48 Hours in Hong Kong and Macau

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Time is one of the reasons why some can’t travel. We often find ourselves at the mercy of weekends or holidays. If you are pressed for time and planning a trip to Hong Kong, this post is for you.

Together with my two college friends, your travel writer went to Hong Kong and Macau last month. This is our 2 days in Hong Kong itinerary and it is my pleasure to share them all to you. All prices are in Hong Kong dollars. If you are staying in Hong Kong longer, follow this 5-day Hong Kong itinerary.

Day 1

Arrival- Lantau Island-Victoria Peak

We arrived in Hong Kong at 2am. To save money, we decided to spend some time at the airport, trying to catch some sleep until 6am – first trip of trains and buses to the mainland. We bought the MRT Octopus Card ($150) – for trains and buses. From the airport, we took a 40-minute bus ride going to Tsim Sha Tsui where our hotel, Hotel Benito is located.

Hello Hong Kong!

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Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) is one of the most touristy areas in Hong Kong and like any tourist area, it less tidy compared to other places like Central. Still, if this is your first time and want convenience, it is a good place to stay while in Hong Kong.

We left our bags at Hotel Benito and washed up then headed to McDonald’s for breakfast. This is outside McDonald’s and a few steps away from TST station exit.

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Lantau Island: Hong Kong’s Heritage Spot

We are a group of History majors therefore, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this is our first stop. You can take the bus from the nearest station to Lantau but we rode the famous Ngong Ping 360 cable ride (roundtrip – $165).

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Scared of heights? Don’t worry,  it is not as scary as you might expect it to be. Believe me, I have acrophobia and it was my concern too, but I did well. If you want some thrill, you can ride the glass bottom cable car.

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Lantau Island is home to the famous Tian Tan Buddha or Big Buddha,  Po Lin Monastery, and Ngong Ping Village.  Expect to spend at least half of your day at Lantau. With our 48-hour timeframe, you have to decide if you want Lantau Island or Hong Kong’s top attraction – Disneyland.

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We had lunch in one of the dainty restaurants at Ngong Ping Village. Meet my travel buddies for this trip – Reagan and Victoria!

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Photo by Reagan Palacios

At 1pm, we went back to the hotel to finally bathe and catch some sleep. We woke up at past 4pm and went to Central Station.

Victoria Peak: See Hong Kong’s Skyline

Who can miss Victoria Peak while in Hong Kong? From Central Station, we walked uphill to the Peak Tram. Again, you can choose to take the bus or taxi but taking a tram is a nice experience for everyone.

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We bought the PEAK TRAM SKY PASS ( $83) – round trip tram ride and access to the Sky Terrace where you can get this popular shot of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers.

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Best time to visit is at late afternoon, so you can see the view during daytime, dusk, and night. Warning though, it can get crowded but if you don’t mind spending more, they have a photo area free other spectators.

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After Sky Terrace, we went to The Peak Galleria and had dinner at Tsui Wah Restaurant. Yum!

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Photo by Reagan Palacios

For dessert, we had gelato while walking around The Peak Galleria before lining up at for the Tram.

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Back in TST, we started shopping. We decided to separate to maximize our time . TST is home to many shopping venues. I shopped for cosmetics and skincare products at Sassa and bought chocolates and sweets at Bonjour ( also a great place for cosmetics).

Our first day in Hong Kong concluded at 10pm.

Day 2

Daytrip in Macau

I think no first-time visitor will skip Macau in their itinerary. We woke up later than we planned but still early! Got lost finding the terminal ( I think I need to write a separate post). Finally, we found the terminal going to Macau.

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Buy roundtrip tickets to save, ticket was less than $300 ( one way is $165). Bought bread and beverages in one of the bakeries serving as our breakfast (eaten inside the ferry). Travel time is less than an hour.

We took Grand Lisboa’s shuttle bus and of course, start your Macau trip at the casino. We played slot games ( no picture-taking and minors allowed). Victoria was victorious! haha! We walked all the way Senado Square where Macau’s historical buildings can be found.

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There are street signs to their top attractions. Passed by old churches and arrived at its iconic landmark- St. Paul’s Ruins. I think it is impossible to take a crowd-free photo of this heritage site.

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Macau is very busy and we found solace at 7 Burger for our lunch. The restaurant, just close to St. Paul’s Ruins has this very homey and hip ambiance.

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After lunch, we went to Museu de Macau, just beside St. Paul’s Ruins. One of the most interactive museums I’ve been to. The museum is located in a 16th-century fort, Fortaleza do Monte.

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After the museum, we went back to Senado Square to catch a bus with a very grumpy female driver  going to The Venetian Macau (fare is $2). You can use your Hong Kong dollar in Macau.

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We also played the slot and I won $20. haha! Took their shuttle bus to the terminal. We arrived in Hong Kong at 6pm.

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While at the terminal, we spent too much time shopping at Esprit that we missed the Lights Show at Victoria Harbour. We had dinner in Cafe de Coral – very tasty and affordable place to eat in Hong Kong. You can find them across Hong Kong.

Shopping at Temple Street

For Hong Kong shopping, we chose Temple Street instead of the more popular Ladies’ Market. I bought toys for my kids while Reagan and Victoria picked souvenirs . Went back to the hotel at 10pm to get our things.

We missed the bus going to the airport so we took the taxi ($300). While waiting for our flight, we had our balance credit from our Octopus card reimbursed.



And that ends our 2nd day and our Hong Kong-Macau trip leading to our departure back to Iloilo.

Hope you find this post useful!

Thanks for reading!

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