A pre-wedding Honeymoon? (21 days around Asia)

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Day 4 (Part 4):

After the champagne and nuts a starter salad and prawn dish were presented. The salad was about as inspiring as Neils Greens, however the prawns were surprisingly tasty and the farro much better than I expected.



The main of Halibut with preserved lemon sauce was then presented. Not something I would normally eat but I didn't feel like the beef and I had eaten some version of rendang 4 times over the last week. The fish was quite tasty and very easy to eat. I do think steamed dishes are always a good go to on planes as it's pretty easy to consume reheated.



After lunch a couple of options were presented for dessert. I went with the Haagen-Dazs caramel biscuit flavour and boy was it a treat! I searched the rest of the trip for it but couldn't find it anywhere. If you like ice cream and biscoff this a must try.



I spent the remainder of the flight watching Samurai which I thought was really well done. I then discovered the live TV function which happenned to be showing an NRL game. Unfortunately it was the Cowboys vs Tigers, 2 teams I really couldn't care less about, however the novelty of watching it at 38 000ft combined with a pretty entertaining finish (5 tries in the last 30 minutes and a fair Tigers comeback) meant it was a really cool way to end the flight.



We started our descent into a hazy HK and landed about 15 minutes early. Unfortunately our trend of extremely long taxis at HKIA continued so we got to the gate about 20 minutes later. We were off quickly however the rest of the flight caught up at the train to immigration. That being said the immigration line was short and once again our bags were among the first to come off the belt so we were on our way to the Airport Express. After exiting past customs I went straight to the ticket machine and purchased 2 x one way tickets for the train. This might seem counterintuitive but for some reason there was a promotion on the Airport Express while we were there that meant one way tickets each way were cheaper than returns.

After a painless train ride to Hong Kong station we went straight to the taxi rank to get a cab up to the Conrad. Unfortunately this was among the only options as there is no longer a shuttle from the hotel. In classic fashion HK fashion we gritted our teeth for the short trip while our suitcases bounced around the bungee corded boot.





The doormen were prompt to take our luggage and directed us to check in. I had already checked in online and selected a room so it was just passport and payment formalities at the desk. Despite booking a base level reward room for one night plus cash for the second we were offered an upgrade to a King Executive Harbour View Room. Check in was very painless and the staff were lovely. Unfortunately we had just missed canapes in the lounge so headed straight to the room.



Awaiting on the bed was this cute display in recognition of our pre-moon.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Day 4 (Part 5):

We showered in the quite spacious, albeit a bit retro, bathroom and changed to head out for a walk to find some dinner.




I wouldn't normally post a photo of just the toilet unless it was a fancy washlet, but this bloody phone on the wall was an absolute PITA. Everytime one of us sat down in here you would inadvertantly bump it and knock it off the wall - then panic trying to work out if you'd accidentally dialled anyone or hit the emergency button...



The vew from the room was beautiful but the weather was fairly cloudy with some on and off rain. Despite this we walked down through the Pacific Place mall attached to the hotel (also attached to the JW Marriot, Upper House and Shangri La) before emerging onto the streets of Admiralty and walking towards WanChai.

We ended up having Five Guys as neither of us felt like anything local given we had a very nice dinner planned the next evening. This was our 2nd time to Five Guys in Hong Kong as it is always far more convenient than the hour plus all locations in Sydney are from our home.



I again went for a grilled cheese with a beef patty, a popular and tasty 'hack' and one of the few things I've found on tiktok that lived up to the hype.

After eating we mosied back towards the hotel taking in some of the crazy high rise apartments on the way.



We explored a little of the hotel on our return including the pool which was lit up quite spectacularly of an evening.



The view of the twin towers of the Conrad and Shangr la was equally as impressive.



We returned to the room with turndown service having been completed and some tea placed on the desk which was a lovely way to cap off our travel day.

 

[ShelleyB]

I spent the remainder of the flight watching Samurai which I thought was really well done. I then discovered the live TV function which happenned to be showing an NRL game. Unfortunately it was the Cowboys vs Tigers, 2 teams I really couldn't care less about, however the novelty of watching it at 38 000ft combined with a pretty entertaining finish (5 tries in the last 30 minutes and a fair Tigers comeback) meant it was a really cool way to end the flight.

As a long-suffering Wests Tigers fan here (from the Wests Magpies side of the family) you should be grateful you don't care.

Enjoying the trip report!

 

[markis10]

I usually take the E11 bus to pacific place from HKIA, cheaper and quicker if traffic is playing nice, as well as being more scenic.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

I usually take the E11 bus to pacific place from HKIA, cheaper and quicker if traffic is playing nice, as well as being more scenic.

I did consider this but the taxi was only about $8aud and a hell of a lot easier with 3 weeks worth of luggage.

 

[NoName]

Slightly late arrival but now locked in for this report.

 

[markis10]

I did consider this but the taxi was only about $8aud and a hell of a lot easier with 3 weeks worth of luggage.

I was suggesting the e11 bus from HKIA, since Covid I have used the busses extensively and have not put a foot on the AirPort Express train, helped by the incentive of the downtown checking not functioning until recently.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

I was suggesting the e11 bus from HKIA, since Covid I have used the busses extensively and have not put a foot on the AirPort Express train, helped by the incentive of the downtown checking not functioning until recently.

Oh right didn't even consider that. How are they with checked luggage on those buses? They're the double decker yellow ones right?

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Day 5 (Part 1):

We only had 1 full day in Hong Kong this trip so decided we would make the most of it!

We started with a visit to the executive lounge for breakfast and coffees. The view from the 59th floor lounge was stunning and the weather a little more coperative than the previous evening with some passing showers but clear blue skies following.





The breakfast spread was quite impressive and the staff were very helpful. However the lounge certainly feels cramped despite having a considerable footprint given the low ceilings and long divided space. Coffees were once again from a machine providing the necessary caffeine but not quite scratching the itch for a good latte.

After breakfast we went straight down through Pacific Place to Admiralty MRT station. Our first goal today was to head to Quarry Bay and check out the infamous Monster Buildings. A very seemless train ride direct from Admiralty and we were there in about 15 minutes.

This area is becoming increasingly popular with tourists but doesn't seem to have quite hit the levels of places in Japan we later experienced so it still felt quite 'authentic'. The buildings themselves (and a lot of Quarry Bay) are quite surreal given how dense they are and provided for some cool photo opportunities. The residents and shopkeepers also didnt seem to mind the tourists around as long as you weren't getting in their way and everyone seemed quite respectful.





I'm a very big fan of Greg Girards work and a lot of his older Hong Kong photography focussed on places like this and in particular the walled city. It was cool to be able to check them out before they likely succumb to HK and Chinas push for modernity.

It was also staggeringly hot and humid this day. Not the worst we have experienced in HK, as in July 2023 it reached 40 during our visit, but enough to make us want to seek some AC and shade.

We headed down into a market below street level to walk around out of the heat for a while.



Before re emerging and heading towards Tai Koo station for our next destination.

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Day 5 (Part 2):

From Tai Koo we backtracked to Quarry Bay to change trains, then crossed under the harbour to Yau Tong before changing trains once more to Diamond Hill, then another change to finally arrive at Kai Tak.

We wandered around the station precinct and shops close by severely underestimating how large the whole Kai Tak redevelopment is. Given the heat we made our way to Airside Mall to try and find some lunch. We ended up settling for some Korean Fried Chicken as well as smashed cucumber and spicy dumplings from some of the food court merchants.



After cooling off, then heating up again from the chilli above, then cooling down once more with copious amounts of cold water we once again set off into the heat to walk from Kai Tak to Kowloon Walled City Park. But not before stopping for a cold bubble tea and some egg tarts.



The walled city park was cool to visit seeing how small the space is despite having at one time 35000 residents. The trees provided some much needed shade and a breeze had started to blow which brought the temps down a little. Unfortunately there was huge lines to enter the Yamen building and see the remains of the city on display so we left after about 20 minutes.




After leaving the walled city we walked south towards Carpenter Rd and explored some of the streets around here that certainly still retain the old Hong Kong feel of high population density with commercial and industrial spaces occupying the ground floors.




Amongst the new(er) HK style of skyscraper apartments.



On our way back to one of the entrances to Sung Wong Toi station I saw this Porsche GT4 parked in front of a very fitting building.

After a big day out in the heat we headed back to the hotel and changed to take advantage of the pool before a change hit in the afternoon. We spent the next couple of hours enjoying coughtails while the clouds rolled in.


I was also impressed that the cabanas are free to use if vacant unlike a lot of hotels who require a reservation and/or payment for them!

 

[HirafuHeartAttack]

Day 5 (Part 3):
The weather started to turn so we returned to prepare for the evening out. We first headed to the executive lounge for some snacks, tsingtaos and G&Ts in very HK fashion. Next we headed down to level 8 and the Pacific Bar for some champagne coughtails.



The Pacific Bar was absolutely deserted so didn't offer much in the way of ambiance but the view was great and the drinks and decor matched the vibe well.

After this it was time to head to a restaurant I had been very excited to visit - Duddells. We jumped in a cab and after a bit of confusion about the destination resulting in a bit of a sketchy roadside stop to read my phone we made it safely. Duddells has 1 Michelin star for their restaurant however we chose to take advantage of the more relaxed (and cheaper) salon menu upstairs. Initially we were going to sit outside but it was still about 30 degrees at this point so opted for inside with AC.



We started with a coughtail and HK craft pale ale accompanied by some dumplings, spring rolls and char siu and cripsy pork.




The pork platter was small but certainly the best char siu I've ever had and amongst the crispiest (and moistest) roast pork as well. The siu mai were also fantastic, as was the spring roll.

For mains we went with crispy prawns in salted egg yolk, Yangzhou fried rice and sauteed veggies with garlic.



All were fantastic although I think we might give the salted egg yolk a miss next time as it didn't quite hit as much as a spicy salt would have.

The service was amazing without being over the top, particularly from our nepalese server who was super interested to hear about Australia. The decor is also very cool and we will definitely return. They do a bottomless/AYCE brunch on weekends during the day and some Saturday evenings which while not cheap could provide some great value for a night out in HK!

The lower floor where the restaurant is also has a small art gallery and at the entrance they display the accolades.



After a great night we headed back into the streets to find a cab back to the hotel and straight to bed after a big day in the heat.

 

[I love to travel]

What was the drinks and snacks like in the Conrad Lounge?

 

[Matt_01]

I did consider this but the taxi was only about $8aud and a hell of a lot easier with 3 weeks worth of luggage.

I was going to ask why you just didn't use the underground walk ways but then I saw the 3 weeks worth of luggage. I am one of those HLO types and on a trip with Mrs&MissM who are not HLO types, I didn't even think twice about the distance and we all walked. When it was time to head back to the airport I conceded it was easier to catch a cab from the Conrad to the airport rather than lug their bags back to the station.

Sound like it is a good trip.

 

[markis10]

Oh right didn't even consider that. How are they with checked luggage on those buses? They're the double decker yellow ones right?

Don’t want to interrupt you excellent TR, the busses have stacks of room for luggage


PS The Lippo building is famous for having a long line up of bankrupt owners, inc Alan Bond who bought in late in its construction.

 

[kookaburra75]

Thnaks for putting together your fantastic trip report - we're enjoying it a lot form home. MrsK was particularly taken by the SQ First Class - I've already started saving for her seat at least.
Seeing the photos of Hong Kong has been great. I first went there in the mid 80s and ended up sort-of FIFO working there for a couple of years, and have a lot of good memories about the old buildings, food markets etc. I'm hoping to get MrsK over there later next year. Our daughter-in-law was born in Macau and has a lot of family in Hong Kong, so we should get the family 'special' tours.

 

[JackMiles]

Enjoying your TR, so thanks for posting so comprehensively. Love that you went to Duddells. Great place, IMO, and I've done the Sunday brunch twice. Yes, quite expensive but if you go with a decent thirst and hunger you sure can get your money's worth. On my second visit (last year) I opted for the package including Ruinart champagne and the entire cost of my brunch was less than the cost of a bottle of Ruinart on their regular menu. And, yes, I most certainly drank (more than) a bottle.

 

[Willie]

Great report... I'm so onboard! Yippee

Ooh Roo

Willie

 

[Willie]

I’m thoroughly enjoying the ability to indulge in food and drink at the lounges, then head out for exquisite fine dining experiences. There’s something truly admirable about mastering the art of enjoying both comfort and culinary luxury in one day!!!

Ooh roo

Willie