ABOUT CONTACT PRIVACY POLICY THE PHL CHALLENGE                               
    

ads_banners

PROMO CODE ALERT! Use my promo code 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 and get 5% discount on KLOOK hotels, tours, tickets, activities and more!

"AYOKO KO NA BALIKAN ANG HONG KONG" - A Netizen Shared her Bad Experience in Hong Kong

Netizen Shared her Bad Travel Experience in Hong Kong

A netizen named Anne, shared on Facebook her bad experience in her recent trip to Hong Kong with her family. She gave us the permission to re-post her story so that many people will be able to read it and be aware that such things happen. Please read what happened to them below. I also added my thoughts on this at the end of this post.

DEAR HONG KONG,

I had a choice to write this or not, but today, I will choose to speak up. I told this to my friend and she encouraged me to write about it. Napa-isip ako, “why?” pero sabi niya “why not?”

All that I’ve written here are based on my personal experience when I went to Hong Kong as a tourist.

Isa lang naman objective ko: for the people to be aware and to avoid the things na hindi inaasahan.

I will tell the whole story.

I went on a travel expo knowing that it will help us to save and manage our trip. I booked for 4 people with Disney Land package kasi may kasama kaming bata. The transaction went well, of course they are asking for our money.

Fast forward

Day 1 at the Hong Kong International Airport

We had a looooot of time spent waiting for Jacqueline (tour guide) knowing there are almost 50 people na kasabay namin sa trip. Yes, mostly Pinoy. Isa-isa niya kami sinasabihan ng mga instructions. Nakakatuwa naman siya kasi parang ka-personality niya sila Kitkat (Pinay Comedian). She is funny kaya talagang ma-hohook ka sa mga sinasabi niya.

So pag sakay namin sa bus, marami siyang instructions, isa na dun, “I know that before you go here, you searched about the places to buy Pasalubong. Do not go to Mongkok, there’s a lot of people and they have pick pockets. The target are moms with children. So please do not go there. Okay, I understand that Filipinos love Pasalubong so we will go on an outlet store where you can buy your pasalubong. The outlet store is very cheap knowing that the hawkers in Mongkok go there and resell it. It is way cheaper 70%. Okay? I will give you time and it’s also part of the itinerary.”

So ayun na nga, dahil nakinig ako sa kanya… di ako pumunta ng Mongkok.

Lumibot nalang ako sa vicinity ng Kowloon at nakita kong parang Tondo, Manila na high-rise version. Wala silang choice kasi kakaunti ang lupa nila. Maraming sampay sa labas at luma talaga. At naalala ko yung joke niya habang nasa bus kanina, “You know what in Hong Kong, you can see Lego buildings. It is so near to each other. When you and your friend live on a different building, and you point your finger outside the window and she pointed it as well, you fingers will touch each other. That near!” Just imagine it.

I continued to walk and see it for myself.
I saw the reality.
I experienced the reality of their culture.

I went on the streets and bought an egg waffle for 20HKD (Php 90). Actually, yung mixture ng pancake mix niya, mas masarap pa yung tig-5 sa Quiapo. At ito pa ang hindi ko inaasahang rudeness. I am taking picture of the waffle kasi syempre first streetfood ko yun. Instagram. Aba, si lola na vendor lumapit sa akin at hinampas yung phone ko. Muntik pang malaglag. (Pagbalik ko ng Manila, I asked my friend who went there a lot of times. “Ganun sila, ayaw nila ng ganun. Culture nila yun.”)

I was so disappointed.

So pumunta nalang kami ng The Peak, isa daw yun sa mga sikat na tourist spot dun. Actually maganda nga kasi kita mo buong Hong Kong.

Naalala ko na naman yung sabi ng tour guide about it, “The people living in The Peak are the richest and famous people. The 40 sqm unit there will cost you billions. I am not joking. They want it because it is in the mountain and it is safe and quiet. They believe in Feng Shui. When the house is facing the Harbour (water) which represents the money, and you live in the mountain it will block the money from getting away because the mountain is big. The money will stay in you.”

We went in The Wax Museum and upon filling up the line, we went in front and asked them. Sa Pinas, pag nagsabi ka sa customer mo “Sorry po sa kabila po ang pila, dito po tayo assist ko kayo.” And dun naman, nagulat ang tita ko. Matanda na siya and she was talking to the millenial attendant. “No! Not here! Go there!” Sabay turo sa kabila na akala mo nag papaalis ng aso. Dun ko rin na experience na bumili ng tubig worth Php 210 at waffle na Php 470 tapos hangin lang ang laman. Sa almost one thousand mo, gutom ka pa.

Ano daw? Sige, immersion lang naman ito sa culture nila.

Day 2
Mid of The Peak
Aberdeen Court
Jewelry Store
Outlet Store daw
Disney Land

Ito yung listahan ng mga pinuntahan namin.

During the trip, isa sa mga personal experience ni Jackie ang na kwento niya. Bumili daw ang nanay niya sa market ng sale na “rice” nag isip siya ang daming binili ng nanay niya. Mura daw kasi. Niluto nila at kinain. Nag tataka daw siya kasi mag iisang minuto na niyang nginunguya ang kanin pero di daw nadudurog. And after ilang araw, it went rounds on the internet about “plastic rice”. Remember? It went viral. They have personally experienced it gawa ng mga kababayan nila. Na-shock talaga ako nung nalaman ko yun.

Moving on...

We went in the Mid-part of The Peak

Ito yung Mid-part lang ng bundok na free spot para mag picture. We went there. We took pictures for 15 minutes. Before the first spot ends, we asked her assistant na kung pwede mag picture sa camera ko para makumpleto kami. At ito namang si kuyang assistant ni ate mong tour guide, told “Wait, you also take pictures here in my camera.” I asked him kung para saan, ang sabi niya for documentation. Sabi niya, “Okay, let’s take a picture of you one by one.” So he did.

Sa Aberdeen, ni-require niya kaming mag bayad ng 60 HKD (Php 420) para sumakay sa isang Bangka at lumibot ng 15 mins. Masyado siyang defensive telling us na “The money will not go to me. It’s for the gondola (bangka)”. At ang sabi pa ang kaibigan ko, it happened to him with the same travel agency. Kasama niya ang family niya and telling them “We will not ride the boat. We will just stay here in the bus and wait for you.” Inaaway pa daw sila at pinipilit. Ang sabi nalang namin that time, “Hayaan mo na, charge to experience”.

Actually wala naman masyadong nakita dun kundi yung floating restaurant, at nakakagulat na sa tour guide mismo nanggaling “It is very expensive there. The seafood came from the West Philippine Sea, so might as well just eat in your country. That’s where we get it.” Isip-isip ko lang “Ahh..yan pala yung nababalitaan na nagnanakaw ng yaman sa Pinas.”

And wait, there’s more!
They asked us to have a mandatory tip na tig 60HKD, almost 500 pesos na tip each, walang exclusion kahit sa baby. Ang pagkaka alam ko, sa tipping dapat bukal sa loob.

…and we continued to the next stop.

Jewelry store.
We stayed here for almost 2 hours.
Sobrang time consuming.

Bakit? They keep convincing the people to buy jewelry products. Ang galing nila mag turn around ng mga objections and sobrang lakas ng impulse factors! Aral na aral!

Kitang-kita ko na napaka expert nila sa sales knowing that I am a sales and marketing trainer dito sa Pinas.

I just observed.

They will let you wear it at sila pa mismo magkakabit nito sayo, and of course you will feel good about it. At isa pa, di nila yun ipapatanggal hanggat di mo binibili. Wala namang diamonds. Puro White Gold lang nakita ko, 16k daw ang price para sa mas maliit pa sa 5 centavo coin. Maraming nag dalawang isip na bumili, pero at the end di ko naman sila pwedeng pigilan. So ayun, napa bili sila. Inabot kami ng 2 hours kasi may isang matagal mag decide, at hanggat di siya bumibili, di talaga nila tinitigilan. Muntik pang bumili ang tita ko ng bracelet, I asked the attendant, “Does it tarnish?” Sabi niya, “It fades in water.” Hinila ko agad kamay ng tita ko. Muntik nang 2 silang bibili natawaran daw nila ng mas mura.

Okay, wag ako.

So ayun, after few hours sumakay na kami sa bus. Na overheard ko sa likod, at dun lang natauhan ang ale na “Grabe, dapat pala di ko na binili ito. Sayang.”

and here’s the most tricky part!

Ang 70% off na outlet store daw…

Opps! Bago kami pumunta dun, she told us na “Sorry, most of the stores there are closed and they don’t have key chain. And I know Filipinos love keychain so I got it here with me.”

Sales na naman si ate.

“I have here the old version of Disney key chains, I will sell it to you in a cheaper price. Only 100HKD for 6 pieces.”

So a loooooooot of people bought from her.

Greed.
Fear of Loss.
Sense of Urgency.
Impulse.
Impulse pa more!

“I will only give you 20 minutes to do the shopping, only one store because we have a very limited time. (…na inubos niya kaka-convince sa jewellery store) so better be fast and get all you want.”

So andami na namang bumili pag dating namin dun. They sell the shirts 220 HKD for 2 pieces, 220 for 3 packs of food…and so on. Actually, di naman ako masyado bumili kasi iba na naman kutob ko.

At ito pa, umakyat yung assistant niyang lalaki bago kami pumunta ng Disney Land. Sa tourist bus, may dala siyang mga printed pictures namin at may naka dikit sa platong maliit. Inabot sa amin isa-isa at kailangan daw naming bilhin yun, worth Php 1,300 each daw ang kailangan naming bayaran. Natawa nalang ako nung bigla kong maalalala na “for documentation”.. WOW LANG!

We went in Disney.
Masaya naman kami.

Naka uwi kami sa hotel around 10pm.

I felt bothered not to go to Mongkok.
I need to see it for myself.

I went there.
I saw
SHIRTS being sold at 7pcs for 100HKD
FOOD for almost 20 HKD in an average
..and so on

I went back to the hotel told my relatives about it.

Sobrang nanlumo sila.
Sabi nila “Expert scammer.”

Do you know what made me angry the most?
They lied to us. Sobra.

They persuaded us not to go to Mongkok kasi pag pumunta kami dun sa first day palang, di na kami bibili sa partner store nila na “hawkers ng Mongkok” ang pumupunta daw dun kasi 70% off. WOW LANG!

And ito pa, pag uwi ko ng Pinas.
I told the local agency here.
I told everything to him.

Ang sabi lang niya
“Choice niyo naman po yun kung bibili kayo eh.”
“Gagastos po talaga kayo pag nasa ibang bansa. Expect niyo na yun.”
“Wala po kaming alam dyan.”

I am not asking you to apologize. I am just making it clear kung aware ba kayo sa nangyayari sa partner agency niyo dun? Choice namin na ano? Maniwala at magpaloko? Mag tiwala agad? Gumastos na parang iniihi lang ang pera? Wala kayong alam kasi di niyo inaalam. Instead of having that sense of responsibility of having a commendable service, you became so defensive telling us that it is not your fault.

Readers, just let me know if you’d like to know the name of the travel agencies involved. I will send you a personal message. Hindi naman ako ganitong klaseng tao, I just wanted to help for the people to be more aware of what you are doing.

We go out of the country with our hard-earned money. At times, people would go and have an extra-mile to earn it. It may be a dream for others, I hope you will not make it a nightmare for them.

Again, this is my personal experience. I am writing this because it is the power of my pen.

God bless the business with the good seeds that we plant and with the good fruit that we will soon harvest.

And today, I am asking you a personal question, “Kamusta ang business mo?”

P.S.
I want you to know that I have forgiven you. Pero mukhang na trauma ata ako, kasi sa 4 na bansa na napuntahan ko, yan yung bansa na nasabi ko sa sarili kong “Ayoko na balikan ang Hongkong.”

I wanted to give it another try, but I hope not at the moment. I needed to be healed first, and for other people’s cry to be heard.

I will go again but with a different reason.
I want to reach you and share the Gospel.
I believe it will make a big difference.

HONGKONG IS FOR YOU ☝🏼 ALONE!

Thank you for sharing this awareness!
Kindly share if it helped to warn you. It may be the same help that your loved ones needed before going out of the country.


Few minutes after posting this, few of you inquired the names of the travel agencies. I hope not to discourage you in going there, but to be vigilant in discerning what is right. He gave me a strong discernment to different situations, and it was my responsibility to fight the injustices that some of you might experience in the future.

You can read her Facebook post here.

My thoughts on this:

I feel sad that Anne went through this horrible experience. Traveling should be fun, enjoyable and not stressful. I hope, we all learned from her bad experience and I hope that it will not happen again to anyone.

If you've been following my blog, you know that I am not a fan of getting packaged tours. I always do "DIY" or do-it-yourself travel where I book my own hotels, flights, airport transfers, tickets, and activities. With the help of my favorite travel apps such as Google Maps, Traveloka, Klook, Hong Kong MTR App, and many useful travel apps to help me organize my DIY trip, I can enjoy and explore many destinations in Hong Kong with less hassle and at the convenience of my own time.

I'm not saying that getting a packaged tour is bad. But, you really have to make sure that when you avail a packaged tour, you get it from trusted travel agencies that your friends, family or someone you know have personally tried. A travel agency that they can say that they had a good experience with. That's the best advice I could give to those who want to avail packaged tours.

I love my previous travels in Hong Kong. I've been there 3 times and I plan to visit again soon. If you want to visit Hong Kong on DIY (do-it-yourself), you may check out my article Hong Kong Travel Guide with 9,700 Pesos DIY Itinerary to help you plan your trip.

How about you? Have you had any bad experience on your travels to Hong Kong? Please share your comments below.


FOLLOW MY ADVENTURES ON YOUTUBE @PinoyAdventurista


Thank You For Sharing!


SHARE this on Facebook SHARE this on Twitter



25 comments :

  1. hi, been to HK twice, on our own, So far everything went well, except the first visit, due to signal no 8 storm, about locals behavior, I think we need to be aware that there are differences so we have to be very careful, precautious in every actions we do, anywhere we go, and in every places there are bad experiences that we don't expect, even in our own Home country. About group tour or package, I never tried one, all of my travels are DIY, some friends and relatives experienced not so good experience when it comes to tour package. I also try or do some research first about the country i want to visit thru articles, friends experience and blogs, although we have different needs and wants when it comes to travelling, advices from them contributes on a may not be so perfect travel but worthy experience ��

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lahat yan naexperience namin. Super EXPERT SCAMMER SILA. Until now ung travel agency na nakuha ko hindi pa ako bnbyaran sa refund namin. Sobrang worst ecperience ko sa agency and sa HK. Definitely wont come back talaga. Haaay

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you share the name of the travel agency so others will be forewarned?

      Delete
    2. Can you share the name of the travel agency so others will be forewarned?

      Delete
  3. We went to hongkong last year with my family, and we all enjoyed the trip...diy is the key, research ahead and plan everything... i dont go on travel tours/ packages for the reason na mas expensive , hindi mo hawak ang timeand lagi i kayong nagmamadali... planning to go back again.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dito kna lng s Bolivia 100usd solve kna sa pasyal at foodtrip for a month.. 😏😉

    ReplyDelete
  5. Non sense na rant. 1st, kung traveller ka, alam mo na ibang country yan, so ikaw ang dapat mag adjust lalo na sa mga locals. 2nd, join in tour sila, agency/tour guide talaga ang masusunod sa oras. Kaya nga may itinerary. Siguro naman they check it first before sila nagbook. Sana ang nibook nila is private tour para sila ang nasunod. Lastly, dun dapat sya nagreklamo sa agency, hindi sa fb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hindi binasa mga points ni ate..tsk tsk

      Delete
    2. Tanga din nitobg shena. Nabasa kba? Nag share lang sya ng experience para babala sa iba

      Delete
    3. Tangina kung nonsense na rant yan anong tawag mo sa comment mo? Gibberish amputa. Basahin mo nga yung artikulo o baka di mo lang maintindihan. Mas nakakainit ka ng ulo kaysa jan sa mga Chinese.

      Delete
    4. Shena, READ. Wag masyadong judgmental lalo na kung super low ang comprehension.

      Delete
    5. Bobo nitong Sheena nato. Walang utak, grabe. Mag basa ka! Hayup ka!

      Delete
    6. Ayan na bash ka tuloy Shena, yung utak mo dapat mag adjust ��.

      Delete
  6. I am planning to book and commit sa isang specific travel agency to go here. I hope you could share with us the travel agency locally kng saan ka nagpabook. This was a nightmare really. Parang ayoko na din magpnta ng hongkong Lol. Thanks and hope to hear from you soon

    ReplyDelete
  7. Same experience in hk.. I bought a bracelet in hk jewelry shop after how many days the color was changed and rusted.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi po!Thanks for sharing ur experience.May I know what travel agency?Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete
  9. Usual naman sa tour group itinerary ang magstay ng at least one hour sa mga partner shops and mandatory tips. Best pa din mag tour kung first time and di sure saan iikot, pero the next time, try to build your own itinerary na lang din.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ganyan rin yung tour namin sa hk last January. inis na inis rin kami kasi dinala kami sa souvenir shop na kamahal mahal at sabi nga niya mura daw doon yun pala e x80 ang prize nila. Plus the jewelry shop na ang tindi mag convince ayaw magpalabas pag wala bumili. Yung dalawang yun lang naman talaga ang nagstress sa amin.Yung agency rin namin dito pinabayaran daughter ko buo sa disneyland just to find out she is free. Plus we have 3 seniors na kasama, may mga discount sila sa disneyland dapat pero computation ng payment nila full. Ang nakakainis pa doon yung tour guide namin sabi niya sa parents go just incase you get lost you have an id.akala ata sa akin walang alam e pag tanong ko sa entrance kung bakit kailangan makita nila passport ng parents ko sinagot ako to validate that they are senior so they can avail the discount. Sabi na lang namin babalik kami HongKong pero hindi na kami kukuha ng tour guide kasi maganda naman infairness yung lugar nila.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello! Thrice na kami pumunta ng pamilya ko sa HK. Palagi kaming masaya. Though di mo maiiwasan ang pagkakaiba talaga ng culture natin sa kanila. Para satin rude sila. Like one time, dala ko yung maleta ko, syempre nagmamadali sa pagtawid, hindi ko naman sinasadyang tamaan yung isang babaeng local nila dun. I said, I'm sorry. Pero ang sagot nya saken, tiningnan ako ng masama kahit malayo na ko sa kanya. Haha. May isang vendor pa ng pork sa palengke ang masungit. Syempre tayo magtatanong para kung san tayo makakamura. Pero sagot samin, Ano ba talagang gusto nyo? Isa lang. Tagal nyong mamili! Ewan ko pero ganun sila. Haha Basta pagdating sa mismong tourist spot, ienjoy nyo lang. And.. Magbasa sa mga DIY groups kasi laking tulong nila. =) Masaya sa HK. Try mi bumalik :) Pero magDIY ka na lang kung keri mo. Madali naman train lines nila dun. Happy travelling! :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hindi siguro binasa neto..daming kuda, sablay naman.try mo kaya basahin muna.

    Or summarize ko sau, eto daw ha, expert scammers un guide and her colleagues, balikan mo ulit kung panu ko nasabi..
    Lastly, gurl sinabi nila sa agency before she posted her rants.dami kasinh hanash.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Kaya mahirap pupunta ka dun under travel angency kase di mo naiiwasan mga ganyan panluluko. Minsan talaga may maiincounter ka na mga rude people dun pero di naman lahat. At ayon din may kamahalan talaga mga bilihin dun kahit tubig lang na maliit nasa 20hkd na samantalang dito mabibili mo lang ng 20pesos pero pag tnry mo naman ikutin at ma tyaga ka maglakad lakad dun may masusumpungan ka din mga mura lang.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Its some sort of charge for experience. Wala nman kinalaman ang agency kung anung marketing strategy ang gingawa ng partner nila sa lugar... but at least nung nagsabi dapt sa knya yung customer dapat inacknowledge niya na lang hindi defensive answer. I bet itong travel agent pure business lng din alam nia and doesnt know the experience of being a tourist himself. Kay ateng anne, youre cool.. this is good to first time travellers. But just what traveller usually do you need to do some research, work on it and make it happen..
    Back up, 2nd opt, and be smart enough, hindi lang sa hongkong.. lot of culture.. its how you handle it

    ReplyDelete
  15. We had the same experience on our first trip to hongkong. But then we went again last xmas 2018.this time diy.and we enjoyed our trip love to come again

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi.. What agency po ba?

    ReplyDelete

Looking for Budget Travel Guide Blogs, Hotel Reviews, and Sample DIY Itineraries?
Welcome to Pinoy Adventurista, "Your Next Ultimate Adventure Starts Here!"

Pinoy Adventurista is one of the Top Travel Blogs in the Philippines and the World. In 2013, he visited all the 81 provinces in the Philippines.