. Its the highest bar in the world.
The view from the harbour at night is great, there's a light show at 8pm which is a must do.

Shopping is a waste, you get everything in India much cheaper.
Stay at Tsim Sha Tsui which is the touristy area and well connected by MTR/bus, be prepared for lots of walking though! Wear sneakers..

Lot of culture to see & experience in HKG - the Western District Walking Tour gives a feel of HKG as it was decades ago. Chinese temples and monasteries, walled villages, the Lan Kwai Fong bars & restaurants, the enormous variety of cuisine available there and in the Soho area, a ride up the Peak Tram, the hike on Dragon's Back, etc. Good museums for the kids too, as also the Ocean Park.

[sukhoi30]

I am planning a trip to HK this June. We are a family of four - 3 adults and 1 kid. I have been searching for hotel rooms online. But I am not getting the right kind of room for a family of four.

Most rooms appear to cater to 2 adults and 2 small kids. Many are small with one Q size bed which is not good for me and my family.

Can some one please advice me?

In addition to the space, I need a hotel which is near to a metro station. My budget is between Rs.10K to Rs.12K. Stay is 4 nights/5 days.

TIA!!

[rahul_jo]

I am planning to travel to hong kong some time in early to middle June. Since this is my first international trip, I am looking to go with a travel package.

So far, I have gotten a decent quote from Dpaul's. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with them (Good Or Bad) and would like to know if they're trustworthy.

Thanks in advance.

P.S Yes, I know a lot of folks within this thread preferred self-planning and I know a few might ask me to plan this out myself rather than going via an agent.

However, once again, since this is my first trip abroad, I sort of feel like I have something or someone to bank upon by going through a travel agent.

[sukhoi30]

I wanted to share my recent experience at the HongKong immigration on the 'Visa on Arrival Scheme'.
Last month I and my family (4 persons) went to HK as tourists. Prior to embarking on the trip, I had reviewed many sites and also sought advice from the airline (Cathay Pacific) on the Visa formalities for Indian tourists. Everywhere I got the response that it was a hassle free "visa on arrival scheme" for HK.

On the day of our arrival, our flight landed in HK at around 9.30 am. We quickly reached the immigration line. We filled up the relevant immigration forms and approached the line. We were standing in a general line for all tourists when an official (looking at our passport) asked us to get into different line. We noticed that the official was segregating Indian tourists/arrivals into a separate queue.

When our turn came, the officer at the counter didn't ask a single question but filled up some form and handed us to another officer. This officer took us to a place and asked us to wait. After a wait of 15 - 20 mins, another officer came and took us to another office. There we found a few other Indian tourists (some were with families) waiting.

Fifteen minutes later, an officer called us into her cubicle and asked questions about hotel/stay duration/places you are going to visit/money you are carrying etc. She then asked us to wait and proceeded to meet a higher officer in a closed cabin. Around 15-20 mins later, the officer took us back to the immigration counter, gave us back our passports and asked us to go. Looking at our passports, we noticed that the Visa was a stapled piece of paper. There was no stamp in any of the passport pages. The stub of paper just mentioned "allowed to stay till <date>".

Through all this I and my family were very anxious as to why we were detained in the first place. Moreover, we were all weary and hungry from the overnight travel.

After coming back I tried researching on this. I found that China staples visa for visitors coming from Arunachal Pradesh and Kashmir as these are considered disputed by them. But I and my family have never even visited Kashmir or Arunachal Pradesh, let alone being from those places. So, I am not sure why they did this. Did they do it on a random basis?

I am interested to know if any one else encountered such a situation on their visit to HK.

[Hayek]

Looking at our passports, we noticed that the Visa was a stapled piece of paper. There was no stamp in any of the passport pages. The stub of paper just mentioned "allowed to stay till ".

I am not sure why they did this. Did they do it on a random basis?

I am interested to know if any one else encountered such a situation on their visit to HK.

That's what Hong Kong does for all arrivals - no need to waste pages in a passport or have rubber stamps et al when the data is stored electronically. HK is not really a visa on arrival - it is visa less entry, the way it works for residents of the U.K. Or US around the world. The only surprising part of being asked to queue separately - that's never happened in dozens f trips to HK.

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by sukhoi30

I am interested to know if any one else encountered such a situation on their visit to HK.

It was pretty easy to get past immigration in HK till last year/ beginning of this year. It still is, but they are a bit more interrogative now. This is due to increasing cases of Indians and some other nationalities staying back illegally in HK. My last visit was in May this year. It was a breeze for me as usual, but my colleague who was visiting for the first time was asked a few questions.

http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-...ckdown-illegal

[sukhoi30]

Originally Posted by rrsteer

It still is, but they are a bit more interrogative now. This is due to increasing cases of Indians and some other nationalities staying back illegally in HK.

Well, that's understandable. But is their any criteria on how they screen visitors? Families with small kids should not look like refugees trying to over stay. And I was ready to answer all those questions right at the counter rather than being singled out to a separate office. In fact, I had booked everything online like return ticket, hotel room, disney tickets, etc and had it ready with me.

[rrsteer]

Originally Posted by sukhoi30

Well, that's understandable. But is their any criteria on how they screen visitors? Families with small kids should not look like refugees trying to over stay. And I was ready to answer all those questions right at the counter rather than being singled out to a separate office. In fact, I had booked everything online like return ticket, hotel room, disney tickets, etc and had it ready with me.

I can imagine your disappointment. Over the years I have formed an impression that a lot of this is just random and bereaved of logic. Not in HK, but in another country I was stopped while exiting the country. They wouldn't let me board the plane back to India thinking my passport was fake - while it was full with various immigration stamps and I never faced such an issue anytime anywhere before that.

[luvDriving]

Nice thread and timely one for me.

Well my mother and aunt are travelling to Auckland and their flight (Cathay Pacific) has a 11 hour layover in Hong Kong. Both are close to 70 years of age but can walk short distances easily.

Now since there is no tour as such (something similar to Singapore) available from the airport, can anyone suggest some closeby places for them to visit from the airport ? Their flight from Mumbai will arrive at 07 am and the onward flight is at 09 pm. Also at what time should they be back at the airport ?

I guess taking the airport express and then the ferry is one thing to do but apart from that, any suggestions ?

[garychopper]

Originally Posted by luvDriving

Nice thread and timely one for me.

Well my mother and aunt are travelling to Auckland and their flight (Cathay Pacific) has a 11 hour layover in Hong Kong. Both are close to 70 years of age but can walk short distances easily.

Now since there is no tour as such (something similar to Singapore) available from the airport, can anyone suggest some closeby places for them to visit from the airport ? Their flight from Mumbai will arrive at 07 am and the onward flight is at 09 pm. Also at what time should they be back at the airport ?

I guess taking the airport express and then the ferry is one thing to do but apart from that, any suggestions ?

11 hours is a lot of time in Hk. They can easily go the Hk main island, visit the Victoria peak, have lunch and return to the airport. However, The most convenient and worthwhile place to access would be the statue of the big Buddha close to the airport in Tung chung. They can take the cable car to and fro up to the statue which is an excellent experience, relax, have lunch there, sightsee and return. If they are into shopping..they can also visit the mall in Tung chung where they can easily spend 4-5 hours. Regards, G

[luvDriving]

Thanks garychopper !

I also had a question regarding the ticket booking - is it better to do it via sites like makemytrip/cleartrip/expedia or via the portals of airlines ? We have more or less decided to book on cathay pacific.

I can search and compare on external sites but is it safe and convenient - that is the question.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by luvDriving

Thanks garychopper !

I also had a question regarding the ticket booking - is it better to do it via sites like makemytrip/cleartrip/expedia or via the portals of airlines ? We have more or less decided to book on cathay pacific.

I can search and compare on external sites but is it safe and convenient - that is the question.

I have used Expedia in the past with no problems, perfectly safe. I would always check against the airline. If the price is similar i would always book with the airline. Less hassle if you have to change anything.

Jeroen

[sukhoi30]

Originally Posted by luvDriving

I also had a question regarding the ticket booking - is it better to do it via sites like makemytrip/cleartrip/expedia or via the portals of airlines ? We have more or less decided to book on cathay pacific.

I booked directly on the Cathay Pacific website. It is convenient and there was no great price difference when compared to the external sites. But remember to do online check-in a day before boarding.

[airbus]

We would be visiting Hong Kong during May 2018 for a week. Our main target is Disneyland and plan to visit couple of other attractions as well. Which area is good for Indians to stay? Is it advisable to book ticket online for Disneyland? In my previous trips to Thailand and Singapore, I have found that local agents sell attraction tickets at much discounted price.

[adentist]

We used the site klook.com to book Disneyland and Ocean park tickets. We got a decent discount. Offline discounts were not as much.