If you do enough research, there are probably a lot of HALAL options at HK. I am saying this because I know for sure that we didn’t do much Googling. Still, we had good food and our stomachs were full.
Most of the time, we ate pre-packed meals that I brought from Malaysia. The usual ones are from Brahim, Sharifah and PAMA. This time around, I have Khairul Aming’s Dendeng with Prego. Kembara meals are quite expensive, so I did not buy them.
In Hong Kong itself, Mr Husband bought some bread, milk and carton drinks. The peanut butter was delicious, but we were not allowed to bring it in our hand carry back to Malaysia. An act I find it hard to grasp. Is it because of the bottle? Or is it because it is already open? I am bringing back a lovely item from HK to Malaysia, why can’t I? Anyway, I redha. I just said, Go ahead to the officers when they wanted to take it away.
Islamic Centre Canteen, Wan Chai
Average price: HKD 30 – 60 per dish.
This is the type of place where you go to ensure that the stomach is fed. There is no aesthetics to it. Just a delicious meal with vegetables or protein cut up in a way where it doesn’t matter how weird it looks on the plate. As long as it can be bitten into or chewed up. The fish and meat chunks were huge. The chopped onions were bigger. The taste, however, is super nice with the compulsory hint of MSG. Better than loading it with salt.
This canteen is located on the 5th floor of the mosque. Better known as Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre. It is situated right behind our hotel, The Charterhouse Causeway Bay.
Ee really liked his sweet-sour rice. I had their beef noodles. I wanted to see if the Mi Tarik we have in Malaysia is authentic or otherwise. We shared beef fried rice, and I think we ordered a tomato-based chicken dish as well. Since the portions are huge, we felt that adding on dumplings was a bit on the heavy side, so we skipped that. The iced lemon tea is purely black tea with lemon slices instead of the canned ones we have in Malaysia. So, there is that bitter tea aftertaste.
Tahitian Terrace (Adventureland), Disneyland HK
Average price : HKD
I have mentioned this place before in my Disneyland post. The Laksa has a rich, flavourful broth. I would ask you to try the Black Lentil with Biryani and Paratha. That one is super delicious (to me). The price is of course, Disneyland price. Ha ha.
Soy sauce chicken, Ocean Park
This was a miserable meal. We thought this was the only Halal option here. Turns out there were a few other options. Well, this is what you get when you don’t read enough reviews. Our bad!
Miss India, Kowloon
This was an impromptu choice. We were walking around Kowloon (will write about it later) when suddenly a man handed us this paper. Since the kids were already tired, hot and hungry, we thought a meal would get us going again. However, to be honest, we did not enjoy our food. It was only later that we found reviews that say, “avoid at all costs!”.
Lanzhou Beef Noodle
This was a familiar taste since we’ve had the Lanzhou noodles at MITC, Melaka, before. This was about HKD 48 per bowl. My kids loved it a lot.
The convenience of HK’s public transport brought us here. It was quite a walk from the train station to this place. I swear my thighs were screaming in pain as we climbed uphill. The entrance fee for this attraction is roughly as follows. The morning combo is for those who choose to arrive early between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
The tram ride was comfortable. The view was so-so along the way, but you get the best view of HK once you reach the peak.
Madame Tussaud’s is obviously the place where you get to take photos with public figures around the world. I love how some of the interactive AI features seem so real. It is as though my daughter and I really met and mingled with Jackson Wang that day.
We also need a photo with Trump.
Ee with Lee Chong Wei, our national badminton gem!
And dozens of other fun photo sessions. My kids really like playing pretend.
Once we were done here, we took the same tram down the peak to its station.
We spent just over 6 hours at this park. As usual, our choice of transportation to the attraction is by train. I noticed 2 hotels situated near Ocean Park, which are Marriott Hong Kong and The Fullerton. In this park, several different themes showcase their unique attractions: Whiskers Harbour, Amazing Asian Animals, Aqua City, Marine World, Polar Adventure, Thrill Mountain and Rainforest. I would recommend that you bring your own waterproof clothing or raincoat to get on one of those rides in The Rainforest.
This is a glimpse of things we saw and did there.
We were surprised to see our Malaysian university as partners in their conservatory projects
On the imaginary platform boarding a ‘submarine’ to explore the ‘deep’ ocean
A mini themepark at the hills
This is where the Prayer Room is. Jilbab and a wudhuk area is provided.
The penguin place was freezing
One of the halal options there. I believe they have a halal cafe here as well.
The jellyfish place was simple but the interesting play of lights make it seem so magical
The Cable car overlooking the sea and mountains
Old Hong Kong setup. Very nostalgic.
Great place for a family outing. I think we did about 12K steps here. Would definitely recommend it for your next trip to Hong Kong.
This is my first time going to Disneyland, including my kids. However, this is the 4th time my husband has been to Disneyland. eyes uprolling in jealousy
After a heavy breakfast in our room, we made our way to the nearest station by 830am. This time we already have our Octopus card, which makes travelling on public transport so easy. Once we had made the necessary station changes, we finally boarded the special Disney train to Disneyland itself.
Mr Husband brought our tickets online. I do not know for sure if he bought it from Klook or something, cause well, I am not the one paying. Mr Husband said we couldn’t bring in any outside food, although I was pretty sure I’d read somewhere that packed snacks are ok. Even then, he and the kids really tried their best to finish our packed biscuits. However, I did keep a few of them and my mini Beryl’s chocolate in the front pocket, hoping that it would not be confiscated at the security. It didn’t, and I get to nibble on them whenever I feel nauseated from the rides.
Tips ;
Bring a water bottle, wipes, a hat or a fan – anything that could help protect you from the sun and cool off
Wear comfortable shoes and attire – while it may seem cute to put nice princess dresses on your kids, Hong Kong weather is hot! At least bring an extra T-shirt and pants.
If necessary, have your anti-nausea meds before you come. I had terrible vertigo on some of the rides. I really needed to close my eyes
Plan your rides and shows if you’re kiasu kaw2. We did not plan and missed out on photos with characters, some shows and attractions. Some of them we didn’t go on purpose because the rides seemed scary. Hence, we didn’t go to the Animation Academy, Art of Animation, Barrel of Fun, Fantasy Gardens, Garden of Wonders, HK Disneyland Railroad (closed), Mickey’s Philharmagic, RC Racer, Toy Soldier Parachute Drop, Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleigh and maybe a few more.
There’s a Quiet Room that Muslims can use to perform solat. Even a wudhuk area is provided. But do bring your own praying attire if you need to use one.
Having said that, there is a HALAL restaurant in Disneyland. It is located at Adventureland. We had rice dishes and laksa.
Of all the shows, aim to at least watch The Lion King show. To me, that is a must!
The best minifan ever. The centre is so cold, like ice, you can place it on your face and neck for an extra cooling effect. The battery lasts for more than 3 hours with a full charge.
The Quiet Room
The Halal restaurant at Adventureland
The crowd waiting outside The Lion King show
The grand setup of The Lion King show
Here is my take on these attractions.
Ant-Man and The Wasp
Our task was to shoot the enemy using our laser guns and collect points. I sat with my son, and he was doing very well shooting down the wasps. I certainly could do better.
Big Grizzly Mountain
This is easily one of my favourite rollercoaster rides. It has enough thrills that excite you, but is not dangerous at the same time. It reminds me of The Mummy Ride at Universal Studios, Singapore.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
A benign ride where even a toddler could operate the handles and make Dumbo fly. I think we had like 3 or 4 circles before it stopped.
Fairy Tale Forest
This was surprisingly fun due to its interactive features. It is a forest that tells the story of our favourite Disney princesses. Do take note that there is a wheel just underneath the book that you could turn and make the replicas in front of the book do something. I realised this quite late, and it was just too tiring to go back and turn it for other characters. For example, in the Beauty and the Beast section, you could see them dance once you turn the wheel. It was so magical.
There is also another box at the side that you could interact with.
Frozen Ever After
This is one of those rides where they bring you through the story. Minor fast-paced areas, but nothing too scary. Toddlers would love it.
Hyperspace Mountain
I had bad vertigo in this one. Thus, I am unable to describe how it was, but my daughter loved it. I just know there are lots of movements, and there’s a glow in the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling. Forgive me.
Iron Man Experience
This is where we assemble in a room, seated on the aircraft and are supposed to just tour Iron Man’s place comfortably. Of course, we were attacked and had to escape. So the ‘aircraft’ was hovering in all directions with our feet dangling from the floor. The visuals and sound effects were great. Not bad.
Iron Man Tech Showcase
We went in for the air conditioning. Basically, it’s like a display of Iron Man’s suits, fighting tech and buildings. Helps to cool off the body a bit after all the heat.
It’s a small world
You sit in a boat and just cruise the canal with the song ‘It’s a Small World’ on repeat until your ears bleed. To make it interesting, find your own country and see how it is depicted. If it is included. It is a good setup for a scary movie, though because there were lots of dolls.
Jungle River Cruise
You could choose to go on the English/non-English tour boat. We went on this twice. I thought that the script would be the same. Turns out our first lady guide, Yama, was much better and more entertaining. Although the animals during the cruise were knowingly fake, we enjoyed it just the same.
Mad Hatter Tea Cups
Another vertigo-inducing ride that kids seem to tolerate better than myself. It’s just a spinning teacup, but I was nauseated.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Similar to Frozen, this ride tells you a story about Winnie the Pooh. It’s just nice to be seated and see the colourful displays and special effects.
Mystic Manor
Honestly, I have no idea Mystic Manor exists in Disney. It was nice, though. During our first time, the ride malfunctioned and all of us were escorted out. However, we were given coupons so that we could bypass the queue later. To which we did when it was up and running again. The story was entertaining and so magical.
Slinky Dog Spin
Pretty much like Dumbo, only this time we are going around in circles on Slinky. I have to say the Toy Story area was really hot as they tried to emulate a Cowboy area in a deserted land. There were hardly any trees, and the area was just brown all over. The toilet was a great place to cool down and relieve ourselves. Some visitors were even sitting at the entrance of the toilet as they couldn’t cope with the heat.
Of course, Disneyland is a great place to go. Apart from the heat. I hope that my blog readers will be able to set foot in it someday. We said goodbye to Disneyland before the fireworks started, as we wanted to avoid the crowd. We had dinner at the hotel with food we tapau nearby.
During our holiday, we stayed at two different hotels in two different areas, easily accessible by train. They are the COZi Resort Hotel at Tuen Mun and The Charterhouse, Causeway Bay.
The COZi Resort Hotel, Tuen Mun
This hotel is within walking distance of the train station. We should have taken the train from the airport, but the lady at the airport said that it is quicker to get there by bus. Since we did not have an Octopus card yet, my husband paid for the fare using his Visa card. I honestly love the systematic transportation system. The buses and trains arrive in short intervals, which is a blessing if you rely on public vehicles.
On the bus to Tuen Mun
I did not get to explore the hotel fully, especially its restaurant menu. We did not opt for any breakfast buffet anyway, out of halal concerns. I do know there is an outdoor swimming pool, a children’s playroom and a fitness centre. Mr Husband was able to use the treadmill during our stay there.
By the time we arrived at our room, it was already near 8pm. Our room was a Thailand-themed Family Room, and I think Mr Husband paid for less than RM 300 per night. We booked it for 3D2N. It has 2 comfortable Queen beds, WIFI access, a mini fridge, coffee, tea, towels and a hairdryer. I was a bit surprised to see that no bottled water was provided. There was also no water dispenser outside the room. Turns out the tap water is drinkable, although the quality may be influenced by the plumbing system of the building. I still prefer to boil my water. However, I do miss the readily available cold drinks we get at most hotels in Malaysia.
I began to prepare our dinner. I brought a few ready-made meals to HK. For example, Brahims, Sharifah, KA dendeng, PAMA bihun, Indomie, Prego’s mac and cheese, 3-in-1 instant drinks like Ovaltine and tea. I wish I had brought more instant coffee. We had PAMA glass noodles that night and turned in early. After our 2-night stay there, we moved into another hotel at Causeway Bay, The Charterhouse.
The Charterhouse, Causeway Bay
It took us a few hops to get from Tuen Mun to Causeway Bay. The new area is more lively and busy as compared to our previous location. There are plenty of eateries and shopping malls within walking distance. In fact, the mosque and Islamic centre are just behind our hotel. We tried the food at their canteen on level 5 and it was so delicious. Will elaborate more on the food in a different post.
The hotel reception is a small desk just beside the lift. The employees were standing all the time. Pity them. The Family Room is slightly smaller, and since this is a budget hotel, they do not provide mugs or beverages during our stay. Despite the word ‘budget’, I think the price was still just below RM200/night. My paper cups were put to good use. The pillow was not fluffy. I had to fold it in half. Not only that, I did feel some sort of creepy crawly on my mattress at night. Interestingly, my husband and kids did not feel anything. Anyway, I resorted to sleeping in my telekung to buffer that sensitive, touchy feeling. They did provide a mini fridge, but it was not working. I had to clean out the kettle a few times as I saw black mold sitting at the bottom.
Our sink had a leak. Thankfully, they fixed it quickly. Otherwise, the room is not too bad, as the air conditioning was satisfactorily cold to my liking. They provided basic toiletries like body soap and shampoo. Including a hair dryer, which was a blessing.
Mr Husband loved the gym. He goes there every morning for his walk on the treadmill. Overall, it was a comfortable stay for our 5D4N holiday in Hong Kong.
Minci Moss 