Visiting Hong Kong
Interesting and Inexpensive Things to do for Tourists on a Budget
Take a Hong Kong Island Tram Ride: At just HK$2 per adult and HK$1 per child this has to be the best value ride in HK. Seats upstairs provide the best views, and the sights and sounds of Hong Kong can be enjoyed because the trams travel at speeds conducive to sightseeing. However, this is not a recommended ride to take during rush hour!
Ride the Star Ferry: Ferries carry thousands of passengers from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island and back again every day! The most popular route links Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon) and Central (Hong Kong Island). Ferries run from 6.30 a.m. – 11.30 p.m. and with waiting time of no more than 12 minutes, it’s very convenient! Travelling first class (upstairs) is not only inexpensive, but it provides the best views of the harbour too!
Shop at the Night Markets: The night markets are a must see for all visitors to Hong Kong! The Ladies’ Night Market is located on Tung Choi Street, Kowloon and can be found by taking the MTR (Mass Transit Railway - underground) to Mong Kok Station and following the signs to Tung Choi Street. The Men’s Night Market is located on Temple Street in Kowloon and is also within walking distance of the MTR (Jordan Station). Take Exit A and turn right into Jordan Road; walk three blocks and then turn right into Temple Street. These street markets come alive in the evening as stalls and vendors turn each venue into vibrant, colourful marketplaces where tourists and locals jostle together for bargains! Here, visitors can test their bartering skills and dine on fast food from one of the many Dai Pai Dong’s (street vendors) offering inexpensive Chinese cuisine.
Travel to Victoria Peak via the Peak Tram: Open top buses run frequently from Star Ferry in Central to the Peak Tram Station in Garden Road. The tram is a must for any visitor wishing to get a spectacular bird’s eye view of Hong Kong! Besides providing amazing views of Hong Kong, it also provides access to the tram’s historical museum, the Peak Tower Shops, the Sky Terrace, and for the energetic, a trail around Victoria Peak that takes approximately 1 hour to walk. For those unable to cope with the near vertical tram ride, buses, mini-buses and taxis provide an alternative form of transport. The number 15 bus and number 1 mini bus run from Central and the 15B bus runs from Causeway Bay
Visit Yuen Po Street Bird Market: In this Chinese garden, open from 7 a.m. – 8.00 p.m., visitors can wander and enjoy the sights and sounds coming from over 70 stalls selling songbirds, living bait and ornately created bird cages. A unique experience and one that can be extended, if time permits, as the flower market and the goldfish market can both be found on the doorstep. The bird market can be accessed by taking exit B1 at Prince Edward MTR station and walking east along Prince Edward Road West.
Watch the Firing of the Noon Day Gun: The gun, which was immortalised in Noel Coward's song ‘Mad Dogs and Englishmen’ is fired every day at noon. It is located by the harbour on Gloucester Road in Causeway Bay. It can be accessed by walking to the Excelsior Hotel from Causeway Bay MTR station (Exit D1) and entering the tunnel in front of the World Trade Centre.
Visitors to Hong Kong often receive tourist packs on arrival at the airport, but there are four tourist information centres. One is located in the International Airport at Buffer Halls A & B on the Arrivals Level at Terminal 1. Another can be found in Lo Wu in the Arrival Hall, located on the 2/F of the Lo Wu Terminal Building. On Hong Kong Island, a centre can be found at The Peak Plaza between The Peak Tower and The Peak Galleria, whilst in Kowloon, a tourist information centre can be found at the Star Ferry Concourse in Tsim Sha Tsui. However, the tourist information centre provides an excellent website for visitors to explore. It is therefore advisable to visit http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/ during the planning stage to get the most out of a visit to Hong Kong.
Basilica for St. Thomas - a Disciple of Jesus
Southern Shores of India Invite Tourists and Christian Pilgrims
The church is the San Thome Basilica or St. Thomas Church which has a direct association with St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Christ believed to have been martyred at a nearby location called Saint Thomas Mount. Both the Basilica and the Mount are pilgrimage centers for Christians and tourists from India and around the world.
Journey of St. Thomas the Apostle
St. Thomas, also famously known as ‘doubting Thomas’, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus who at first doubted the resurrection of Jesus. The same Thomas became a committed apostle after Jesus presented Himself to a group of His disciples, including the doubter.
According to historians, St. Thomas came to India when the disciples of Jesus, also known as apostles, dispersed to preach in different parts of the world. He is said to have arrived in South India around the middle of the first century of the Christian era and founded Christian communities at several places. After travelling widely in Asia and making many disciples of his own, St. Thomas returned to South India where he was believed to have been assassinated by an arrow in AD 72. Descendants of the people who became Christians as a result of St. Thomas’ preaching still live in India and are known as Syrian Christians and St. Thomas Christians.
Church in Memory of St. Thomas:
A small monument built by early Christians as a memorial to the martyred saint later became an important land mark and a church. Over the centuries the church was rebuilt many times. In 1523 the Portuguese rebuilt it in a small scale. It served as a Parish and lasted till the end of the nineteenth century.
The tomb of St. Thomas is at the heart of the structure and forms the underground tomb chapel below the Basilica. Remains of St. Thomas are believed to have been preserved here. His Holiness Pope John Paul II visited and prayed at this tomb in 1986.
Behind the main alter in the church is a beautiful three paneled stained glass window portraying the story of St Thomas and the teachings of Jesus. The central hall has 14 wooden plaques depicting scenes from the last days of Christ. Inside the cathedral, a 3 feet high statue of Virgin Mary, believed to have been brought from Portugal in 1543, is prominently displayed. The church also has an attached museum with exhibits concerning St. Thomas and the history of the church.
Pilgrims Find Peace
The San Thom Basilica is a popular pilgrimage centre for Christians in India. Prayers are scheduled in Tamil and English three times on week days and 6 times on Sunday. Some people believed that the sand taken from the tomb of St. Thomas has miraculous healing powers. A small souvenir card called St.Thomas Relic card has embedded in it little sand taken from the tomb of St.Thomas.
Historic Church within Easy Reach for Tourists
The Church is within the city limits of Chennai, India well connected by international and nationals flights. Once in the city, visitors can reach the Church by taking a bus or taxi. Train is also an option. The South line of the Chennai suburban railway has a station close by.