Alternative staycation - Lei Yue Mun Park Holiday Camp

Because of the epidemic, many Hong Kong people chose to stay in hotels to satisfy their addiction to traveling, and I am one of them. In the past two years, I have been to several different hotels, from youth hostels to five-star hotels, each with its own advantages, disadvantages and characteristics. What we are going to introduce today is even more special. It is the Lei Yue Mun Park Holiday Camp located in the east of Hong Kong Island, managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Lei Yue Mun Park was formerly the Lei Yue Mun Barracks. It was rebuilt into the current Lei Yue Mun Park in 1988 for recreational purposes by the public. The exteriors of most buildings have been preserved, so you will see many old buildings, some of which have even been listed as statutory monuments. As a recreational camp managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, it is subsidized by the government, so the fees are extremely cheap. For example, from May to October, the fee per adult on weekdays excluding meals is HK$66, and on holidays it is HK$90. Children and the elderly can enjoy a half-price discount. If you have a lot of friends, you can book three rooms for a holiday with a private bathroom, toilet and shared space (about 9 to 12 people) for only $810 or $1080, which is cheaper than staying in a hotel for a vacation. Of course their beds can't compare to the high and soft pillows of a hotel bed, but when you read on and see what I have to say about the activities the camp has to offer, you'll realize it's well worth the money. First, you need to get to the campsite. You can choose to transfer to the shuttle bus provided by the campsite between Exits B1 and C of Shau Kei Wan MTR Station. The advantage is that there is no extra charge and you can get to the camp directly; the disadvantage is that the time is relatively fixed, with a bus every half hour, so if you miss it you have to wait another half an hour. The second method is to take a bus or minibus, get off at Chai Wan Road and then walk to the campsite. However, you need to walk up and down the road from the bus station or minibus station to the campsite. It is not recommended if you have a lot of luggage. The only advantage is that it is easier to manage your time. If you have a lot of luggage and don’t want to wait for the minibus provided by the campsite, you can choose to take a taxi to the campsite. The price will be more expensive, but the rent will be cheaper, so you don’t have to worry too much. After entering the camp, the camp staff will give a brief introduction, such as the available facilities and other things to note. You can also borrow a hair dryer and it will not be returned until you leave the camp. After listening to the introduction, you can take your luggage back to the camp first. We stayed in a four-person room this time, and the back doors of the three four-person rooms are connected to a shared space with a water boiler, and toilets and bathrooms on both sides. So if you can rent three connected four-person rooms, the space connected by the back door will become your private space during your stay. The room has four single beds, each with a clean fitted sheet, pillow case and quilt provided, but you need to make them yourself. If the air-conditioning is too cold, there are extra cabinets in the room. Everyone should remember that the price you use is only one-tenth or less of the hotel resort, so remember not to compare with the hotel, and then we will talk about the best value for money. After packing your luggage, you can use the various facilities according to the available time of the camping site, including indoor archery, American billiards, indoor rock climbing, rope nets, tennis, table tennis, badminton, handicrafts and children's playground, etc. You can also borrow game consoles to use in the TV room. However, due to the epidemic, part of the camp has been converted into isolation facilities, so there are no basketball courts and football fields. But at the same time, perhaps because of the epidemic, it feels like there are not too many people in the entire camp, so there is no need to queue when using the facilities. If you have children, it is very suitable for them to let off steam. Archery and American billiards are also suitable for adults to play, especially for a large group of friends to learn from each other and compete. For these activities, the camp provides all the basic equipment, so you don’t need to bring anything. If you rent them outside, it will cost some money, but you can use them unlimitedly in the camp, so it is really good value for money. Even if you are not interested in these activities, the view from outside the camp is very open and the buildings are very beautiful, making it a great place to check in. There is also a coffee shop that everyone must visit. The exterior is a building full of old British style, while the interior is carefully decorated and antique. Coupled with the scenery outside, drinking a cup of coffee or enjoying an afternoon tea here feels like being in a high-end restaurant. In terms of dining, the campsite has a restaurant and the cafe mentioned above. The restaurant’s designated breakfast, lunch and dinner are very cheap, but if you want to choose different dishes yourself, the restaurant also provides them. You only need to make a reservation online one week before entering the camp. There is no requirement to eat in the restaurant at the campsite, so you can bring your own food. Especially if you don’t want to walk too far in the morning, I suggest not booking breakfast. If you want to eat better but don’t want to bring too much food, there are many online platforms available for food delivery. If there is a disadvantage, it is that the camp is built on the mountain, so you need to walk up a lot of slopes from the reception to the room, activity facilities or restaurant, which may be a bit difficult for the elderly. So if you want to go there with your family, it is not recommended if the elderly are not very mobile. This time I went there with a group of friends. Both adults and children had a blast, and the children were reluctant to leave the camp! #localtourism #holiday #LCSD #Chaiwan #valueformoney