While my office mates will take delight in a fantastic adventure in Hong Kong Disneyland, me, Dayleen, and Amie (my friends based in Hong Kong) will bring me to other famous places in the city that I did not visit yet. I felt somewhat guilty because my team will miss this opportunity. But as has been said, Hong Kong is not complete without Disneyland so I want them to fully enjoy the rides and attractions in this theme park. Anyway, we will be visiting Macau on our third day and Lantau Island on our last day.

The elegance and sophistication of this Victorian-style Hotel was captivating

And so here we go for a non-stop foot navigation.

The Peak and Hong Kong Disneyland

I was so thankful today because the weather was good. After our worthy visit at The Peak, we head off to Disneyland. It was almost 11:00 am and as expected, the theme park was already crowded. The queue to the main entrance was long. Thanks to Klook for making everything fast and easy. I bid good-bye to my office mates when they got inside the theme park.

me and my Finance Team as we enjoyed the panoramic view and cool breeze of the wind at The Peak

Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

From Disneyland theme park we opted to ride a free shuttle bus in getting to Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel. It was a five-minute trip only. As I stepped into this lavish Disney Resort hotel, I was mesmerized seeing the lobby with a charming Christmas tree, beautiful chandeliers, high ceiling, and a vibrant tile floor design.

We strolled around and saw how lovely the interiors of the hotel. A moment later, we sat on a grand sofa and enjoyed looking at the Christmas decors adorning the hotel. Indeed, we had a luxurious rest that I want to sleep. Hahaha!

Chip and Dale on the alley, Dayleen, and Amie behind them hahaha!

When we went outdoors, I was in awe seeing the entire structure which was inspired by Victorian style, shrouded with elegance and sophistication. The hotel is fronting a garden maze in the shape of Mickey Mouse. It brought out the child delight in me finding my way out to the other end. Then we took a leisure walk in the nice pathway while looking at the peaceful South China Sea. Dayleen, Amie, and I were enjoying our happy photo ops. 

nice spot for picture taking

Rooms are somewhat pricey but certainly, you can get a magical stay in the resort. Someday, when I get back, I will book a room here with my family to enjoy a unique experience.

my good friends Dayleen and Amie as they toured me to other famous tourist attractions in Hong Kong

After a fulfilling picture taking, we boarded the free shuttle bus again and went back to Disneyland Park to ride the MTR in getting to Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery.

How we get to Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery from Disneyland Resort through MTR station:

We boarded the Sunny Bay Station, alighted at Lai King-train interchange (Tung Chung Line), transferred to Prince Edward (Tsuen Wan Line), transferred to Kowloon Tong (Kwun Tong Line) then stopped at Sha Tin (East Rail Line). Distinctive Landmark is Grand Central Plaza).

the Grand Central Plaza, the distinctive landmark in getting to Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

* Grand Central Plaza *

But before we head on to our next destination, we ate a snack at Ikea Store at Grand Central Plaza. After we were satiated, we got out of the building and took a walk at Sheung Wo Che Road until we reached the signage in getting to Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery.

my snack at Ikea

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

Your visit to Hong Kong will never be complete if you miss the temples which are one of the city’s popular tourist attractions. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery is one of the must-visit temples. The monastery was founded in 1951 by the Venerable Yue Kai and was said to be completed in 1957. It covers about 8 hectares and is divided into two levels.

entrance to monastery

The excitement began as we took the steep concrete steps. Along the path were life-size golden statues of Arhats which are lined on each side. At the top, we were rewarded with peaceful scenery and a sweeping view of Sha Tin.  The monastery has five temples, one pagoda, four pavilions, one veranda, and various Buddha statues.

at the second level of the monastery

It may wear you out if you have no regular body work-out. But just take it easy and drink water so you will not get exhausted fast. The total steps are 431 and you can trek it in 15 to 20 minutes. The best time to visit is early morning to avoid the scorching heat. The monastery may close if there is heavy rainfall or typhoon signal 8 is declared.

the Golden Buddhas are lined on both sides in different poses

Location: 220 Pai Tau Village, Sha Tin, New Territories

Opening Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
Admission: Free

From Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery to Choi Hung Estate: 

From Shatin MTR Station we alighted at Kowloon Tong (East Rail Line) then transferred to Kwon Lung Line and hopped out at Choi Hung Station. We took Exit C4 and turn left until we reached the Estate ground. There was a car park and we went up until we reached the court. Easy as that!

I was so thankful that I wandered around in another beautiful tourist spot in the city

Choi Hung Estate

Old housing estates in Hong Kong are now part of the city’s tourist attractions and a popular subject for enthusiast photographers. Choi Hung Estate which is said to be one of the oldest public housing in the city had already made waves to tourists. What makes it famous?

the Expectation… you have to take a picture upward so you can achieve a clean shot with no people in the foreground

Choi Hung Estate has a rainbow-colored high-rise building and a colorful basketball court perfect for Instagram worthy photos. It consists of 8 colors which the government had painted the building to lift the spirits of the residents there. When we got there, the courtyard was already packed with people that I can’t take a photo with no intervention. Anyway, the charming sight was enough to make my visit a delightful one.

the Reality… people are swarming everywhere that it is hard to take a solo photo

“Choi Hung” by the way is a Chinese word which means rainbow. The estate was rewarded a silver medal in 1965 by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Awards. It is now managed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority.

The best time to visit is during weekdays and early morning so you can have a clean shot with no people in the foreground.

Address: Choi Hung Estate, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon, Hong Kong

tranquil pathway fronting the Disneyland Hotel

Next destination—->>> Nan Lian Garden, Chi Lin Nunnery, Wong Tai Sin Temples, and Tanzi Yunnan Rice Noodle Restaurant

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