Hong Kong and Lantau Island

As part of our round the world trip, we decided to make our first point of call Hong Kong. We thought this would be a great place to start our travels before continuing our journey onto South East Asia.

We are only into our second day here but Hong Kong has so much to offer that we’ve been spoiled for choice as to what to do. We are staying in a great hostel called Yesinn (would definitely recommend it!) located next to many shops and restaurants in the Causeway Bay district.

THINGS TO DO:

Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak skyline

If you’re limited for time and only have a few days in the city I’d suggest going up going up Victoria Peak for amazing views of the skyline and bay. It’s 40$HK for a return ride to the top on the peak tram, or you can pay 75$HK to include a sky terrace pass. We did this but to be honest, I wouldn’t bother with an extra sky terrace pass next time. There are many nature walks at the peak that are less busy and show exactly the same stunning views. If you’re peckish as well there are a few restaurants and bars at the top but they’re  a bit pricey so not great if you’re on a tight budget like us!

Lantau Island

Big Buddha, Lantau Island

You can get to Lantau Island from Central Station in Hong Kong really easy using the MTR to Tung Chung. From here you can get a cable car (an experience in itself!) to Lantau Island for 150$Hk. At the top you’ll be able to walk the steps to the Tian Tan Buddha for free and see some stunning views of the island along the way. If you’re feeling brave (or just broke) you can opt out of using the cable car and instead walk it. However, this is not for the faint hearted and during our trip up we saw many struggling hikers trying to negotiate the steep slopes.

Alongside the Big Buddha, there are also many nature walks but if you’re looking to take it easy I’d recommend the ‘Wisdom Walk’. Other sites include the Po Lin Monastery and the Tai O Fishing Village.

We are off to the Kowloon District tomorrow so I’ll keep you all posted on how that goes!

 

How to See the World for Free

Work on a farm

Travellers who are prepared to put in a hard days work can stay in beautiful locations for next to nothing by joining a farm volunteer scheme. Lots of farms around the world invite people to volunteer in exchange for free food and accommodation. Not only are these great eco-friendly projects but if your willing to get your hands dirty, it’s a way to learn about rural life and enjoy a long-term visit on the cheap.

Most farms require you to stay for at least one or two weeks but the length of stay can usually be negotiated with your hosts. Your work could involve anything from picking fruit to building barns, learning about organic crops or setting up an irrigation system.

If you’re on a tight budget but still itching for an adventure you can look for farms that are open to volunteers through sites such as wwoof.net (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) or Growfood

Crew a ship

An increasingly popular way to travel around the world is to crew a ship and earn your passage. You can’t sail a ship without a crew and nowadays adverts for crew are posted online, giving the ordinary landlubber the opportunity to sail the oceans on the cheap, provided they are will to get their hands dirty and scrub the decks.

Some trips, especially longer ones, will require the crew to have previous experience. However, there are still many opportunities for complete beginners to muck in and pick up sailing skills along the way. If you have no previous experience, you are more likely to be helping with the basic tasks, such as cooking and cleaning.

Sometimes expenses are covered and sometimes the crew will be expected to pay their way, but this should be no more than between £15-25 a day. More experienced crew could even be paid for their work, which can be between £200-500 per week.

If sailing the seven seas is something which takes your fancy check out these useful websites:

Crewseekers International, Find A Crew, Crewbay, Sailing Networks, Ocean Crew Link