In this blog post, I’d like to share the places that left a lasting impression on me and some of the little stories from my 6-night, 7-day trip to Hong Kong and Macau.
Two Days in Macau
I arrived at Incheon International Airport with mixed feelings of anticipation and anxiety. My worries were short-lived, however; having lost sleep the night before due to the excitement of traveling abroad, I was so exhausted that I fell fast asleep on the plane. When I opened my eyes, the plane was already flying over Taiwan, and before long, we arrived at Hong Kong International Airport. Without even having a chance to truly experience Hong Kong, we immediately boarded the ferry bound for Macau.
Since the ferry crosses the border between Hong Kong and Macau, we had the unique experience of filling out immigration forms right on board. After about an hour, we arrived in Macau, having crossed the seemingly endless sea. It was late August in Korea, when the heat was starting to subside, but the sun in Hong Kong beat down on me with a intensity that surpassed even the sweltering heat I’d felt in Korea in early August.
Typically, a trip to Hong Kong lasts four nights and five days, and it’s common to spend just a day or so in Macau. However, since we had planned a six-night, seven-day trip, we decided to stay in Macau for two nights. We arrived at our accommodation around 4:00 p.m., unpacked our bags, and decided to take a light stroll around the neighborhood.
Macau consists of two islands, and since the territory is about the size of a single city in Korea, even a taxi ride cost barely more than the base fare. Since we were traveling independently, we walked short distances to save money. Not far from our accommodation were the Galaxy Hotel and the Venetian Hotel, both of which feature casinos—icons of Macau.
Even just looking at them from the outside, the hotels were so luxurious they made my eyes pop, and the interiors were so dazzling that the phrase “a feast for the eyes” truly fit. They looked exactly like the casinos I’d seen in movies. St. Mark’s Square inside the Venetian Hotel was modeled after Venice, Italy. The ceiling was designed to resemble the sky, and a small waterway with actual boats created the illusion of sailing indoors.
The next day, after touring various historical sites and churches in Macau, we went up the Macau Tower to capture the night view on our last night. However, it was disappointing. Not only was the admission fee to the top expensive, but the 360-degree view was completely enclosed by glass, and since the windows weren’t properly cleaned, we couldn’t see Macau’s night view clearly. It felt like the biggest waste of money during our entire stay in Macau.
Four Days in Hong Kong
After completing our two-day itinerary in Macau, we headed to Hong Kong. While the luxury hotels in Macau boasted dazzling night views, in Hong Kong, the skyscrapers near Central—which appeared to be over 100 stories tall—dazzled tourists. It was truly a grandeur befitting a global trade hub.
Because the buildings were so tall, we could only see the night views of the skyscrapers from open spaces or high vantage points near Central or Tsim Sha Tsui. Notable spots include Victoria Peak and Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade. At Victoria Peak, you take the Peak Tram up the mountain to look down from the summit, while at Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, you can admire the night view created by the high-rise buildings across the water. Having visited both places, I personally found the night view from Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade to be more beautiful.
To catch the “Symphony of Lights” laser show, which takes place every day from 8:00 PM to 8:20 PM, we arrived around 7:00 PM to secure the best viewing spots. Besides us, countless other people had also arrived early to claim their spots. The colorful night view created by the surrounding skyscrapers—centered around the Two International Finance Centre, Central Plaza, and the Bank of China Tower—was spectacular. To put it slightly exaggeratedly, it was so stunning that I could say it was the most beautiful night view I’ve ever seen.
I couldn’t help but feel frustrated that my phone camera couldn’t properly capture that view. As I admired the night view in Tsim Sha Tsui while enjoying the cool sea breeze, my worries melted away, and I even found myself thinking I’d like to live here forever. I wanted to enjoy the view a little longer, but my friend urged me to head to the night market before it got too late, so I had to leave reluctantly.
On the last day of our trip to Hong Kong, we planned to visit the world’s largest bronze seated Buddha statue on Lantau Island near the airport and then head to Mui Wo. However, we missed the bus—which ran only once an hour—and, not wanting to return to our accommodation so early, we decided to head to Discovery Bay, which wasn’t part of our original plan.
When we got off the bus at Discovery Bay, there were so many Westerners around that I found myself wondering, “Is this really Hong Kong?” The architectural style of the surrounding buildings was exactly what you’d expect to see in Europe, and I later learned that the area had been systematically developed as a residential resort by the British, who once ruled Lantau Island.
Discovery Bay isn’t very large and is right on the beach, making it perfect for a carefree stroll. On the beach, there were athletic young people of various ethnicities playing beach volleyball, Caucasian women leisurely sunbathing, and couples of all ages enjoying a quiet weekend afternoon date—everyone was simply enjoying their free time in their own way.
As I walked, a question came to mind. Although it was clearly a residential area, there wasn’t a single private car in sight. The only mode of transportation available was the kind of golf cart typically found on a golf course. I later learned that Discovery Bay was designed to be environmentally friendly, so aside from public transportation—buses and golf carts—there were almost no other vehicles.
As I strolled along the beach taking in the sights, the sun gradually set, and the lights on the café terraces began to come on one by one. Having walked for a long time and worked up an appetite, I decided to cap off my last night in Hong Kong with a lavish dinner. As I was leaving the restaurant, I heard the sound of an orchestral ensemble coming from somewhere. Following the music, I found five men in elegant suits playing their respective instruments under a small tent not far away.
People had gathered on the benches in front of the tent to enjoy the music, so we went over as well. However, upon closer inspection, the five men in their fine suits turned out to be elderly gentlemen, contrary to my expectations. After exchanging greetings, I learned that the youngest was 69 and the oldest was 78. Even as someone who doesn’t know much about music, I could tell that they weren’t professional musicians but rather a group of friends who had honed their skills through long hours of practice.
Given their age, their breathing was a bit labored and there were occasional off-key notes, but the emotion they conveyed was every bit as moving as that of world-class musicians. As I listened to their performance, sipped a bottle of beer, and breathed in the sea breeze, I felt as though I had become one of the wealthy tycoons I’d seen in Macau’s luxurious hotels.
Before long, it was time to return to my accommodation, so I left the beautiful Discovery Bay behind. While it wasn’t as dazzling as the night view of the skyscrapers I’d seen in Tsim Sha Tsui, the laid-back atmosphere of Discovery Bay was something I couldn’t experience anywhere else.
If I had to name the places that left the deepest impression on me during this trip to Hong Kong and Macau, I’d say Tsim Sha Tsui Beach and Discovery Bay. Tsim Sha Tsui Beach, a must-visit for anyone traveling to Hong Kong, and Discovery Bay, which isn’t properly recommended in guidebooks—though these two places seem like polar opposites, the impact they had on me wasn’t all that different.
In a way, I even found myself wondering if these two places might represent the kind of life I want to live in the future. When I’m young, I want to live as dazzlingly as the night view of Tsim Sha Tsui; later in life, I want to live not as dazzlingly, but as beautifully as the leisurely pace of Discovery Bay.
