2Hong Kong ParkF6
3HSBC BuildingF5
4Man Mo TempleC3
5Peak TramF6
6St John's CathedralF5
7Victoria PeakA6
1Sights
8Clockenflap Outdoor Music FestivalG3
9One International Finance CentreE3
10Two International Finance CentreF3
2Activities, Courses & Tours
11Fringe ClubE5
12Star FerryG2
13Ten Feet TallD3
14Wan Kei Ho International Martial Arts AssociationC2
4Sleeping
15Bishop Lei International HouseD5
16Four SeasonsE2
17Helena MayF6
18Landmark Mandarin OrientalE5
19Mandarin OrientalF4
20PottingerE4
5Eating
21BossE4
22CapriceE2
23City Hall Maxim's PalaceG4
24Dumpling YuanD4
25Kau Kee RestaurantD3
26Luk Yu Tea HouseE4
Lung King HeenE2
27Tim Ho Wan, the Dim Sum SpecialistsF3
28Yung Kee RestaurantE4
6Drinking & Nightlife
29Club 71D3
30MO BarE4
31QuinaryD4
32Red BarF3
33SevvaF4
3Entertainment
Fringe ClubE5
34Grappa's CellarF4
Peel FrescoD4
7Shopping
35ArmouryE5
36Blanc de ChineF4
37Chan Shing KeeC3
38Gallery of the Pottery WorkshopD4
39Grotto Fine ArtD5
40IFC MallF3
41JoyceH6
42PCCWE3
44PMQC3
45Shanghai TangE5
oVictoria PeakVIEWPOINT
(維多利亞山頂 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2522 0922; www.thepeak.com.hk; h24hr; gBus 15 from Central, below Exchange Sq, dPeak Tram Lower Terminus)F
Standing at 552m, Victoria Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island. The Peak is also one of the most visited spots by tourists in Hong Kong, and it’s not hard to see why. Sweeping views of the vibrant metropolis, verdant woods, easy but spectacular walks – all reachable in just eight minutes from Central by Hong Kong’s earliest form of transport.
The best way to reach the Peak is by the 125-year-old gravity-defying Peak Tram. Rising almost vertically above the high-rises nearby, Asia’s oldest funicular clanks its way up the hillside to finish at the Peak Tower. The lower terminus in Central has an interesting gallery that houses a replica of the earliest carriage. The Peak Galleria, adjoining the anvil-shaped Peak Tower, has an admission-free viewing deck, though its harbour views are obscured.
Some 500m to the northwest of the upper terminus, up steep Mt Austin Rd, is the site of the old governor’s summer lodge, which was burned to the ground by Japanese soldiers during WWII. The beautiful gardens still remain, however, and have been refurbished with faux-Victorian gazebos, sundials, benches and stone pillars. They are open to the public.
The dappled 3.5km circuit formed by Harlech Rd on the south, just outside the Peak Lookout, and Lugard Rd on the northern slope, which it runs into, takes about 45 minutes to cover. A further 2km along Peak Rd will lead you to Pok Fu Lam Reservoir Rd. Hatton Rd, reachable by Lugard or Harlech Rds, on the western slope goes all the way down to the University of Hong Kong. The 50km Hong Kong Trail also starts on the Peak.
oMan Mo TempleTAOIST TEMPLE
(文武廟 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2540 0350; 124-126 Hollywood Rd, Sheung Wan; h8am-6pm; g26)F
One of Hong Kong’s oldest temples and a declared monument, atmospheric Man Mo Temple is dedicated to the gods of literature (‘Man’), holding a writing brush, and of war (‘Mo’), wielding a sword. Built in 1847 during the Qing dynasty by wealthy Chinese merchants, it was, besides a place of worship, a court of arbitration for local disputes when trust was thin between the Chinese and the colonialists.
HONG KONG | ZHU DIFENG/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
Admiralty's location between water and hills means sights are clustered on slopes or by the sea. Scenic stretches of manicured green are dotted with low-rises with a military past or skyscrapers housing government offices. The section of Wan Chai between Queen's Rd East and Johnston Rd, where the old coastline used to be, is rich with ancient and modern heritage, while the new harbourfront, to the north on reclaimed land, has monuments to culture, commerce and sovereignty. A park lies between Causeway Bay and the area served by Tin Hau MTR station. The latter also features a temple and the leisurely neighbourhood of Tai Hang.
Wan Chai & Causeway Bay
1Sights
1Art Basel Hong KongB2
2Tin Hau TempleG2
2Activities, Courses & Tours
3Happy Valley RacecourseD4
4Sleeping
4Check InnC3
5Hotel IndigoB4
6TuveG1
5Eating
7Atum DesserantD2
8Fortune KitchenE3
9Kam's Roast GooseB3
6Drinking & Nightlife
10MyHouseA4
SkybarB4
11Tai Lung FungB4
3Entertainment
12Focal FairF3
13Hong Kong Arts CentreA2
7Shopping
14EsliteE2
15Wan Chai Computer CentreB3
oHappy Valley RacecourseHORSE RACING
(跑馬地馬場 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2895 1523; www.hkjc.com/home/english/index.asp; 2 Sports Rd, Happy Valley; HK$10; h7-10.30pm Wed Sep-Jun; jHappy Valley)
An outing at the races is one of the quintessential Hong Kong things to do, especially if you happen to be around during one of the weekly Wednesday evening races here. The punters pack into the stands and trackside, cheering, drinking and eating, and the atmosphere is electric.
The first horse races were held here in 1846. Now meetings are held both here and at the newer and larger (but less atmospheric) Sha Tin Racecourse (沙田賽馬場 GOOGLE MAP ; www.hkjc.com; Penfold Park; race-day public stands HK$10, members' enclosures HK$100-150; mRacecourse) in the New Territories. Check the website for details on betting and tourist packages. Take the eastbound Happy Valley tram to the final stop and cross the road to the racecourse.
oHong Kong ParkPARK
(香港公園 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2521 5041; www.lcsd.gov.hk/parks/hkp/en/index.php; 19 Cotton Tree Dr, Admiralty; hpark 6am-11pm; c; mAdmiralty, exit C1)F
Designed to look anything but natural, Hong Kong Park is one of the most unusual parks in the world, emphasising artificial creations such as its fountain plaza, conservatory, waterfall, indoor games hall, playground, taichi garden, viewing tower, museum and arts centre. For all its artifice, the 8-hectare park is beautiful in its own weird way and, with a wall of skyscrapers on one side and mountains on the other, makes for some dramatic photographs.
Hong Kong Park is an easy walk from either Central or the Admiralty MTR station.
Para SiteGALLERY
( GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2517 4620; www.para-site.org.hk; 22/F, Wing Wah Industrial Bldg, 677 King’s Rd, Quarry Bay; hnoon-7pm Wed-Sun; mQuarry Bay, exit C)
From this new address in Quarry Bay, the respected independent art space Para Site continues to mount exhibitions of contemporary art that question the very values of society and contemporary existence. The exhibitions usually have a Hong Kong or Asian focus but universal relevance.
Tin Hau TempleTEMPLE
Hong Kong Island’s most famous Tin Hau (Goddess of the Sea) temple has lent its name to an entire neighbourhood, a metro station and a street. It has been a place of worship for 370 years and, despite renovations, imparts an air of antiquity, particularly in the intricate stone carvings near the entrance and the ceramic figurines from Shi
wan decorating the roof. The main altar contains an effigy of the goddess with a blackened face.
Flagstaff House Museum of Tea WareMUSEUM
(旗桿屋茶具文物館 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2869 0690; www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/en_US/web/ma/tea-ware.html; 10 Cotton Tree Dr, Admiralty; h10am-6pm Wed-Mon; mAdmiralty, exit C1)F
Built in 1846 as the home of the commander of the British forces, Flagstaff House is the oldest colonial building in Hong Kong still standing in its original spot. Its colonnaded verandahs exude a Greek Revival elegance that is complemented by the grace of the tea ware from the 11th to the 20th century – bowls, brewing trays, sniffing cups (used particularly for enjoying the fragrance of the finest oolong from Taiwan) and teapots made of porcelain or purple clay from Yíxìng.
The ground-floor cafe is a great place to recharge over a pot of fine tea. The museum also runs tea-appreciation classes. Call for details. Flagstaff House sits on Hong Kong Park’s northernmost tip.
Aberdeen & South Hong Kong Island
The southern part of Hong Kong Island lays claim to Hong Kong's richest fishing culture. You'll see the homes, markets and temples, both traditional and modern, of Hong Kong's 'people of the water'. The island's south is also home to its last surviving urban village and remnants of a dairy, as well as some of the territory's most popular sunbathing spots.
oAberdeen PromenadeWATERFRONT
(香港仔海濱公園 GOOGLE MAP ; Aberdeen Praya Rd, Aberdeen)F
Tree-lined Aberdeen Promenade runs from west to east on Aberdeen Praya Rd across the water from Ap Lei Chau. On its western end is sprawling Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market (香港仔魚市場 GOOGLE MAP ; Aberdeen Promenade, Aberdeen) with its industrial-strength water tanks teeming with marine life. It's pungent and grimy, but 100% Hong Kong. Before reaching the market, you'll pass berthed house boats and seafood-processing vessels. (We detected a karaoke parlour or two as well.)
StanleyVILLAGE
(赤柱 GOOGLE MAP )
This crowd pleaser is best visited on weekdays. Stanley Market (赤柱市集 GOOGLE MAP ; Stanley Village Rd, Stanley; h9am-6pm; g6, 6A, 6X or 260) is a maze of alleyways that has bargain clothing (haggling is a must!), while Stanley Main Beach (赤柱正灘 GOOGLE MAP ; g6A, 14) is for beach-bumming and windsurfing. With graves dating back to 1841, Stanley Military Cemetery (赤柱軍人墳場 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2557 3498; Wong Ma Kok Rd, Stanley; h8am-5pm; g14, 6A), 500m south of the market, is worth a visit.
HONG KONG IN...
ONE DAY
Catch a tram up to Victoria Peak for great views of the city, stopping for lunch in Central on the way down. Head to Man Mo Temple for a taste of history before boarding the Star Ferry to Kowloon. Enjoy the views along Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade as you stroll over to the Hong Kong Museum of History. Dine on ultraluxe Cantonese cuisine (think seafood) at Boss in Central. After dinner, take the MTR to Soho for drinks at Club 71.
TWO DAYS
In addition to the above, you could go to Aberdeen for a boat ride, then seafood and shopping. After dark, head to the Temple Street Night Market for sightseeing, shopping and street food.
Kowloon
Kowloon has most of Hong Kong's major museums, as well as some of its most fascinating street markets. Many of its attractions revolve around views of the Hong Kong Island skyline, which can be best seen from the Kowloon waterfront and various high-rise bars and restaurants.
Kowloon
1Top Sights
1Hong Kong Museum of HistoryD1
2Kowloon ParkB2
3Tsim Sha Tsui East PromenadeC4
1Sights
4Hong Kong Cultural CentreB4
2Activities, Courses & Tours
5Hong Kong DolphinwatchA4
4Sleeping
6Dragon InnB3
7Empire KowloonC2
Holiday GuesthouseB3
8Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha TsuiC3
9Mariner's ClubC3
New China GuesthouseB3
Park GuesthouseB3
10Peninsula Hong KongB3
11SalisburyB4
12Urban PackB3
5Eating
13Chicken HOF & Soju KoreanC1
14Din Tai FungA3
15Gaddi'sB3
6Drinking & Nightlife
16AquaB3
17InterContinental Lobby LoungeC4
18Pacific Coffee CompanyB2
3Entertainment
19Hong Kong Cultural CentreB4
7Shopping
K11 Art MallC3
K11 SelectC3
8Information
20China Travel Services OfficeB3
21Forever Bright Trading LimitedD2
22Kowloon HKTB CentreA4
Transport
23Cathay PacificA4
24China Ferry TerminalA2
25Eternal East Cross Border CoachB3
26Star Ferry Bus TerminalA4
oTsim Sha Tsui East PromenadeHARBOUR
(尖沙嘴東部海濱花園 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Salisbury Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit E)
One of the finest city skylines in the world has to be that of Hong Kong Island, and the promenade here is one of the best ways to get an uninterrupted view. It’s a lovely place to stroll around during the day, but it really comes into its own in the evening, during the nightly Symphony of Lights (Kowloon waterfront; h8-8.20pm), a spectacular sound-and-light show involving 44 buildings on the Hong Kong Island skyline.
oShanghai StreetSTREET
(上海街 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Yau Ma Tei; mYau Ma Tei, exit C)
Strolling down Shanghai St will take you back to a time long past. Once Kowloon’s main drag, it's flanked by stores selling Chinese wedding gowns, sandalwood incense and Buddha statues, as well as mah-jong parlours and an old pawn shop (at the junction with Saigon St). This is a terrific place for souvenirs – fun picks include wooden mooncake moulds stamped with images of fish or pigs or lucky sayings, bamboo steamer baskets, long chopsticks meant for stirring pots and pretty ceramic bowls.
Yau Ma Tei
1Top Sights
1Shanghai StreetB1
2Temple Street Night MarketB1
5Eating
3Sun SinB1
6Drinking & Nightlife
4Kubrick Bookshop CaféB1
3Entertainment
Broadway CinemathequeB1
5Canton Singing HouseB1
7Shopping
Shanghai StreetB1
6Yue Hwa Chinese Products EmporiumC3
oTemple Street Night MarketMARKET
(廟街夜市 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Temple St, Yau Ma Tei; h6-11pm; mYau Ma Tei, exit C)
The liveliest night market in Hong Kong, Temple St extends from Man Ming Lane in the north to Nanking St in the south and is cut in two by the Tin Hau Temple complex. While you may find better bargains further north in New Kowloon, and certainly over the border in Shēnzhèn, it is still a good place to go for the bustling atmosphere and the smells and tastes on offer from the dai pai dong (open-air street stall) food.
oYuen Po Street Bird Garden & Flower MarketPARK
(園圃街雀鳥花園, 花墟 GOOGLE MAP ; Yuen Po & Boundary Sts, Mong Kok; h7am-8pm; mPrince Edward, exit B1)
In this enchanting corner of Mong Kok, you will find a handful of old men out ‘walking’ their caged songbirds. Stick around long enough and you should see birds being fed squirming caterpillars with chopsticks. There are also feathered creatures for sale, along with elaborate cages carved from teak (an excellent souvenir, in our opinion). Adjacent to the garden is the flower market, which theoretically keeps the same hours, but only gets busy after 10am.
Don't miss shops choked with thousands of multihued orchids, all cheap as chips.
oSik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin TempleTAOIST TEMPLE
(嗇色園黃大仙祠 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2351 5640, 852 2327 8141; www.siksikyuen.org.hk; 2 Chuk Yuen Village, Wong Tai Sin; donation HK$2; h7am-5.30pm; mWong Tai Sin, exit B2)
An explosion of colourful pillars, roofs, lattice work,
flowers and incense, this busy temple is a destination for all walks of Hong Kong society, from pensioners and business people to parents and young professionals.
Some come simply to pray, others to divine the future with chìm – bamboo ‘fortune sticks’ that are shaken out of a box on to the ground and then read by a fortune-teller (they’re available free from the left of the main temple).
oChi Lin NunneryBUDDHIST MONASTERY
(志蓮淨苑 GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2354 1888; www.chilin.org; 5 Chi Lin Dr, Diamond Hill; hnunnery 9am-4.30pm, garden 6.30am-7pm; mDiamond Hill, exit C2)F
One of the most beautiful and arrestingly built environments in Hong Kong, this large Buddhist complex, originally dating from the 1930s, was rebuilt completely of wood (and not a single nail) in the style of the Tang dynasty in 1998. It is a serene place, with lotus ponds, immaculate bonsai tea plants and bougainvillea, and silent nuns delivering offerings of fruit and rice to Buddha and arhats (Buddhist disciples freed from the cycle of birth and death) or chanting behind intricately carved screens.
oHong Kong Museum of HistoryMUSEUM
(香港歷史博物館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %852 2724 9042; http://hk.history.museum; 100 Chatham Rd South, Tsim Sha Tsui; adult/concession HK$10/5, Wed free; h10am-6pm Mon & Wed-Sat, to 7pm Sun; c; mTsim Sha Tsui, exit B2)
For a whistle-stop overview of the territory’s archaeology, ethnography, and natural and local history, this museum is well worth a visit, not just to learn more about the subject but also to understand how Hong Kong presents its stories to the world. ‘The Hong Kong Story’ takes visitors through the territory’s past via eight galleries, starting with the natural environment and prehistoric Hong Kong – about 6000 years ago, give or take a lunar year – and ending with the territory’s return to China in 1997.