Hong Kong & Macau - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 142

right in front of the Star Ferry Pier. Bus fares vary from
around HK$2 to HK$52.
By taxi Taxis in Hong Kong are not expensive, starting
at HK$20 (HK$15 in Lantau), with a HK$5 per piece of
luggage. Note that there is a toll to be paid (around
HK$10) on any trips through a tunnel and drivers are
allowed to double this, on the grounds that they have to
get back again. Many taxi drivers do not speak English,
so have your destination written down in Chinese.
By ferry One of the most enjoyable (and cheapest: HK$2-
3) modes of transport is the Star Ferry between Kowloon
and Hong Kong Island (see box, p.137). Ferries run every
6-12 minutes between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central (daily
6.30am-11.30pm; 9min), and between Tsim Sha Tsui and
Wan Chai (daily 7.20am-11pm; 8min). Regular ferries also
run to the outlying islands (see box, p.141).

Causeway Bay Inn Flat A, 1st floor, Percival House,
77-83 Percival St W causewaybayinn.com; M Causeway
Bay; map pp.132-133. Just three comfortable, modern
en-suite rooms - two with twin beds and one a double -
decorated in pastel shades, with TVs, a/c and mini fridges.
You get an entrance code for your room as there doesn't
tend to be anyon e mannin g the reception. Perfect for a
quiet stay. Double HK$390
Check Inn 273 Hennessy Rd T 2155 0175, W checkinnhk
.com; M Wan Chai; map pp.132-133. Friendly, colourful
hostel that's perfect for night owls who like pub crawls
and socializing. Lockers are on the small side, luggage
space is at a premium and getting up on the top bunks
requires a certain d egree of acrobatic skill, but the staff are
very helpful. Dorm HK$220
Life on a Boat - Moksha Shum Wan Rd, Wong Chuk
Hang, Aberdeen W airbnb.co.uk/rooms/65117; buses
#36S, #29A; map pp.132-133. One of the more unusual
accommodation options in town, Moksha is a wooden
junk converted into a cute houseboat, currently moored in
Aberdeen harbour. The compact cabins are wonderfully
cosy, the hosts are welcoming and helpful, breakfast is
included and you get to cat ch a sam pan to shore every day.
Two-night minimum stay. HK$750
★

3

INFORMATION
Tourist information The super-e cient Hong Kong
Tourism Board (HKTB; W discoverhongkong.com) has
several handy o ces: one in the arrivals area of the airport
(daily 7am-11pm), at the Star Ferry Concourse in Tsim Sha
Tsui (daily 8am-8pm) and in the Peak Piazza on Hong Kong
Island (daily 9am-9pm). There's also a HKTB multilingual
telephone service (daily 9am-6pm, T 2508 1234).
Listings publications Countless leaflets on what to do,
including Where magazine and City Life , can be picked up
at HKTB outlets. The free HK Magazine ( W hk-magazine
.com), published every Friday, contains excellent up-to-
date information on restaurants, bars, happy hours, clubs,
concerts and exhibitions. Time Out magazine has an HK
edition, available throughout the Territory ( W timeout
.com.hk).
Tours There are some excellent themed tours run by
individual companies but bookable through HKTB.
Otherwise, Walk In Hong Kong ( W walkin.hk) organize
outstanding specialized walking tours for small groups,
taking you off the beaten path to the city's cemeteries,
venerable old shops selling traditional Chinese medicine,
North Point and other characterful neighbourhoods; tours
typically last two hours and cost around HK$160. Splendid
Tours & Travel ( W splendid.hk) offer six-hour cruises along
the Sai Kung coastline, and a “come horseracing” tour that
takes you for a night out at the races (Sept-June). Eco
Travel ( W ecotravel.hk) run an excellent tour to the New
Territories Geopark that takes in interesting rock forma-
tions, a walled Hakka village, feng shui trees and more.

YesInn @ Causeway Bay 2nd floor, Nan Yip Building,
472 Hennessy Rd T 2213 4567, W yesinn.com; M Causeway
Bay; map pp.132-133. Bright and colourful, with a chillout
area and rooftop garden that encourage mingling, a good
mix of single-sex and mixed dorms and private rooms,
and beds big enough for Westerners, YesInn wins points
for comfort and e ciency. Nice extras include i Pads tha t
you ca n borrow and 24hr tea and coffee. Dorm HK$159 ,
double HK$398
Y-Loft 238 Chai Wan Rd T 3721 8989, W youthsquare.hk;
M Chai Wan; map pp.132-133. Don't be put off by the
rather remote location at the end of the MTR: the area is
blissfully untouristy and you're well positioned to explore
Shek O and the south side of Hong Kong Island. The
doubles and triples are immense by Hong Kong standards
and all come with gia nt flat-screen TVs and wheelchair
access. Double HK$770

KOWLOON
Most of the accommodation listed below is within a 15min
walk of the Star Ferry Pier - conveniently central, though
very touristy.
A-Inn Rooms 809 & 1304, 8th floor, Sincere House, 83
Argyle St T 9533 6817, W ainnhongkong.hostel.com;
M Mong Kok; map p.138. More like a budget hotel than a
hostel, A-Inn has compact doubles, triples and quads with
plasma-screen TVs. There's no common room, so it's good
for a quiet stay rather than for meeting fellow travellers.
Very co nvenient location right next to the MTR station.
Double HK$400

ACCOMMODATION
HONG KONG ISLAND
The budget rooms on Hong Kong Island are mostly in
Causeway Bay, some near Sogo and others towards
Leighton Rd. They tend to be more expensive than
Kowloon, but comparatively quieter.