Info on Chimelong

Hi, I am looking for a short family trip to chimelong and was wondering if anyone an provide me details on :

- how to go there - Bus or Ferry(I guess no train)

- Buying a package is advisable in HK or should I book my hotel and tickets there

- Any travel agent who sells such package


Would appreciate your early reply as I plan to go there this week , wed or thu.


Regards

viks

We loved Chimelong and the kids are still talking about it.


China Travel Service (CTS) is easy and will also do your China Visa.

We went to the one in Wan Chai - but any CTS will do. The reason I recommend CTS is that they have their own buses direct to Chimelong that leave outside their travel agency.


It takes a couple to three hours to get from central to Chimelong. The bus does stop at hotels/other CTS. We found it to be very comfortable.


When you cross the border into China, you will have to leave the bus and take all of your luggage. Make sure that you wear the stickers they give you, as there will be people looking for you on the other side. Don't worry about missing your bus, there are plenty and there will be CTS staff watching out for tourists, they will check your sticker and get you on the right bus.


Chimelong hotel is huge, really huge. But we found it clean and friendly with a 7-11 type shop in the basement and a money machine down there. It has one of the best breakfast buffets I have ever been too, and the kids LOVED eating breakfast with real tigers and flamingoes.


Tickets to the parks - these are readily available from the lobby of the hotel, so you can decide on the type of ticket you want when you get there. Most of the parks are located next to the hotel with their own hotel entrances. For those that are not, there is a shuttle bus from the hotel.


Have fun - the water park was a hoot and the roller coaster park had some great live shows. Unfortunately there is nothing around the parks except the hotel - so you have to eat there. We liked it but found it a little expensive - we are on a budget. Lunch was normally at the parks which was okay, but I had packed some food and we mostly ate that (have child with a strict diet)


Another place to check out nearby (about 20 mins drive from all the Chimelong parks) is Clifford Hotel in Panyu. It has a great pool for little kids and soft indoor play area. Next door is a shopping area, excellent supermarket and a huge food court with fantastic food at really reasonable prices. We did a four day holiday just at that hotel when the kids were younger and they had a great time just hanging out at the pool.


BTW, when we went, we decided at 10am and were on a 2pm bus with hotel and bus tickets in hand. We did have our visas already though.


Hope this helps.