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HONG KONG ISLAND
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Sheung Wan & Western
Hong Kong's most typical traditional "Chinatown" area is always
teeming with activity. Vibrant Western is a hive of shophouses,
exotic markets and steep "ladder" lanes. This is where modern Hong
Kong started, mushrooming around Possession Street where the British
first planted the Union Jack in 1841. Chinese migrants began to
settle here in the same year, creating the raffish heart of 19th
Century maritime Hong Kong.
Hollywood Road and Upper Lascar Row, known as "Cat Street" are
must-see stops on every visitor's itinerary. Crammed with antique
shops and an open-air curio market, these quaint locales are ideal
places for picking up eclectic souvenirs and gifts. You'll find
everything from Ming furniture and lotus lamps to Mao badges and
ancient snuff bottles. Photogenic Man Mo Temple, dedicated to the
God of Literature (man) and the God of War (mo), is just a stroll
away. After extensive renovations, the Edwardian Western Market was
re-opened in late 1991. It is crammed with fabric shops and stores
selling handicrafts. More traditional shopping can be found along
Bonham Strand West, where stores selling Chinese medicinal herbs and
ginseng wholesalers have changed little in the past half century. On
Queen's Road West you can buy birds' nests for soup, as well as
paper offerings, including paper cars and mobile phones, for burning
at funerals to ensure a prosperous afterlife. Des Voeux Road West is
celebrated for its dried seafood shops. Here you can find all manner
of preserved oysters, shrimp, mussels, squid and fish.
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Central
Formerly Hong Kong's "capital" known as Victoria, Central is the
seat of government and the financial and banking centre. In contrast
to Western district, it is a shimmering cityscape of skyscrapers and
marble shopping malls. More surprisingly, perhaps, it also boasts
delightful parklands and pockets of charming colonial architecture.
The Star Ferry, Hong Kong's most scenic mode of travel, shuttles
across Victoria Harbour between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central. In
operation for over a century, it is the ideal way for visitors
staying in Kowloon to reach Hong Kong Island. Just minutes away
you'll stumble onto the Cenotaph, Statue Square and the Legislative
Council Building. Formerly the Supreme Court and opened in January
1912, this two-storey neo-classical structure was converted to house
the Legislative Council Chambers in 1985.
Heading uphill and south, St. John's Cathedral is the oldest
surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong Kong, and perhaps
the oldest Anglican church in the Far East. En route, you will pass
the 158-year-old, red-brick French Mission Building with its
distinctive green shutters, black wrought-iron details and chapel. A
brief detour will bring you to Government House, home of 25 former
British governors set in a picturesque garden of rhododendrons and
azaleas. On nearby Ice House Street, the imposing Foreign
Correspondents' Club, favoured watering hole of the territory's
press pack, neighbours the Fringe Club, a haven for the arts and
culture. Those who appreciate modern architecture will enjoy the
HSBC Headquarters. The work of acclaimed British architect Sir
Norman Foster, the super high-tech bank is a marvel of modern
design. The soaring 70-storey Bank of China Tower, meanwhile, is
another of Hong Kong Island's most stunning landmarks. Its
blue-glass walls and distinctive shape also make it one of the most
photographed buildings in the city. Back on the harbourfront, the
three pink-hued, harbour-side towers of Exchange Square house the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Come nightfall, it is overshadowed by The
Center and its computerised neon lighting. Every evening, this
magnificent structure comes alive in a synchronised spectacle of
ever-changing colours.
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Lan Kwai Fong & SoHo
A cheerful warren of Western-style restaurants, nightclubs,
delicatessens and bars, Lan Kwai Fong is an L-shaped, cobble-stoned
lane just a stone's throw above Central's cluster of skyscrapers.
Nearby lanes are also buzzing with bistros and pubs in what is Hong
Kong's trendiest nightlife area. Stroll along Hollywood Road and
you'll soon discover Hong Kong's "SoHo", the area "South of
Hollywood Road". The neighbourhood offers a wide range of upmarket
eateries and watering holes congregated mainly on Staunton, Shelley
and Elgin streets. Here, you'll enjoy international fare from New
Orleans to Nepal, Mexico to Malaysia, Provence to Portugal. Above
SoHo is the Mid-Levels, an exclusive residential area built on the
lower slopes of Victoria Peak. The Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, the
longest covered outdoor escalator system in the world, provides easy
access to and from downtown, as well as fascinating insights into
the diverse street life.
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Admiralty
Closer to the waterfront lies Admiralty, a collection of modern
landmarks that includes the deluxe Pacific Place hotel and shopping
complex and the strikingly original Lippo Centre. But Admiralty is
not all towering glass, steel and marble. Hong Kong Park is an oasis
of green amid the urban landscape that features an aviary, a
greenhouse, fountains and lily ponds. The park also houses the
Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, a unique museum housed in Hong
Kong's oldest surviving colonial building.
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Victoria Peak
Towering above all of these districts is majestic Victoria Peak,
which offers the territory's finest views. Reached by a funicular
railway that rises steeply 396 metres, thrilling indoor
entertainment awaits at the top in the Peak Tower and Peak Galleria.
Award-winning restaurants and magnificent walks complete the
panoramic picture.
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Wan Chai
Directly east of Central but in complete contrast, Wan Chai, the
fictional home of Suzie Wong, is being modernised swiftly. Even so,
it retains its image as a rollicking paradise for sailors on shore
leave. Today, its many bars, dance halls and hostess clubs cheerily
co-exist with modern office plazas, high-tech arts venues and art
galleries and a dazzling range of international restaurants. Perhaps
Wan Chai's most distinctive landmark is the magnificent Hong Kong
Convention & Exhibition Centre, venue for trade fairs, exhibitions
and international conventions, as well as the ceremony to mark Hong
Kong's change of sovereignty in 1997. Central Plaza also vies for
the top slot as the area's most prominent building. Located on the
reclaimed land of North Wan Chai, the 78-storey colossus is the
tallest in all Hong Kong. Retracing the old waterfront, Queen's Road
East is a great place to buy rosewood and blackwood cabinets and
rattan furniture. Tai Wong Temple, a popular place for
fortune-telling, and the Old Wan Chai Post Office can also be found
here. The post office is one of the island's oldest historical
buildings, now an environmental resource centre. It is also the
starting point of the Wan Chai Green Trail.
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Causeway Bay & Happy
Valley
Wan Chai merges almost imperceptibly into Causeway Bay, a popular
nightlife and dining area and a shopper's dreamland favoured by
locals. Boutiques and department stores stay open late into the
evening, when the district is aglow with neon and alive with people.
Be sure to check out the ultra-modern Times Square, the Japanese
department stores and boutiques of Fashion Walk. The stalls and
shops of Jardine's Bazaar and Jardine's Crescent are great for
bargain hunting.
Just metres away from the commercial mayhem lies the area's green
lung - Victoria Park. This expansive parkland, complete with
swimming pools, jogging tracks and tennis courts, draws tens of
thousands of people during the weekends and at Chinese New Year and
the Mid-Autumn Festival. The tranquil idyll is momentarily
interrupted every day with the firing of the Noon Day Gun, a
historical relic immortalised in the song Mad Dogs and Englishmen
composed by Noel Coward. During the horseracing season, the "Sport
of Kings" is everyone's favourite gambling action in Hong Kong.
Hopeful punters head for Happy Valley Racecourse that can
accommodate 54,000 spectators. Before having a flutter they might
want to pray to the gods for luck at the Tin Hau Temple adjacent to
Victoria Park.
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Shau Kei Wan & Chai
Wan
From Victoria Park, King's Road stretches eastward along the coast
towards the ancient fishing harbour of Shau Kei Wan, where you'll
find the Law Uk Folk Museum, a typical 18th-Century Hakka house with
period furniture and an annex hall for exhibitions on local history
and lifestyles. The nearby Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence,
converted from the 19th Century Lei Yue Mun Fort, includes a
permanent exhibition featuring the history of Hong Kong's coastal
defences.
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Shek O
Seen from the hill above, the popular seaside destination of Shek O
looks like a picture-postcard image of an ancient Chinese community.
Its ambience is still traditional and rustic, in dramatic contrast
to the millionaires' mansions on the surrounding hillsides and
headland. The exclusive golf and country club nearby is where they
play. Many others make for the golden sands of Big Wave Bay, where
Bronze-Age rock carvings can be found.
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Stanley
A favourite stopping point on Hong Kong Island tours, Stanley
Peninsula's old fishing village and bays are well worth a leisurely
side-trip. The local market is one of Hong Kong's best-loved
attractions. In its traffic-free lanes, cottages and shophouses have
been converted into well-stocked boutiques selling a wide range of
inexpensive clothing, including factory overruns of designer items.
Porcelain, rattan ware and other hand-crafted items are also
available at competitive prices.
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Repulse Bay
Hong Kong Island's most popular beach is easily accessible by bus or
taxi from Central. The large, sandy beach has been extended recently
and there are many facilities for day-trippers, including shops,
restaurants and bars. The Life Guard Club's terraces are noteworthy
for a pair of large statues of two goddesses, Kwun Yum and Tin Hau.
Above the beach, the reconstructed The Repulse Bay is a picturesque
example of early 20th Century colonial architecture.
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Deep Water Bay
This attractive bay lies beyond Aberdeen along a scenic coastal road
flanked by flame trees and imposing cliffside mansions. Its public
beach, one of the most attractive in Hong Kong, is next to the Hong
Kong Golf Club's annex. A scenic pathway winds along the coast from
here to Repulse Bay.
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Ocean Park
Ocean Park is one of Southeast Asia's largest entertainment and
leisure complexes. Its outdoor escalator system is the one of the
longest in the world. However, many visitors ride up to the headland
attractions via a stunning cable-car system to enjoy the panoramic
vistas of Hong Kong Island's southern riviera-like coastline. It is
easy to spend a whole day here. There are aquariums, dolphin shows,
thrilling rides, a film simulator ride and the giant pandas An An
and Jia Jia. There is also much to admire in the aviary and in
Butterfly House, while thrills galore await on the park's massive
Dragon roller-coaster, ferris wheel and Eagle Ride.
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Aberdeen & Ap Lei
Chau
Despite extensive modernisation, the ancient fishing port of
Aberdeen is still full of brightly decorated trawlers that double as
floating homes for local fisherfolk. Visitors can charter sampans or
join guided tours for close-up views of the fishing fleet and the
famous, multi-decked floating restaurants, where exquisite Cantonese
cuisine and fresh seafood can be savoured in sumptuous "imperial"
surroundings. In the town itself, the harbour's maritime traditions
are evident in chandlers' stores and seafarers' temples, the oldest
of which was built in 1851 and dedicated to Tin Hau, goddess of the
sea. Aberdeen's natural protection is the small, offshore Ap Lei
Chau, or "Duck Tongue Island", which can be reached via a narrow
harbour bridge. To one side of the island's old village lie
family-run boatyards that specialise in making and repairing junks.
The foreshore provides spectacular views of Aberdeen's harbour and
Ocean Park.
KOWLOON
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Tsim Sha Tsui
As well as jaw-dropping shopping and dining options, the tourist
heartland of Tsim Sha Tsui is one of Hong Kong's most diverse and
exhilarating locales. There is something for everyone here, from the
bright lights of streets that never sleep to tranquil parks and
architectural reminders of the colonial years, like the Clock Tower
built in 1915 as part of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Terminus.
Named after the British governor who designed it, bustling Nathan
Road was scorned as a white elephant and originally dubbed "Nathan's
Folly". In recent decades, however, it has become celebrated as the
"Golden Mile" because of the dazzling array of neon-decorated shops,
hotels, restaurants and nightspots that flank the wide thoroughfare.
The 13.6-hectare Kowloon Park stands on Nathan Road on the site of a
former military barracks. Taking advantage of the park's well-wooded
landscape is the open-air Sculpture Walk. Displays include striking
works by local sculptors and a magnificent bronze statue by
Scotland's Sir Eduardo Paolozzi. Other parkland attractions include
a bird lake and aviary, a maze, Chinese gardens and a fine sports
complex with an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool. In a corner of
the park nestles the serene white-marbled Kowloon Mosque and Islamic
Centre.
The Teddy Bear Kingdom offers more than 70,000 square feet of space
dedicated to the lovable bear. The hero of the kingdom is a
five-year-old bear called Hon Hon who lives with his family in the
Harmony Tree. You and the kids can learn all about the origins of
the teddy bear in the museum that features more than 400 different
bears from all over the world. The Kingdom is also very hi-tech and
features Teddy's Cyber Universe and a computerized Teddy Bear Jazz
Band. Other attractions include the Harmony Tree where you can make
a wish, a do-it-yourself (DIY) Teddy's Cradle where you can sew your
own teddy bear and there is also a Treasure Cave featuring teddy
bear souvenirs. There is even a Dr. Teddy Playhouse featuring
educational toys and games.
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Tsim Sha Tsui East &
Hung Hom
Tsim Sha Tsui East is a major hotel, shopping and nightlife area
fronting a fine waterfront promenade that offers a stunning view of
Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island's incredible skyline. Near the
end of the promenade is Hung Hom Station, for trains to the New
Territories and mainland China. The Hong Kong Coliseum, the Hong
Kong Science Museum and Hong Kong Museum of History are also in the
area.
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Yau Ma Tei & Mong Kok
Just north of Tsim Sha Tsui is lively Yau Ma Tei, which means "place
of sesame plants" in Chinese and reflects the area's rural heritage.
A few blocks north, Mong Kok has long held the distinction of being
one of the world's most densely populated urban areas. Although
parts of the district have been modernised, it remains a cheerfully
crowded community and a hive of shopping activity.
Lively open-air Temple Street Night Market is the most popular haunt
for bargains. Though it opens at 2:00pm, the market really comes to
life at dusk. Its stallholders specialise in inexpensive men's
clothing, novelty items, luggage, watches and much more.
Fortune-tellers and palm readers, and sometimes Chinese opera
singers, make the market a fascinating street theatre. The centre of
the market makes way for the Tin Hau Temple, the communal heart of
Yau Ma Tei. The public square in front is the preferred gathering
place for chess players. A short walk south of the temple and
located on the junction of Kansu and Battery streets is the Jade
Market, where hawkers sell various shades and qualities of jade. The
Ladies' Market on Tung Choi Street, meanwhile, is the daytime
equivalent of Temple Street Night Market. Also on Tung Choi Street
south of Prince Edward Road West is the Goldfish Market, where fish
fanciers hook deals on everything from intricate underwater
furniture to fluorescent fish. Flower Market Road is the place for
colourful blooms sold at both wholesale and retail prices. With
about 70 bird stalls showcasing a variety of melodious song birds,
Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, with its courtyards and moon gates, is a
sheer delight. Song birds remain a favourite pet of many local men,
and the garden is testimony to the excessive pampering they receive.
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Kowloon City
Laid out like a classic garden of Southern China, Kowloon Walled
City Park seeks to preserve the heritage of Kowloon's fabled Walled
City. Among its attractions are a courtyard, the Old South Gate of
the Walled City, sculptures, pavilions and flower and tree-lined
pathways.
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Wong Tai Sin
Named after a shepherd boy who is believed to have had mystical
healing powers, the temple complex of Wong Tai Sin is a gloriously
colourful spectacle founded on the lower slopes of the Kowloon Hills
over half a century ago. Crucial family decisions are often resolved
by reference to the deity, and the temple's host of fortune-tellers
have helped to make this Hong Kong's most popular temple. The sacred
grounds are busiest during Chinese New Year and on Wong Tai Sin's
birthday, on the 23rd day of the 8th lunar month.
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Diamond Hill
Magnificently renovated in traditional architecture, the Chi Lin
Nunnery is another must-see attraction in Kowloon. No nails were
used in this multi-million dollar renovation, only wooden dowelling
and brackets. The 3.2-hectare site, comprising various Buddhist
halls, is a living museum of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
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Lei Yue Mun
Partly built on harbour-side stilts, the old village of Lei Yue Mun
is an offbeat destination adored by seafood aficionados. Visitors
can wander at will along covered walkways, purchase their own live
seafood from the many market stalls, and take it into nearby
restaurants to be cooked according to their own specifications.
Though the nearby Eastern Harbour Crossing links Lei Yue Mun with
Hong Kong Island, it remains a raffishly rural backwater and an
extraordinary experience.
NEW TERRORITIES
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Sha Tin Area
Once famous for cultivating incense, Sha Tin is best known for its
fascinating temples, walled village, mountain trails and
horseracing. This bustling district offers extensive shopping at New
Town Plaza, as well as peaceful walks along the Shing Mun River.
Heading north from Kowloon by rail, passing through the tunnel in
the Kowloon Hills, visitors pass under Lion Rock, a distinctive
animal-shaped peak visible from Hong Kong Island. On the New
Territories side of the hills, however, Amah Rock is the most
distinctive landmark. Resembling a woman carrying a baby on her
back, legend has it that a fisherman's wife waited in vain for her
seafaring husband's return. The gods took pity on her and turned her
into immortal stone.
Renovated in late 1993, Che Kung Temple is another major attraction.
The ancient Taoist temple is dedicated to a deified general credited
with saving the area from a plague. His festival day falls on the
third day of the Chinese New Year, when thousands of worshippers
gather to light ceremonial tributes. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum
is a museum of history, art and culture with a floor area of 28,500
square metres. The 12 exhibition galleries are devoted to the
history of the New Territories, Cantonese opera and contemporary
Hong Kong art and design. Near the approach road to the Lion Rock
tunnel is Tsang Tai Uk, an outstanding example of a fortified
village. The name means "Tsang's Big House". Built in the 1840s, it
is a large, rectangular grey-brick compound originally designed as
the home for a rich quarry-master's clan. But the main draw in the
area is undoubtedly Sha Tin Racecourse. One of the world's finest
racetracks, with huge computer-controlled display panels for its
totalisator system, this stadium can seat 85,000 spectators. For
non-gamblers, the racecourse's main attraction is Penfold Park, a
landscaped bird sanctuary and parkland set in the racetrack's
centre.
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Tai Po Area
The ancient market town of Tai Po is a fast-expanding new town
boasting a variety of interesting diversions. They include an
ancient Man Mo Temple built nearly a century ago by the Tsat Yeuk
community to mark the founding of Tai Wo Market, as well as a couple
of fine colonial buildings. One of them, Island House, is now
headquarters of the Hong Kong branch of the World Wide Fund for
Nature. Another, the Old District Office North, is now an office of
the Environmental Protection Department. Near Tai Po in Lam Tsuen is
the enchanting Wishing Tree. According to tradition, wishmakers
scribble their dreams on red slips of paper tied onto an orange with
string, then toss them into the air. If the lucky paper charm
catches on the tree, the wish will be granted. To the west of Tai
Po, on the crest of Lam Tsuen Valley, the Kadoorie Farm & Botanic
Garden showcases the City of Life's wealth of natural flora and
fauna with orchards, vegetable fields and a collection of animals,
including rehabilitating birds of prey.
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Fanling & Sheung Shui
These old market towns are so close to the boundary with mainland
China that the skyscrapers of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone can be
seen through a gap in the hills. In fact, until just over a decade
ago, Lok Ma Chau Lookout Point provided the only easily accessible
panoramic views of China. Today, life centres on Luen Wo Market,
where stallholders do business in a traditional Chinese way. Their
noisy, commerce-driven world is best explored in the morning, when
the market is at its busiest. The big draws, however, are the area's
ancestral halls, including the restored Man Lun Fung Ancestral Hall
thought to have been erected at the end of the 17th Century. Another
is Liu Man Shek Tong Ancestral Hall, a finely preserved historical
monument built centuries ago by the Liu clan. It is a high-walled,
elaborately decorated clan centre in which ancestors were worshipped
and sons were prepared for imperial examinations. Tang Chung Ling
Ancestral Hall, meanwhile, was built in 1525 and boasts exquisitely
carved decoration.
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Tsuen Wan Area
Tsuen Wan is notable as the access point to Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong's
tallest mountain. Rising 957 metres above sea level, it offers
breathtaking views of the coastal plain of mainland China's Deep
Bay. Also above Tsuen Wan, Chuk Lam Shim Yuen - or "Bamboo Forest
Monastery" - is famed for its three "Precious Buddha" statues. In
nearby Lo Wai ("Old Walled Village"), the large temple complex of
the Yuen Yuen Institute is dedicated to Hong Kong's three major
religions - Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Its circular main
structure is a replica of Beijing's magnificent Temple of Heaven.
Stepping into the modern era, the Airport Core Programme (ACP)
Exhibition Centre is a must-see for aviation buffs, charting the
construction of Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok and
associated infrastructure. At a cost of HK$155.3 billion, the ACP's
10 projects comprised the world's largest civil-engineering
programme. The centre is also a good vantage point for viewing the
Tsing Ma Bridge, the world's longest road-and-rail suspension bridge
at 2.2 kilometres.
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Tuen Mun Area
The ancient garrison town and port of Tuen Mun is celebrated for its
temples. Most notable is Miu Fat Buddhist Monastery, whose entrance
is guarded by a pair of spectacular 20-metre-long dragons. The
monastery, decorated with many Buddhist sculptures and paintings, is
renowned throughout Southeast Asia as an important centre of
Buddhist learning. Ching Chung Koon, a popular Taoist temple complex
that includes a home for the aged, was founded in 1949 in what was
then a rural retreat. It also contains many valuable ancient
treasures, lanterns from Beijing's Forbidden City, and traditional
Chinese gardens featuring miniature bonsai trees and lily ponds.
Those who simply wish to kick back and relax rather than sightsee
should head for the Gold Coast Resort. On weekends and public
holidays, the resort hosts the Gold Coast Montmartre. Like the
original Montmartre in Paris, the Hong Kong version features a
lively flea market where artisans sell handicrafts and jewellery,
artists sketch portraits, and musicians, mimes and dancers
occassionally entertain crowds.
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Yuen Long Area
Yuen Long is linked to Tsuen Wan and Tsing Yi by the Tuen Mun
Highway and Route 3 through Ting Kau Bridge. The motorway and bridge
present sensational panoramas of Lantau and Hong Kong Island, as
well as the sea channel leading to mainland China's Deep Bay and
Pearl Estuary. Yuen Long is also the site of Hong Kong's most
spectacular celebration during the Tin Hau Festival, which takes
place each spring. Just outside Yuen Long is Kam Tin Walled Village
built about 400 years ago. The village has a fascinating history as
a stronghold against rival clans and wandering bands of pirates.
Even tigers once prowled this area. Now modernised, it still
features guardhouse towers and a moat filled with water lilies.
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Mai Po
The marshlands of Mai Po, along the Deep Bay coastline, attract
flocks of migrant birds from across East Asia. Entry to this bird
sanctuary, which is managed by the local branch of the World Wide
Fund for Nature, is carefully restricted.
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Clear Water Bay
Peninsula
This pretty peninsula, with its high hills, sandy coves and country
park, is aptly known by the name of its finest swimming and
sunbathing beach - Clear Water Bay. The area is packed with sights
and attractions, both natural and man-made. Tung Lung Island is a
favourite where visitors can marvel at Hong Kong's largest rock
carving. Measuring 1.8 metres by 2.4 metres, this striking
Bronze-Age relief is believed to represent a dragon. Also on the
north shore of the island are the remains of a Qing Dynasty fort.
The area of Joss House Bay is home to the longest established and
most revered Tin Hau temple in Hong Kong. Dedicated to the goddess
of the sea, the very first temple was built on nearby Tung Lung
Island in AD 1012 by two shipwrecked brothers. A typhoon destroyed
that temple, and the family rebuilt it on its present site in AD
1266. The temple is the focus of celebrations during Tin Hau's
birthday on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, when hundreds of
bunting-clad fishing vessels sail into the bay.
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Sai Kung Peninsula
In the eastern part of the New Territories, the peninsula of Sai
Kung has been designated a prime recreational area. It is a popular
destination for walkers, picnickers, swimmers and yachtsmen.
Visitors can hire sampans and junks for leisurely trips through the
beautiful island-dotted inland sea of Port Shelter, or stroll around
the regional market centre of Sai Kung Town. It boasts an attractive
fishing harbour, a fresh-fish market, an old Tin Hau Temple and
several Western-style pubs and restaurants. The nearby Lions Nature
Education Centre promotes nature education and field studies for
schools, organisations and the public.
OUTLYING ISLANDS
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Lantau Island
Home of Hong Kong International Airport, Lantau Island is a major
tourist attraction. Twice the size of Hong Kong Island, yet
currently home to just over 25,000 people, it is steeped in history
and blessed with magnificent mountains and fine beaches, as well as
the world's largest, seated, outdoor bronze Buddha statue. Ferries
from Central call frequently at its Mui Wo (Silvermine Bay) pier.
There is also an excursion ferry service at weekends to its most
picturesque fishing village of Tai O.
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Po Lin Monastery &
The Big Buddha
One of Hong Kong's major Buddhist centres, Po Lin Monastery is
Lantau's most popular tourist attraction. Set amid spectacular
mountain scenery, the monastery shares Ngong Ping Plateau with the
famous Big Buddha, the world's largest, seated, outdoor, bronze
Buddha statue. Visitors can walk up the 268 steps to visit the
26-metre-high, 202-tonne wonder. More ambitious hikers can climb
nearby Lantau Peak. At 934 metres, it is Hong Kong's second highest
peak.
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Tung Chung
The last of the Sung Dynasty emperors and their 'travelling palace'
stayed for a while in the valley behind this ancient fishing
village, which is a pleasant 90-minute downhill walk from Po Lin
Monastery. Be sure to visit Hau Wong Temple, a lovely tiered-roof
structure from the 18th Century, as well as the harbourside Qing
Dynasty fort. This cannon-decked early 19th Century battery was
built to repel pirates and invaders.
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Tai O Fishing Village
Located on the far north-westerly edge of Lantau, this is a rare
example of a Chinese stilt-house community. As its Tanka boat people
do not feel safe on land, many live in tiny homes built on stilts
above the tidal waters. Their enchanting world is an amateur
photographer's paradise accessible by an hour-long bus ride from Mui
Wo. A new manually operated drawbridge spans the narrow creek that
divides the town. It replaces an old-fashioned rope-drawn "ferry"
that operated for over 86 years.
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Hong Kong
International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok is truly an
architectural wonder. Designed by acclaimed British architect Sir
Norman Foster, this awesome state-of-the-art structure is one of the
world's largest and most modern airports, making Hong Kong the
gateway to Asia. The airport is connected to downtown Hong Kong via
a dramatic chain of highways and bridges.
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Cheung Chau
Chau means "island" and Cheung means "long" in Chinese, but this
popular dumbbell-shaped island is actually relatively small, at just
2.4 square kilometres end to end. Over the centuries, the sand-bar
township between its two hilly extremities has developed a
Mediterranean ambience and become the most populated of all island
communities. The most popular beach is Tung Wan Beach, where
3,000-year-old Bronze-Age rock carvings can be seen just a 15-minute
walk from the ferry pier linking the island to Central. A
wind-surfing centre lies on a nearby promontory. This is where Hong
Kong's Lee Lai-shan trained to take the gold medal during the
Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Farther along is smaller Kwun Yum Wan
Beach.
The cheerfully crowded harbour-side promenade is well worth a
stroll. Visitors pass balconied shophouses and banyan "spirit of
fertility" trees. Built in 1783, the island's Pak Tai Temple is
dedicated to the Taoist "Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven".
Completely repainted in 1989, it is gloriously colourful. Its inner
treasures include a Sung Dynasty sword and an antique sedan chair.
Carnival time is centred on the temple every spring during the
island's week-long Bun Festival, a century-old event designed to
placate ghosts of locals massacred by pirates.
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Lamma Island
Lamma Island is one of Hong Kong's most adored weekend getaways. In
fact, many city folk love the island so much that they have moved
here in recent years, creating a thriving community of expatriates
and commuting locals. Clean air, golden beaches, delicious seafood
and fantastic hiking are the main draws. One of the island's easiest
and most popular walks connects the two main villages of Sok Kwu Wan
and Yung Shue Wan. This panoramic hike passes by swimming coves and
fertile vegetable farms. Other paths lead up and around Mount
Stenhouse on the south of the island. Sun worshippers, meanwhile,
head for the beaches of Hung Shing Yeh and Lo So Shing.
Yung Shue Wan showcases many Western cafes, pubs and handicraft
shops along its car-free main street. The village also boasts a Tin
Hau Temple built more than 100 years ago. On the other side of the
island, people come from all over the world to sample the seafood at
Sok Kwu Wan's plethora of terraced restaurants raised on stilts
above the bay. Fresh chilli crab, garlic prawns, deep-fried squid
and steamed fish with ginger and spring onions are all firm
favourites.
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Peng Chau
About a third of the size of Cheung Chau, and linked to its
neighbour by an inter-island ferry service, Peng Chau has many of
the bigger island's charms, but on a more intimate scale. They
include an attractive fishing harbour, a two-century-old Tin Hau
temple, a morning fish market and a small township whose warren of
lanes reveals many aspects of traditional rural life. Hand-painted
porcelain is a true cottage industry here. For a pleasant walk
through the village and surrounding hills, visitors can follow the
sign-posted Family Trail. Afterwards, fresh seafood can be bought at
the old pier and taken to nearby restaurants to be cooked. If time
permits, visitors might like to board a local kaido ferry at the old
pier for a side-trip across a short sea channel to Lantau Island's
peaceful hilltop Trappist Monastery.
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Po Toi Islands
The picturesque Po Toi Islands lie off the southeastern tip of Hong
Kong Island. Po Toi, the largest of the chain, is a rugged outcrop
with much to offer visitors, including invigorating walks along
coastal paths and a rough granite headland where cliffs drop away to
the South China Sea. It also features hikes over rough hill trails,
ancient rock carvings and, if you are lucky, thrilling encounters
with wildlife such as white-bellied sea eagles and turtles.
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Other Islands
Various handy ferry and kaido services enable island-hopping
visitors to see much more of Hong Kong's charming, more remote
villages. One example is the old-fashioned fishing community of Tap
Mun - accessible via Tolo Harbour or Sai Kung. For visitors wishing
to learn more about these scenic spots, pay a visit to the Explore
Outlying Islands Hong Kong website. This site contains a bevy of
interesting destinations including information on scenic points and
maps to aid your excursions.
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Sightseeing
Information provided by
Hong Kong Tourism Board.
