What can I say about the country apart from how fantastic my trip was!

As I work within the travel industry I get to travel a lot and as ebookers is one of the preferred partners with most of the airlines, we always have fantastic deals in our system on a daily basis. The reason why I chose Hong Kong is because a colleague had moved out there and it was a good excuse for me to go to Asia.

Whether it’s shopping in Kuala Lumpur, lying on an undiscovered beach on the East Coast or trekking through one of the oldest rainforests in the world “Taman Negra”, there is something for everyone in Malaysia

Itinerary:

Once you have shopped until you have dropped, been up the Peak Tram and sailed on the Star Ferry, here are some other tips for your visit to Hong Kong!

Lunch by the beach
If you are going by bus to Stanley Market (which is worth a visit even if it is just to stock up on Calvin Klein boxer shorts at 3 pounds each!) you will see some amazing beaches on the way. I recommend you get off the bus at Deep Water Bay, where you can enjoy a first-class lunch at an open-air restaurant called Cocacabana! The restaurant is above the changing rooms on the beach, so you get fabulous sea and beach views.

Reflexology
Just a few doors from the Excelsior Hotel in Causeway Bay, you will find Big Bucket reflexology. For little more than ten pounds you can enjoy an hour neck, shoulder and foot massage. On arrival you will be given a "menu" of foot soaks, where you can choose what you would like in your "big bucket" of hot water. For example there is ginger, ginseng and lavender but my favorite is peppermint, as it really makes your toes tingle. You will then be taken to a large comfy chair, your feet placed in the bucket to soak, and then massaged until you feel completely rejuvenated!

Floating Restaurant
You have probably heard of Jumbo, the world’s biggest floating restaurant in Aberdeen Harbour. However the Chinese restaurant gets mixed reviews. My tip is to book a table at Top Deck (no prizes for guessing where this is on the boat!). It is owned by the same group that runs Cafe Deco, on the Peak. Although Jumbo is touristy, I have had a couple of excellent meals there. The sushi is great! Make sure you have your camera for the short ferry ride from the shore to the boat.

I do not think that I like any other part of England more than Cornwall, and even within Cornwall, the two villages of St. Ives and Carbis Bay are my favourites by far. I can not really put my finger on what it is about these two places - they abound in the charm offered by small English towns and villages - picture perfect houses, winding lanes, lush greenery and maybe not very common even with the rural landscape, a blue-green body of clear water which stretches as far as the eye can see.

How to get to Cornwall? It is a not the commonest of weekend breaks especially for Londoners like me, given that it is 6.5 hours from London by train. Most people go to Cornwall by car and the route can get very crowded, especially on Saturday mornings during the summers. You could however reach it by train and hire a car – Hertz delivers the car to your door.

If travelling from London, the killer way to save money is when you are in a group of three to four people and then buy tickets at Paddington. This way, you can get a super saver ticket, which is basically a 50% discount, enabling you to travel 6 hours each way by train for £35. (by the way, if you are one of the teeming millions who thinks train travel is very expensive, read this and this for some tips on how to beat the system)!

Once you are in Penzance, what do you do?

Probably the best way to spend time in Cornwall is to divide time between spending time at the beach and walking to other beaches and spending time there. I am not joking, but the way to do it is to spend like a day or something on one of the many beaches in and around St. Ives - Carbis Bay being one of the best for just lying around. There are many great walks to be done, if you are thus inclined, otherwise there are buses connecting most of the larger beaches to each other in a circular route. With a car, you could drive down to the smaller and lesser known beaches.

Walking - There are a few trails and walks ranging from long and severe to short and gentle. In any case, do not venture out if there is a threat of rain, because this area bears the brunt of the winds hitting the British Isles. The second day can be used to travel to the many other beaches in the areas - Sennen"s cove (great for surfing), Land"s end, Porthocurno and also to see Minack Theatre. A special note about Minack"s Theatre - it is an open-air theatre, with the Atlantic as the background in most of the sets - mindblowing. It does stage plays, so if you can, plan and book in advance (I missed out on both occasions). Such beach-hopping can end at Penzance, from where the train can get you back to London.

Porthminister Cafe deserves special mention. Memories of the monkfish and tiger prawns still warm the heart and comfort the soul. It is one of the better places to dine at, in St. Ives. It has views of the ocean and is a nice place to be for sunset. Do book in advance as this place can get crowded very soon. (Depending upon the weather, book for seating inside or outside).