Hong Kong & Macau 2016: Arrival, First Night & Austin Inn

Hello again! This is it! More details on our Hongkong/Macau 2016 trip. Blogged about how I planned our trip and some budget tips, so I hope you already checked that out. Hehe. Anyway, we flew from Manila to Macau via Cebu Pacific last January 12 (ticket/points was cheaper vs MNL-HK) and just rode a night ferry going to Hongkong. Stories through photos!

H&M sweater & scarf, Wrangler jeans, Romwe coat, Christian Siriano by Payless bag, Mikkas Closet platform brogues

We made sure that we were in Terminal 3 na 4 hours before our flight. It's because I still had to purchase extra baggage allowance. Since I booked our tickets using my GetGo points, I only had the option to pay for extra baggage at the airport or by calling their hotline and paying through their accredited payment centers. Chose the airport nalang.

Yup!!!

Was surprised that the line was not that long and I was next agad. Paid P1,100 for 15kg extra baggage allowance (roundtrip) and also paid our airport tax (P1,620 each) there na din. Thank you Ate CebuPac for being nice and friendly!

Ate late lunch at Dimsum and Dumplings! Hehe

Nomnomnom

Netflix and chill si Nico while I napped as we wait for our flight! 

After waiting for hours and transferring gates, it was finally boarding time!

Sorry haggard haha

Inflight Duty Free menu for the shopaholics 

SMILE magazine for more travel tips!

We were asked if we wanted to transfer sa emergency exit row. Said yes! More leg room. Yey.

Had to read this. Just in case. 

It was a pretty smooth ride and I fell asleep even before the plane took off. Woke up 2 hours later and we were already in Macau! 

Macau airport is like NAIA airport din

Nico fixing his things. He had to transfer a few of his clothes so he could handcarry his luggage. 

He used his PSBank card to withdraw money (HKD coz they accept this currency in Macau) from this HSBC ATM machine! If you plan to withdraw money abroad, make sure your ATM is activated prior to leaving. I had to call BPI pa to activate mine. Nico's didn't need activating na. 

vending machines all over para sa mga uhaw haha

We decided to walk going to the Taipa Ferry Terminal!

The Taipa Ferry Terminal (there are two ferry terminals in Macau) is the one located beside Macau International Airport, so we decided to just walk going there. We chose to leave from this terminal because it's nearer and we were rushing so we could make it to Hongkong before 12am. We wanted to take the train going to our hostel (cabs are expensive) and the last train leaves at 12:05am. We arrived in Macau at around 9:30pm. We only have an hour to pass through immigration, get our luggage and find the ferry terminal, plus another hour for our boat ride + immigration again going to Hongkong to make it on time.  

We got lost and had to follow signs and ask some people for directions. Finally made it!

Bought Cotai Jet tickets for $190hkd each. It's more expensive if you travel at night. 

Tickets:) More or less P1,100 each, one way.

We just waited for 15 minutes and then it was time to board!

10:30pm trip to Hongkong Macau Ferry Terminal (Sheung Wan)

There are also 2 ferry terminals in Hongkong-- the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui and the HK-Macau Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan. Night trips dock at Sheung Wan. If day trip, better if China Ferry Terminal especially if you're based in TST area. Taipa Ferry Terminal only offers boat trips by Cotai Jet. If you want TurboJet (cheaper by 1-2hkd), go to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal. 

Inside:) Fancey! Cotai smells better than TurboJet haha

Seatmate

Finally arrived in Sheung Wan terminal!

Immigration was pretty fast too! They don't require forms anymore. No need to fill up na. Just go straight to the immigration counters. They also don't stamp passports anymore. They just issue a small slip of paper with details of your trip and approval. :)

Entrance of ferry terminal

Mall where it's located. Remember! Shun Tak Centre:)

Asked the guard where the trains are. It's just inside the mall and you have to go down a few escalators lang.

Ruuuuun. Haha.

Paid $20hkd for our fare to Austin station!

We found out later that our fare does not include transfers from the red line to the purple line (where Austin is located). When we reached Tsim Sha Tsui (red line) we had to buy another ticket going to Austin for $4.50 hkd each. Booo. 

Waiting for our train! From Sheung Wan (blue line)-Tsim Sha Tsui (red)-Austin (purple)

While waiting, OOTD spotting muna...

Made it on time! Last train! Woohoo

Empty TST station

First train ride ni Nico in Hongkong! Amazed ata sha. Or gutom. Haha.

Had fun taking photos of fasyown people! More to come!

When we got to TST, we had to walk to the East Tsim Sha Tsui station/platform pa and from there ride the purple line to Austin. It was such a looong walk. Gaaaah.

Finally here!!! We just followed the signs. Signs everywhere! Sign above leads to our street, Man Wui. :)

Interaction! Haha cute dogs:)

Saw our hostel building immediately! Man Wah building is just across the MTR exit. Yey!

Nico asking  pa to be sure hehe

Our host Helen sent us check-in instructions via the AirBnB app and email, weeks before our trip. She gave us the building code. Check!

And we're in!

She also told us to turn right sa first stairs on the right. So we did!

And turn left when we reach the 1st floor, so we did!:)

We immediately saw the door! BUT, we didn't know how to get in. We tried knocking (as per her instructions) but no one answered. So we tried calling the contact number Helen gave us. We asked the Chinese lady guard if they have a local phone and she was nice enough to help us. :)

The man we spoke to gave us the door code and we're in!

Our assigned room was ready and just open so we went inside agad:)

It was super small but tolerable naman!

When you open the door, you'll see the bed agad. It's just less than 2 feet away from the door. Haha. There's a table and a chair inside which we utilized by putting some of our things there. The bathroom door was behind the door. It was small but comfortable enough when you take a bath! There are no towels (I already knew that so I brought my own) and miminal toiletries (saw a bottle of body wash and shampoo inside the bathroom). They provided an adapter though! And also blower. Oha. Haha. There's also a flatscreen TV inside. :)

Bathroom slippers and you can see the bottle of shampoo sa sink!:) Brought my own though.

Toilet, shower, body wash and sabitan ng towels or clothes:)

Even if the room has no window and is pretty small, I still liked how soft the bed and comforter was. I also liked how the toilet, shower and sink was positioned even if the bathroom's small. The room was pretty decent for the price! Pwede na db for P1,200 per night for 2 people!:)

Tissue, blower, sockets and kettle! I brought an extra adapter which was useful.

Book here: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8035801

After settling in, we went out again to find someplace to eat dinner! Sadly, there were only a few restos and places opened at that time, so we ended up buying food from 7-11. The restos around were expensive and there was a cheap food place but their menu was only in Chinese! Huhu.

Our street!

Our building guard who followed us and escorted us while we were buying food. Clingy much! Mejo weird but cute. Haha. 

My dinner. Pwede na. Haha. $22 hkd for the rice meal and forgot how much the soup costs. 

Please bring this here! Addicted to Coke Lemon and Iced Lemon Tea. Only in Hongkong!

We spent around $80 hkd for our 7-11 dinner. Haha! No choice but it was just enough to make us last the night. Sharing with you our Day 1 next! Stay tuned. ;)

Hongkong / Macau 2016 posts:

http://www.aisaipac.com/2016/01/hong-kong-macau-2016-how-i-survived-w.html