China & Hong Kong Trip - Crossing Borders to Hong Kong

Our schedule in China finally came to an end. Despite the tiredness of walking ups and downs, the cold and the wetness of the rain, we were so happy to be able to complete the journey. Especially for my parents and their peers, in 10 years time, they might not be able to endure such a journey already.

Farewell, China!

It's time to bid farewell to Guangzhou. The driver drove us to the bus station besides Marriot Hotel for our 8:30 am bus. There were seat numbers on our tickets but we were told that it's free seating.

While waiting with all the luggages and bags

So after waiting and having a quick breakfast from nearby McD, we boarded the bus at around 08:20 am and the journey started on time. It was a short journey to Shenzhen Checkpoint.

At around 10:30am, we reached the checkpoint and we were asked to unload all our luggages and drag them to clear China's immigration. The queue to the immigration was as long as dragon. We queued for about half an hour, I guess.

However, there was still one more checkpoint to clear: Hong Kong's immigration.

Luckily we did not need to board the bus again to another building. These two checkpoints are connected. We just continued to roll our luggages and place ourselves in the queue again.

When we cleared Hong Kong's immigration, we went to the correct bus berth to wait for our bus. And the bus took forever to come!

I stopped looking at the time. I just knew that we waited so very long for the bus. The journey to Wan Chai MTR Station was not even as long as the waiting time.

We reached Wan Chai MTR Station at around 01:00 pm and then we took taxi to our hotel at Kowloon.

When we halted the first taxi at the place where we were dropped off, the taxi driver refused to take us because the was not familiar with Kowloon. He told us to walk towards the MTR station and turn right to find the taxi stand because all the taxis there would go to Kowloon. All the taxi in his direction would be going to Hong Kong city.

Only then we knew that there were territories for the taxi driver in Hong Kong. So, we followed his instruction and found our taxi.

We asked to be driven to Inn Hotel Hong Kong located nearby Yau Ma Tei MTR Station at Kowloon area. It was not a long journey but it cost us quite a lot. HKD 150 (~SGD 26) for about 15-20 minutes ride. The high cost was due to the toll fee.

Outside of the hotel

Inn Hotel Hong Kong was a new establishment at Kowloon. It is located right by the corner of Yau Ma Tei MTR station, about 3 minutes walk from the station. In front of the hotel, there were quite a number of restaurants. By crossing the road, Temple Street Night Market is in your palm. Walking a little bit further, you will find Mongkok and its famous Ladies' Market.

We were not allowed to check in yet because the rooms were not ready. But the manager's of the hotel greeted us so warmly and he gave us quite a number of maps for our direction. So we decided to have our lunch and did our itinerary before coming back to the hotel in the evening.

Hello, Hong Kong!

Love is in the air,

Little Feet

Next Post - First Day in Hong Kong

China Trip - A Splendid Day in Guangzhou

We stayed in a 4-room apartment in Guangzhou because we were there during the 117th Canton Fair  and we were unable to get any reasonable price hotel rooms.

The apartment is located quite far from the city centre at the other quite side of the famous Pearl River. We rented a minibus with a driver to bring us around for our 1-day trip in Guangzhou.

After resting for a few hours in the night, the driver picked us up at 09:00 am. We asked him to bring us for good breakfast and he really brought us to a very good breakfast.

Taaa daaa

This shop is located nearby Liurong Shi or The Temple of Six Banyan Trees. It is specialised in traditional breakfast items of Southern Chine, namely zhu chang fen or rice rolls. It also serves porridge, noodle, tang yuan, black sesame paste, etc etc.

Until today, I can still imagine the taste of the chang fen. I am not a chang fen person but this one melted my heart. The best I have ever eaten so far.

The speciality beef chang fen

We then continued the drive to Liurong Shi or the Temple of Six Banyan Trees. This temple was built during the Liang Dynasty. It was named after the six banyan trees that were viewed there by a famous philosopher named Su Shi. The pagoda inside the compound has been rebuilt and renovated a few times.

The 9-storey pagoda is the main architectural attraction of this temple 

Inside the compound

We purchased flowers for the Goddess of Mercy

After praying and enjoying the atmosphere for a while, we decided to move on because we wanted to purchase the train tickets to Hong Kong for the next day. We went to Guilin North Railway Station but the morning tickets were all sold out. The available tickets would be for 02:00 pm instead. We decided to change the plan to bus instead. We bought the ticket at the bus station by the side of Marriot Hotel.

We then asked the driver to drop us at the most famous pedestrian shopping street in Guangzhou: Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. This shopping street stretches from Shangjiu Lu and Xiajiu Lu in the east to Dishifu Lu in the west. There are more than 300 shops at this 1200m long shopping street.

The prominent square at the centre of the shopping street 

READY

You can go to the right, to the left, to anywhere and you'll find shops all over the places

The shops

You can find almost everything here, from branded goods to cheap wholesale stuffs. There are street foods and restaurants too!

We spent about 4 hours here before the driver picked us again at the same spot where he dropped us. He then brought us for our early dinner.

At Hongxing Yidu Restaurant.

This is a restaurant where you choose your seafood from the tanks

Happy dinner! Happy tummy!

This restaurant specialises in Alaskan crab but it cost really a huge fortune! In the end, we did not want to waste that kind of crazy money and just chose normal menus. Even though what we ordered were categorised under 'normal', all tasted so nice and we were satisfied.

How crowded this place was!

Our last itinerary in Guangzhou is to pay a visit to its famous Pearl River or Zhujiang. Pearl River is the third longest river in China after Yangtze River and Yellow River. In terms of volume, Pearl River is the second biggest after Yangtze River.

Pearl River flow through the city of Guangzhou before discharging into South China Sea. It got its name from the stones at the bottom of the river that resemble huge pearls.

The driver helped us to purchase the ticket and it cost RMB 87 (~SGD 19) per pax for 70 minutes cruise. The driver dropped us at the pier and we waited for our cruise to dock.

While waiting

The view at the pier

We booked 8:00 pm cruise and the cruise was so punctual. We got level-3 tickets with seat numbers to ensure we were not pushed away by other people while enjoying the view. The tickets also came with complimentary tea and fruit platter.

Settling down at the top of the cruise

We kept taking photos throughout the journey because the scenery was so picturesque. The bridges that we passed by, the lighted buildings and skyscrappers, and of course, the famous Canton Tower.

The Black Pearl

Our eyes were pampered with the view

Stadium?

And the star of the night was the Canton Tower. The cruise passed in front of the tower and rounded it so all of us had so many chances to snap some pictures with this beautiful lady.

Why I say a lady? Because, unlike many other towers, Canton Tower bears the characteristics of a female: complex, curvy, and gracious. Canton Tower was designed and constructed for Sea Games that was hosted by Guangzhou in 2010. This tower is the second tallest in the world and the tallest in China itself.

The female shape of Canton Tower

How all people try to freeze the beautiful lady in their own cameras

I love it

Without our realisation, 70 minutes passed in some heart beats. We were required to alight from the cruise and get back to our minibus. The driver drove us back to the apartment where we spent our last sleep in Guangzhou.

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Next Post - Crossing Borders to Hong Kong

China Trip - Jack's Private Tour

The era of internet really helped the humanity. I found both of my local tour guides through the internet and both were splendid.

We were guided by Jack Zhou in Guilin and Yangshuo. He is 30 year old although he looks much younger and he has been in the business for 9 years.

We were carrying his flag

1. He was prompt in replying all my enquiries regarding the hotel to stay, the train schedule, etc etc. Even during Chinese New Year period, he was still very responsive.
2. When we arrived in Guilin Train Station, he called to check on me and to confirm the plan for the next day.
3. He was always very punctual and understanding towards our slight delay.
4. He knew the best spots to take photos.
5. He tried to avoid the crowds so he tweaked our itinerary to be different with the big travel agencies. Throughout our stay in Guilin in Yangshuo, we rarely bumped into the crowds.
6. He liked to help us to take photos and he liked to be in the photos too. :P
7. He was understanding towards the older members and he knew how not to disappoint them when they were not able to join certain attraction.
8. He helped us to bring one of our group member to the clinic and he even sent them back to the hotel.
9. Maybe he is the only tour guide that brings the tourists to Xianggong Hill. We saw only two people during our visit. I am totally grateful for that.

The boys!

I will recommend Jack for whomever wants to visit Guilin and Yangshuo area. He can surely help you to enjoy the quieter part of this busy town.

Till we meet again, Jack!

Love is in the air,

Little Feet

Next Post - A Splendid Day in Guangzhou

China Trip - The Best Spot of Viewing Li River atop Xianggong Hill

Our last itinerary in Guilin and Yangshuo are is Xianggong Hill. Xianggong Hill is located at the west bank of Li River. It is top rated place to view Li River from the top. 

Jack brought us to a viewing platform after the minibus climbed the hill for a while. When we alighted from the car, we were wonderstruck by the view.

All the mountains

And some more mountains

And mountains again

Happy face

The viewing platform overlooks the mountain side but the top of Xianggong Hill overlooks the other side, which is the Li River. The minibus took us up and up again until the entrance of Xianggong Hill. We then purchased the ticket which cost RMB 20 (~SGD 4.5) per pax before climbing up the steps to the summit.

We were climbing these steps to reach the top

Jack told us that it took 15 minutes to climb up to the top but I took 12 minutes. I was so proud of my achievement. He even congratulated me. :D

At the top with a happy face

There is three-tier viewing platform at the top. We explored two of them. Beautiful!

The viewing platform

Li River from the top

I am in love~~~

Panoramic view from the viewing platform

No wonder this place is a famous photography spot

We spent around 20 minutes at the summit and 8 minutes to rush down. We were in a rush because we needed to catch our high speed train to Guangzhou.

From Xianggong Hill to Guilin South Railway Station, it took about one hour. We reached the train station just in time for our train.

Guangzhou next!

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Next Post - Jack's Private Tour

China Trip - Serene Yulong River

Yulong River is a small tributary of Li River. It is running from North Yangshuo along some villages before joining into Li River. Yulong River is shallow, only about 5m deep, and relies only on bamboo raft to transport people and goods. No motorized boats are allowed in this river, which results in a quiet and clean river.

A stretch of this river has been made as a tourist attraction by China government. Tourists need to pay RMB 150 (~SGD 33) to enjoy the bamboo raft. The local rafters will operate the raft and the tourists just need to relax and enjoy.

Just sit back and enjoy the breeze

The quiet and peaceful Yulong

At certain points along the rafting route, there were some drops created. I guess the purpose is to create certain thrilling experience throughout the 45-minute journey. Else, some people will be so bored they fall asleep or fall into the river. LOL.

At the end of the route, before the raft turned back to the starting point, we were greeted by some photographers and instant printing services. This one is different with the printing service that we found during our Li River Cruise as it is run by the government.

1. The photographer arranges your poses
2. The printed photo costs RMB 5 more expensive than other places
3. You will be asked to choose the photos in the computer and once you say 'ok' there is no turning back, you need to purchase

The artificial drops

We were not allowed to take photos at the 'commercial' area. But basically, the photographers will snap you a few times when you are dropped on a mini waterfall. After that the rafter will bring you to a wooden hut where all the printings are done. You will be asked to pose a few times before alighting from the boat to select your pictures.

Please be careful when selecting the pictures since the people are so harsh. Do not say 'nice' or 'ok' because they will straightaway print all nice-s and okay-s and force you to pay.

So the trick is to say no until the end of the photo series and ask the person to re-run the photos. On the second round, it will go slower and you can choose what you really likes.

To be honest, the printing quality is not up to standards. But you will have nothing if you don't buy as it is the best spot along the route.

For me, selfies with the rafter will be enough

After about an hour there, we finished our relaxation and we were starving. Jack brought us to the best boutique hotel in Yangshuo for lunch. The place is called Tea Cozy Boutique Hotel.

This boutique hotel is located nearby Yulong River and it is so peaceful in here. The architecture is so chinese from the gate to the inside. With the cooling weather, it is a perfect relaxation to stay here. However, Tea Cozy is a bit far from Yangshuo city centre.

The lobby. Nice, huh?

The restaurant serves both chinese and western food. We were seated at the porch of the hotel on an antique table setting. We ordered spring rolls, tofu balls, sweet and sour chickens, stir-fried brocollis, hot pot eggplants, and also a pizza. The taste of the food is nice!

The beautiful place to have lunch

Special Tea Cozy Pizza

Without our realization, our time in Yangshuo almost came to the end.

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Next Post - The Best Spot of Viewing Li River atop Xianggong Hill

China Trip - Exploring Moon Hill and Silver Cave at Yangshuo

The day before we saw Water Moon Cave. Today we went to see Moon Hill.

Moon Hill or Yueliang Shan got its name from the natural semicircular arch below its peak. The limestone cave looks like a moon from afar.

Before our tour guide picked us up at 09:00 am, we had breakfast at West Street. Only a few shops located at the side alleys were opened in the morning. So we headed to a small shop and had our noodle breakfast there.

Walking to get breakfast

Apart from the breakfast, we got a bonus. A great view. Really great view.

I want to wake up and see this kind of view everyday

We checked out and moved our luggages out from West Street. Luckily it was in the morning and almost nobody was there so we could manoeuvre easily.

Jack drove us to a small area where we could see the hill clearly and snap some pictures.

The semi-circular arch directly below the peak looks like a moon

Holding the moon

After that short stopover, we went to Silver Cave. Silver Cave is a must-go when visiting Guilin and Yangshuo area. This is a karst landscape full of stalactites and stalagmites that form various shapes. The cave is decorated with colourful lighting.

The golden key. The limestone forms the shape of a key. 

Buddha teaching His disciples.

Maybe a horse or phoenix there. I forgot.

The pillar of heaven and earth.

Curtain?

Curtain again? Waterfall? Banyan tree?

Can you see the reflection on the water?

What do you think this is?

When we moved into the cave, a big group of tourists were behind us. Jack is the type of tour guides that hates crowds. As much as possible, he avoided us bumping with the crowds. He kept telling us to move when other people were approaching. He then explained that we would only walk the first half of the cave where the sights were the best. After that we would U-turn and visit back those that we had missed.

So, this is the one that we missed in front.

Peacock! And I am flying with her.

We spent about one hour touring this place. What a worthy RMB 65 (~SGD) of our life!

Thanks for the experience, Silver Cave!

Love is in the air,
Little Feet

Next Post - Serene Yulong River