Places to See in Hong Kong
From Track2Asia
|
Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak is Hong Kong's top visitor attraction, providing wonderful view over the city.
The views from the Peak is simply magnificent! Feast your eyes on Kowloon as you view it from a hilltop. Indeed, Victoria Peak will give you postcard-perfect vistas of Hong Kong.
How do you get there? A train ride, of course, straight up the mountain, and how! The Peak Tram is a railway that takes you up the steep 373-metre mountainside. The ride itself is exciting! The train chugs along a steep incline. Be sure to sit on the right side of the tram, nearest the entrances. The view is better, plus you get to avoid looking just at fog and mist. If you want to go via another route, try the bus in front of the Star Ferry Pier, in Central. This bus can take you right up to the Peak Tram terminus. You and your kids will surely love this ride. Be sure to ride on the upper deck. The open top makes it a more enjoyable experience.
Inside the Peak Tram station building, you can enjoy various rides, shops, museums, restaurants and viewing areas. Hey, there is even a McDonald’s restaurant if you are hankering for a burger and fries. Be warned, though, it is almost always full and seats are hard to find.
Women Street/Ladies’ Market
This market is all laden with “soft” goods – dolls, towels, potpourri, rugs and of course, clothes. This market is situated in Mongkok District, at Tung Choi street. For those more interested in computers and techno-gadgets, the Mongkok Computer Shopping Center is just around the corner. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes and come any time in the afternoon.
City Life
Take a city walk to see Hong Kong’s vibrant city life. The streets of Hong Kong are bursting with color and life. Make sure to go to the usual Hong Kong sites – Temple Street, Seafood Street, Ladies Street and Apliu Street. For a more complete list, log on to the Hong Kong Tourist Board’s official site: discoverhongkong.com.
Get to know Hong Kong and its everyday life – go to see the opulent houses then visit public housing estates, visit the fresh food market, shop at the superstores then go to the smaller and more traditional shops. Feel free to amble along the streets – these are secure for the most part.
Guided Walk
Take a walk! Get to know Hong Kong through the free walking tours offered by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. These include the Architecture Walk and the Nature Kaleidoscope Walk.
Nature
Hong Kong is not just about shopping malls and skyscrapers. There are delightful natural landscapes as well.
- Lantau Island: Enjoy the tranquility afforded by this quaint fishing village. Here in this open countryside that is double the size of Hong Kong Island, you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and simply laze in the sun. Explore the quiet beaches, undiscovered coves, monasteries and more. Enjoy the pleasures of nature while swimming, hiking, fishing, camping or traveling on a mountain bike.
- Hong Kong Wetland Park: Right at the heart of an ecological mitigation area, you can find that this park that is a treasure trove of natural wonders. Go bird watching, stroll along the boardwalks, look at the natural habitats of animals indigenous to Hong Kong. Your children will surely love the interactive exhibits in the museum. This park is also wheelchair and stroller friendly. Take the KCR West Rail going to Tin Shui Wai Station. After which, you take the #705 light rail – this leads you to the park.
- Sai Kung: This hilly peninsula is good for hiking and biking. “Am She Tsim” or Sharp Peak is perhaps the most challenging.
- Hiking Trails: If you are in the mood for just a short hike, the New Territories and Hong Kong Island offers a lot of these. The trails may be completed for around two hours.
Traditional Heritage
Hong Kong is rich in tradition and history and there are many places you can visit to observe this fact:
New Territories:
- Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin
- Che Kung Temple, also in Sha Tin
- Ping Shan Heritage Trail in Tin Shui Wai
- Tsang Tai Uk
- Man Mo Temple and Fu Shin Street Bazaar
Other Traditional Heritage Sites include:
- The Kowloon Walled City Park in Kowloon City
- The Po Lin Monastery and the Tien Tan Buddha Statue (the world’s largest outdoor Buddha) in Lantau Island
Theme Parks
- Disneyland - The place of magical dreams has come to Hong Kong. Situated on Lantau Island, Disneyland Hong Kong opened its doors to the public last September 12, 2005. It is smaller than the ones in the United States, but it is no less magical. The park has four main areas. Get into jungle escapades in Adventureland. Meet Mickey and the rest of the Disney gang at Fantasyland. This is where you can find Mickey’s 3-D show and its amazing effects. Ready for rides that will leave you breathless? Ride the Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters. These rides and others await you at Tomorrowland. If you get hungry from all the rides and shopping, do not worry – all these three main areas have restaurants and shops. For souvenirs, go to Main Street, USA.
- Ocean Park - Situated on the southern side of Hong Kong Island, you will find Ocean Park. It has been open to the public for 30 years but it still excites and delights. Rides are just one one the attractions. It also has dolphin and great white shows and a large aquarium where you can look at the world under the sea. Get a different high as you ride the cable cars. These afford spectacular views of the park and the South China Sea. It also links the two main areas of the park.
Museums
You can learn a lot about Hong Kong’s culture just by mingling with the people on the streets. If this is not enough for you, however, you can visit the numerous museums in Hong Kong. Be sure not to miss the Hong Kong Museum of History.
Horseracing
Go to a horse racing arena, and you will find out that horseracing is much more than just a sport in Hong Kong. It is passionately followed by millions of people.
