Senior Travel Tips in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a fast-paced city featuring some of the best attractions in Asia. Although small in size, there are many things to see and do in Hong Kong within a short period. Travelers from all around the world travel to Hong Kong to experience something new and altogether, foreign from their own. Solo, couple and group travelers venture to Hong Kong and book comfortable accommodations near attractions. However, for older travelers over the age of fifty, venturing to a new country can be quite daunting without any prior knowledge of the country.
Hong Kong ensures all travelers, regardless of age, can comfortably visit the country and enjoy their time with ease.
On-Loan Elder Octopus Card
Senior citizens visiting Hong Kong are available to get discounts on attractions and public transportation. The first thing travelers should do is to get a hold of the Octopus Card. Visitors can purchase the card at the airport or convenience stores and can be topped up there too. The Octopus Card serves as a valuable asset in Hong Kong; all the primary transportation uses the Octopus Card. There are many Octopus Cards to choose from, but the recommended one for seniors is the On-Loan Elder Octopus Card; it comes as a green color. The cards can be used on major transportation vehicles such as buses, trams, and ferries. Additionally, fares for seniors are only $2 per trip.
Luckily, traveling by Hong Kong buses is easier when all Hong Kong buses are all wheelchair accessible.
Hong Kong Attractions
There are over 40 Hong Kong attractions available, and each attraction can be easily reached by public transport or walking from hotels on Nathan Road. For those booked on Nathan Road, guests can walk to Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, take a cable car to Lantau Island, visit the Kowloon Masjid and Islamic Center, Nan Lian Garden, Hong Kong Cultural Center or the Temple Street Night Market. For travelers gearing on visiting Macau, they can do so by taking designated ferries: TurboJet, Chu Kong Passenger Transport (CKS) and Cotal Water Jet. The ride should not take more than an hour.
Travelers interested in visiting museums, there’s many museums aplenty. One of the more famous museums to go to his the Hong Kong Historical Museum. There are many routes to reach the museum; Hong Hom MTR Station, Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station, and East Tsim Sha Tsui Station. For senior citizens, the entrance fee is only $5 HKD.
What to see in the museum? The museum features a diverse array of artifacts collected across many years; artifacts dating from over a thousand years ago to more modern artifacts within the last couple decades. Permanent displays included: The Natural Environment, Prehistoric Hong Kong, The Dynasties: From the Han to Qing, Folk Culture in Hong Kong, The Opium Wars and the Cession of Hong Kong, Birth and Early Growth of the City, The Japanese Occupation and Modern Metropolis and the Return of China. Included, every so often the museum displayed new (but timed) exhibitions featuring glimpses of artworks, sculptures or artifacts from other parts of the globe.
Hong Kong Walks
Hong Kong Walks takes interested tourists to different parts of Hong Kong for a day. The walk takes visitors to Central and Sheung Wan, Fanling, Garden Road Leisure Walk, Shau Kei Wan, Tsim Sha Tsui, Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon City, Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kon and Yuen Long.
Traveling to Hong Kong as a senior citizen has never been easier, thanks to the dedication and effort from the Hong Kong govern to ensure no person is left out. Most famous attractions in Hong Kong provide senior concession rates and wheelchair access for those with mobility issues. Ultimately, age should not deter anyone from traveling and experience Hong Kong to the fullest.