Macau & Hongkong: Part1 - Preparations & Departure

A couple of months ago, I was reading the FN Girltalk Forums, and saw the thread of Hongkong & Macau Thread and found out there are budget trips pala! that you don't need to spend so much to go to two countries :) With google, FN Girltalk and PEX, we were convinced na kaya namin 'to! DIY Trip composed of 4 adults,2 senior citizen and 1 preschooler. Dalawa lang naman ang goal ko sa trip na 'to..... 1. go to HK Disneyland and 2. see the pandas at Macau!!!!! :)

For the trip preparations:

1. I scouted for low airfares since we're a group of 7, I was able to book our tickets to Macau via Air Asia for PHP 3,500 roundtrip na yun. Ang mahal ng HK Tickets kasi kaya we opted to go to Macau. And take a ferry ride to HK na lang for Disneyland.

2. My nieces and the family baby applied for their passports at DFA Alabang. Since we have two minors, we have extra leg work. I will make another post for the Passport application of Minors and the DSWD Clearance for Minors travelling without the parents.

3. We booked our hotels thru agoda.com and booking.com, we booked Pousadas MarinaInfante Hotel via booking.com for the first night and the Bella Suite of Venetian Macau via agoda.com for the second night. But a couple of weeks after, I saw thru facebook the post of Venetian Macau for their anniversary sale! Around 12k na lang yata ang Bella Suite, buti na lang may free cancellationsa booking.com, so we cancelled our Pousadas booking. We emailed the room reservation of Venetian Macau and informed them that we are booked for two nights at Bella Suite but thru agoda and direct booking. The room reservation were very prompt in responding and they took care of our requests that we will stay in one suite for the whole stay and non smoking tower. :) 

4. We bought our HK Disneyland Tickets via hotelinhongkong.net, mas mura our adult tickets are HKD420.00 and child ticket is HKD300.00 only. And we were able to buy the senior citizen tickets for my parents na HKD100.00 each. Buying thru their website is a breeze :) I googled how to purchase the tickets and this blogpost is very informative, please click the LINK here. 

5. For the HK Dollars, dito kami sa manila nagpapalit. Which was a better choice talaga, mas mataas ang buying sa HK or Macau ng dollars, lalo na sa airports or near the airports. We called Czarina and reserve HK dollars and picked them up the same day at their Glorietta 1 branch. We also brought some USD for cash reserve :) and don't forget your peso money for your travel tax PHP 1,630 for adult and PHP 810.00 for kid and terminal fee na PHP 550.00. 

                                 

                                

6. I bought some plastic envelopes (with a size of folded crosswise short bond paper) at National Book Store for less than PHP 25.00 each. This is our DIY travel kit, each kit contains two copies of plane tickets, a copy of our hotel bookings via venetian and agoda, our HK Disneyland voucher, passport with plastic cover that I bought at around P15.00 at National Bookstore, our itinerary (written at an index card) with instructions where to ride and bus numbers, black ballpen and important documents such as: employment certificate for hubby & niece, DSWD clearance & birth certificate for minor niece and birth certificate for the preschooler.

7. I bought those round bagtags at Powerbooks ATC for 10.00 each lang! Happiness! :)

8. We packed some snacks and placed them inside ziplocks :) buti na lang! kasi ang tagal namin sa check-in area sa air asia, 1 hour kami sa pila and wala pa aircon sa terminal 4, kumain na lang kami to pass the time. TIP: If you're taking Air Asia flights, go there like 3 hours before. Madami na-late sa flights nila, sa tagal sa check -in. Ask for the immigration cards while still in line, para pagdating sa counter tuloy tuloy na.

IMMIGRATION TIPS:

1. Present your passport and boarding pass to the IO. If you're a minor, include your DSWD clearance and make sure your guardian is with you sa line. 

2. Answer when they ask only. Huwag masyado makwento. Less talk, less mistake.

3. The IO asked our preschooler "ano gagawin mo sa macau?" and he answered " iuuwi ko ang pandas!"

4. Greet the IO with Good Morning etc. Smile a little. Thank them afterwards.

If you don't have meals provided inflight. Bought some water at the waiting area, we got the water bottles for PHP 25.00 each, sa plane PHP 50.00 ang smaller bottle. :) :)