Originally Posted By deephil We are planning our hols this year and thought we might do Tokyo & Hong Kong together, however on investigating the prices for a flight between Hong Kong & Tokyo are more expensive than our flight from Uk to either Tokyo or Hong Kong why??? So we are now deciding to do just one or the other. But we do not know which one to go to first now so any thoughts and info would be greatly appreciated we are looking at 2 weeks as a long way to go so we need to do other stuff as well as Disney. I will also be posting this in Hong Kong section as well. Many thanks in advance for your help.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones You'll want to see DisneySea over Hong Kong Disneyland. Tokyo also has the superior Disneyland type park. It's really a no brainer. Tokyo all the way.
Originally Posted By barboy Hong Kong vs Tokyo *SIGHTS*.... Hong Kong Hong Kong vs Tokyo *CULTURE*....Tokyo Hong Kong vs Tokyo *COSTS*......Hong Kong HKDL vs TDR.... is this a real question? Winner: Tokyo by a mile; make that 2 miles.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Hong Kong vs Tokyo *SIGHTS*.... Hong Kong*** I loved Hong Kong very much, but I'm not so sure I'd agree with this. Granted, if you are just talking downtowns here, Hong Kong wins. But within easy day tripping distance from Tokyo you have Hakkone, Mt. Fuji, Kamakura (tons of sites in that most ancient capital, a mere hours train ride or so from Tokyo station), and lots more. Just curious about your reasoning (the Hong Kong skyline is certainly much more amazing, that's for sure!).
Originally Posted By Anatole69 Yeah I agree with Barboy except for sights. Tokyo has it over Hong Kong, and less air pollution too.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< the prices for a flight between Hong Kong & Tokyo are more expensive than our flight from Uk to either Tokyo or Hong Kong why??? >>> Short answer: supply and demand. Usually the way to make things cheaper is would be to not price them as separate tickets, but as a single ticket with a stopover. For example, price it out as a flight on Cathay Pacific from London to Tokyo, with a stopover in Hong Kong in one direction. Since you'd have to change planes in Hong Kong in both directions anyway, often times the price to stop over at the connecting city as an additional destination is nothing or at least minimal. Or, try flights to Hong Kong on either JAL or ANA, with a connections in both directions and a stopover in one direction in Tokyo. If there are deep discounts available on unpublished fares, then the above may not work, but it's certainly worth a try. Once I was going to fly from Texas to Hong Kong and it priced out at $1000. But if I made my final destination Singapore with a stopover in Hong Kong, the price went DOWN to $600. So, it cost absolutely nothing to add a second city to my trip: the $400 in airfare savings paid for the extra hotel nights.
Originally Posted By barboy Sticking to Hong Kong and Tokyo proper----no side trips involved---I'd have to say that Hong Kong has the better *SIGHTS* or should I say *SIGHT* as in singular. And that one sight and the tram ride up is "worth the price of Hong Kong admission alone". Victoria Peak has to be, arguably, the most impressive and awe inspiring main stream/tourist vista in the world........most people can't make it to the top of Mt Everest LOL! That mountainous lookout over those skyscrapers makes me drool. There are more activities to do, much more, in Tokyo but Hong Kong has those mountains. I must be a 'mountain man' because I commonly talk about the sheer wonders of Yosemite too.
Originally Posted By oc_dean I can see only picking Hong Kong .. IF the city and surrounding region had plenty to offer for tourists. With a magic kingdom with only 4 lands .. and a whopping 15 attractions ... Tokyo with a full fledge line up of rides .. including DISNEYSEA(!!!) puts it FAR ahead of the Hong Kong park.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Considering that the question is about a 2-week vacation, I'd have to say that Tokyo (or perhaps widen it to other parts of Japan) is the clear answer. Hong Kong is a city of 7 million people, whereas Japan is the size of California and has 125+ million people. You're not going run out of things to do in Japan in 2 weeks, whereas I think Hong Kong is good for 5-6 days including HKDL for a first-time visitor before you start running out of new things to do.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Victoria Peak has to be, arguably, the most impressive and awe inspiring main stream/tourist vista in the world >>> Hey barboy, I've got a picture I'd like to send you. Shoot me an email - my address is in my profile.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Sticking to Hong Kong and Tokyo proper----no side trips involved---I'd have to say that Hong Kong has the better *SIGHTS* or should I say *SIGHT* as in singular. And that one sight and the tram ride up is "worth the price of Hong Kong admission alone".*** Okay, that makes sense. There is nothing so spectacular as that in Tokyo, that's very true. Although if you're a mountain guy I'm sure you've made plans to climb Mt Fuji? I heard THAT particular perch (forget "above the city", try "above the clouds!" lol) is pretty spectacular if you're lucky.
Originally Posted By barboy ///Hey barboy, I've got a picture I'd like to send you. Shoot me an email - my address is in my profile./// Sorry for the late response--- I just got back very late last night from a mini trip to DLR.
Originally Posted By barboy ///Although if you're a mountain guy I'm sure you've made plans to climb Mt Fuji?/// I definitely want some Fuji next Tokyo visit--- I haven't seen it up close yet. That wonderful piece of earth sure does beckon me! My remaining to do list for Japan is: Universal Osaka Ueno Zoo baseball game soaplands Fuji
Originally Posted By Mr X ***soaplands*** Good luck with that. Most of those places don't accept foreign clientele. But if you get in, be sure to tell us all about it! ***Ueno Zoo*** Ueno Zoo is extremely small and depressing. I would recommend the Chiba zoo over Ueno (and it's about the same distance from Tokyo Disney as well), but Chiba, too, is nothing special. I've heard good things about the Tama Zoo, but it's quite a bit further away (an hour from Shinjuku, in fact).
Originally Posted By barboy ///Good luck with that. Most of those places don't accept foreign clientele./// Yes, I know.... but you can't fault a guy(or would that be gaigin?) for trying, right? ///But if you get in, be sure to tell us all about it!/// If I get 'in' I won't be able to tell you or the usual gang about it because Wife would have already: clobbered me senseless(if I'm lucky), secured me a nice stay in an insect/disease ridden unairconed 3rd world sweat box jail indefinitely for the crime of 'concubinage' the moment I would have stepped off the plane in Manila(yes, an actual criminal offense in the Philippines initiated by a scorned/jealous/vengeful spouse) and bumped me off. LOL!
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara Tokyo over Hong Kong any day. The Tokyo Disney Resort over Hong Kong Disneyland any day. Japanese food over Chinese food any day. Cleanliness? Japan winds hands down. Friendliness of the locals? Japan wins hands down. You want to see natural beauty? You'll find more than you can absorb within a day's travel from Tokyo. As far as soapland--there are many which are known to cater to gaijin. I haven't been, but my Japanese friends have invited me often enough. Frankly, I'd rather go to Disneyland.
Originally Posted By barboy ///As far as soapland--there are many which are known to cater to gaijin./// ---staffed with bonafide Japanese hostesses? I'm guessing not. I'd bet that those outfits which cater to the gaijin are staffed with gaigin themselves like Koreans, Filapinas and Vietnamese.
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara No, with Japanese hostesses. My friends only offer the very best.
Originally Posted By barboy ///No, with Japanese hostesses. My friends only offer the very best./// LOL! Does that mean that a Vietnamese working girl is an inherenly inferior product compared to a pure Japanese girl? I guess your friends would only offer Johnnie Walker 'blue' label and not subject you to Ireland's Jameson Whiskey as well, right?
Originally Posted By The Goddess Mara My Japanese friends would only consider a Japanese girl to the best they could offer. If you know the Japanese, you'll understand that. I have no idea what Scotch they drink!
