Hello hello
pillow talkers! I'm taking control of my blog again! After 3 weeks break, my
editor is pestering me for new blog posts.
Now it's my turn
to share my vacation stories. But I went for 14 days.. I'm not crazy enough to
write 14 different posts for 14 days! So I'm just sharing stories I deem
interesting!
As the title
suggest, I only had HKD2000 to spend for the whole 14 days trip. HKD2000 is
about RM840 and means that my maximum daily spending is roughly HKD142 (RM60) a
day! That plus the fact that an eenie minie bowl of noodles averagely costs
HKD32 (RM13.50), and it’s clear that I had a super tight budget.
So how exactly
did I survive in HK with such a tight budget?
Get related to awesome relatives. Seriously I am as good as homeless without my aunt allowing me to use her house as shelter. If my cousin is reading this, I APPRECIATE THE CARE DURING MY STAY! Hotels in HK are super expensive! Especially since it's now peak season with tourists everywhere. And my grandma cooks almost everyday, so whenever I'm not out I get to eat yummy home cooked food. This is why I gained weight! So yummy!
My aunt brought me out to eat a few times too. And each time, she would quickly pay the bill before I can object. It's amazing how adults pay so fast. Thanks to my lovely aunt and her wonderful family, I managed to save quite a bit of my budget here. They didn't stop at paying for my meals either; they even brought me around HK too! If you don't have relatives in HK, then consider budget hotels or outskirts to minimize accommodation cost. Another alternative would be to find a nice friend to let you crash their sofa or something!
Don’t bother buying cheap winter clothing back to Malaysia. If you are planning a HK trip during other seasons then please ignore this tip. However, if you do plan to go HK during the winter, do not be tempted by the cheap winter clothing on sale! They do sell clothes that look like it is wearable back here, but do not be deceived. Go ahead and touch the material. It is too thick to be worn casually here. Even I had to constantly remind myself that ‘No! Do not spend on winter clothes!’
Plan well and check prices beforehand. Here's how I tracked my spending so I do not go out of my budget.
When I have time I'll just check prices for attractions and prepare a proper budget list. So you'll know how much you have left thus prevent overspending. Plus since I'm on limited budget, I had to choose between Disneyland, Macau day trip and Ocean Park because these are the pricey ones. In the end, I forwent Ocean Park. Random fun fact: the past tense of forgo is forwent. Anyways! Because I planned well, I was able to visit all the attractions that I wanted to visit like Mong Kok, Central, Lan Kwai Fong etc. So plan your timing and money wisely so you can get the maximum enjoyment in the limited time and budget available!
Price list for tourist attractions as of 31/12/2013:
Get related to awesome relatives. Seriously I am as good as homeless without my aunt allowing me to use her house as shelter. If my cousin is reading this, I APPRECIATE THE CARE DURING MY STAY! Hotels in HK are super expensive! Especially since it's now peak season with tourists everywhere. And my grandma cooks almost everyday, so whenever I'm not out I get to eat yummy home cooked food. This is why I gained weight! So yummy!
Home cooked meal to ease homesickness!
My aunt brought me out to eat a few times too. And each time, she would quickly pay the bill before I can object. It's amazing how adults pay so fast. Thanks to my lovely aunt and her wonderful family, I managed to save quite a bit of my budget here. They didn't stop at paying for my meals either; they even brought me around HK too! If you don't have relatives in HK, then consider budget hotels or outskirts to minimize accommodation cost. Another alternative would be to find a nice friend to let you crash their sofa or something!
Don’t bother buying cheap winter clothing back to Malaysia. If you are planning a HK trip during other seasons then please ignore this tip. However, if you do plan to go HK during the winter, do not be tempted by the cheap winter clothing on sale! They do sell clothes that look like it is wearable back here, but do not be deceived. Go ahead and touch the material. It is too thick to be worn casually here. Even I had to constantly remind myself that ‘No! Do not spend on winter clothes!’
I look like this everyday during winter. How to dress like this in Malaysia?!
Plan well and check prices beforehand. Here's how I tracked my spending so I do not go out of my budget.
Good luck deciphering my writing!
When I have time I'll just check prices for attractions and prepare a proper budget list. So you'll know how much you have left thus prevent overspending. Plus since I'm on limited budget, I had to choose between Disneyland, Macau day trip and Ocean Park because these are the pricey ones. In the end, I forwent Ocean Park. Random fun fact: the past tense of forgo is forwent. Anyways! Because I planned well, I was able to visit all the attractions that I wanted to visit like Mong Kok, Central, Lan Kwai Fong etc. So plan your timing and money wisely so you can get the maximum enjoyment in the limited time and budget available!
Price list for tourist attractions as of 31/12/2013:
- Hong Kong Disneyland - HKD450
- Ocean Park - HKD340 (approximate figure)
- Macau ferry tickets round trip - HKD360
- The Peak:
- tram + sky park (without Madame Tussauds) - HKD75
- with Madame Tussauds - HKD250
- Cable car to Dai Yu San round trip - HKD150
Book everything in advance (where possible). I went to see the big Buddha statue in Dai Yu San. The cable car literally floats above the sea and cuts through a mountain. I almost cried cause my life is literally hanging by a thread. It's scary!
Above the sea
And over the mountain
The cable car ticket was HKD150 both ways. If you purchased online tickets in advance, there's a discount! Plus you get to 'cut the queue' as there is a designated line for online purchased ticket holders. I think there is discount too for the peak! 5% discounts are still savings! Every penny counts. We also saved time queuing for our turn!
Shop wisely. I saw complaints that Boxing Day sales were disappointing elsewhere. But not for me! I enjoyed the crazy sale! For instance this jacket from Collect Point was HKD399 and it was further discounted to HKD299 on Boxing Day! Not only that, I also saw sale going on at Hollister and Coach! Imagine a wholesale outlet and on top of that there is an additional weekend 30% sale! But of course. I did not go crazy spending here. No matter how cheap a Coach clutch is now, I don't need to buy it. When I do, I could just save a more to buy it back in KL. Coach is everywhere after all.
This top is only HKD299 on Boxing Day!
Ps: Ignore my totally mismatched shirt insideSharing is caring. And you get to try different types of food. I think the title is pretty much self explanatory.
You really don't need that many souvenirs. Seriously you don’t. The first time I went Disneyland, I was so tempted to buy EVERYTHING! Everything was so magical. So unique. So special. From bracelets to key chains, I wanted it all! And I ended up buying 10 key chains and a bracelet. But guess where they are now? Somewhere in my closet. Collecting dust. So when you're buying souvenirs, one or maximum two is more than enough. Plus the 385,129 pictures you took with your smartphone is more memorable anyways.
Don't forget to budget for public transport. HK has such a well developed public transport system. MTR, ding ding, mini bus, double decker bus or a cab can get you to wherever you need to be. To use these services, you absolutely need an Octopus Card. To get one, you will need to pay HKD150 with HKD50 as deposit. After that, I topped up another HKD100. Total HKD200 for me to use public transportation for 14 days. MTR everyday! There is also a free alternative. HK is not that big. So you can also consider walking as another transportation alternative.
That's all the
tips I have for now! HK is such an enjoyable place despite the weather hates my
skin and a few rude encounters. Next post I'll post the clothes that I feel
proud for buying them! I made good choices!
Stay tuned for more!
Toodles for now~
