Ocean Park Hong Kong: A Spook-tastic Halloween Fest 2014

For most Filipinos, Hong Kong is the top-of-mind destination when making plans for a short vacation. I know this is true for my family; most especially when my kids were younger, Christmases were spent in Hong Kong.  I wrote several posts about our Hong Kong travel with the kids.  There are so many things to do in Hong Kong that the whole family is always able to enjoy spending a week there.

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The rides alone in Ocean Park Hong Kong, winner na!

And then, Philippine Airlines has this promo tie-up with Ocean Park Hong Kong valid from August 25, 2014 upto December 31, 2014.  So tempting, di ba?

Just recently, the management team of Ocean Park Hong Kong was in town to share exciting details on the Park’s much-awaited annual Halloween celebration. Halloween is such a BIG event for them that the top executives flew in from Hong Kong and welcomed us in complete Halloween costumes. Just look at them!

We were treated to a luncheon at the Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-la, with a Spook-tacular Halooween set-up.

Present at the luncheon were: Mr. Tom Mehrmann, Chief Executive of Ocean Park (middle); Mr. Paul Pei, Executive Director of Hotel and Hospitality (on the right); Ms. Vivian Lee, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing (on the left).

We were given a first look into the Park’s exciting line-up of this year’s all-day-and-night Ocean Park Halloween Fest.

Fun and Scary Experiences All-day-and-Night for Entire Family

Guests visiting Ocean Park this Halloween season may look forward to experiencing the first ever reservation-only haunted attraction, H14, which is a customized haunting experience based on each guest’s questionnaire on their deepest fears, where guests would need to complete a series of tasks within a locked chamber, challenging the limits of the senses and their innermost fears

Catering to the needs of families and kids, Ocean Park is introducing the Doraemon Halloween Party, Asia’s first-ever Doraemon-themed Halloween attraction.

At 5pm on each event day, the music and lighting at the Park will change, marking the start of the frightful evening. Night-time ghouls will also appear throughout the Park to intensify the terrifying atmosphere. Two transforming attractions, which offer fun-tastic experiences for the entire family until 5pm on each event day, will be transformed into the most frightful haunted areas for the evening.

World-Class Animal Attractions

My kids are not really into spooky attractions, but they are very big nature and wildlife enthusiasts.  So I know they will look forward to Ocean Park Hong Kong’s animal  attractions, which include the newly-launched Shark Mystique, one of Southeast Asia’s largest shark exhibits, featuring over a hundred sharks and rays.

The Polar Adventure is Asia’s first themed area which integrates immersive presentations of Antarctic animals and a family coaster ride;

Thrill Mountain, home to Hong Kong’s first and only floorless roller coaster and other exciting rides;

The Rainforest, the first theme zone integrating water ride and walk-through rainforest exhibit in Southeast Asia;

and the Grand Aquarium, which boasts a collection of over 5,000 fish.  The last time I took the kids to Ocean Park, we spent several hours looking at all the schools of fish.

Ocean Park’s New Development Plans 

Ocean Park also revealed its upcoming attractions expected to be launched between 2014 and 2017 as the Park embarks on a new phase of development. Following the opening of Shark Mystique in June 2014, Adventures in Australia, which is set to open in March 2015, will showcase koalas and other iconic animals from South Australia.

In 2016, a dedicated subway line will open, making it more convenient for guests to travel to-and-from the city centre of Hong Kong.

In addition, the new Ocean Hotel is scheduled to open in 2017, as well as the exciting launch of Asia’s first and only year-round, indoor and outdoor, waterfront waterpark.

I am lucky to be seated right beside the Executive Director of Sales & Marketing, Vivian Lee, during the luncheon.  Not only did she tell me all the wonderful and exciting plans they have for Ocean Park, I also got a personal invitation to give her a call when my family visits Ocean Park Hong Kong, which I hope will be sooner than soon!

Just sharing all those exciting news with you makes me want to book a flight to Hong Kong with my family!

To know more about Ocean Park Hong Kong:
Ocean Park Hong Kong website: http://www.oceanpark.com.hk/html/en/home/
Facebook: Ocean Park Hong Kong
Instagram: @hkoceanpark

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Summer Vacation Suggestions 2014

Summer Vacation!  Two words that mean so much joy to both kids and moms who don't have to wake up early.  Yay!

In a few more weeks, summer is going to be upon us already. Soon enough, the kids will be asking, "where are we going?" Do you have a destination in mind already? 

I know where I will be taking my family this summer, and I have already started planning our itinerary. Shempre, pati itinerary DIY! My daughter, B, and I station ourselves in front of the computer as we research about our upcoming trip.  She enjoys it so much, and feels so valued that she has a say in which hotel to choose!:)

We love taking our time during trips because this allows us to stay in an area long enough for the kids to explore it until they've satisfied their natural curiosity for their surrounding. But no matter how long or short a trip is, only one thing matters: take lots of travel photos and make sure to document them in a photo album, with anecdotes if you have the time. I can't begin to tell you how much my kids and I love to re-read my previous blog post about our trips.

We went to Taiwan last 2013, but somehow I wasn't able to do a blog post about it.  But even if it's a year ago already, I feel like I want to do a catch-up post on Taiwan.  I should because we made so many wonderful memories there!

I have written in a 2009 travel post on Korea, "Being able to look at a photo and give a chuckle or to giggle uncontrollably in recollection of something... these are the travel souvenirs I wish my children would carry with them as they grow older, forever locked in their hearts. It is true that traveling creates character, tolerance, insight and confidence, but most of all it creates memories, which, hopefully, will keep us connected even when distance will later separate us.".

If you are still clueless on where you are taking your family, let me invite you to join me as I re-visit some of my travel posts. If you have young kids, the countries we've visited are perfect for them!

1. SINGAPORE
Our Singapore trip ranks as one of the kids' all-time fave. I couldn't blame them! We spent 8 leisurely days touring this tiny country. We took time to enjoy ALL the sights! They enjoyed this room at the Marina Bay Sands so much that they did not even want to leave the room anymore! Click here to read more about where we stayed in Singapore and how we got around.

The hotel's infinity pool was a sight to behold, especially during bright sunny mornings!

The Singapore Zoo was also another fun destination that the kids spent the entire day going around. I kid you not - an entire day! Read all about our experience at the Singapore Zoo right here.

Hong Kong: Tonkichi Tonkatsu

Arriving in Hong Kong from our 8AM flight, we got to Causeway Bay just in time for lunch. We immediately headed for Tonkichi Tonkatsu, a casual and reasonably priced restaurant that is just a stone’s throw away from our hotel. 

As the restaurant’s name hints at, Tonkatsu is the house specialty, and the menu comes with a short list of items on everything breaded and fried. 

Everyone is given sesame seeds arranged in a container with rigged sides, designed to crush the seeds.  Once they are pulverized, you can add the tonkatsu sauce. 

The kids and I are too hungry to be adventurous so we played safe and each one of us ordered the regular kind. The sidings of shredded cabbage can be refilled - with compliments.

Chris opted for the Curried version.

After tasting their version of tonkatsu, you will agree with me that from henceforth on there is tonkatsu - and then there is Tonkichi Tonkatsu:  crunchy batter on the outside, with thick (and I kid not when I say thick) and moist cutlets of tender pork on the inside. 

As if it is even possible to make this dining experience better than it already is, we found ourselves the lucky recipient of a $100 Tonkichi Tonkatsu gift certificate from a complete stranger who just happened to go into the restaurant looking for a table to give the expiring coupon to.  Lucky Us!

 

Tonkichi Tonkatsu Seafood 

Room 412, Podium 4

World Trade Centre

280 Gloucester Road

Causeway Bay

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Cars, Trains and Other Things That Go! {Getting Around Hong Kong}

Traveling to any place always mean a LOT of walking.  If you are brave enough to bring your toddler and/or pre-schooler, may I suggest that you bring an extra BIG chunk of your humor, patience and forbearance as well.  

Before any trip, what I do is I impress upon my kids that traveling is for BIG kids who can walk on their own - because babies who need to be carried belong at home.  But I do remind myself to take small steps (keeping in mind that those little legs cannot keep up with mine) and I let them sit down for a break if we have been walking far too long.  So far, I have not succumbed to carrying any of my kids on any trip.  I warn you:  Once you give in, they won't stop asking.

Like the Philippines, Hong Kong is a collection of islands, an archipelago, divided into four main areas: Hong Kong Island; Kowloon and the New Territories (located on the peninsula attached to the China mainland); and the Outlying Islands.  Because of the geography, there is a plethora of transportation services available.

R, most especially, was fascinated by this.   For him it was like jumping into the pages of his favorite book on transportation…. ferries and junk boats that cross the harbor, escalators, moving sidewalks, cable cars that seem to hang on thin air, double-decker buses, trams and taxis.

excited na excited!

 1.  MTR

To take us to where we want to go, R always insists on taking Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR).  The underground network of trains is the fastest way to get around the territory.  Although taking the train is usually the fastest way to get there, it doesn’t allow you to view the busy streets and neon lights of HK. 

The MTR shown in the above photo is the one that goes all the way to Disneyland.

2.  Taxi

At the end of the busy day, with our worn-out feet and fatigued bodies, taking a cab is always a good option.  Since there are 5 of us, the maximum number of occupants allowed inside a cab, taking a taxi also proved to be the most economical choice.

3.  Open-Air Double Decker Bus

What better way to see all that Hong Kong has to offer than from the top of a big bus?

4.  Century-old Tram

This narrow double-decker city tram also known in Cantonese as "ding ding" travels at the speed of a snail so you can make sure to see all of the views that HK has to offer.  With a flat fare of only $2, it's the cheapest sightseeing tour around.  Best seats are on the  upper deck.

 

5.  Peak Tram

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6.  Cable Car

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The cable car at Ocean Park is always full of people queuing up, inspite of the newly introduced underground train at the park.  This is still the best way to travel between the lower level and the upper level. 

Although we did not find time to visit, Ngong Ping 360 also offers a scenic cable car ride, and if you pay a little more, you can ride one with a glass bottom.   

7.  Star Ferry

The Star Ferry is a Hong Kong institution, having been around since the 1800’s.  Back in the day, the star ferry was the major connection between Hong Kong island and the Kowloon Peninsula.  It is suggested to take a night time cruise to enjoy the sights during the Symphony of Lights laser show, but if you are squeezed for time, a day time trip is just as good.

Phenomenal Tip:

~ If you are anticipating to make several trips, you can purchase the octopus card which can be used on all of HK's public transport system.

~ Make sure to have a good number of coins in your wallet when you commute as buses and trams request for the exact amount - and change is not given.

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Hong Kong: Where to Stay

Since summer is officially here, I am sure a lot of you are planning on where to take your family.  This post is still about our Hong Kong Christmas vacation... yeah, I am posting it this late.  But fortuitously, it is still a relevant topic for those of you wanting to visit HK this summer.

Should you opt for a hotel location that is diligently full of activity even up to the deep hours of the night, then Causeway Bay is for you.  The streets are well-lighted from all the neon store signs that as you step out of your hotel door near midnight, it would appear as if it’s daytime if you don’t look up at the night sky.  The Filipinos’ most often choose to reside at the Excelsior Hotel or at the ParkLane Hotel.

Because of the size of my family, the rooms at Parklane are more appropriate for us.  Our room has a stunning view of the harbour and Victoria Park.  You can choose between a queen or twin sized bed.  They have complimentary coffee and tea making facilities and complimentary one distilled water daily.  I am a creature of habit, and I often clean up as I go along.  The housekeeper thanks me for it, and she says so by leaving 3-5 bottles of water each day. :)  haha!

 

I love it that the bathroom has a see-through wall, all the better to see what the kids are up to... you know, if they scrubbed their bodies thoroughly, or brushed their teeth enough.  No worries, the drapes can be drawn, should the need for privacy arise. :)

If you make a reservation at this hotel, make sure to request for a room with the park/harbor view so you are greeted each morning with a view of the lovely Victoria Park.

Parklane is conveniently located right in the middle of a busy shopping and commercial district.  There are a lot of eateries, cafes and bakeries around.  Wellcome (a local grocery) is right beside it.  

Breakfast is almost always in-room. I wake up half and hour early to prepare an assortment of bread. We have different preferences; I enjoy the slightly bitter taste and chewy rustic texture of multi-grain bread, while the kids enjoy their croissants with Bonne Maman jams; all brought the night before from La Rose Noir Boulangerie (they have an outlet inside Wellcome) or DONQ Boulangerie (with a shop at the basement of Sogo).  What can be better than eating breakfast in your pajamas! 

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Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner

Allow me to start this post with an apology for the posting tardiness...  hence, while everyone is brewing over the latest AFP corruption scandal and the aftermath of Reyes' suicide,  here I am recollecting my Christmas Eve dinner....

Similar to our past Christmases in Hong Kong, we again started the Christmas Eve merriment as we partake of the Christmas Eve Buffet Dinner.   Christmas hotel buffets are so popular in Hong Kong that they often sell out, we had to book and pay for our table in advance - one-month advanced! 

The set-up is similar to the open-plan food theaters that line-up our local hotel buffet outlets.  

alaskan king crabs... yum!

The atmosphere is festive, with Santa going around handing out gifts for all the children.  All the tables are bedecked with all sorts of merrymaking equipment needed to ensure that a good time is had by all.

While a buffet dinner is always GRAND, I do not appreciate that the hotel buffets in Hong Kong are grouped into two sets – the first set goes in from 6pm – 8pm, followed by the second set at 8pm-10pm.  Dinner is practically timed with military precision, with a waiter going around to graciously inform you “there is only 30 minutes left.” Having shared that, a Hong Kong style buffet dinner is not recommend if you are dining with three kids - who need assistance in the following areas: getting food, going to the toilet, breaking a fight.  

As you can imagine, it was a choice of either taking heed to the instructions of the waiter who was breathing down on me to "finish in 30 minutes" or attending to the kids.  Clearly, the decision to finish the legs of those  Alaskan King crabs is the top priority! :)

The buffet is priced at HK$325 for the adults and HK$125 for the kids. 

Cafe One

1/F Parklane Hotel

310 Gloucester Road
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong

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