Hong Kong Trip - Total Expenses & Lesson Learnt

Total Expenses 

For 6D5N trip ni, aku hanya buat pertukaran sebanyak RM1,300 sahaja dari Malaysia. Tapi kat HK, extra RM200 aku tukar ke HKD sebab aku budget RM1,300 tu tak temasuk hotel, mana tau bila kami sampai Hotel dia cakap kena bayar. And aku assume masa tu credit card Fad dia tak charge lagi. And that lady cakap kalau pay in Credit card we have to pay 10% extra charge on top of total payment stated in Booking.com. Bukan 10% yang Booking.com dah charged tau tapi another extra charge by Hotel. Penipu betul lah Booking.com ni. Takde pulak ko cakap masa aku buat booking tu. So, nak save budget punya pasal kami setuju pay in cash atas persetujuan semua. 

Budget Before the trip: 

AA Return Ticket (KL-HK) – RM427 

AA Baggage (shared) + pre-booked meals (return) + pre-booked seat (return) – RM93 

Extra Foods – RM40 

TOTAL: RM560

Basic Budget Hong Kong:
Octopus Card - HKD150 (Topup+HKD50 Deposit) + HKD100 (Topup)**
Simcard HK - HKD88 *
HK Disneyland – HKD420
Ocean Park - HKD290
The Peak dan Madame Tussaud – HKD250
Hotel Delta (Tsim sha Tsui) for 6D/5N - HKD1025 PP (HKD2050 - Double Room)
Hong Kong Ngong Ping 360 (Crystal Cabin Cable Car) – HKD205
Harga tiket ferry (HK-Macau) - HKD159 (To) & HKD160 (From)
Harga tiket Bus (Macau) - HKD16

TOTAL: HKD 2863

Souvenirs:
The Peak – HKD 200 (Keychain & FM) 
Mongkok Ladies Market – HKD 200 (T-shirts) 
Hong Kong Disneyland Lantau Island HK - HKD 275 (T-shirt & FM)
Ngong Ping 360 Lantau HK - HKD380

TOTAL: HKD 1055

Makan-Makan: 
Dinner Day 2 – HKD 40 (Nasi Arab) – shared
Dinner Day 3 – HKD 15 (Nasi Lalapan) – Masjid Kowloon 
Lunch Day 4 – HKD 94 (Tahitian Terrace Disneyland) 
Dinner Day 5 - HKD 30 (Ebenezzer Kebab)
Dinner Day 6 – HKD 64 (Popeye Chicken) 

Miscellaneous – HKD 50 

TOTAL: HKD 293

TOTAL BUDGET: RM1766 + RM560 = RM2326

* Optional 
** Akan dapat balik refund HKD50 tolak with HKD 9 (charge) 

Rasanya itu sajalah, cuma tak masukkan cost orang belanja makan. Aku rasa macam banyak membazir beli souvenir yang tak perlu di Ngong Ping 360. Menyesal lah plak, nafsu.. nafsu... hahaha.

Lesson Learnt:

NEVER booking with booking.com.

Sebelum ni memang aku baca orang komen macam-macam pasal booking.com ni tapi maybe belum kena kat batang hidung sendiri, so, aku ambil jalan mudah juga book thru this. And lesson learn to myself too, always asking for the receipt even you book thru online. Aku tak nak apa yang jadi kat aku & fad happend to anyone after this. Disebabkan kelalaian aku & kesilapan hotel (tak tahu samada dia aware atau pura-pura tak tahu), telah memaksa kawan aku fad untuk terminate credit card dia immediately. Masa book thru Booking.com, they will ask your credit card number including the 3 nos. at the back of your card. This information will pass directly to the hotel you booked thru booking.com. Meaning they have all information on cerdit card & anytime they can charged your credit card without you knowing. Booking.com will not responsible for any transaction between you & the Hotel. So, sila baca betul-betul terms & conditions masa book, ok.

What happened to me??? When I returned to Malaysia, my fren checked the cc statement, there was a transaction on 2nd March 2014 and we’re still in HK. And that time, we already paid cash. Meaning, hotel already double charge you. We noticed only after 5 days in Malaysia. And hotel keep quiet lah sebab dah untung sampai lah aku terpaksa buat roaming call 3 kali sehari in 3 days, asking for receipt barulah dia nak buka cerita sebenar. Sebab kalau hantar email sampai bila-bila pun dia takkan respond unless kau cakap nak book hotel baru layan lah kot.

Silap juga sebab Fad tak boleh buat roaming untuk contact number dia guna for that credit card masa kami kat HK. Kalau tak, maybe akan dapat transaction immediately thru sms. So, lesson learnt kat sini. And this my first time booking with booking.com. Kalau sebelum ni aku prefer book dengan Agoda.com and so far, takde pulak masalah macam ni. Tapi aku tak rasa semua bank pun akan inform immediately kalau ada transaction.

Alhamdulillah, after dah berkali-kali call dan few time juga send email, finally barulah dia nak respond itupun after aku send email “WARNING”. Bayangkan lah kalau selama ni aku call & send email biasa saja memang tak layan tapi bila dah dapat email warning dari aku, Huh, baru teringat nak telefon aku... banyak kali pulak tu... emmhhh. Dan sampai ke hari ini aku masih belum terima, receipt officially dari Delta Hotel walaupun dah berpuluh kali dia cakap nak send. Dan menurut Fad, date dia refund tu adalah date hari aku hantar email warning. Nampak sangat menipu sebelum ni. Actually, email aku takde lah scary sangat tapi maybe apa yang aku cuba sampaikan buat dia tak senang duduk barangkali... emmhhh. Mungking juga, Allah telah perkenankan doa kami yang teraniaya ni, Ameen.

Kalau Hotel tak refund balik hari tu, memang aku terpaksa minta semua yang pergi bayar sorang sikitlah, tak kiralah sorang punye mistake pun. Sebab, I’ve taken risk for my credit card to book for everyone (eventho, kali ni using Fad punya credit card). Fad pun dah buat ayat sedih nak tarik diri dari trip korea bulan october ni kalau tak dapat refund hari tu. So, fad dah boleh tarik nafas lega lah walaupun refund agak kurang sikit dari harga asal yang Delta Hotel charge. But, better than nothing, right.

InyAllah kalau ada rezeki, aku akan ke sini lagi. Tak serik lagi tu.

Hong Kong Day 6: Ngong Ping 360

Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Wed, 4 Mac 2014 

Today is our last day in Hong Kong. And our main agenda for today was Ngong Ping 360, one of my Hong Kong's "must see" attraction. Macam mana nak ke sini? same MTR route macam nak ke Disneyland using Tung Chung line tapi stop kat last station, MTR Tung Chung. Just like Disneyland, Ngong Ping 360 also located at Lantau Island. From our hotel, it took almost 1 hour jugalah nak sampai ke sini.

For this Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride, we have bought crystal cabin ticket, features a glass bottom floor. And we have bought the ticket earlier form our Hotel, which I think a bit cheaper compare if you buy on the spot. For this crystal cabin, we got HKD205 for return journey. Aku rasa better beli awal sebab nanti korang tak perlu queue nak beli ticket. But still, we have to show our ticket together with our passport at the counter. Tak tahulah kenapa kena tunjuk juga maybe sebab security reason perhaps or maybe procedure for the foreigner. So, please bring your passport along with you.

Do visit the website to check on the schedule serving days because the Cable Car Service is closed during scheduled maintenance. Sometime, it may closed up to 1 week for maintenance. But, the themed Village remains open as normal. So, please check before you buy a ticket, so, takdelah sia-sia kedatangan korang ke sini nanti. 

You would see Citygate outlets once exit from MTR station heading to Ngong Ping 360 counter ticket station

Previously known as Tung Chung Cable Car Project before acquiring the Ngong Ping 360 brand in April 2005

Lets begin the journey...

This cable car can accommodate up to 10 persons at one time

Pic taken before the journey... tapi kena bayar

Ngong Ping Cable Car... The fact

Ngong Ping Cable Car is a 5.7-kilometre (3.5 mi) long bi-cable gondola lift system (formerly known as the Ngong Ping 360 Skyrail) linking between Tung Chung (where it connects the MTR Tung Chung station) and Ngong Ping (where the Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha are located). Between the two terminals at Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, the lift system runs across the southern shore of the Hong Kong International Airport island and Nei Lak Shan, with eight towers including the stations. Five of the towers are located within the country park. Before Ngong Ping 360's opening, the only access was via a mountain road and bus service.

Ngong Ping 360 is owned by the MTR Corporation, the operator of Hong Kong's rail system. 

Take the 25-min cable car ride to Nong Ping and enjoy the view

The cable car journey offers a 25 minute aerial alternative to the current one-hour journey by Tung Chung Road, allowing visitors to glide across Tung Chung Bay and up to Lantau Island towards Ngong Ping Plateau.

The cableway is supported by 8 towers. The cabin has a modern design with seating for 10 and standing room for another 7. It also incorporates features to meet the needs of disabled passengers, including elderly and wheelchair users. The system has a capacity of 3,500 people per hour in each direction. The cableway starts at the Tung Chung Terminal, runs across Tung Chung Bay to an angle station on Airport Island, where it turns through about 60 degrees before returning across Tung Chung Bay. It then runs up the Lantau North Country Park to another angle station near Nei Lak Shan, before finally descending to the Ngong Ping Terminal.

The cable car line offers two levels of service based on different cabin designs, branded Standard Cabins and Crystal Cabins. The Crystal Cabins are distinguished by their glass bottoms, and are charged at a premium rate. Both sets of cabins circulate on the same cable, with passengers being segregated by queuing systems at both termini.

During the 25 minute journey, travellers can see panoramic views over the North Lantau Country Park, the South China Sea, Hong Kong International Airport, the Tung Chung valley, Ngong Ping Plateau and surrounding terrain and waterways. As visitors approach Ngong Ping, they can see The Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. (source)

See thru OK

Pengalaman yang baru & sangat menarik sebab first time naik cable car with glass bottom floor. Bagi aku, a must try experience for travllers to Hong Kong especially those first time ride with cable car. Tapi agak mengecewakan juga bagi kami sebab cuaca agak mendung masa tu, al maklum musim sejuk di HK masa ni kan. So, view pun agak mendung jugalah. Imagine kalau musim panas confirm view sangat cantik masa ni. Apapun we still enjoyed the cable car ride.

Selphie sokmo

Welcome to Ngong Ping Village

Ngong Ping Village is set on a 1.5 hectare site on Lantau Island, adjacent to Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminal and the Tian Tan Buddha Statue. This amazing culturally themed village has been designed and landscaped to reflect the cultural and spiritual integrity of the Ngong Ping area. It boasts several major tourist attractions, Walking with Buddha as well as a diverse array of retail, dining and entertainment experiences.

Aktiviti utama gadis-gadis semasa... hahaha

Ngong Ping Village yang tenang

Interesting tea pot at entrance to Ngong Ping Village

The Big Buddha as seen from the Ngong Ping Village

Jom explore what is inside

The Bodhi tree known as the Bo Tree, is the “tree of awakening”. It was tree under which Siddharta meditated on “Who am I & why am I here?” he eventually attained enlightment and became Buddha

Those Buddhist can make your wish here... Bodhi wishing shrine

Another entrance to another attraaction

Entrance to Buddhist Po Lin Monastery and the world's largest Buddha statue, the bronze Tian Tan

Pengawal yang setia

Our journey ends here... no point pun kami proceed, hehehe

On the way balik tu, kami singgah lunch di Ebeneezer's Kebab, the only Halal Food available at Ngong Ping Village. Actually, initial plan kami nak makan dim sum di Islamic center canteen dekat dengan masjid Ammar Wan Chai tapi memandangkan kami dah kesuntukan masa sebab ada plan nak jalan-jalan di Citigate outlet after this, so, kami pun decide nak lunch di sini sahaja. Alhamdulillah, lunch hari ni ditaja oleh Cik Gojes & drinks by Cik Eein, thanks you so much. Terasa kenikmatannya orang belanja, hehehe.

Otw nak balik kami singgah makan kedai kebab Ebeneezer

Kebab dia memang terbaek lah... masih terasa kagi kesedapan nyer

Tian Tan Buddha Statue is the major centre for Buddhism in Hong Kong

We ended the tour around 12pm and return to cable car terminal at Ngong Ping Village to again ride a cable car to main station at Tung Chung. Another 30 minutes journey.

Masa otw balik... kabus agak tebal masa ni, ada ketika almost zero visibility

Bayangkan lah naik crystal cabin at this area

Ada trail hiking juga kat sini (pic not so ok due to cermin kotor)

Before returned to our Hotel, kami sempat singgah di Citygate outlets. Jalan-jalan cuci mata.

We returned to Delta Hotel only after 1 hour. Kami dah checked out pun pagi tadi tapi sebab flight kami malam, so, kami minta budi bicara Delta Hotel to keep of our luggage while we were away for half day trip to Ngong Ping. Alhamdulillah, tiada extra charge dikenakan. So, officially kami keluar dari Hotel around 4pm to airport.

End of my Hong Kong trip...

Hong Kong Day 5: Macau Day Trip

Macau, China
Tuesday, 4 Mac 2014

Lebih kurang jam 7.30 pagi kami dah gerak dari hostel menuju ke China ferry terminal berpandukan map HK yang aku ada. Luckily, kami pegi ke Macau ni not on weekend, so, takde lah kena queue beli tiket. Sampai-sampai jer memang terus nampak counter ticket. Masa tu ada juga orang yang offer kami herge ticket lagi murah tapi memandangkan kami ni kat negara orang baik takyah cari pasalkan, so, beli saja yang kat counter. Harga tiket untuk ke Macau ni ikut kelasnya juga... ada business class & economy class. Kami yang budget ni confirmlah ekonomi class saje. Price for one way HKD159. Kekerapan feri adalah setiap 15 minit. Tak perlu risau kalo terlepas. Alhamdulillah, kami sempat catch 8.30am ferry. Tapi jangan lupa bawa Passport sebab kita nak ke negara China yea. Masa ni aku sedikit keliru kenapa dia amek declaration slip aku. Masa aku tanya, dia just kasi insyarat suruh aku masuk jer. Masa tu risau juga kan, hehehe, tapi takpe nanti balik kami akan isi declaration from yang baru punya.

Memandangkan, aku duduk kat tengah, so, takde apa yang menarik pun aku dapat tengok. Kepala pun dah start pusing & badan pun dah rasa lain macam, baik aku cuba lelapkan mata walaupun tak mengantuk pun masa tu. Aku ada masalah sikit kalu naik ferry ni lagi-lagi kalau tengah rough sea. Teringat dulu masa gi offshore, setengah jam je dalam toilet untuk trip 2 hours nak sampai ke rig, gara-gara loya yang melampau. Sudahnya, terpaksa stay kat luar sebab tak tahan dah. Anyway, bukan aku sahaja, satu group yang pergi ngan aku pun sama sampai client pun risau tengok samada kami boleh buat keje ke tidak, hehehe. Tapi itu saja tipsnya, dapatkan udara yang segar untuk elakkan kemualan, takpun makan asam. 

HKD159 economy class for one way trip to Macau

We arrived Macau Ferry Terminal 1 hour later. Masa ni dah memang agak excited nak travel tanpa hala tuju yang pasti, hehehe. Dah keluar kat arrival hall tu, ramai agent-agent yang menawarkan pakej-pakej. Aku tak tau brape harga pakej tu, sebab tak berminat pun. Tapi kami sempat jugalah dengar sorang travel agent yang fasih berbahasa Inggeris selepas dia cakap Cuma dengar sahaja tak perlu ambil. Ok, kami pun dengar sajalah and membantu jugalah sikit. Sebenarnya dia berharap juga kami akan terpengaruh lepas dengar cerita dia tapi ternyata kami memang tak.

Lepas tu, kami terus ke tourist information counter nak dapatkan map & sedikit information about Macau from the staff. Staff dia pun memang banyak membantu kami & siap bagi suggestion mana tempat yang kami perlu lawat. Masalah kami masa tu Cuma nak pecahkan duit kecik nak naik bus. Bank kat situ tak nak terima duit HKD, so, kami terpaksa ke money changer dulu buat pertukaran. Dah dapat tukar, bank dia pulak tak kasi tukar banyak-banyak, hampeh betul, apa lah gunanya nama kau bank. Agaknya kalau kami-kami ni sampai after peristiwa MH370 mahu tak layan lansung nie...huh. So, kami pun pakatlah pakai saja duit kecik yang ada, takpelah rugi sikit pun sebab no return money. 

Terpaksa buat penukaran duit Macau sebab duit kecik HK tak cukup nak bayar ngam-ngam bus fare

Jom waiting for bus at terminal maritimo

Since our target is Macau tower, so, kami naik bus no. 32

Macau is a popular place for day-trippers from Hong Kong. Macau used to be a Portuguese colony until 1999. That's why most of the places in Macau still being influenced by Portuguese. And now, this former portuguese colony also popular known as the vegas of the east. No wonder everywhere in the Macau cities you could see various casinos. Even from Macau ferry terminal, there were so many free shuttle bus to various casinos. Kami memang ada plan nak ke The Venetian tapi tourist guide yang kami jumpa masa mula-mula sampai di Macau tadi cakap, too early and casino still not yet open. Anyway, aku bukan nak pergi berjudi pun, cuma nak ke area situ amek-amek gambo je pun. So, kami pun decide nak menuju ke Macau Tower dulu. Yeah.

Grand Lisbon Casino

Ada sculpture menarik di Macau Tower ni

Most of the signboard in Macau still maintaining the Portuguese language

 

Sempena meraikan tahun kuda in last CNY

The fact...

Macau Tower is a tower located in the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The tower measures 338 m (1,109 ft) in height from ground level to the highest point. There’s an observation deck with panoramic views, restaurants, theaters, shopping malls and the Skywalk X, a thrilling walking tour around the outer rim. It offers the best view of Macau and in recent years has been used for a variety of adventurous activities i.e. skyjump and Bungee jump, and now has become the second highest commercial skyjump in the world. (source)

Zoom in... Macau Tower

Macau Tower shopping mall... just next tower

Macam tak caya jer dah sampai ke sini

Keriangan tak terhingga

After dah puas bergambar di area sekitar Macau Tower, kami pun bergerak sebab our next target was Senado square. And kami perlu cepat sebab banyak lagi tempat yang konon-kononnya ingin kami lawati... hahaha. So, kami pun tunggu bus di tempat yang kami turun tadi. kalau tengok map memang banyak bus yang lalu senado square, so, kami naiklah mana-mana yang bas yang sampai dulu. Tak perlu menunggu lama sebab bas memang sentiasa ada. So, kami pun dengan confident nya naik tanpa tahu kat mana sebenarnya nak stop nanti. Masa naik tu sempat lah aku cakap kat driver bus tu senado square & dia just angguk and say something in chinese. Masa tu aku perasan lah yang dia pandang kami ni dua macam. Emmhhh, abaikan. Masa otw nak ke destinasi kami, tiba-tiba pakcik bas tu pun ngomong jawa, "orang Indonesia ya" errkkk, itupun lepas penumpang cina dia semua dah turun, kami tak cakap ya or tak tapi dia macam suggest jugalah tempat-tempat menarik yang boleh kami lawat. Lega pulak rasa dapat dengar orang cakap bahasa. Mungkin dah lama duduk sini kot. Kerana terpengaruh dengan cakap uncle tu, kami pun stop kat area A-Ma Temple. Masa turun tu kami tak tahu pun itu adalah A-ma temple. Huh, tempat yang kami tak target pun nak pergi. Actually, ada jer tempat menarik di sekitar area A-ma temple ni e.g. Maritime museum, Lilau Square tapi nak kena menapak jauh sikitlah. So, kami jalan-jalan jugalah cari tempat yang menarik tu tapi sebab tengok map macam jauh sangat pulak so, kami cancel plan nak ke Lilau square and back to our main agenda nak ke Senado square. And again we have to wait for the bus. 

Touch of colonial design

Area di sekitar A-ma Temple

Ama temple

We followed this route as per map

Heading to Lilau Square

Signboard to guide you... luckily ada juga bahasa omputeh

Ada juga traveller yang agak lost macam kami

We stopped until here... Moorish barracks

Moorish barracks is a brick and stone neo-classic structure with Islamic architectural influences. The building stands on a raised granite platform above the street level and used to have a direct view towards the riverside

Laluan ni memang ngam-ngam untuk laluan bus juga... segala ceruk tau bus ni lalu

Otw to Lilau square tu kami ada terserempak dengan sorang chinese lady & sorang lelaki Indon yang katanya tengah servey Halal food in Macau. Terus cakap bahasa. Dia orang ni pun sama lah macam kami komplen pasal susah nak cari Halal food & kalau ada pun mesti Indian food and confirm sangat mahal. Kami memang dah noted pun pasal tu, so, kami bagi advise kat both of them bawa makanan sendiri jelah kalau nak save cost... hehehe. Anyway, dia orang ni memang sangat peramah. Masa kami tunggu bus nak ke Senado square, again kami jumpa chinese couple from malaysia. Kalau dia tak cakap bahasa memang tak sangka pun, they were malaysian.

Again, dengan confidentnya kami menaiki bus menuju ke Senado square. Kerana confident nya, boleh tak, aku yang duduk kat tepi tingkap ni boleh tak perasan yang sebenarnya kami dah stop pun kat senado square tu. Aku memang perasan signboard kat bawah ni tapi sebab takde satu pun yang tulis "senado square" or "Largo de senado", so, aku and Kay yakin yang kami masih belum sampai. Tapi bila bas dah bergerak balik, Eein tiba-tiba bersuara, "weh, bukan ni ke tempat dia, cuba korang tengok betul-betul dalam map, kan sama lantai dia tu". Masa tu, aku & kay punya lah nak sedapkan hati kan, "eh, tadi kat signboard tu takde tulis pun senado square". Tapi lepas tengok map tu and compare dengan gambaran di luar bas kami yang dah bergerak, confirm memang situlah tempat yang sepatutnya kami turun. Wargghhhh... dah terlajak. Sampai hujung stesen lah jawabnya. Aku ni punya lah ingat yang bus ni akan patah balik so, kami tunggu lah kat dalam bas tu sampai lah semua orang dah habis turun and bila sampai stesen yang terakhir, driver bus tu halau kami turun. Cheh.

Rupanya nak tunggu bas dan naik bus kat sini, stesen dia lain-lain yea. Mana kami tahu. So, puaslah kami bertanya dengan menggunakan bahasa isyarat sebab confirm orang kat sini tak reti speaking. Lepas tu tunjuk jalan pun guna bahasa isyarat jugalah. Alahai, tunjuk jalan macam lah kami tahu kat mana tempat dia. So, kami pun jalan lah follow as per instruction sampai jumpa satu stesen bas ni. Tapi yang hairan bila dah ada bus berhenti, kami still tak boleh naik, katanya kena naik kat tempat lain. Huh, kami pun melilau lah mencari stesen bas yang betul. Finally, jumpa pun berkat usaha kami sendiri. Yelah nak tanye local people, belum lagi kami nak tanya, dah lari, takpun sanggup pusing jalan jauh semata-mata nak elakkan kami. Kami ni ada rupa terrorist ke? Or sebab kami pakai tudung? Emmhhh whatever. Alhamdulillah, dah dapat bas, kami tekad nak terus balik sebab kecewa dengan apa yang berlaku hari ini. Lagipun kami nak kejar solat, kat sini tak jumpa pulak mana-mana tempat yang kami boleh solat... susah juga berjalan ditempat orang yang majoriti nya bukan orang Islam.. Lesson learnt, next time please do proper planning yea.

Kerana kurang memahami bahasa portugal... kami tersasar dari tujuan asal kami nak ke Senado Square, padahal singboard ni betul-betul aku boleh baca dari dalam bus tapi yang pasti memang takde lansung tulis pasal senado square

Macam mana kami boleh tahu kami dah tersasar sebab lantai dia yang belang-belang tu exactly macam gambar kat senado square yang dalam map, adoii macam mana lah aku boleh tak perasan, huh

Lega sangat bila dah dapat masuk ferry nak menuju balik ke Hong Kong, which is much much much better then Macau. Hari yang tak berapa nak menyeronokan sebab aku rasa macam dah hilang mood sikit sebab apa yang terjadi hari ni. Maybe, I should learn something... being a traveler in foreign country.

Memandangkan dah kecewa sebab tak dapat ke tempat lain, kami pun pulang dengan perasaan yang hampa