Hong Kong Investment Immigration inspection, a guide to a one-day summer trip in Hong Kong: I crossed the border from Shenzhen Lo Wu Port (Lo Wu Railway Station) to Hong Kong at 8:50 AM. It was not as crowded as I had imagined, nor was it as slow as people said online; it took at most half an hour. There were still quite a few people waiting to cross, but everything was very orderly, so the process went smoothly. I did not have to fill out any health declaration forms, and there were no extra questions. After passing through the mainland exit checkpoint, you still have to pass through the Hong Kong entry checkpoint. Just follow the crowd and pay attention to the different channels for "Mainland Visitors," "Hong Kong Residents," and "Foreigners."/>
Upon arriving in Hong Kong, I first collected some free maps and brochures from the racks, then bought a Hong Kong Octopus card. The card costs 150 HKD, 50 of which is a deposit that can be refunded when you return the card. I topped it up with another 100 HKD to cover my travel for the day.
I swiped the card to enter the station and took the East Rail Line from Lo Wu towards Hung Hom. The whole journey takes about 40 minutes. Once at Hung Hom, I got off and transferred to the West Rail Line (Hung Hom——Tuen Mun), traveling one stop to East Tsim Sha Tsui Station. After getting off, I chose Exit J2 and walked for about 7 minutes to reach the Avenue of Stars. Here, you can see the history of Hong Kong cinema and the handprints of various celebrities, take a photo with the Bruce Lee statue, and snap a few pictures of Victoria Harbour.
Next, I headed to the Star Ferry Pier to take a ferry to Central. At this point, you need to head back towards the Hong Kong Cultural Centre; once you see the Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower (KCR Clock Tower), you have basically reached the Star Ferry Pier. Take the ferry to Central by swiping your Octopus card. The ferry has two decks, and the prices seem to differ, with the upper deck being slightly more expensive, costing about 3 HKD. On the ferry, you can take more photos of the Hong Kong scenery. Our next destination is Victoria Peak. You can walk to St. John's Cathedral near the Bank of China Tower and head towards the hillside to take the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak. However, I suggest you do not choose to walk, as it is mostly uphill, you are unfamiliar with the area, and you need to save your energy. After leaving the pier, do not take the footbridge; walk 100 meters to your left to find the 15C bus (if I remember correctly). It is a double-decker, the fare is not expensive, and the upper deck is open-top, taking you directly to the Peak Tram station. You can enjoy the view of Hong Kong's skyscrapers while saving your energy—why not?
After getting off, I bought a ticket for the Peak Tram. If you buy a single ticket for the tram, the waiting time might be quite long. I purchased a package including Madame Tussauds, the Sky Terrace, and the Peak Tram for a total of 200 HKD. This way, you can save at least half the waiting time. By the time I reached the peak, it was almost noon, so I had lunch first. There are many restaurants on the peak to choose from, and of course, there is the familiar McDonald's. The cost of dining on the peak is not very high; you can manage within 50 HKD. My requirements were not high, just enough to fill my stomach.
After coming out of the wax museum, I went to the Sky Terrace to overlook Hong Kong. You can basically see the panoramic view of Central, which is essentially just dense skyscrapers. After visiting these, you can soak up the sun on the peak and wander around. Of course, you can also buy some souvenirs, but I didn't; things sold at tourist attractions are always super expensive.
The time was about right, and I had seen enough of the scenery. At this point, you can return the same way. After queuing for the tram down, you can choose to continue to visit Golden Bauhinia Square or return to Tsim Sha Tsui to look around. I chose the latter; as for Golden Bauhinia Square, I'll leave it as a surprise for next time.
Why return the same way? First, I was unfamiliar with the route and afraid of getting lost; second, it saves time. Back in Tsim Sha Tsui, after getting off the ferry, Harbour City is right next to it—a huge shopping mall you can check out. Of course, if your wallet isn't very thick, just looking is enough. If you really have no interest in shopping malls, you can walk along the streets to experience Hong Kong's social and cultural life. Along the way, there are shops like Sasa and Bonjour, which girls tend to like. Of course, there are also high-end brands like LV and Gucci, but I didn't see the legendary scenes of people queuing up to snap up goods. There are many rich people, but I guess there are just as many ordinary people like me!
There should be plenty of time, so you can wander around more. Just a reminder: remember the way back. Don't get too carried away and forget how to return.
Once you've had enough, you can find a small shop to taste some Hong Kong flavors. After eating, it's time to head back. Return the same way, take the West Rail Line to Hung Hom, and then take the train from the starting station to the terminal. A special reminder: the terminal has two destinations, Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau (which is the Huanggang Port). If you take the latter, don't worry; just remember to get off at the station before the terminal, which is Sheung Shui Station, and wait there for the train to Lo Wu.