A Trip to Hong Kong : Day 1

A Trip to Hong Kong : Day 1

This is a part of 5 presentations in essays with pictures. During December 29, 2009 to January 1, 2010, I and my family, Pracob, Natti, and Palm had a trip to Hong Kong During the New Year 2010 Vacation.

We spent 3 nights and 3 days in Hong Kong. Day 1, we visited Venetian Macau, the world largest Casino complex, with gambling areas, shopping area, and food service area. Day 2, we visited some places in Hong Kong, including the Kawloon side, via traveling by MTR, the Hong Kong subway, and taxi. Day 3, we went to shopping malls did some shopping and exploring more food.

I also present the transportation - how to travel to Hong Kong and in Hong Kong. We also concluded our viewpoints about Hong Kong in a very short summary - with some selected keywords. We are grateful for the useful materials from Wikipedia,the free enclycopedia.

Pracob Cooparat
E-mail: pracob@sb4af.org

The followings are our Day 1 in Hong Kong. We went to Venetian Macau, Macau Territory, about 70 minutes of traveling by the ferry jet and we spent the whole day in the largest Casino buildings in the world: sight seeing in areas for shopping, exploring gambling activities, foods, and been back to our hotel at the late night time. December 30, 2009

7:00 woke up and be the first to get into the bathroom

7:33 I was ready first, and got dressed while Natti and Palm were still sleeping.

I wrote my usual memo in the Notepad of the iPhone, with my two thumbs. I intentionally used it as an offline, not yet ready to pay HKD150 or around 600 baht per day for the hotel broadband service. It would be nice, if they could offer the Internet service for free, like most hotels in the United States.

9:00 am, We all went down for breakfast. I ate about doubling the usual breakfast at home.

We planned to visit Venetian Macao, the new casino and resort city today.

We called a taxi to the ferry terminal to Macau. The taxi Fare was HKD 20, from the hotel to the ferry terminal.

The taxi driver remind us about the passports, which is required for going to Macao. Don't forget the passport

Hong Kong Transportation

For people of Hong Kong, they usually rely on their public transportation system. Few will drive their cars to work. Life style here is very much like living in New York City.

Hong Kong has a highly developed transportation network. Over 90% of daily travels (11 million) are on public transport, making it the highest percentage in the world.^[126] Payment can be made using the Octopus card, a stored value system introduced by the MTR, which is now widely accepted on railways, buses and ferries, and well as accepted for cash at other outlets (Wikipedia, 2009)

Taxis in Hong Kong

Taxicabs of Hong Kong provide a taxi system. Most taxis are independently owned and operated, but some are owned by taxi companies, and the drivers are employees.

As of 2003, there were 18,138 taxis in Hong Kong, of which 15,250 were urban taxis, 2,838 were New Territories taxis, and 50 were Lantau taxis. Every day they serve about 1.1 million, 207,900 and 1,400 people respectively (Wikipedia, 2009).

The fare is competitive not much more expensive than in Bangkok

There is a quota system imposed. In Bangkok there are around 60,000 taxicabs in the open entrance system. However, each taxi license in Hong Kong is openly bid in the market at the cost of HKD -3,000,000 or 12 million baht each.

The Ferry to Macau

Picture - Pracob and the group waited for the standby for the Ferry 11:00 am sail.

10:40 am, we got the tickets and filled in Macau entry form. We got the tickets at 11:45am, instead of waiting for more than 1 hour, we decide to standby for the 11:00 am, and was successful.

The ferry ticket is HKD 145 each, seats are more like the plane setting. It was only without the safety belt. At 11:00 am., It left the terminal on time.

The sail was smooth, but be careful while walking, because the vessel was swaying.

By nature, the Chinese are more like Thais, but the British rules had made them more complied though not voluntarily. I had seen and heared the hectic noise of people were trying to get onto the Ferry, for if they could not make the triip, then it would be the next 60 minutes.

Picture - One the ferry Jet, the sail was smooth, fast, but we better sit down Seatings were more like an airplane.

The sail from Hong Kong Terminal to Macau took around 70 minutes.

Entrance Processing

Picture - From Hong Kong to Macau, you still need the entrance processing, and require a passport. Don't forget.

Picture - There were a lot of buses and various other vehicles for transporting people to the various casino in Macau Territory.

Picture - The coach from the ferry pier to the Venetian Macau is free. They may have calculated that the money spent in the gaming area will be more than enough for providing transportation.

Picture - Commuting from the Ferry Pier to the Venetian Macau by the coach was the complementary from the Casino, easily understood.

Remember, from Hong Kong to Macau, you need the Passport, just like you are entering another country.

Venetian Macau

All 3 of us were no gamblers, but each of us came to Venetian Macau for different reasons. My wife, Natti wanted to see the new facilities at newly built Venetian Macau.

I and Palm, our daughter will be the first time to visit Macau, though we had been to Hong Kong many time. Palm would like to visit the Old Town of Macao. However, it was compromised, for anything was good for us to come and visit Macau.

If you want to come to Macau from Hong Kong, you should have at least one whole day, starting from early in the morning till late at night. Some want to stay here for few more days.

The Venetian Macao is a luxury hotel and casino resort in Macau owned by the Las Vegas SandsCotai Strip in Macau. The 10,500,000-square-foot (980,000 m²) Venetian Macao is modeled on its sister casino resort – the The Venetian in Las Vegas – and is the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the fourth-largest building in the world by area.^[1][2] corporation. The Venetian is a 40-story, $2.4 billion anchor for the 7 resort hotels which are under construction on the

Picture - Venetian Macau at night

The main hotel tower was finished in July 2007 and the resort officially opened on August 28 2007.^[3]

The resort has 3000 suites, 1,200,000 sq ft (111,000 m²) of convention space,

1,600,000 sq ft (149,000 m²) of retail,

Shopping Areas

Picture - San Luca canal, a man-made canal, at the third floor of the complex

Picture - Shopping Area

Picture - Natti at the Canal

Picture - The man on the stilts.

Picture - There were shows performed at the shopping areas.


Picture - Pracob and Natti

Picture - Gaming areas

Picture - The blue sky in door

Picture - I notice that taking picture via digital camera in the Venetian Macau, you will always have perfect lighting. The light is always provided throughout the areas.

Picture - The escalators connecting the 3 floor levels

Manchester United Experience



David Who?

Picture - Italian architectural design in detail.

Gaming Areas

Picture - Gaming areas

Since, photographing was not allowed in the gaming areas. You could go and observe, but not taking the photograph directly. The following pictures were from Internet downloading.

Picture - Slot machines

Picture - Roulette

550,000 square feet (51,000 m²) of casino space – largest in the world – with 3400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables and a 15,000 seat arena for entertainment/sports events.

The Food Court

Picture - The Festivita Food Court at the Venetian Macau

Picture - Food prices at the food court are low cost and most food taste good.

Picture - Fatburger at the food court

The Coffee Shop

The coffee shop area at the Venetian Macau are at the points you can enjoy scenery as well.

Picture - After a long walk, what I needed most is to find some place to sit down.

Picture - Palm and some refreshment

Picture - Waffle with Chocolate Ice Cream on the top

Picture - Waffle with chocolate Ice Cream on the top

Picture - The atmosphere is also important.

Picture - Joined the dessert, and finished it in not very long.

HONG KONG TO MACAU

For Thai people, you can come to Macau by either via Hong Kong and using the ferry from Hong Kong to Macau, or flying directly from Bangkok to Macau. For they also have the Macau International Airport.

For the destination at Venetian Macau, we used the Cotai Jet ferry.

Cotaijet (Cotai Jet) ferry schedules and prices

Cotai Jet is a company that operates high-speed ferry services between the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau. It is one of the three companies operating high-speed ferry services between the two territories - the others being TurboJET and New World First Ferry (Macau). The Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal in Macau is used by this ferry route to enable easy access to The Venetian Macao in Cotai, although it is also chosen by some because of its proximity to Taipa, Cotai and Coloane in comparison to the Terminal Marítimo used by the other two operators on the Macau Peninsula.

Each trip will take about 60-70 minutes of traveling time.

Departure Times

07:00
07:30
08:30
10:00
11:00
12:00
13:30
14:30
15:30
16:30

Prices

WEEKDAYS

Cotai VIP Cabin(8 seats) HKD1,888

Cotai First HKD236

Cotai Class HKD134

WEEKENDS/HOLIDAYS

Cotai VIP Cabin(8 seats) HKD2,010

Cotai First HKD252

Cotai Class HKD146

The coach service from the ferry terminal to the Venetian Macau is free as the complementary from the Casino, not very surprising.

12:00 hrs, we went through the immigration fast.

The bus brought us to the casino was complementary The Venetian Macau, the “Grand Canal Shoppes”, shopping with views like in the famous Venice, Italy

15:40 hrs, we were ready for walking and shopping again. Natti wanted to experience some kind of gambling. She tried the slot machine, the most simple of gamblings at any casino.

Shopping Areas

14:00 hrs, we went on separately. Natti and Palm went around and did what I call “Window Shopping”. I rather went to the Food court sooner, for I felt hungry fast. Our reunion point was to be at the Festivita Food court, so that we came here first would have place to sit and order lunch.

I walked around for some kind of exercise, for I am not a good shopper. Then walked to the food court.

Food Court

14:15 hrs, at Festivita Food Court, I had my lunch, 3 pieces of fried chicken, Korean Style, at HKD 45, or 180 baht.

14:30 hrs Palm and Natti came to join me at the food court, good food at the low cost. It is traditionally for any casinos to provide food and drinks at low cost. Food and drinks were to attract tourists to the casino, the main income is from gambling.

Natti ordered some kind of noodle, and some soft drink.

Picture - Portuguese chicken curry in spaghetti soup

Palm ordered Portuguese chicken curry in spaghetti soup, quite the combination of Portuguese and the Chinese, and yet taste like the” Lanna Kao Soi” in Chiangmai, Thailand. It cost HKD 40, plus HKD 10 for soft drink. All as a meal is HKD 50, or 200 baht.

Restaurant

After spending about 2 hours at the gaming area, mostly Natti tried the slot machine. You don't lose much neither gain much from playing the machine. Then it was the time for dinner.

Dinner at the Venetian Macau

Picture - Kao Pad. It looked good and tasted good as well.

Picture - Kwey Teo Rad Na. It looked good, but tasted bland. Or it might not have the Thai taste we were used to.

Try Gambling at Venetian Macau

At Venetian macau, there are 550,000 square feet (51,000 m²) of casino space – largest in the world – with 3400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables and a 15,000 seat arena for entertainment/sports events.

16:00 hrs, invest HKD 500, I pay HKD 200 or 40 percent share I will come back at 18:00 hrs to acknowledge my investment.

The slot machines were more like bread and butter. Every casino will provide plenty of slot machines; anybody can play, with only change for regular coins.

3 Card Poker

Bacarat

Black Jack

Blackjack Board

Roulette Wheel

High limit room

Picture – Baccarat

Picture - Roulette HKD 25 minimum, HKD 500 maximum 50 minimum, HKD 1000 maximum

Picture - 3 card Poker

Picture - Black Jack

20:00 hrs, dinner at three monkeys restaurant, HKD 500, or 2000 baht for 3 persons, not tasting good

The Trip back to Hong Kong

Cotai Jet - Cotai Strip

We took the trip from Macau back to Hong Kong. We unintentionally tried the first class Cotai Jet, of the upper deck.

We did not know in the beginning they also served hot cup noodle, cold or hot drinks, and also with cold towel. The fare was about one time more expensive.

Picture - Cupt Hot noodle, with soft drink

21:30 hrs, took the ferry back to Hong Kong, HKD 275 for each passenger, withspecially arranged seats, and supplementary dinner. There were attendants waiting to serve you, and that was why it was more expensive

22:45 hrs, we sailed back to the port in Hong Kong, fast entrance process as expected.

We took the taxi, Toyota Crown, Comfort, LPG, about the size of Camry, drove fast, much faster than in Bangkok

0:30 am of the next day, we all took quick shower, went to bed, and fast asleep.

Traveling to Macau by Airplane

For more information, travelers or ones wanted to go to Macau fast, can go directly to the Island by plane.

Macau International Airport (traditional Chinese: 澳門國際機場, Hanyu Pinyin: Àomén Guójì Jīchǎng, Portuguese: Aeroporto Internacional de Macau) (IATA: MFM, ICAO: VMMC) situated at the eastern end of Taipa island and neighbouring waters, is the only airport in Macau, which opened for commercial operations in November 1995.

Since then the airport has been a common transfer point for people traveling between mainland China and Taiwan, as well as a passenger hub for destinations in mainland China and Southeast Asia. During 2006, the airport handled 5 million passengers and 220,000 tonnes of cargo.^[4]