5 ways to stretch your travel budget in Hong Kong

One way to save money during your Hong Kong vacation is to check out free attractions, such as the 13-minute Symphony of Lights at Victoria Harbour. It starts at 8:00 p.m. and has English narrations on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Photos: Stanley Baldwin O. See

The summer months are just around the corner, and for a number of people, it only means one thing: travel!

Long a favorite of many Filipinos as a shopping, dining, and even entertainment destination is Hong Kong, just a mere two-hour plane ride north of our country.

Want to know how to make the most bang out of your buck in the former British colony?

It will not be easy, and may force you to sacrifice time, a little bit of convenience, or both, but these tips and tricks will easily save you a few precious Hong Kong dollars.

Airport Express Travel Pass

The fastest way to/from Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok is the ultra-modern Airport Express. One-way trips for adults cost HK$60* for Tsing Yi, HK$90 for Kowloon, and HK$100 for the Hong Kong station, while round-trips cost HK$110, HK$160, and HK$180, respectively.

For tourists who spend three to four days in Hong Kong, the Airport Express Travel Pass (HK$250 for one Airport Express ride, HK$350 for two rides) includes three consecutive days of unlimited travel within the MTR network.

A single ride ticket to Tung Chung (Ngong Ping 360° and Tan Tian Buddha) already costs HK$19.50 from Tsim Sha Tsui and HK$25.50 if coming from Causeway Bay, so the savings could add up. After your trip, surrender your travel pass at any Airport Express station to receive a HK$50 refund.

There are also special ticket pricings starting at HK$150 (Kowloon to airport) for groups of two, three (HK$210), or four (HK$250) travelers for single journey tickets.

Star Ferry and Hong Kong Tram

For HK$2.50 on weekdays, the century-old (1888) Star Ferry transports people from Kowloon Island to Hong Kong Island across Victoria Harbour.

Two of the most beloved modes of transportation in Hong Kong are the green and white Star Ferry and the electric trams that run through the northern part of Hong Kong island. For HK$2.50 (Mondays to Fridays, HK$3.40 on weekends), the Star Ferry traverses Victoria Harbour via Tsim Sha Tsui to the Central or Wan Chai ports.

The sights, the smell of the sea, and the slow-pace of the ferry gives its passengers a feel of what Hong Kong was like a few decades ago. Starting its operations a few years after the Star Ferry in 1904, the Hong Kong Tram or “Ding Ding” runs from Kennedy Town in the west to Shau Kei Wan terminus in the east. For a flat rate of HK$2.30, commuters can sit on either level of this double-decker vehicle and watch as time slows down.

Both modes of transportation accept Octopus cards.

Macau casino buses

Though usually packed with crowds, the Senado Square in Macau allows you to walk at your own pace to explore the city center.

Fares for high-speed ferries bound for Macau, another SAR like its neighbor Hong Kong, costs HK$164 and up for Hong Kong (Sheung Wan terminal) or Kowloon (China Ferry terminal) single-journey trips. A slightly hefty price if you want to see the glitz and glamour of the casinos and resorts of this former Portuguese colony.

However, a useful tip to go around Macau is to hop on board the free casino shuttles. Most of the big names like The Venetian, City of Dreams, Sands, MGM, etc. provide free rides to and from the airport, ferry terminals, and major attractions like Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul. You must do prior research though. Ask around for directions, and have enough patience and energy to walk to the bus terminals to avail of their complimentary services.

Ngong Ping village and Tan Tian Buddha via bus

The Ngong Ping 360°, one of Hong Kong’s major tourist draw and a world-class cable car system connecting Tung Chung and Ngong Ping village, is not cheap, costing HK$135 for a single trip for adults (HK$185 roundtrip) and HK$65 for children (HK$95 roundtrip). The transparent car, dubbed "Crystal Cabin" costs a bit more at HK$180/HK$225 (single/roundtrip) for adults and HK$125/HK$175 for children aged 3-11.

Getting up close to the Ruins of St. Paul—a tourist favorite in Macau—and snapping a photo won’t cost you a thing.

As luck would have it, the ropeway of the Ngong Ping 360°, as of writing, is under repair and maintenance and will be back to normal operations in June 2017. So the best (for now) and cheaper alternative is to board the Lantau Island buses plying the Tung Chung Town Center-Ngong Ping routes. Its the less scenic path and takes longer to go from point A to B, but who can complain about the HK$17.20 weekday (HK$27 weekends) one-way fares?

Free attractions

While the Symphony of Lights at Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour and Tan Tian Buddha and Macau’s Senado Square and Ruins of St. Paul do not have the cuteness and child-like appeal of Disneyland Hong Kong, the attractions will at least cost you nothing compared to the HK$589 one-day price of admission (HK$419 for children aged 3-11) to the happiest place on Earth.

The daily, 13-minute laser and light show Symphony of Lights begins at 8:00 p.m., with English narrations on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Seeing the Tan Tian Buddha up close won’t cost you a thing but requires climbing 268 steps to get to the top. In Macau, Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul are two attractions where you can visit at your own pace without costing a cent.

All of these tips and tricks will hopefully help you to save a few hundred Hong Kong dollars; enough money to buy a extra pair of shoes at the Sneaker Alley (Fa Yuen Street), T-shirts for nephews and nieces back home, or a fancy lunch or dinner of Peking duck/goose or fresh seafood. — BM, GMA News

*HK$1 = P6.50 as of posting.