Hong Kong — The Big Bus Tour, Hong Kong
Taking a tour of Hong Kong
September 2015
After a day of wandering around the hot streets of Hong Kong, I thought I would have a day of site-seeing on the Big Bus.
The Big Bus was an enjoyable way to see Hong Kong (although there were a few issues, see below). It also meant I got to see parts I would not have seen if I had spent the day on foot. A bonus was that the bus ticket included an entry for Victoria Peak and a cruise around the harbour (more on that in later posts).
I had no idea that the southern part of Hong Kong Island would be so full of trees and so pretty.
It is a real thrill ride on the top of the bus out to Stanley due to the low branches on the trees and the bouncy winding roads.
There was also some stunning architecture.
A crazy curved building.
And another building with a hole in it.
There were some fantastic views from the Big Bus across the bays.
And when I was on the Big Bus, it wasn't exactly busy.
The commentary on the bus was in various languages through earphones and was OK. It had some interesting little facts but often lacked depth.
The organisation for the visit to Victoria Peak (included in the ticket price) was a shambles. I had to queue for an extended period to get my Big Bus Peak Ticket exchanged for an actual Peak Entry Ticket. Plus, no one seemed to know what was happening where we were dropped off.
Also, the bus didn’t always stop at the most convenient places. For example, there was no indication of how to get down to the market area at Stanley. No signs, no directions, nothing. (From the drop-off and pick-up point at Stanley Plaza, go down through the shops to sea level and then walk left along the coast to the market area or right to Murray House and the pier.)
In the central areas of Hong Kong, the bus tended to get stuck in traffic for extended periods. I guess this had to be expected with the traffic in Hong Kong. While stuck in traffic, a little more commentary would have been better than the music played.
One final comment is that the bus didn’t stop at many places, and it could do with a few more stops and better marking of the stops they do have.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my Big Bus Tour experience and was glad I did it. But a few little tweaks here and there could have elevated the experience to a new, higher level.
