Things to do in HongKong during a long layover....

[Images courtesy RA & yes he said it was alright for me to use em..]

A friend of mine was travelling to Seattle, via Hong Kong... He had a layover of about 14-16hours in Hong Kong and so asked me to help him plan what he could do in that time frame. 

I haven't been to Hong Kong [ many did tell me I should have spent a day or so in the city before flying back to Chennai when I was coming back from USA, but well did not plan ahead..] so did not know off hand what one could do in that city.. Therefore had to do some research and talk to friends/family to get ideas/inputs. After all that digging around,  here is what I finally put together... 

Things to remember

Most Important: Make sure you have the pre-registration print out (alternate to HK visa)the print out charges in airport is 300 HK$

1.    Take into account immigration time when you land in HK

2.    Check your next flight timing

3.    do you have to pick up baggage or does baggage go straight?

4.    Make sure to return to airport with 1.5hrs to your flight cos there are a gazillion gates and its long walk..

5.    Get octopus card from airport, this is the only place u get the octopus card with ur credit card, otherwise, suffer during whole trip, while going back,   return card and get money refunded back

6.    The metro from Airport to HK city is very convenient, 20 mins, and to-fro ticket for full day - 115 HK$

7.    Airport express train

Travel comfortably between the airport and hong kong Central in just 24 minutes on the Airport Express. Trains depart at 10-minute intervals

Fare – HK$115 [USD14-15]

6. Metro train site- http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/jp/index.php?sid=3&eid=21

     7. Use local taxis [ uber is not cheap]

Things you can do during layout in Hong Kong

1) Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade & Sky100 – 

Total of about 4hrs

(a) Taking the Airport Express train to Kowloon Station. From there, go up to ICC 

(International Commerce Centre) - the tallest building in Hong Kong. On 100/F, 

there is Sky100 - a paid sight-seeing spot, allowing you to have a 360-degree view 

of Hong Kong/Kowloon and the harbour. The height is similar to that of the peak 

but from a different angle.

(b) from Sky100 to Tsim shat sui- 3 to 4kms

Travel

** Take the Line973 bus from Mody road [10-11mins] or taxi [3-4mins].

** There is a direct bus departing from Mody Road and arriving at Western Harbour Tunnel. Services depart every 20 minutes, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 10m.

2) Ride on Ngong Ping 360 cable car and see the Big Buddha – Total of about 4 hours

** How to go to Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car:

1.             Ride the MTR Station from Tsim Sha Tsui (Tseun Wan Line or the Red Line) and get off at Lai King Interchange [ 20mins ride]

2.             From there, just across is the Tung Chung Line. Ride that line and alight at Tung Chung Station [40min ride]

3.             Exit at Exit B

4.             You would then see the City Gate Outlet Mall, beside it is the entrance going to the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Ride

5.             Things to see- Big Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, Tai O fishing village, etc

6.             If you are up for it, can climb up the steps to the big Buddha.. else roam around down in the streets, eat, shop etc.. the citygate mall is a good place to kill time, have a drink as well..

Cable car ride – 25- 30 mins

Single standard cabin cable car to go up – HD$315 [US$40]

At the hongkong Airport

1)  Aviation Discovery[museum & simulation ] and UA IMAX

Theater [movie] – 2-4hrs

If there are other things one can do, please share them, will include them in the post.. Thanks in advance..