Where's Johnny Jet? Returning to Hong Kong

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Macau to Hong Kong

Last week, we left on in Macau, China, one of the world's up-and-coming destinations, one that's giving Vegas a run for its money. The MGM Grand Macau, like the other major casinos here, provides free shuttles to the ferry terminal. The bus ride takes 10 minutes and runs as frequently as the ferries (practically every 15 minutes) to and from Central Hong Kong (HK$134 = $17USD). Even if you reserve your ferry ticket in advance, get there at least 30 minutes early as the Macau customs line might be long (it took me seven minutes to clear it). If you don't want to schlep your bag(s) on board, there's a separate check-in line if you want to check your luggage (cost: HK$30 = $3.84USD apiece). I brought both my medium-sized bags on board free of charge but there's no overhead space so I had to leave them in the rear with the other bags. Passengers aren't allowed on the boat's decks (must be for immigration or insurance reasons) but the 40-mile ride was smooth and took just under an hour. Once in Hong Kong, we needed to go through passport control, which added another 10 minutes. I still don't completely understand why all visitors to and from Macau, Hong Kong and mainland China need to go through each bureaucrat's controls but I'm not complaining as now, my passport is just bursting with fresh stamps.

1993 to 2008

The last time I was in Hong Kong was back in 1993. It was my first trip overseas and I spent a month there with my college girlfriend and her British parents. Back then, the Brits still ruled the colony but in 1997 they handed it back to China as a Special Administrative Region (SAR). The Portuguese did the same with Macau in 1999. I'm happy to report that the same Hong Kong I fell in love with back then is much the same (at least on the outside), and that the British influence is still evident everywhere: It's a free-market economy, the school system is much the same, you'll find pubs, afternoon tea, rugby and double-decker buses. The biggest changes seem to be: there aren't as many ex-pats; the Union Jack flag has been replaced by the red, starred flag of China and the new red Hong Kong flag (the emblem is of the bauhinia flower); and the official languages went from English and Cantonese to English and "Chinese". Chinese has many languages and most Hong Kong Chinese speak Cantonese but in China's capital of Beijing they don't. The official language there is Mandarin (Putonghua), which is now being taught in Hong Kong schools. FYI: Cantonese and Mandarin are completely different however they use the same characters for writing.

Religion: Every major religion is practiced freely in Hong Kong and about 43% participate in some form of religious practice. About 9.6% of the population are practicing Christians.

Hong Kong

If you haven't brushed up on your geography, Hong Kong is located on the southeast coast of China at the mouth of the Pearl River. With an area of 1,104 square kilometers and a population of 6.92 million (according to the 2007 census) Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. The name Hong Kong translates to "fragrant harbor" as fragrant wood products and incense were once traded here. Hong Kong is made up primarily of three main territories: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories, which includes 234 outlying islands. The heart is Hong Kong Island, which is where the British originally settled. It's also where all of those impressive skyscrapers are, filled with the players that support the "Wall Street" of Asia and which make up one of the world's most spectacular skylines. Kowloon, another major territory, is across Victoria Harbour.

Did You Know? In Cantonese, the name Kowloon means "Nine Dragons". It's so named because of all the hilly and mountainous peaks that rise in the distance.

Exchange Rate

At the time of publication, $1 United States Dollar (USD) = Hong Kong Dollars (HK$) $7.80. To keep conversion simple and reasonably accurate, divide prices by eight.

Getting Around by Taxi

It couldn't be any easier or cheaper for Americans to get around. All the signs are in English and although taxis are expensive by Southeast Asian standards, it's still way cheaper than the U.S. and Europe. To get from Central to the top of Victoria Peak by taxi (a 20-minute drive) cost me HK$47 ($6USD). And this is the most expensive mode of transportation besides chauffeured car service or helicopter.

Taxi Tip: Even though English is an official language, don't expect everyone to speak it -- especially the taxi drivers. All hotels have taxi cards with their address written in both English and Chinese. Some even have points of interest labeled so you can just point or check that the driver knows where to take you.

Universal Language Tip: No matter where I am in the world, when I need language assistance, I seek out people in their late teens or twenties and thirties because they have most likely studied English in school.

MTR

If you are coming from the Hong Kong Airport (which is my favorite and one of the world's best) take the Airport Express Train. It takes 30 minutes and costs HK$100 ($12.81USD). A taxi on the other hand costs around HK$380 and takes 35 minutes (without traffic). Airport Express is part of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and is one of the world's best and cleanest subways around. I love everything about it; it's so easy to buy tickets, figure out the schedule, they provide up-to-the-minute information and cell phones work ... why can't they do this in NYC? It's so advanced that they even have the world's first "contactless" tickets, which can be waved over a scanner without even taking them out of your purse or pocket.

When to Go: Hong Kong has a tropical climate. It's cool and humid in the winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall. Here's the 10-day weather forecast.

Star Ferry

The first thing I did after dropping my bags off was jump on the historic Star Ferry. It goes back and forth between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon every few minutes. The upper deck is supposedly first class and costs a whopping 50 cents extra (HK$2.20 = $0.28USD) than the lower deck (HK$1.70 = $0.21USD). Both decks are pretty much the same except that the lower deck doesn't require as many stairs and is a bit more crowded at peak times. The ferry terminal on Hong Kong Island has moved and been remodeled so the Kowloon side has all the charm. To get a ticket (plastic token), use the automated machines, which take coins only and are self-explanatory in English.

Trolley Car

The narrow old rickety double-decker trolley cars have become an icon of Hong Kong. They cost just HK$2 ($0.25USD) and I could have rode one from my hotel in the western district all the way to Causeway Bay. They may be slow but sit in the front row upstairs for the cheapest sightseeing tour around.

Peninsula Hong Kong

My friend Natalie and I arrived right on time and once we cleared Hong Kong customs, we found one of the Peninsula Hotel's famous bellmen waiting for us with a name card. The Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong opened in 1928 and has the largest fleet (14) of Rolls Royce Phantom's but he escorted us to a phat Mercedes, waiting with a driver. Don't feel too bad because they drove us around a couple of times in the Rolls. Only one word can describe both experiences: outrageous. Each time we hopped in and buckled the seatbelt (it's the law and they're strict), the white-gloved driver offered us a mini bottle of Fiji water. What a way to begin a drive! The ferry terminal is on the Hong Kong Island side and the Peninsula Hotel, which is arguably one of the world's most famous and prestigious hotels in the world, is on the Kowloon side. The driver said it would take 30 minutes but traffic was light going under the tunnel so it took just fifteen.

My Room

When Natalie and I pulled up to the 30-storey, 300-room hotel, an army of porters attacked the car, grabbed our bags and escorted us to the front desk; actually they whisked us up to our room where they did the check-in. The ornate lobby was crowded with tourists waiting in line to take part in afternoon English-style high tea, served daily from 2pm to 7pm. Cost: HK$238 ($30USD) for one person, HK$338 ($43USD) for two. We all know that service at hotels in Asia can't compare to the rest of the world and the Peninsula just takes this exemplary service to another level; the bellman even remembered my name. The service is unreal. I practically spit out my teeth when I learned that somehow we'd got upgraded from a standard room to a grand deluxe harbor view room suite that had three rooms (one bedroom) that overlooked Victoria Harbour. In addition, there were remote control blinds in all the rooms including the marble bathroom with a high-tech Jacuzzi. There was a separate entrance for the butler/maid but for the little things, we were never disturbed. Instead, they dropped off the newspaper, any laundry/polished shoes off in the "valet" (a cubby hole). The room's lights and temperature could be controlled from the phone. On top of all this, there was complimentary wireless Internet access, free local calls, use of the fitness center and swimming pool, two bottles of Fiji water left by the bed each night and an antique telescope to stargaze ... or peep into other hotel rooms! I felt like a kid in the candy store. The worst part: The room was so nice it almost made me not want to go out and explore!

Nathan Road

The Peninsula Hong Kong is on Kowloon in Tsim Sha Tsui. Walking out the front door of the hotel, Nathan Road is the first street on your left. It's the shopping Mecca of Kowloon and is packed with people, shops and restaurants. It's over two miles long and I'll bet anyone that you can't walk down the street in the middle of the day without being approached by an Indian salesman, asking if you want a "tailored suit" or a "copy watch". Seriously. I was asked 30 times so I ended up walking down the street, pretending to talk on my cell phone, but that still didn't deter them from approaching me. But they were all very friendly. Sometimes, before they could even say anything, I would say, "That's okay, I don't need one." They would laugh and say, "But I didn't ask you!"

JW Marriott

For a completely different view and a taste of an American hotel, Natalie and I crossed the harbor to Hong Kong Island and checked into the 577-room JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong. The best part of the JW is that it is centrally located. Although they cater to business travelers, tourists will love it as well. One of the doors connects to Pacific Place, a high-end shopping center with lots of restaurants and an MTR station. If it's really hot or rainy, you can walk through there and connect to other buildings making the city like a huge gerbil cage. The service at the JW was excellent and the lobby is elegant. Once on the room floor, you can tell the building is 15-years-old but you wouldn't be able to tell once you step in the room as everything has been remodeled.

JW Rooms

A unique feature is that all rooms feature dramatic corner views of either the harbor, city or mountains. Half the room is a window. Like most Hong Kong rooms, it was on the small size but very comfortable. The Marriott's signature Revive bed makes getting up early a chore because it's so comfy. The view of the harbor is nice but doesn't compare to the view from the Kowloon side. A really nice touch is that the desk has everything I have at home: U.S. outlet, tape, Post-Its, paper clips, stapler, scissors. Take this into consideration, plus the hotel's conference facilities and it's not surprising that the JW has won Meetings & Conventions Magazine's Gold Key Award for 11 years. There are six restaurants at the JW and I ate at the Marriott Café, sampling the breakfast and dinner buffets, which were outrageous. They had everything you could want and more, which is why many locals dine here. TIP: There's free wireless Internet in the lobby; in the room it's broadband and costs HK$120 ($15USD) for 24 hours. JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong SAR, China, Tel: 852-2810-8366.

Note: Hong Kong Tourism, The Peninsula Hong Kong and the JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong.

Johnny Jet has been featured over 1,000 times in major publications, including USA Today, Time, Fortune and The New York Times, and has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNBC, MSNBC, NBC, FOX News Channel, and PBS. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." In the May 2007 issue of Outside Magazine, Johnny Jet was touted for having one of the world's best "dream jobs". Every week Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com and he has written for USAToday, The Boston Herald and Coast Magazine. Sign up today for Johnny Jet's free weekly travel newsletter at www.johnnyjet.com.

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