Hongkong Ocean Park

Our itinerary on our fourth day in Hong Kong was to go to Hong Kong Ocean Park. Again, I bought our tickets in advance online however tickets can also be bought at the entrance or any 7-11 stores in Hong Kong. Tickets are priced at 385 HKD for 12 years old and adults.

Hong Kong Ocean Park is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park and amusement park.To get there, we caught the City bus Route 629 from Admiralty MTR Station. We tapped on our octopus card on the bus for the fare of 10.6 HKD and it dropped us right at Ocean Park's main entrance.

People rushing towards the elevators and into Ocean Park.

We witnessed a dance number on their stage however, since we did not understand the words of their song, we just went straight ahead to The Grand Aquarium. 

We saw a lot of interesting sea creatures here. It is said that this aquarium houses close to 5,000 fishes from over 400 species as the hammerhead and manta ray. 

My mom was literally amazed. We saw the world's largest viewing dome in an aquarium. There was also a restaurant inside.

We did not know where to head for our next stop. It's good that their staff were quick to provide a map of the place.

We headed on to the area called Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures. Here we were fortunate to see Jia Jia before she went into a secret room to eat. Jia Jia had her birthday during the week, she just turned 37 and was considered to be the oldest living panda in captivity.

We also saw this playful Sichuan Golden Snub-nosed Monkey named Hu Hu. We were so entertained with the way he climbed trees and saved himself from falling face first to the ground.

We were just about to go out when the rain poured. We decided to take shelter in this gift shop and browsed through their merchandise. It was a also a perfect time to eat this colorful round lollipop.

Just had to have an ID photo to be part of the Endangered Animal Rescue Team, too!

The rain stopped and the cable cars were allowed to operate again. We were happy to ride one and get to the other side of Ocean Park. The place which covers a little more than 90 hectares, is separated by a large mountain. The first place we visited was called the Waterfront (Lowland), to get us to the Summit (Headland), we can either use the cable car or the funicular railway.

Excited faces while waiting for the cable car to go up!

Excited to see what's on the other side! I'm sure more fun things would be there.

Scary view from the top while leaving behind the Waterfront area.

The summit had a lot of rides, the first one we tried was Ocean Park Tower. It is one of the tallest Observation Towers in South East Asia and rises 200 meters above sea level with a rotating observation deck. This offered us a 360 degree view of the place and gave us an idea where to head next.

The next ride we tried on was The Mine Train. It was a unique roller coaster because it was perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking a harbor. It was so thrilling and exciting. I did not regret trying it out!

Our next ride was The Abyss. This is a turbo drop which raised us up to 62 meters and thrusted us downward at a speed of up to 65 km/ hr, said to be faster than freefalling. 

It was almost closing time and as much as we want to stay longer, the rides did not accept us anymore. We had no choice but go back and ride the cable car again.

Before going out, we passed by the place called Old Hong Kong. It offers an immersive experience of culture, history and delicacy of Hong Kong between 1950 and the 1970s. My sister had to pose in front of this store because it had her name on it. 

How the streets of Old Hong Kong looked like.

It was almost closing time so I was able to have a solo photo in this area. 

Again, one day is not enough in Ocean Park Hong Kong. I haven't seen most of what it has to offer and I really hope I can come back soon. I hope this post will inspire you to visit it one day. Thank you and 'til my next blog! :)

A Day in Macau

We woke up late again on our third day in Hongkong. For brunch, we headed on to Jollibee, a popular Filipino fast food chain that built a branch in Hongkong. It's very easy to find, we just took the MTR to Central Station and went out on Exit B. A few steps ahead and we're finally in Jollibee!The staff were also Filipino and so we ordered from the menu in our own language.

We then went went back to Central Station and rode the MTR towards the Sheung Wan Station. We looked for exit D and followed the signs toward the Hong Kong- Macau Ferry Terminal. There were many transport companies to chose from but we had Turbojet because we got discount vouchers for this company from the airport. Economy class for one person during weekdays from Hong Kong to Macau was 159 HKD and back to Hong Kong for 148 HKD. There is a corresponding price during weekends and holidays. The terminal was really big and we had to hurry to pass immigration and to the waiting area so that we can catch our trip.

Ferries from Hong Kong to Macau depart every 30 minutes. Turbojet was big and spacious. The trip lasted for around 55 minutes. After taking this photo, I then slept and when I woke up, we arrived in Macau.

Obligatory photo with Turbojet at the back. After this, we had to clear immigration and start our Macau adventure!

I've read of a lot of Filipinos who would offer guided tours to Macau. We didn't have a clear itinerary and we only had a slight idea how to get from point A to B. Thankfully, a Filipino guide talked to us and offered us a guided tour. We were doubtful at first, but rather than risking being lost and spending a lot, we allowed him to tour us. Sorry I forgot his contact details, I would have wanted to specially mention him here because he was kind.

First, he took us to famous hotels with amazing interiors.

Some hotels were near each other so we only had to walk for a few meters. This is the facade of Venetian Hotel.

It is equally amazing inside.

Being the largest casino in the world, we were able to get a glimpse of the casino area. I was terrified when a big man came to me right after I took one photo. Photos were not allowed and he asked me to erase it. Also, he asked me of my passport. I really thought I was going to jail. He just looked for my birthday and realizing that I am not a minor, he just smiled and walked away. Such is the risk of having a baby face. :P

We proceeded to the famous Shoppes in the Venetian Hotel. The roof was painted to look as authentic as the skies outside. A lot of brands were lined up at the sides.

It really felt as if we were outside but no, we're just in a very big hotel together with a huge crowd.

We saw a family having a gondola ride. 

Just a few steps again was Galaxy Hotel, another hotel on the Cotai Strip.

Hotels in Macau would usually have a mini show at a specific time. When we went to Galaxy Hotel, we were just in time for the Fortune Diamond. This show was in the lobby where a fountain turns into a giant roulette wheel before a giant diamond rises out of the top. It is a metaphor for wishing casino goers some luck.

Some views inside this grand hotel.

Next we had to ride a free bus towards the Grand Emperor Hotel. We were just in time again to witness the changing of the guards. 

The hotel is situated in the heart of down town Macau. From there we only walked a few meters and arrived at Senado Square. 

Senado Square has been Macau's urban centre for centuries. It is a part of the UNESCO Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site. The majority of the buildings here are European styled and are protected monuments.

Our next stop was to see the Ruins of St Paul. While we were walking on the streets leading to the famous site, there were a lot of stores selling food and souvenirs. Some food stalls gave out free tastes. By the time we arrived, our stomachs were full. 

Finally arrived to the majestic ruins. This is one of the main attractions of Macau.Originally built in the 17th  century, it was destroyed by fire in 1835 and what remains today is this facade.

The view from the top of the stairs. There were a lot of tourists and it's impossible to take a photo without any photo bombers.

Next, we visited Grand Lisboa Macau. My mother was amazed again with its grand interior.

A shining and shimmering chandelier beside a grand staircase. Just wow.

Our last stop was at the famous Wynn Hotel. We only waited for a few minutes before this dragon show started.

The ceiling is carved with representations of the 12 zodiac signs. It opens to reveal a big dragon with a lotus flower. I think, this is another metaphor for luck.

After this, we boarded a free bus back to the ferry terminal and arrived in Hong Kong past midnight.

Though most of what we visited in Macau were hotels, I am still glad to have been there. I wish to come back soon and visit the wharf and Macau Tower. Maybe in the near future. Thank you for reading and 'til next blog! :)