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Look down upon some
of the tallest skyscrapers in the world.
Hong Kong's skyline is superb. In fact, it is arguably the most famous visual feature of the city. Not only do the soaring buildings
inspire awe from onlookers, but the luscious green Victoria Peak also stands behind these ultimate signs of development as the towering king of the Hong Kong
skyline. Travel up to The Peak to view the panorama from above. The Peak Tram, dating back to 1888, still ushers passengers up The Peak on a steep
funicular railway. Departs every 10-15 minutes from The Peak Tram Station, Garden Road, Central. |
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Have your fortune read, listen to Cantonese opera and buy a silk outfit,
all at the same market after dark.
The city is dotted with markets, but no place comes more alive with bargaining and street shopping than Kowloon, where the Temple Street
Night Market heats up from sunset and well into the night. While fortunetellers, palm readers and herbalists attempt to tap into your aura,
Cantonese opera singers perform for your entertainment. Stands selling everything from clothing, cookware and jewellery to audio visual
equipment are open for haggling. Duck into one of the many open-air restaurants for fresh seafood delights to end the night. MTR: Jordan, Exit A |
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Dine at a gigantic floating Chinese kingdom. Anchored in Aberdeen Harbour, Jumbo Kingdom is a Hong Kong landmark and tourist attraction. The ornately decorated vessel is enormous, standing out in the harbour as an ancient imperial Chinese palace among the
usual fishing boats. Established in 1976 by Stanley Ho, another Hong Kong icon, Jumbo Kingdom is home to a number of Chinese restaurants and a fusion eatery
on its top deck. Take bus 70 or 75 from Exchange Square Bus Terminal in Central to Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen. Tel: 2553 9111 |
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Travel back in time.
There are no time machines in Hong Kong, but you can feel like you are on one by getting around the city on the same forms of transportation that have
been in use for over 100 years - the Star Ferry, The Peak Tram and the double-decker trams on Hong Kong Island. Passengers
on these literally travel back in time, whether it be over land, water or mountain. Even better, the Star Ferry and the trams
are the most inexpensive forms of transport in town. |
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Have a suit tailor-made in less than twelve hours.
Mix together established garment and textile industries with a demand for high quality suits from a thriving financial sector
and the legacy of colonialism, and what do you have? An abundance of fashionable tailors throughout
Hong Kong. Since time matters, many tailors still promise suits made in a flash, as in between eight and twenty-fours hours, while others can
precisely make a suit to the customer's taste in a matter of days. Clients can choose everything from the fabric to the size, but if you have a
favourite suit bring it in as an example. |
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Walk on a dragon's back.
According to the principles of feng shui, a belief that is prevalent throughout Hong Kong, a mountain ridge is a dragon's back. In Shek O
Country Park, the Dragon's Back Trail is a dramatic ridge on the southeast corner of Hong Kong Island. Walk along the spine of the
dragon for breathtaking views from the surfer's hangout of Big Wave Bay down to the popular seaside village of Shek O and immerse yourself
in the Qi (life force) of feng shui without even knowing it. Walk Hong Kong holds hiking tours along the Dragon's Back for $300. Tel: 9359 9071 or 9187 8641 |
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Take in a sound and light show 365 nights a year, alongside Jackie Chan.
He may not be real, but everyday Jackie Chan is at the Avenue of Stars, a pedestrian path that veers along the water while at the same time touting
Hong Kong's rich film history. Every night at 8pm, A Symphony of Lights, a 20-minute light and audio show projected on the skyscrapers along the harbour, kicks
off, and the Avenue of Stars has a front row view. Bruce Lee and Jet Li are also in attendance. Accessible from the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR or Star Ferry. |
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Escape the city to an island paradise in half an hour.
Good-bye concrete city; hello sand, sun and beaches. Daily ferries from Hong Kong Island usher visitors off to island escapes in less than the amount
of time it takes you to decide where to go. Take your pick from laid-back Lamma Island, where no cars are allowed, or charming Cheung Chau to
visitor-friendly Discovery Bay or rustic Mui Wo on Lantau Island. All are relaxing, refreshing and removed from urban life. Island ferries are located at Central Ferry piers 3 to 6. |
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Fill up on dim sum to "touch the heart".
Spain has its tapas, but Hong Kong has its dim sum. Meaning "touch of the heart" or "little heart", dim sum is food for the soul, and it is no joke in Hong Kong.
Handmade, rather than factory created, dim sum is a Cantonese delicacy, arriving at the table one dish at a time. Taken by locals for breakfast or brunch, it is a mustdo meal for tourists. Try the har gao, shrimp dumplings, and the cha siu bao, barbecued pork dumplings, for complete culinary satisfaction. |
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Shop in the heat of summer without having to step outside.
Hong Kong is a happening city, but in the summer it is a hot and humid one as well. The invention of air-conditioning has shaped the
way people move around the city in the search for periodic reprieves from the sweltering heat. The shopping gods have blessed
Hong Kong with quite a few indoor shopping options with buildings and stores linked above ground by air conditioned overpasses
and underground by subways. The coolest shops in town are in Central at The Landmark, Prince's Building, Alexandra House, and
Chater House - all connected by indoor walkways. |
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