Archive for January, 2009
Hong Kong (literally translated as Fragrant Harbour) is many things to many people and because of its history, Hong Kong is all of these things: modern yet traditional, brashly cosmopolitan yet conservative, Westernised yet Chinese.
Hong Kong is a vibrant, dynamic and chaotic place, but somehow, it works…and visitors can still find places of peace and tranquillity amongst the 7 million people who live there.
For many, Hong Kong is about eating and shopping…and yes, I certainly love to eat and shop there too. Yet, for a small place, Hong Kong has so much more to offer. My personal favourite experiences are:
Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade
I never tire of the view of Hong Kong Island from Kowloon. It really has to be one of the most iconic and best city skylines in the world. The promenade in Tsim Sha Tsui East is a lovely way to get an uninterrupted view of it. A walk along the promenade is great during the day, but spectacular at night, when the Symphony of the Stars, a fantastic sound-and-light show is on. The show takes place every night from 8pm for 20 minutes and involves 20 buildings on the Hong Kong Island skyline.
Star Ferry
The famous Star Ferry in Victoria Harbour
Another great way to see the Victoria Harbour is to catch the famous Star Ferry. The ferry runs both ways, but the best view for me is from the ferries going from Kowloon to Central on Hong Kong Island. An important part of the commuter system, the Star Ferry traces its origins back to 1880 and at HK$2.20 (around 20p - and it’s worth paying the extra 50c to sit on the upper deck!), it definitely deserves its ranking as one of the world’s best value-for-money sightseeing trips.
Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Sha Tin
As someone whose family is from the New Territories, for me, Hong Kong is so much more than Victoria Harbour and Kowloon. I always encourage friends and clients to take a trip to the New Territories.
Sha Tin, formerly a market town is now one of the busiest towns in the New Territories and on arriving at Sha Tin KCR station, you would be forgiven for thinking you’ve arrived at one of the busiest places in Hong Kong. My advice is to just go with the flow and experience the crowded, huge shopping centres and delights offered by the restaurants in the food courts.
Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin
For a quieter type of culture, head for the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, located southwest of Sha Tin town centre. A modern museum built in traditional style, it introduces the art, culture and history of the New Territories, as well as Chinese culture in general. My personal highlights include the New Territories Heritage Hall, giving the history of the New Towns and mock-ups of traditional shops and a Hakka fishing village; the Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall and the wonderful Children’s Discovery Gallery.
Market towns of Sheung Shui and Fanling in the New Territories
Continuing passed Sha Tin, the KCR takes you to Fanling and then Sheung Shui. Formerly small market towns, the pace of development in Hong Kong has meant that high rises now dominate the skylines. The traditional markets with their dark, but lively alleys have now been moved into new, modern premises. They still retain their colour though, and Fanling (the market is in the old district of Luen Wo Hui) and Sheung Shui are worth visiting to experience a less cosmopolitan side to central Hong Kong, close to the mainland’s border. Both towns are surrounded by villages, habited mostly by Hakka people, for whom Fanling and Sheung Shui are the main towns. You can take a minibus from Luen Wo Hui to Luk Keng to see village life, far away from the bright lights of Kowloon.
The Peak
This hilly landmark is probably the most popular tourist attraction, but I think it has to be a must. Standing at 552m above sea level, the Peak is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island and the views of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and surrounds are breathtaking.
You can travel up the Peak by bus, but the Peak Tram is definitely more exciting. The tram (a double reversible funicular system) takes you up and down the Peak at a gradient of 4 degrees to a steep 27 degrees. What’s remarkable is that the Peak Tram has been taking visitors to the Peak for 120 years.
Hong Kong is my family’s home. So please contact me for a different insight to planning and arranging your Hong Kong holiday.
Filed under: Asia Pacific, Destinations, Travel Tips | Hong Kong, Things to Do|1 Comment
Chinese New Year is the perfect antidote to the winter weather in the UK. Colourful displays, dancing lions and dragons and noisy firecrackers are a match for any damp and grey day.
From British Columbia, Canada and Lima, Peru, to Penang, Malaysia and, of course, Beijing, China, people have been celebrating the biggest festival of the year.
The Guardian has a great gallery of pictures that I thought Your Travel Planner readers would enjoy: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2009/jan/26/1?picture=342327843
Join in the UK celebrations
Cities and towns all over the UK are welcoming the Year of the Ox too. Celebrations span the end of January and the beginning of February. Although 26 January was the first day of the Chinese New year celebrations, there’s still time to join in the fun:
Birmingham Sunday 1 Feb, 12 - 5pm, Arcadian Centre, FREE: Cultural performances, music, entertainment and firecrackers, plus a temporary market on Hurst Street selling Chinese goods and crafts. Dragon Dance and Firecrackers at noon, followed by Chinese karaoke, folk dancing and Kung Fu. More Dragon Dancing at 4.30pm to round it off.
Edinburgh Sunday 8 Feb, 12 - 4pm, National Museum of Scotland, FREE: Music, dance, art and animation.
London Sunday, 1 Feb, 12 - 6pm, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Shaftesbury Avenue and Chinatown, FREE: Traditional and contemporary Chinese entertainment in Trafalgar Square with performances from artists from Qinghai and Kunming provinces in China. Plus fireworks in Leicester Square, cultural stalls, food, decorations and lion dance displays in Chinatown and local performance stage in Shaftesbury Avenue. HaiBao, the mascot of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will take part in the event.
Manchester Sunday, 1 Feb, 11am - 7pm, Chinatown, Albert Square, FREE: A whole day’s celebrations with lion and unicorn performances, 175ft long dragon, stalls, arts and crafts, calligraphy, oriental food, concluding with a 20 minute long spectacular fireworks display at Chinatown.
Nottingham Sunday, 1 Feb, 4.30 - 6.50pm, Lakeside Arts Centre, FREE: Lion and dragon dances, Korean drumming, dance performances and fireworks.
Wishing everyone “Kung Hei Fat Choi“, a very happy and prosperous year of the Ox.
If you have taken part in Chinese New Year and have a picture to share with Your Travel Planner, please let us know.
Filed under: Destinations | Chinese New Year|No Comments
This year, the 15-day Chinese New Year begins today, ushering in the Year of the Ox.
For Chinese communities, Chinese New Year is the biggest festival of the year. All Chinese festivals are determined by the lunar calendar which is why Chinese New Year varies from late January to mid February.
London is a great place to celebrate Chinese New Year. The celebrations for the Year of the Ox include traditional and contemporary Chinese entertainment in Trafalgar Square with performances from artists from Qinghai and Kunming provinces in China. Plus fireworks in Leicester Square, cultural stalls, food, decorations and lion dance displays in Chinatown and local performance stage in Shaftesbury Avenue. HaiBao, the mascot of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will take part in the event.
The organisers are London Chinatown Chinese Association. See http://www.chinatownchinese.co.uk/ for further details.
Details are also included in the guide to the China in London season, which can be downloaded from the BBC website: www.bbc.co.uk/london/chinese_new_year/index.shtml.
The Year of the Ox
According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Ox (or Buffalo) sign symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. Those born under the influence of the Ox or Buffalo know that they will succeed through hard work and sustained efforts, and do not believe in get-rich-quick schemes. Good attributes to have in 2009!
Filed under: Destinations, UK & Ireland | Chinese New Year, Festivals, London|No Comments
Did you know that if you are visiting the US from a country which does not need visas, you will now need to fill in an electronic form at least 72 hours before you travel?
Britain is one of the countries that signed up to the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), which allows most British Citizen passport holders to visit for up to 90 days without a visa. However, as from 12 January 2009, new rules apply.
UK travellers to the US will require an authorisation via the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) prior to boarding a carrier to travel by air or sea to the US. The new online registration scheme replaces the green I-94 forms that people on short term visits to the US had to fill in on the flight and hand to customs on arrival.
Those who have not registered risk being detained and sent back home.
Travellers can register for authorisation online through the ESTA website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ and are advised to do so at least 72 hours prior to travel.
Once an application is approved, it will be generally valid for all visits to the US for a two-year period, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
For more information, see also:
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/dhs/esta_info.html
http://www.fco.gov.uk/
Filed under: Destinations, North America, Travel News, Travel Tips | USA Travel Rules|No Comments
A city break in Washington DC could be on the cards for many people this year, as the world’s eyes turn to Washington today to see Barack Obama sworn in as America’s 44th president.
There’s nothing better to boost tourism than an inauguration and hundreds of thousands of visitors have been arriving in Washington in recent days. It’s a COLD day though - subfreezing temperatures - but that won’t deter the huge crowds packing Washington’s National Mall as Mr Obama takes the oath of office.
Washington DC is a place I still have to visit, but, as a city break destination, it seems to have a lot going for it. As well as a tour of the White House and the halls and chambers of the US Capitol Building, there are historic buildings, arts and science museums, parks, and recreational sites which would interest young and old alike. For families, the National Museum of Natural History, with hands-on exhibits for children, sounds great, as does the International Spy Museum.
The best time to go seems be spring and autumn, avoiding the hot and humid weather in Summer. Getting into the museums and taking in the sights will be easier in early to mid September as most of the summer crowds have thinned out. However, if you are interested in seeing the government in action, make sure to visit when Congress is in session.
A quick search today shows prices from £279 for a return flight to Washington from London, leaving in early September, with Virgin Atlantic.
Have you been to Washington before? Share your Washington experience with us at Your Travel Planner by posting a comment.
Filed under: Destinations, North America | city break Washington DC, family travel ideas, Your Travel Planner|No Comments
It’s surprising how many people get their travel insurance from the agent they booked their holiday with.
However, a little bit of time and research would show them just how much they could save on travel insurance. Here are Your Travel Planner’s travel insurance tips:
1. Are you already covered?
One way to save on your travel insurance is to make sure that you’re not already covered. Check your home insurance policy. Many have clauses that already cover personal belongings outside the home. Also, check your private medical insurance policy, if you have one. It may already cover the cost of treatment incurred abroad.
2. Obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
This has replaced the old E111 forms and gives you reduced-cost or free medical treatment in EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The EHIC is free from ehic.org.uk or ask at your local Post Office.
It’s not a substitute for travel insurance as only treatment provided under the state scheme is covered. Nor will it cover repatriation costs or lost money, baggage or cancellation, but the EHIC has been useful to me in the past. Remember to have the card with you though.
3. Buy an annual policy
The biggest tip on how to save money on travel insurance has got be: buy an annual policy. Annual worldwide multi-trip policies always make sense if you go on more than one trip a year. Remember, a ‘trip’ can usually include two or more consecutive nights away in the UK at prepaid accommodation.
A quick search today on one of the comparison sites (www.moneysupermarket.com/travelinsurance is the one I use most) shows annual multi-trip policies for a family of 4 starting from £33, compared to £16 for a single trip to Italy.
Obviously, you need to decide what level of cover you want as your circumstances will determine what level is cheapest and best for you.
4. Buy joint or family cover
Joint cover or family insurance policies are generally cheaper than individually covering all your family members.
5. Buy European only if Worldwide is not required
If you are unlikely to travel outside of Europe, a Europe only policy is often much cheaper than worldwide cover. Look out for Europe only policies that can be extended to give you future flexibility.
6. Shop around
Save on travel insurance by shopping around. Travel insurance from the agent you book your holiday with is often not the best deal. It does pay to shop around and with the good comparison sites online, there really isn’t any reason to pay more than you need to.
Which comparison sites do you use? Do you have any travel insurance tips? Share them with us at Your Travel Planner by posting a comment.
Filed under: Saving Money on 2009 Holidays, Travel Tips | EHIC European Health Insurance Card, Save money on travel insurance, travel insurance comparison sites, Your Travel Planner|1 Comment
Today’s headlines lead with the plane that crash-landed in New York’s Hudson River yesterday and the pilot of the US Airways Airbus A320 is being hailed as a hero.
Much deserved too. I watched the pictures of the rescue of all 155 passengers, standing on the wings or in the water, with horror and awe, but also with an overwhelming sense of relief and incredulity that the pilot had managed to land the aircraft safely on the water and that there are no major injuries.
Having read about Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger III and you had to choose someone to crash-land your plane, he’d definitely be one of the pilots at the top of your list. Capt Sullenberger, 57, is a former US Air Force fighter pilot, has over 40 years of flying experience and has also served as the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) safety chairman and accident investigator. Oh, and he also heads his own safety consulting business.
Talk about the right pilot at the right time…
Filed under: Destinations, North America, Travel News | Captain Chesley Sullenberger, New York plane crash, US Airways Airbus 320|No Comments
More than 200,000 prospective applicants for Tourism Queensland’s “Best Job in the World” - a six month A$150,000 (US$103,000, £70,000) contract on Hamilton Island - have visited the www.islandreefjob.com website in the first 24 hours, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle said.
“The Best Job in the World” campaign was launched internationally last weekend and already over 200 applications have been submitted.
Acting Queensland Premier Paul Lucas said the “Best Job in the World” campaign was a A$1.7 million global marketing strategy that will increase the profile of Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef islands and is expected to generate more than A$70 million worth of publicity for Queensland.
Whoever thought of this idea deserves a huge promotion and pay rise (or perhaps even “the best job in the world” itself?) as there has been an unprecedented global response.
Tourism Queensland are keen to stress though that The Best Job in the World is a genuine job offer where candidates would have to submit a 60 second video application from which 11 finalists would be flown from around the world for an intense interview process on Hamilton Island.
So what are the job responsibilities for The Best Job in the World?
- undertake a range of activities such as swimming, snorkelling, bushwalking
- explore the islands of the Great Barrier Reef
- make friends with the locals
- report back on their experiences via blogs, video diaries and media interviews
- live rent-free in a three-bedroom oceanfront villa
Sound too good to ignore? Then apply at www.islandreefjob.com. Applications close on February 22, the 11 short-listed applicants to be flown to Hamilton Island for the final interview process in May and the successful candidate to start their six month contract in July.
If the site is slow or down (which it has been, due to the response), try the BBC website for news and tips on how to make the best of your application.
Let Your Travel Planner know if you apply!
Filed under: Asia Pacific, Destinations, Travel News | Australia, Great Barrier Reef, The Best Job in the World, Tourism Queensland|No Comments
As climate change issues increase our awareness of the way we live, more people are thinking about the way they travel.
The growth in interest in holidays under the “responsible tourism” banner is significant. What’s even more significant though is the fact that the travel industry as a whole is putting responsible tourism high on its agenda.
In November 2008, World Travel Market (one of the travel industry’s largest exhibitions) held its second World Responsible Tourism Day. Held in association with the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation) and backed by all the leading industry organisations, the day was designed to be ‘a collective day of global action on responsible tourism’.
Independent travellers have unconsciously made the ‘responsible’ or ethical choice for years and whilst there are consumers increasingly demanding a more responsible, caring travel industry, for most people, travel choices are much more driven by cost than environmental concerns.
Mass tourism will never go away, but if hotels, airlines and operators start integrating better environmental approaches throughout their businesses, the impact would be huge. The environmental choice would then already be part of the ‘package’ and our planet would definitely be better for it.
The World Responsible Tourism Day is a welcome step in the right direction.
Filed under: Responsible Tourism | Responsible Tourism|No Comments
As someone who provides help with planning holidays, it’s impossible to try all the places I come across in my holiday research, but The Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire was one place I thought I’d just have to visit.
The Grove Hotel is an 18th century, luxury country estate in Hertfordshire that offers a mix of traditional and contemporary, or ‘grand and groovy’, as Martin Hulbert, the design director, says.
I’ve featured The Grove in Your Travel Planner before (see UK family friendly hotels at Christmas time) and as they were running their Christmas activities throughout the week, we decided to stay for 4 nights in between Christmas and New Year to take advantage of the lower prices as well as the festivities.
The verdict: fabulous. It’s a great retreat for families and couples alike.
The contemporary with traditional design gives a lovely open, unstuffy feel so that you and the children are immediately relaxed as soon as you walk in. It’s also only at Junction 19 of the M25, so anyone arriving from London is going to love the short journey to this wonderful retreat.
Bedrooms: The luxury hotel is split into two distinct parts - the original mansion and the new wing. Our deluxe room in the west wing accommodated a family of four very comfortably and had a balcony that overlooked the gardens. All rooms have large flat screen plasma TVs and the deluxe bathrooms have separate power showers and free standing baths. Our children also enjoyed the extra touch of milk and cookies in our room every evening. The only negative is that wardrobe and storage space could have been better, especially for families.
Restaurants: The luxury hotel has three restaurants, from the à la carte Colette’s, to the chic Glasshouse serving buffet dinners - and The Stables, a relaxed and informal eatery with a bar serving wholesome food. We ate all our meals in either the Glasshouse or The Stables and couldn’t fault the food and service.
Leisure Activities: There was a whole programme of entertainment for guests staying over Christmas through to New Year, including Scaletrix, games rooms (with all the game consoles a child could wish for) and family Christmas games. The Grove also has two indoor pools - the largest is in the Spa and a smaller one for younger children in the Kids Club. In the summer, there is also an outdoor pool in the lovely Walled Garden, which also unexpectedly houses a beach.
As a luxury family friendly hotel, there really is something for everyone. Golfers will love the fact that Tiger Woods has played at The Grove’s golf course. We swam every day in the Spa, borrowed bikes to explore the grounds, played tennis, snooker, table tennis, chess in the garden, board games in the lounges and turned up for football on the playing field (unfortunately the ground had frozen solid!).
Service: Even during a four night stay, there will always been something in your room that needs attention, but we never had to wait long to have anything seen to. From the valet parking, to reception and guest services, I was impressed by the friendliness and attentiveness of all the staff.
The Grove Hotel gave us top quality family time after a hectic Christmas. It’s undeniably a luxury hotel and the rates and restaurant prices reflect this. All our leisure activities were included, however, and comparing a four night stay to a week abroad (our original plan), you really do feel as if you’ve been away for a week - without the added stress of travelling.
If you’ve stayed at The Grove or been to similar hotels, please do let readers know and post a comment.
Filed under: Destinations, Hotels, Reviews: Hotels, Places to Eat, Destinations, UK & Ireland | family friendly travel, family travel ideas, help with planning holidays, holiday research, luxury family friendly hotel, luxury hotel hertfordshire, the grove resort hotel hertfordshire, Your Travel Planner|1 Comment
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