MANILA, Philippines - A few weeks ago in Hong Kong, people were prepping themselves for the upcoming Halloween celebration. Here, we have been playing Christmas songs since September but there, ghouls and ghosts are the norm. We happily mix these two occasions but in Hong Kong, it’s a different lifestyle that is heavily organized and varied at the same time.
It was my first time to set foot in Hong Kong, particularly at the Kowloon district where the rest of the media group found accommodations courtesy of SEAIR. My introduction to the city, famous as the shopping mecca of the Asian region, was a harried and confusing mini-adventure on the subway station. Everything was fine at the airport, but the trains proved interesting to say the least. The night we arrived, a sea of office workers, students, and casual pedestrians swarmed the stations. Holding our baggage, we carefully followed the sure steps of Rene Lapid, SEAIR manager for sales and distribution, as we swam across the crowd going up and down escalators and through tunnels. There was an energy that was readily apparent, frenetic but coming along at a rhythmic pace. At the escalators and walkalators we were careful to keep to our right, as people who wanted to pass us walked ahead in a rush.
Our first day was actually a side trip to nearby Macau. The “Las Vegas” of Southeast Asia can be reached via a one-hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. The trip costs as little as HK$163 going to and HK$153 going back. If you’re only after the passport stamp, be prepared to budget accordingly.
Back in Kowloon, I can’t help but notice how people are so mindful of their local laws. It’s almost a slap to the face when, in Manila, you can cross any street whenever you want regardless of the pedestrian signal. There, some people also do that but an overwhelming majority freezes at the sidewalk when the “Don’t Walk” sign flashes. Buses and cars stop and there’s even a beeping sound to let the visually impaired know when it’s safe to cross. On street corners, signs let you know to look left or right first before crossing.
On Nathan Road, the night scene is filled with lights from billboards and bright LEDs from storefronts selling electronics, clothing, DVDs, and whatnot. Lots of bargains can be had, but knowledge of the prices of products here at home is a must if you really want to get a great deal there.
As a bonus, I discovered Chungking Mansions, a residential building just a few meters away from where we stayed. For those unfamiliar, this was one of the sites for the Wong Kar-Wai movie Chungking Express. It was enough to spur me to find the other places depicted in the movie – the long escalator near Queens Road at central Hong Kong and maybe even the Chungking Express itself, a small diner where all of the movie’s central characters pass through.
Going to Hong Kong itself from Kowloon is done by ferry. We started the morning with a breakfast of dimsum and hot tea at a local hotel. Noticeable at the dining area was the overwhelmingly large number of elderly people. The region is known for having one of the highest longevity rates in the world and many of the servers are actually retirees who have opted to go back to work instead of doing nothing at home. It seems to be a key factor to the people’s health, as well as the fact that hot tea is served free and is in good abundance. All of those antioxidants swirling about can do anyone good.
To get to central Hong Kong, you need to go down to the harbor and purchase a token for about HK$3.40. I recommend walking since a lot of places of interest can be best appreciated on foot, so wear sensible shoes. At the harbor, you get a magnificent panoramic view of the city. Again, for movie buffs, you will see the IFC building where Batman jumped off in an action sequence from The Dark Knight. The ferry itself takes only a few minutes.
A long pedestrian walkway led us straight to the central district. Along the way many construction projects were ongoing. We passed by a huge Apple store overflowing with Mac addicts ready to purchase their latest “i” devices. Nearing the center, I was proud to have heard faint voices speaking in Tagalog, slowly increasing in volume and chatter as we got near. It was Sunday, the dayoff for majority of Filipino domestic workers in the city. The scene easily resembled a day in Quiapo, full of shouting, laughter and quick bursts of provincial languages. This was a welcome area for a lot of us, and it felt as warm as home.
This was Hong Kong and everything you expected it to be. Shops lined every street, double-decker buses, trams and luxury cars sped down Des Voeux Road and people packed the sidewalks. Small alleyways painted a stark contrast to the modern buildings of gray and glass, filled with metal junk and small vendors hawking their wares. I was able to find the long escalator depicted in Chungking, but sadly, the diner itself located somewhere farther had reportedly been turned into a 7-11.
We had lunch at a well-known franchise restaurant at Queens Road Central, Café de Coral, where many Filipinos ate. Here, sharing a seat was normal and welcome. We met a Filipina who has worked in the city for the past six years and was able to give us tips on where to shop.
It’s always great to meet a friendly face and Hong Kong provides a familiar, yet different setting for many Filipinos to quickly latch on to. It’s the perfect tourist destination because of its proximity and little discoveries that are both surprising and worthwhile.
Fly there with SEAIR
“Seair has flights twice daily to Hong Kong from Clark,” said Patrick Tan, president and CEO of SEAIR. “We want to show how cost-effective travel to Hong Kong can be. We try to maintain the lowest possible costs and pass on the savings to the passengers. We have the lowest fares in the market in any route that we fly.”
When it comes to cheap travel to Hong Kong, SEAIR provides the lowest, with flights to Hong Kong twice daily, 12 times weekly. Fares to Hong Kong come for as low as P1,099. Through a tie-up with the Department of Tourism, SEAIR is the only carrier that has the “It’s More Fun in The Philippines” logo plastered on its international aircraft. SEAIR also offers tour packages for even more convenient travel and vacation to the city.
SEAIR also offers the lowest fares from Clark to Kota Kinabalu, Singapore, Bangkok, and Kalibo (Boracay), and from Manila Domestic Airport (NAIA Terminal 4) to Cebu, Davao, Tacloban, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Kalibo (Boracay) and Bacolod in partnership with www.tigerairways.com.
***
For the lowest fares to Hong Kong, you may book online at www.tigerairways.com or www.FlySeair.com or call 849-0100. For updates on promos and new routes, like SEAIR on Facebook at www.facebook.com/flyseair. Photos by Fernan Nebres