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IT IS bristling with skyscrapers and bursting with investment bankers, but Hong Kong is much more than a business hub – and you don’t have to be a cocktail-sipping Manolo Blahnik to get the best out of it. Every street corner here struggles for its own piece of the action. Shifty street-side astrologers vie with gleaming multi-storey malls, and busy beaches compete with cut-price electronic stores in town and at the glitzy Hong Kong Airport. Fairy-tale turrets and green hiking trails beckon you out of town, while steaming dim sum carts and harbour-view sundowners tug you back. Whatever you need, Hong Kong has the goods. Here’s our A-to-Z Hong Kong travel guide.
Getting Around Hong Kong
Hong Kong Airport (www.hongkongairport.com) – more correctly, Hong Kong International Airport – is large, airy and modern. Situated on Lantau Island, it connects to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island by bridge and snaking arteries of concrete and highways. There are two terminals – Terminal Two opened in 2008. Adding to the multitude of duty free shopping options already available at Terminal One, it has entertainment outlets such as a 4D movie theatre, and an Aviation Discovery Centre. The SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course is next door, where you can rent golf clubs, store your baggage, play nine holes, and get a foot massage. Also to distract you a smidgen, is the large and spiffy Sky Plaza mall. A taxi to town from the airport will set you back around 300 Hong Kong dollars (US$1 = HK$7.8) but the fast and convenient Airport Express train will whip you into town in 23 minutes for just HK$100. Catch it right outside the arrivals hall and get off in Kowloon or on Hong Kong Island. Hotel shuttles and taxis will jostle for your custom. On your way out, you can check-in for most flights at the Central and Kowloon Airport Express stations.
 See Slide Show
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| Hong Kong skyline from TST |
Taxis in Hong Kong are inexpensive, and drivers tend to know their stuff. English skills do seem to be patchy, but your concierge or even a passer-by can help with any difficulties. Flagfall has gone up to HK$20 but the meter rarely goes far above HK$60, even if you use one of the cross-harbour tunnels (which levy tolls). Few travellers consider renting cars, since parking spaces are such a pain to find – not to mention expensive. Trams, buses and the shiny, user-friendly MTR (Mass Transit Railway) all take change or a quick swipe of the city’s rechargeable electronic-payment Octopus smart cards (used to pay for virtually all public transport as well as convenience-store purchases). Pick up one of these at the Airport Express counter when you arrive or from MTR counters.
Pay at entry when you get on a bus. Fares are clearly marked on flip-cards on electronic displays. There’s no change returned – so do carry lots of coins. Buses are of course a super convenient way to get around, but they can be also a bit of a tourist attraction in themselves – think roller-coaster, nail-biting, tree-scraping action, all for not more than around HK$8. Try the double-decker Number 6 bus from Central to Stanley or Number 15 from Central up to The Peak. Sit in the front row up on top. For an introduction to the real Hong Kong there really is no better way than to trundle the length of the tram line. They’ve been running from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan since 1904, and cost just HK$2.30. How's that for an inflation beater?
Trams are boarded from the rear and you pay at the front (by the driver) when you alight. Sit up top, at the front. It’ll take you an hour or two, but there’ll be little you haven’t seen by the end of it. Or hop on the bobbing Star Ferry to do the famous shuttle from Hong Kong to Kowloon for HK$2.50 (Monday to Friday) or HK$3 on weekends and holidays. On with our Hong Kong guide.
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Hong Kong Travel Guide – Oddities, Gold Toilets, Tarrot, Tailors, Horses, Books
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| Man Mo Temple, Hollywood Road |
First, some offbeat – and some downright bizarre – detours. How about ogling a gold toilet? Visit the world’s most expensive bathroom decked out in 24-carat gold (including a solid gold toilet). The place is run by a local Hong Kong jewellery house (3D Gold, 28 Man Lok Street, Kowloon). Be sure to wear your shades: the gold is startling enough but the countless digi-cam flashes going off can be like hitting a rave at 2am. You probably won’t want to use the facility unless you have a real exhibitionist’s streak.
On the other hand, if your deep and buried mean streak needs a stroke, you can always slap a curse on your mortal enemies, or the boss. No, we’ve not been reading too much Harry Potter. We’ve just been to Causeway Bay, where, under the Canal Road flyover (or Ngo Keng Kiu) on Hennessy Road, you will find a number of angry-looking old women thrashing bits of paper with shoes and stamping on the pavement. They are performing a brand of folk-sorcery known as “villain-hitting”. Pay a small fee to choose whose name goes on the paper, and under the shoe. Take that, scumbags!
As many Hong Kong guide books recommend, why not rent a tram (www.hktramways.com) especially if you’re with a large group? Adorned with party lights, the special open-topped double-decker can be seen rumbling through the city most evenings packed with unsteady revellers. Better still, test out your sea legs and rent a junk for the day. These are large, wooden, two-tiered pleasure boats, and can come with catering (www.jaspasjunk.com) or without (www.jubilee.com.hk). Have your coxswain head to one of the outlying islands so you can lunch at a local outdoor seafood restaurant and then spend the rest of the day swimming and lazing about.
For a memorable – and free – panoramic sweep, make for the Hopewell Centre at 183 Queen’s Road East in Wanchai, where you can soar up and down 40 storeys in a glass “bubble lift”, at least until the building staff ask you to leave. Catch it on the 17th floor. Be warned, the revolving Chinese restaurant up top is only so-so.
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| Cube art at the IFC |
One of Hong Kong’s great institutions is Sam's Tailor (tel: [852] 2367-9423, www.samstailor.com) which occupies a tiny shop in scruffy Burlington Arcade, just off Nathan Road, on Kowloon's “Golden Mile”. It looks unprepossessing – until you see the photos of satisfied customers on the wall. Sam's outfits have been worn by royalty, pop stars, movie stars and several US presidents. Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Michael Jackson, Margaret Thatcher, John Travolta and Pavarotti have all come here to be measured by Manu Melwani. Good woollen suits start at around HK$2,900 (though lighter material is appreciably cheaper) and, famously, can be made in 24 hours. Shirts range in price from HK$350 to HK$620. It is wise to allow time for a second fitting.
Punters with an eye on heaving horseflesh should head to the Happy Valley Racecourse (www.happyvalleyracecourse.com). The night races have an almost beer-fest feel to them, although Hongkongers betting their life’s savings on horses with names such as “Pillow King” would probably disagree. The racing season runs from September to July.
Not far from here in the heart of redeveloping Wanchai is a delightful loft, tiny, homey, easy to miss, packed with every imagineable second hand book you could dream off. The Book Attic (tel: 2259-3103, 7-17 Amoy Street, www.bookattic.info), is run by Jennifer Li, a self-styled "book lover" who'd like you to fall in love with her collection over a leisurely chat and Chinese tea. For something new age, pop into The New Age Shop (tel: 2810-8694, www.newageshop.com.hk) on Old Bailey Street for alternative health books and holistic therapy ideas. The store offers resident and visiting practitioners including hypnotherapists, acupuncturists, psychics and tarot card readers. Or try Shakti Healing Circle (tel: 2521-5099, www.shaktihealingcircle.com).
Hong Kong Guide for Families, Museums, Parks, The Peak
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| Ocean Park cable car/ photo: Ocean Park |
Hong Kong has a well-earned reputation for boorishness but it is becoming more family-friendly of late. Since Hong Kong Disneyland (park.hongkongdisneyland.com) opened in 2005 the city has become a magnet for kid-toting couples. Those familiar with the US versions might not be easily won over by this pocket-sized model, but a good few thousand visitors a day go Mickey-mad for its themed environs, perky rides and restaurants with a Chinese flavour. The Disney-owned hotels close by are two of just a few great family-resort stays in Hong Kong. Find it all at Sunny Bay near the end of the Tung Chung MTR line on Lantau Island.
The only real rival for the theme-park crown here is homegrown Ocean Park (www.oceanpark.com.hk), which is undergoing a ‘Master Redevelopment Plan’. Its attractions appeal to a wider age range, with lunch-threatening rides (such as “Raging River” with a vertical drop and “Mine Train”, which is 85m above sea level), aquariums and animal shows – including four very popular and environmentally-minded pandas (their fibrous “poo poo” is used to make recycled paper). Opened in June of 2012, the nostalgic Old Hong Kong zone transports you to the Sixties with its Heritage Tram, recreated street scenes and throwback souvenirs. Spot penguins too. You can’t really beat the views at Ocean Park. The two parts of the park (the Lowland and the Headland) are connected by an exhilarating cableway, and views from the cars offer some of the most stunning scenery Hong Kong has to offer. The park is open from 10am till 6pm daily.
Fun for some, underwhelming for others is Noah’s Ark (www.noahsark.com.hk). At 270,000 sq ft, this full-sized model of the mythological Noah’s Ark has something for everyone. Children will enjoy the Ark Expo, with a 4D theatre, a snazzy meteorite exhibition, hand crafted animal sculptures in the Ark Garden, a Treasure House and Life Educational House. Little thrill-seekers can run along to Noah’s Adventureland, an outdoor activity extravaganza with rope courses, abseiling and more. Specially designed team building activities for corporate groups are also available. Tickets vary in prices per location.
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| Art deco old Bank of China |
The Big Buddha towers atop a breezy promontory on Lantau Island. The statue looks very cool in silhouette on the hillside but it has shaken things up for the reclusive monks at the adjacent Po Lin Monastery who have got sucked willy-nilly into the commercial hullabaloo. The statue is a good focus point for getting out of the city, and you get nice green views all around. No need to buy a ticket here – it’s free. You can also elbow your way into the monastery’s popular – though a bit hit and miss – vegetarian restaurant, enjoy some old temple architecture and light a few incense sticks. Give the Buddha a miss at the weekend if you dislike crowds.
A short walk from the giant statue is Ngong Ping 360 (www.np360.com.hk), a complex of newly built family attractions (mostly twee gift shops and restaurants). The place was marooned somewhat with the closure of its dramatic cable car link to Tung Chung (near the airport) after a mishap but it was soon opened again under a new operator. A round-trip ticket on the cable car is HK$96 (HK$107 on Sundays). An alternative route to get here – as well as to the Big Buddha – is by taking the ferry from Central to Mui Wo on Lantau (www.nwff.com.hk), followed by a 45-minute ride on bus Number 2.
Hong Kong also has a number of good urban parks, including Hong Kong Park (www.lcsd.gov.hk) in Admiralty (above the Pacific Place mall) and Kowloon Park, a few minutes from the harbour. Both have space for running around, small playgrounds, fishponds and fountains, as well as aviaries. Kowloon Park is big on recreational facilities, with one indoor and three outdoor public pools.
The Zoological and Botanical Gardens on Albany Road, overlooking Central, are within walking distance of Hong Kong Park and the Peak Tram area and have more of a natural, overgrown feel. The gardens are the closest thing Hong Kong has to a zoo, including aviaries, an orangutan enclosure and an area housing various mammals and reptiles, including a two-toed sloth. Beat that.
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| Cruising Wanchai Market |
When the temperature hits the thirties (Celsius) at the height of summer, air-conditioned diversions beckon. The Hong Kong Science Museum (hk.science.museum) in Tsim Sha Tsui or simply TST, offers a range of hands-on learning activities. Or take a step back in time to the Hong Kong Museum of History (hk.history.museum). Located behind the Science Museum, permanent exhibits vary from pre-historic Hong Kong to the 1997 British handover of Hong Kong to Beijing. The Space Museum (www.lcsd.gov.hk) along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront isn’t bad – and it puts on some great shows in its Planetarium cinema. TST’s Hong Kong Museum of Art (tel: 2721-0116, www.lcsd.gov.hk) is an option, as are the Museum of Coastal Defense (www.lcsd.gov.hk) or the Museum of Medical Sciences (www.hkmms.org.hk) in Mid-Levels.
Also in Mid-Levels is the Dr Sun Yat Sen Museum (hk.drsunyatsen.museum), delving into the life of the man who dedicated his life to overthrowing the Qing Dynasty. The museum, housed in an historic building from 1914, has artefacts, audiovisual presentations, lectures and a library. For a more futuristic experience, head for Hong Kong’s first IMAX theatre at the new 19-storey Megabox Mall in Kowloon Bay. At the same mall, pilot wannabes can test their skills in a Boeing 737-800 simulator at Flight Experience (www.flightexperience.com.hk), where flights last from 30 to 90 minutes and fares start from HK$1,080. Jumpin Gym USA (www.jumpingym.com) offers 50 mall-based amusement areas throughout Hong Kong with small rides and arcade games. Try the one in Taikoo Shing’s Cityplaza mall, and then take the kids ice-skating afterwards (www.icepalace.com.hk). For more fun on the ice, try Glacier (www.glacier.com.hk) at Festival Walk, a super-sized shopping mall in Kowloon Tong.
Victoria Peak (also known as simply The Peak), crops up on every traveller’s itinerary, and rightly so. This is the centre point of any Hong Kong guide. The views from here on a clear day are quite lovely. Being hauled uphill in the remodelled Peak Tram is also a thrill, though queues can get long on weekends. The Peak Tower is a space age monument housing, among other things, Bubba Gump (tel: 2849-2867, www.bubbagump.com) that serves up beer-batter fried shrimp by the bucket, Pearl on the Peak (tel: 2849-5123), and the Chinese Tien Yi restaurant (tel: 2907-3888). All have some seats with great views.
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| View from Victoria Peak |
The Sky Terrace (tel: 2849-0668) on the roof of the tower offers expansive views of the city, and can be hired for parties. Another good dinner bet is the nearby Café Deco (tel: 2849-5111, www.cafedecogroup.com) with more fine views. Families might want to drop by Madame Tussauds Hong Kong wax-work museum (www.madame-tussauds.com.hk). There’s a natural bias towards Asian celebrities, but you’ll also find your Monroes and Madonnas. Afterwards, opt for the pleasant Lugard Road walk that encircles the Peak and take in the greenery, the butterflies, and a 360-degree view of Hong Kong. The path is a favourite with joggers and dog-walkers. Find it either side of the chalet-style Peak Lookout restaurant (tel: 2849-1000, www.thepeaklookout.com.hk) with its great outdoor seating area.
To see a different side of Hong Kong, spend a half day with the family at Lavender Garden in Hok Tau, Fanling. November to June is the best time to admire lavender blossoms, while December to May is best for picking strawberries. Barbecue, fishing, candle-making and goat feeding are year-round attractions here. Opening hours are 10am-6pm weekdays and 10am-10pm on weekends and holidays (entrance HK$5 for those over three, www.lavendergarden.com.hk).
Hong Kong Travel Notes from a Heritage Perspective
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (www.discoverhongkong.com) has designed a number of walks to take in fast-disappearing heritage spots. Pick up a brochure at one of the visitor centres (at Hong Kong Airport, Causeway Bay MTR Station, Kowloon Star Ferry pier, or The Peak).
You’ll find tiny knee-high shrines set into the walls of many buildings around town, but it is old Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road (just above Central) that draws the most pilgrims, sightseers and stressed mid-exam students. The place has big looping incense coils suspended from the ceiling. The Sheung Wan-end of Hollywood Road is also good for antique shopping, and if you explore a little further you’ll find the fancy, Edwardian-style Western Market building, along with a lot of little bakeries and Chinese medicine shops. The streets around Bonham Strand East have wall-to-wall dried products like sharks fin, scallops, bird’s nests – the smells alone are reason to pay a visit.
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| Tram passing Legco Building, Central |
In Central, the old Bank of China building is one of the few remaining business structures left over from colonial times. The two-storey Flagstaff House in Hong Kong Park was once home to the Commander off the British Forces in Hong Kong, and now houses the Museum of Tea Ware, while the red brick former French Mission building behind the spacious HSBC headquarters was built in 1917 and is now the Court of Final Appeal. Just up the hill from here, St John’s Cathedral is a little oasis amid the corporate melee, and is still very active, often with free lunchtime choral performances.
Old icons are fewer and farther between in Tsim Sha Tsui. You could survey the foundations of the Kowloon Walled City, a 19th-century garrison town torn down in the 1980s, and its Chinese-style administrative office. The truly ambitious history buff, though, should head towards the border with mainland China. A group of centuries-old walled villages still stand at Lung Yeuk Tau, Fanling (accessed by the MTR's East Rail Iline – formerly under the KCR, the Kowloon Canton Railway), and Ping Shan in Yuen Long has an established historical walking trail peppered with Tang family ancestral homes and temples. Find out more, including transport details, from the government’s Antiquities and Monuments Office website (www.lcsd.gov.hk). Both areas will take over an hour to get to.
The tourism board has a pretty impressive line-up of edifying cultural experiences, and some are even free. Call (tel: 2508-1234) for details on the morning Tai Chi exercises along the TST (Tsimshatsui) promenade, tea or Cantonese opera appreciation, or Feng Shui lessons. Or get a guided tour of the Nan Lian Garden, a 35,000sq m Tang Dynasty-style patch in Diamond Hill, Kowloon. My own two favourite cultural excursions involve either an early-morning stroll through Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park (tai chi and kung fu aplenty) or a nighttime visit to Jordan Road’s bric-a-brac Temple Street Market, where ear-splitting Chinese opera is still sung with gusto.
Hong Kong Bars, Views, and Dining
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| Sai Kung promenade |
Your Hong Kong travel diary needs space for a wild evening out amidst the neon throb. This city is the belle of the Asian ball at night. At 8pm, the “Symphony of Lights” plays around the waterfront buildings during a nightly laser display. Both sides of the harbour get good views, but it’s always nice to take a stroll along the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade around this time. Or do an evening sail on any of the Star Ferry routes. In TST, Kowloon, Avenue of Stars (rather tackily modelled on the Los Angeles Walk of Fame) offers a larger-than-life-sized Bruce Lee statue for added excitement. If in dire need of a beer-soaked TST East bar explore the two-floor Bulldog's (tel: 2368-1099, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, 66 Mody Road), or Mc Lovin's Tavern (tel: 2722-7101) where they may foist a Guiness and Champagne concoction on you. If you have the money and the moxie and have left your brain at home, give it a go. Why not? There's also Deck N Beer (tel: 2723-9227) at Avenue of the Stars for BIG harbour views through a soft-focus vodka or gin mist.
If martinis sound more appealing, catch the show with a drink in hand. Aqua Spirit (tel: 3427-2288) is one of the more lauded bars-with-a-view on the Kowloon side of the harbour; a sleek combination of Italian and Japanese restaurant with cocktail lounge. Or cruise on the Aqua Restaurant Group’s Aqualuna (tel: 2116-8821), a Chinese junk with distinctive red sails, complete with cocktails and snacks. Hutong (tel: 3428-8342) is just one floor down from Aqua Spirit, with dramatic Asian décor and modern Chinese grub on the menu. They are at One Peking Road. Both set the kind of prices that make you watch the waiters for slip-ups. New Aqua sibling heritage hotel Hullet House (2A Canton Road, tel: 3988-0107, www.hulletthouse.com) at the new 1881 Heritage shopping and lifestyle development offers the atmospheric loong toh yuen restaurant for Chinese dim sim and pork barbeque. Dine in, or alfresco.
The Philippe Starck-designed interiors of Felix (tel: 2366-6251) in The Peninsula Hong Kong, the city’s grande dame of hotels, remain popular with impressive views from everywhere, including the men’s bathroom. It is now joined by trendy dance lounge Salon de Ning. Try a Ning Sling. Most of the hotels along Salisbury and Mody Road have good top-floor lounges, but many charge fairly high prices for a quick gulp, often with a two-drink minimum. For sundowners in true style, nothing can beat the atmosphere of the InterContinental Hong Kong’s Lobby Lounge, famous for its spectacular harbour views and excellent service. You’ll need to dress decent for this one. Of a weekend, get in early for one of the popular Sushi Saturdays at the InterContinental Hong Kong’s famed Nobu (www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com) in Tsim Sha Tsui.
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| Star Ferry docking at new Central Pier |
But no Hong Kong guide would be complete with a down-at-heel detour. For an affordable alternative try the almost-chic Salisbury Dining Room (tel: 2268-7818) at the Tsimshatsui YMCA. It’s only four floors up and peeks over the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, but you still get great views for a fraction of the price. Or, if Chung King Mansion's curry dives on Nathan Road (next to the Sheraton) are not for you, try the roll-up-the-sleeves South Indian vegetarian Woodlands upper ground floor, Wing On Plaza, 62 Mody Road, for dosas, bhel puri, and other savouries. You'll drown in oil but you'll die happy. Not as zingy as it used to be but certainly something different.
For Kowloon dining, the younger set and a few executive beer bellies head to the lively Knutsford Terrace or Ashley Road, where a large variety of cheaper bars and eateries await, from pizza parlours to steakhouses, and most things in between. At Knutsford, kick back at Bahama Mama’s (tel: 2368-2121) where cocktails like ‘Sex on Mama’s Beach’ are the order of the day. Also along this strip is Tutto Bene (tel: 2316-2116), Black Stump Australian Grill & Bar (tel: 2721-0202, www.chiram.com.hk), Heaven on Earth (tel: 2367-8428, www.kingparrot.com), or Big Tree Pub for reasonably-priced beer. Moving the action several notches upscale in this elbow-jostling shopper neighbourhood is the nip-and-tuck reincarnated the mira (tel: 2315-5222, www.themirahotel.com) where, at Cuisine Cuisine at The Mira, Canto proves it can still rock in the form of New Age Chinese paired with a broad selection of fine wines, while Yamm offers miniature morsels. (This is not to be confused with Cuisine Cuisine over at the IFC in Central). And for a touch of class in the fast-developing West Kowloon area, head to the W Hong Kong and its shocking red steak and seafood restaurant FIRE (tel: 3717-2222, www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels) after a chill-out at the Liquid Bar. Then stagger down to the MTR line to waddle across to Hong Kong Island.
Over in Central, bars and restaurants rub shoulders in rowdy, pedestrian Lan Kwai Fong (www.lankwaifong.com), and drinkers spill out into the streets most nights after work, downing vodka jelly shots and dancing outside Al’s Diner (tel: 2521-8714) past midnight. Those on an extra tight budget may consider the 7-Eleven (or ‘Club 7-Eleven’ to regulars) where HK$10 will buy you a beer and the chance to hang with 17-year-olds. Dine at Japanese stalwart, Tokio Joe (tel: 2525- 1889), swig a vodka shot in the minus 20-degrees fridge at Balalaika (tel: 3579-2929), and then head for Insomnia (tel: 2525-0957) to dance to a great Filipino band singing cover songs.
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| Lockhart Road bars, Wanchai |
Up on Wyndham Street there are more bars and restaurants. Wagyu (tel: 2525-8805) on Wyndham and its newer sibling, Wagyu Lounge (tel: 2522-1432) on Old Bailey Street, both pull a good-looking crowd, as does Tivo (tel: 2116-8055). Each bar attracts a certain kind of pack so you’ll need to bar-hop a bit to find your ‘species’. Azure (tel: 3518-9330, www.azure.hk), perched atop the trendy Hotel LKF at 33 Wyndham Street serves up French in stylish environs and also offers a breezy outdoor perch with invigorating rooftop views for a pre-prandial tipple.
For a dance floor, join the hopeful hoards waiting outside the painfully hip Dragon-I (tel: 3110-1222) on Wyndham Street. The early-twenties crowd heads to Pi Club (28/F, 8 Wyndham St, Central, tel: 2868-1162) at the top of a corporate building: great views but be prepared to leave your handbag with the bouncers. Other clubs around the LKF/Wyndham Street/Hollywood Road area include Volar (tel: 2810-1272), Halo (tel: 2810-1460), M1NT (tel: 2261-1111), Drop (tel: 2543-8856) or Beijing Club (tel: 2526-8298, www.beijingclub.com.hk).
Some of these are members-only, so make friends with a member, pay a door charge, or bat your lids furiously at the bouncer to get in. For the latest news on guest and resident DJs, check out www.hkclubbing.com.
Things are a little more genteel on Soho’s Staunton and Elgin Streets, and bars line the one-way string of escalators leading up to Mid-Levels. It’s almost like picking your restaurant off a conveyor belt… or having it pick you. Everything from Nepalese to Spanish tapas can be found here, and plenty of wine bars such as Enoteca on Elgin (tel: 2525-9944) and Boca (tel: 2548-1717). Feather Boa (tel: 2857-2586) is hidden behind a nondescript door at 38 Staunton Street. Its plush sofas make it a cosy spot for a chocolate martini or two, though it gets packed later at night.
A great open-front restaurant, also on Staunton, which does dinner as well as a fine hangover-curing brunch, is Cru (tel: 2803-2083). Service is sharp and friendly. Pick a streetside table for two or head upstairs to munch on excellent steaks, pizza, starter nibbles, or a big breakfast that will make your eyes pop at the serving sizes. Just along the road Jaspas (tel: 2869-0733), of the same family, is casual with similar fare and large servings. Just downhill from here on the ground floor at 51-A Graham Street is the mouth-numbing tongue-cauterising Chilli Fagara (tel: 2893-3330, www.chillifagara.com).
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| New QRE and Hopewell Centre, Wanchai |
This tiny restaurant needs reservations for its two-shift dinners, 7.30pm-9.30pm and 9.30pm-11.30pm, for some of the best and spiciest Szechuan dishes this side of the Yangtze. Try the beef sirlion slices simmered in chilli oil, the spicy eggplant, or the jumbo praws with black bean sauce. It's all terrific. Farther along, at the western end of Hollywood Road is The Press Room (tel: 2525-3444, www.thepressroom.com.hk), with an extensive wine list.
Bilingual stand-up is on offer at Take Out Comedy (www.takeoutcomedy.com) on Elgin Street. Live jazz is to be found on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the intimate, bohemian Gecko (Ezra Lane, tucked under the escalator, tel: 2537-4680). Musicians start their sets around 10pm. The Hong Kong Poker House on Hollywood Road (tel: 2850-8833) is open from 8pm every night for, yes, poker.
Azure (tel: 3518-9330) in Hotel LKF is deliciously decked out. In the same building, the cool, Scandinavian menu at FINDS (tel: 2522-9318) keeps the pinstripers content, and happy hour often includes delicious free snacks. The International Finance Centre (IFC) also harbours a vast number of expensive offerings with front-row harbour seats. Acclaimed ISOLA Bar + Grill (tel: 2383-8765, www.isolabarandgrill.com) offers highly recommended and authentic Italian. RED Bar + Restaurant (tel: 8129-8882, www.pure-red.com), on the fourth level of IFC has stunning views, hip crowds, steep drinks and outdoor seating.
Still in Central, at the other end of IFC, joined at the hip, is the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong (tel: 3196-8888) and its swish Blue Bar at the lobby level. Pick from champagne, wine, or one of its signature blue cocktails. There are 88 of them. Or sample top-drawer French at Caprice.
Over at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental (tel: 2132-0188), there’s the secluded street-level MO Bar, hip, stylish, and cosy. Check out the catwalk bar. Central’s most elegant returnee, the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong (tel: 2522-0111) offers skyline views from its M Bar on the 25th floor with spit-and-polish service and menus at the Mandarin Grill, while sibling The Excelsior in Causeway Bay serves up breathtaking harbour and city views from its top-floor TOTT’s – Talk of The Town (tel: 2894-8888).
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| Cruise liner docked at Ocean Terminal |
An interesting spot for fine cuisine is SEVVA (25/F Princes Building, Central, tel: 2537-1388, www.sevvahk.com) by Bonnie Gokson, a well known Hong Kong celeb Enjoy harbour views from a stunning terrace and sophistication while munching on organic noodles, sandwiches, pasta, steak, or Bento. The drinks and views are exhilarating, the food less so.
Tasty local Chinese nosh abounds, but sorting the wheat from the chaff can be tricky. One 3am favourite is Tsui Wah (tel: 2525-6338), a cheap and cheerful local spot on Wellington Street, open 24 hours with a cult following. Celebs turn up here at odd hours. Just up the road is the place to go for roast goose, 60-year-old Hong Kong institution Yung Kee Restaurant (tel: 2522-1624). The grandaddy of wonton is the small and easy-to-miss Mak's Noodle (tel: 2584-3810, 77 Wellington Street) that has earned a huge following since 1960. Maxim’s Palace (tel: 2521-1303) in City Hall does a popular dim sum – steamed offerings wheeled around on carts – though the sea view is less pretty with the land reclamation going on outside.
If all this is too itty-bitty and you really want to make a meal of it in smarter environs, head to the groaning buffet tables of café TOO at the Island Shangri-La (tel: 2820-8571) in Pacific Place. Or try the hotel's swish Euro-classical Petrus that serves with French flair and offers a good range of wines. There’s room to swing a horse by the tail at Zuma Hong Kong (tel: 3657-6388), which occupies 10,000sq ft on two levels of The Landmark mall in Central. Zuma does a contemporary take on the informal roll-up-the-sleeves Japanese izakaya, serving up authentic confections in a "non-traditional” manner. From the robata grill, sample the signature gyuhire sumibiyaki karami zuke (spicy beef tenderloin with sesame, red chili and sweet soy).
Sister outlet Roka (tel: 3960-5988) in Pacific Place, Admiralty, also offers innovative contemporary Japanese cuisine in stylish stone-and-wood surrounds with attentive service. Up a couple of floors is the popular Ye Shanghai (L3, Room 332, tel: 2918-9833) with interesting dim sum and flavours in less-than-overwhelming portions making it easy for two persons to sample a wide variety of items. Not far from here across Queensway by an overhead pedestrian bridge is the smartly renovated Shanghai Garden (tel: 2524-8181, 1F Hutchinson House, Central). The food is delicious. Try the fried string beans with mince meat, the dumplings and large fried chilli prawns.
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| Plover Cove, New Territories: cycling |
Wanchai’s Lockhart Road features everything from drunken yobs and sashaying mini-skirted women of commercial bent beckoning from neon girlie bars, to decent Indian, Thai and Chinese food and even Irish pub-grub. American Peking Restaurant (tel: 2527-1000) is an accessible Beijing-style veteran offering tasty fare. Popular with Hong Kong celebrities is wallet-killer Fook Lam Moon (tel: 2866-0663, www.fooklammoon-grp.com) on Johnston Road. Don’t dine here if you’re on a budget.
Good value and tasty is the informal Hanoi Vietnamese Cuisine outlet (formerly Pho Saigon) on the ground floor at 319 Hennessy Road (tel: 2886-1736). Come here to roll up your sleeves and slurp down hot bowls of rice noodle Vietnamese "pho" soup. Try the spring rolls too.
In the thick of the action is the NaNa Banana (tel: 2520-0397) which, despite its mischievously enticing name, is a straight Thai restaurant and bar, but with attitude, friendly staff, and good nosh. The restaurant, opening onto the street, is simple but sassy. Grab a Singha beer and ask for their spicy homemade Chiang Mai sausage that will bring tears to your eyes, perfect for that Sensitive-Man-Of-The-Sixties date. The bar is run by the young Thai-born Jennifer, a spirited and welcoming personality.
Around the corner on Jaffe Road is Sabah (tel: 2143-6626), a basic restaurant favoured by Malaysians who fancy a taste of home. Request the teh tarik (pulled tea) for the ritual that goes along with it. Grungy rocker dance places like Neptune get going after 10pm with lively Filipino bands. Mes Amis (tel: 2527-6680) is good for an early evening drink, and dancing later on in the night, as is Typhoon (tel: 2527-2077). Dusk till Dawn (tel: 2528-4689) is packed in the early hours, but is fun nonetheless. And Joe Bananas (tel: 2529-1811, www.joebananas.com) has been the setting for much drunken debauchery over the years. For homey old-style Shanghainese without the fuss and frills, pop down to the basement of the Novotel Century Hotel at 238 Jaffe Road to the independent and long-serving Lao Shanghai (tel: 2827-9339) for crab, rice wine, excellent siu long pau dumplings and more. And for scrumptious Cantonese dim sum stroll across to Lei Garden (tel: 2892-0333, 1F CNT Tower, 338 hennessy Road). The service is friendly and brisk and it's best to make a reservation at this popular establishment. Lei Garden has several outlets including one in IFC. The Wanchai outlet is our pick. Close by and on the podium level of Causeway Centre (next to Sun Hung Kai) a new crop of eatieries are developing. Try the small, informal and friendly GrecoΠ (tel: 2598-9226) for a taste of Greece, sit down al fresco, or takeaway. GrecoPi's stuff is tasty and fresh.
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| Dog day at Sai Kung fishing village |
Star Street, on the fringe of Wanchai and Admiralty, has a handful of smart bars and restaurants. Just one of a good bunch is the Classified Mozzarella Bar (tel: 2528-3454) where you might strike up a conversation with fellow diners on communal tables while supping a glass of wine. 1/5 nuevo (tel: 2529-2300) is a stylish spot for drinks, dinner and a DJ. Cepage (tel: 2861-3130) arrived in December 2008, offering French fare.
Not far away on newly gentrified Johnston Road is The Pawn (62 Johnston Rd, tel: 2866-3444, www.thepawn.com.hk), by the same clan as Classified and The Press Room. It’s a renovated three-floor affair with a charming timber-floor bar-lounge with wooden railway-sleeper walls and verandahs overlooking trundling trams. The dining room serves the best of British including, yes, fish 'n' chips.
Around the corner on gentrified Queen's Road East is the new QRE Plaza (opposite Hopewell Centre, www.qplaza.com.hk) where you'll find a host of new restaurants doing everything from Japanese to Italian and including the delectable old-style The Queen's Palace Restaurant (tel: 2591-6338, 27/F 202 Queen's Road East) that serves interesting Northern Chinese including fine Shanghainese. The ground floor dressed salads does exactly what it says while on the 29th floor with wraparound views and music is the habitat lounge (tel: 2907-0888). And for greens (and soy meat lookalikes) with a difference try the somewhat reticent but hugely popular (opened October 2009) E-Vege Restaurant (tel: 2628-0172, G-10, Emperor Group Centre, 288 Henessy Road). If you can think about pleasanter things while you're at it, the Shark's Fin knock-off is a delicious pumpkin soup. Replacing longtime hostess lounge Tonnochy Club on Tonnochy Road (pronouned locally as "toe-low-chee doe"), a cross street linking Hennessy, Lockhart and Gloucester, is The Tonno (tel: 3125-3888, http://www.thetonno.com.hk/), a three-level Ferrari red invitation to a bar (at street level), mod Shanghai dining (upstairs at Tonno Kitchen) with private rooms, mingling areas, a long alfresco terrace for smokers, a roomy live music and dance room, and plush karaoke cubbyholes. Service is attentive and nosh is good at this Dragon-I sibling though the lounge-style dinner seating is not the most accommodating of long legs and knees and the place seems resoundingly empty at times.
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| Tung Lo Wan street, Causeway Bay |
Alfresco dining in Wanchai – with a harbour view – is found at The Quarterdeck Club (tel: 2827-8882, www.grtvision.com.hk) on Fenwick Pier, where the US Navy docks when it’s in town. There’s an emphasis on seafood at Quarterdeck, but steak, pasta and pizza is also on the menu. A newer option (opened late 2011) is the Brim 28 alfresco dining patio girdling the revamped Causeway Centre at 28 Harbour Road. This offers a growing range of restaurants and pubs on the former "Sanlitun" circuit.
An old tourist icon awaits on the southern side of Hong Kong Island, in the somewhat polluted harbour of Aberdeen. The floating Jumbo Kingdom (tel: 2553-9111, www.jumbo.com.hk) has been a Hong Kong dining mainstay since the late 1970s. Its Chinese Imperial-style seafood restaurant has gone through good and bad times, but for the less adventurous the new Top Deck (tel: 2552-3331 or www.cafedecogroup.com) is a modern, international alfresco spot.
For something atmospheric, laid-back and Sixties – complete with disco ball, zebra-stripe chairs, candles, and even a small dance place – head to Shek O village and the Black Sheep (tel: [852] 2809-2021) for lasagna, excellent thin-crust pizzas, salads, steaks and grilled fish. In Hong Kong South, the fishing village of Shek O offers a few treats. Shek O Chinese & Thai Restaurant (tel: 2809-4426) has an extensive menu and a fun bustling atmosphere. Even better, sip a cocktail at Paradiso Beach Club (tel: 2809-2080, www.paradiso.com.hk), right on the beach. Sunsets are spectacular. Paradiso is under renovation until April 2010. Or head way out to Silvermine Bay, Mui Wo on Lantau to the China Beach Club (tel: 2983-8931) and down gallons of sangria with homemade moussaka.
And already listed at the beginning of this article are the various outlets around The Peak. In Stanley get a balcony table with a view at Saigon (tel: 2899 0999, Rm 101, 1F) in the relocated colonial Murray House. Try the Vietnamese "pho" noodle soup.
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| Beach Club, Sai Kung |
For something laid back and offbeat, check out the trendy cafes along Tung Lo Wan Road around the southerm perimeter of Victoria Park in Causeway Bau. On Wun Sha Street you'll find Vietnamese at Locomotive and deserts at Mr Sweetheart (tel: 3175-3869). In the Tin Hau area is Kin's Kitchen (tel: 2571-0913), small, informal, and serving lip-smacking Cantonese fare like stuffed duck. Also in Causeway Bay is the very contemporary Farm House (tel: 2881-1331, Ming An Plaza, 8 Sunning Street) that serves traditional Cantonese fare. Think wallet-humbling abalone and shark's fin.
Farther afield in Sai Kung, eastern New Territories, splash out on seafood, small cafes, Vietnamese, Korean, won ton, Italian (try the new Paisano's for fabulous New York-style pizza, (tel: 2791-4445, 27 Chan Man Street), or wander up the promenade north from the village to the Beach Club (tel: 2792-4990) for yum cha (dim sum) and more Chinese fare open air, next to the beach. On Sai Kung's main seafront drag is the popular Hung Kee Seafood Restaurant (tel: 2792-1348) with outdoor and indoor seating. Pick your fish live from the tanks.
If you’d prefer to whip up your own culinary masterpiece, book in for one of the many cooking classes available. Try city’super (www.citysuper.com), or Towngas (www.towngas.com) – both in Causeway Bay.
Hong Kong Spa Hotels and Day Spas
Burnout is never far in this frantic-paced city. Staving off mass hysteria are numerous city spas that offer escape and relief – at a price. Hong Kong hotel spas guarantee a memorable experience. Two of the best Hong Kong hotel spas are found at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental (tel: [852] 2132-0011, www.mandarinoriental.com) and Four Seasons Hotel (tel: 3196-8900, www.fourseasons.com), both of which sink you into soothing heat suites with Turkish hammams and rain showers.
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| Landmark Mandarin Oriental's Amethyst Crystal Steam Room/ photo: hotel |
At The Landmark Mandarin Oriental enjoy treatments from Brazilian plastic surgery whizz Ivo Pitanguy who brings his Rio clinic delights to Hongkong with signature remedies like the 90-minute HK$1,660 Dermo Lift to tone and revitalise the face, and the 120-minute Intensive Rejuvenating Body Treatment. Also on hand are treatments from the Somme Institute like the 90-minute Time Reversal. Make sure you're carrying some ID when you reconnect with your husband. Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong's spa (tel: 2825-4888, www.mandarinoriental.com) is also up there with the best, with eight treatment rooms as well as an Ayurvedic sanctuary, a hydrotherapy room and Chinese herbal steam rooms.
The Peninsula has its chic Asian-themed ESPA (tel: 2315-3322, www.peninsula.com), which feels smaller and more intimate, and offers impressive harbour views from the sauna. Feeling hungry? ESPA has a tea ceremony, reflecting Peninsula’s ever-popular Afternoon Tea. Just up Nathan Road from here at The Mira hotel is the latest pedicure playground, the MiraSpa (tel: 2315-5500, www.themirahotel.com). It is a swish presentation with mood lighting, pool, sauna, whirlpool, steam and spa suites. The mod and minimalist Nail Bar offers pedicure stations, and hair stylists are at hand should you wish to go all the way. Try the "Inner Sanctum" balancing therapy or a customised "The Mira Journey".
Both Plateau (tel: 2588-1234, www.hongkong.grand.hyatt.com) at the Grand Hyatt and Chuan Spa at Mongkok’s chic Langham Place Hotel (tel: 3552-3510, hongkong.langhamplacehotels.com) lay on the sophisticated luxury experience, and offer full spa suites for the night. On Hong Kong hotel spa menus you’ll find everything from Japanese sand baths and Chinese balancing wraps to hot stone therapies.
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| Ping Shan, Yueng Hau shrine |
The InterContinental boasts Hong Kong’s first feng shui spa, I-Spa (tel: 2313-2351, www.ichotelsgroup.com). Each of the five polished granite suites has its own sauna, Jacuzzi and steam shower. Try a two-and-a-half-hour "Spa Sampler" with a facial, almond scrub and one-hour rub-down. For massage, pick from Chinese, herbal, hot stones, aromatherapy, and more. More on where to stay in our Hong Kong business hotels review that includes family options.
The Sutherland-Chan Centre (tel: 2544-5838, www.sccentre.com.hk), on Stanley Street close to the Central shopping district, provides a more technical approach to massage. Attend to sports injuries or combat jetlag professionally with Canadian-trained therapists. For those who are serious about their massages or just seriously in need of one, Sutherland-Chan will guarantee a bespoke and highly personalised service and more importantly, a job well done. A nice option for men who prefer to forego the frills of other spa centres.
There are many good, independent options around, however, many of them in Central. Try Elemis Day Spa (tel: 2521-6660, www.elemisdayspa.com.hk) where you’ll get wine and chocolates in the relaxation room. Aso Spa (tel: 2525-2578, www.asospa.com) has Hong Kong’s only Japanese style hot sand bath.
More options in Central include Nude (tel: 2868-9100, www.nudewaxing.com.hk) where you can step out like a bronzed goddess, typhoon or no typhoon; The Feel Good Factor (tel: 2530-0610, www.feelgoodfactor.com.hk), and Sense of Touch (www.senseoftouch.com.hk) with branches on D’Aguilar Street and Hollywood and Arbuthnot Roads. Expect to pay anywhere between HK$500 and HK$1,200 for a 90-minute massage at the higher end.
For a bit of budget waxing, you can always place yourself in the brusque but capable hands of May Mui (tel: 2524-8456), who works from her home in Wanchai. You can save money and do some good at the simple, somewhat clinical Acupressure and Foot Reflexology Care Centre of the Blind (40-42 Des Voeux Road, tel: 2810-6666), which charges as little as HK$200 for a therapeutic pummel.
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| Nam Sang Wai, Yuen Long |
Located smack in the middle of the Caine Road buzz, writes correspondent Zahra Jamshed, is Ai Spa (tel: 2914-4823), a quiet humble spot that tosses out the extravagance in exchange for lowered prices. The beautician Fanny is often recommended for facials. Opposite Ai Spa is the slightly more luxurious Connie Beauty (tel: 2525-0064), where newbies can get anything from facials to massages at a lowered first-time trial price of about HK$180.
Or try Sun Lady (tel: 2548-3336) where the energizing herbal smells are worth the HK$80 manicure. For those on a family vacation, Zahra suggests Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel is an option for an inclusive spa experience. The Victorian Spa makes sure all your spa dreams come true, head-to-toe, quite literally. But don’t forget the kiddies – they can indulge in some spa fun too, and hair-braiding and face-painting are just some of the child-friendly options on offer. For something different, Xi Shi Spa (tel: 2892-7399, www.xishi.com.hk) offers to bring its service straight to your door, whether it be home or hotel, with a full range of massage treatments.
The best option outside of central Hong Kong, in yummy mummy paradise, Repulse Bay, The Retreat (tel: 2803-1860, www.the-retreat.com.hk) is a fully organic spa, nail and hair salon, with a small organic Eden café, offshoot of Eden organic bistro in Central. Leave the kids on the beach, or bring them along for a special children’s Toni & Guy haircut, complete with distracting television.
The child-theme continues with plenty of products and therapies for new mums and mums-to-be. An interesting extra is the Aura-Soma colour therapy, complimentary to new guests. Even the cleaning products are organic and eco-friendly in this world away from the Hong Kong hustle, so get rid of those toxins and retreat from the city – just for a while.
A Look at the Hongkong Arts Scene
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| Old Wanchai building |
Hong Kong comes under fire for being artistically lacklustre but it does have a small and passionate arts community. Corporate buildings and malls are starting to support the scene by adorning themselves with local pieces, and galleries (albeit rather commercial ones) are popping up like mushrooms in the Central-Soho area. It’s still a good gateway to the modern Chinese art world.
For a pleasant day or evening spent browsing (most galleries stay open until around 7pm), try the route that leads along Wyndham Street and Hollywood Road, exploring the side streets as you go. You can even take a bottle of wine with you – the galleries tend not to mind. Start or finish at the Fringe Club’s gallery (www.hkfringeclub.com), taking advantage of its bar or rooftop café. This old colonial building is also your best bet for community theatre, live music or dance.
On Wyndham Street, stop in at Wellington Gallery (tel: 2804-6688, www.wellingtongallery.com.hk) with two shops on both sides of the road for contemporary Chinese art. Further along on Hollywood Road, you’ll find contemporary Chinese fine art in the white, innovative Connoisseur Art Gallery (tel: 2868-5358, www.connoisseur-art.com) and Plum Blossoms (tel: 2521-2189, www.plumblossoms.com), and a more mixed-media bag at Grotto Fine Art (tel: 2121-2270, www.grottofineart.com).
Walking uphill on Old Bailey Street, next to the old Central Police Station, you’ll pass a couple of bars and the popular 24-hour diner The Flying Pan (tel: 2140-6333) to 10 Chancery Lane Gallery (tel: 2810-0065, www.10chancerylanegallery.com), which feels more like a cross between an artist’s studio and a shop. Peel Street is another branch-off, where a few galleries mix and merge with boutiques and design stores. Take a break here and stop for a chat at Joyce is Not Here Artists’ Bar & Café (tel: 2851-2999, www.joycebakerdesign.com), a quirky neighbourhood joint with great sangria. If Joyce really isn’t there you can always talk to her husband, Rob.
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| Stanley bars: Pickled Pelican |
Archangel Art (tel: 2851-6882, www.archangelgalleries.com) on Hollywood Road is a large space, covered in Vietnamese and Indo-European paintings. The owners are Dutch and well in tune with the Asian art scene.
Across the road is Archangel Antiques. Red Cabinet (tel: 2536-0123, www.red-cabinet.com.hk) on Hollywood Road has a good selection of Chinese antique furniture.
There are other spots of interest to explore down this road towards Sheung Wan, with the farthest probably being Para/Site Art Space (tel: 2517-4620, www.para-site.org.hk), on Po Yan Street. This one is the most radical of the Central-based galleries. There’s a useful gallery map at www.hongkonggalleries.org.
To explore your inner Picasso, try Artjamming (www.artjamming.com). Here you can buy a canvas (HK$500) and paint to your heart’s content. Bring your own wine, food, friends and make it a painting party.
Outlying Islands, Pink Dolphins, and Hiking Trails
Grab your water flask and knot that camouflage bandana… Hong Kong has 23 protected country parks and over 200 islands, and a fair number are within easy reach of the city. Ferries to the more populated islands leave from the Central piers, giving access to a bevy of seafood restaurants, small fishing villages, beaches and hikes. If you find yourself with a spare day, just show up at the pier and leap on the next ferry to anywhere.
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| Peak Lookout, cosy and, colonial |
One safe and easy option is tiny Lamma Island, just 35 minutes from the city, with its clutch of fresh seafood options. Ferry directly to its prime strip of restaurants in Sok Kwu Wan or ride to Yung Shue Wan (the bigger of the two landing points and with more ferry sailings) for the beach, laid-back residents, and a wider variety of cuisines. If you want to combine them on one trip, it’s an hour’s fairly straightforward hike between the two.
Lantau Island is the territory’s biggest, but still fairly undeveloped. This is changing. Negotiate the small village paths of Mui Wo (take the ferry straight there from Central) on foot or by bicycle, or try the energetic beach-bound hiking trails. Friendly Bicycle Shop (tel: 2984-2278) behind McDonald’s at the pier is well stocked with reasonable prices – a bike for the day can be as cheap as HK$20.
Cheung Chau is a languid step back into the past and an ideal escape from the sometimes dizzying pace of Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. Once a fishing village, the island has a charming laid-back feel and is popular with Hongkongers on weekends. Catch a ferry across in the morning (ferries leave from Central and take around 45 minutes) for a long seafood lunch at one of the many restaurants. The Po Toi group of islands lies off the southeastern coast of Hong Kong Island. The largest of the chain is accessible by public transport, and, if time allows, is a lovely jaunt out of the city. On Sundays, there is a local ferry service that departs from Stanley’s St. Stephen’s Beach. The island is small and rugged with coastal walks, dramatic views, and interesting wildlife. There is a small village with a few restaurants, and a 150-year-old Tin Hau temple. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends, a ferry operates from Aberdeen.
Says correspondent Philippa Young, "There is more to Lamma Island than the fabled hippies of yore. A community lives and breathes (the moderately cleaner air); one that still champions the environment, clean living and the occasional stark raving mental beach party."
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| Ping Che temple |
Here's Philippa's Lamma Island guide. Hiking in Lamma centres round the Family Trail: a paved and well-marked pathway that takes you on a moderately difficult stroll round to Sok Kwu Wan Village. Here you can visit the fish-farmer floating village or the 200-year-old Tin Hau Temple. The trail also takes you on a tour of Lamma’s darker history.
Kamikaze caves punctuate the walk with dark, dank openings marked by ominous “Keep Out” signs. Lore has it these second world war caves were dug by the Japanese and that the soldiers later took their own lives in the caves. The truth is that the caves were dug by local Lamma residents who were later killed to ensure complete secrecy. The caves were never used.
The Mount Stenhouse trail is more of a dirt track with few signs and fewer hopes of a conveniently positioned ice-cream seller. But for the athletic hiker, the views of Hong Kong and the South China Sea are unrivalled. There are three beaches along this track.
Weekends can be stifling. Hundreds of tourists clog the small lanes and fill beaches until they resemble Benidorn in peak season. For peace and tranquillity simply turn left up the steep steps as you alight from the ferry at Yung Shue Wan and keep walking. This will take you round the other side of the island, with undulating paths that are easier to manage than the Family Trail, beautiful views (minus the power station) and utter peace and quiet.
Sok Kwu Wan is best know for seafood but caters mainly to large parties and deeper pockets. Yung Shue Wan side has more choice but usually sees tourists flock to the waterfront eateries adjacent to the pier.
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| View from Tai Mo Shan |
Sample the famous beancurd, dofu fa (pronounced tow-foo-far) sold by Ah-Por, under the shade of banana trees ten minutes from the main street. If you like this super-soft delight even sweeter you can sprinkle red sugar (a speciality of Guangdong). And The Bookworm (tel: 2982-4838) is another Lamma establishment that caters for the vegetarian traveller.
Lamma shopping is fun. Spend time browsing through the interesting array of clothes, jewellery and gift shops, including a few more up-market boutiques. You will find antiques, local handmade pottery and ornaments or simply a HK$10-$20 dollar paperback from Lamma institution Nick the Book. You can also find well-priced cheeses, artisan bread and even homemade cheesecake.
Everything sold on Lamma benefits from lower shop-rentals than in Hong Kong. Even a fancy haircut or a massage is cheaper here. If you prefer to stay longer, the pier-side Man Lai Wah Hotel (tel: 2982-0220, e-mail: manlaiwahhotel@yahoo.com) is the most accessible. For ferry details visit www.hkkf.com.hk. And that's our brief Lamma Island guide.
There’s plenty of hiking information available online. Try the Hong Kong Tourism Board (www.discoverhongkong.com) or Hong Kong Outdoors (www.hkoutdoors.com), which was set up by a local wildlife enthusiast. Hansen’s Hikes (www.hansens-hikes.com) offers various day-long walks throughout the territory, most of which end with a meal.
The famous 100km MacLehose Trail crosses much of Hong Kong’s New Territories. It runs through the Shing Mun Reservoir and the Shing Mun Redoubt, a short-lived line of defence against the Japanese during the Second World War.
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| Sai Kung seafood restaurant |
Battle buffs will enjoy scrambling around this string of unkempt pillboxes and trench tunnels, many marked with shrapnel and engraved with London road-names. It’s relatively safe but you will come across the odd warning sign.
Liven up your hike with details of the battle from the Hong Kong Society of Wargamers (hksw.org/Shing_20Mun.htm), and with a foray to the nearby Kowloon Reservoir. This is where an often-intimidating troop of rhesus macaques skulk around. Our advice would be to have a big stick in hand and no bananas in your pockets. Another of Hong Kong’s major hiking paths is the Wilson Trail, which at times interlinks the MacLehose. It is 79km in full, running from Stanley to Nam Chung in the New Territories.
For keen – and fit – hikers, stage 10 of the Wilson Trail is a goody. Start at Hok Tau Reservoir in Pat Sin Leng Country Park (reached via taxi from Fanling East Rail station) and hike for 14km up and down eight peaks of mountain range to end in Tei Mei Tuk village. Or visit Hong Kong's highest peak, windswept and rugged Tai Mo Shan by taking the No. 51 bus from Tsuen Wan MTR station. Alight at the junction of Route Twisk and Tai Mo Shan Road.
A more accessible and beautiful hike on Hong Kong Island is along the Dragon’s Back trail to the little seaside village of Shek O, which can be reached by taking the MTR to Shaukeiwan and the No. 9 bus. The tricky part is finding the start of the trail, so ask around.
It’s not too hard going and local tradition is to treat yourself to dinner at one of the restaurants at the end. Shek O is home to the east side of Hong Kong Island’s longest stretch of sand. The volunteer-led The Hong Kong Trampers (www.hktrampers.com) often head that way and welcome newcomers.
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| Tai O Fishing Village |
Tiny Hong Kong has more species of animals and plants than the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland combined, but in the city the most you’ll be confronted with are caged birds brandished by elderly men and the odd mosquito. Just a little way out, your wildlife-encountering chances dramatically improve.
The spruced-up, 60-hectare Hong Kong Wetland Park (tel: 2708-8885, www.wetlandpark.com) with its exhibitions of fauna and flora and architecturally hip activity centre also offers a Wetland “ecotour” and an encounter with resident saltwater crocodile “Pui Pui”, found in the New Territories in 2003. The Mai Po Nature Reserve (www.wwf.org.hk/eng/maipo/) is a less-developed introduction to Hong Kong’s plant and animal life, run by the World Wildlife Fund, with concealed hides for bird-spotting, marshes, and workshops for kids. October to April see skies filled with migratory birds. Both of the abovementioned excursions are unfortunately underrated and under-visited. On Lantau Island, a leisurely ride by bus from Tung Chung (close by the airport), is the quaint stilted fishing village of Tai O. Worth a half day to sightsee and eat the local fare.
Hong Kong Dolphinwatch (tel: 2984-1414, www.hkdolphinwatch.com) promises a lively morning on a boat off Lantau Island for HK$360 (HK$180 for children aged 3 to 11). Trips take place every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday on the trail of Chinese white dolphins – most of which are actually pink. The small, conservation-minded group’s coach will pick you up at the Kowloon Hotel lobby (just behind The Peninsula) at 9am and drop you back at 1pm. The company says they see dolphins on 97 percent of the trips, but a free re-try is offered if no dolphins are spotted. And that's our Hongkong guide to islands, walks and trails.
Best Hong Kong Beaches, Golf, and Helicopter Tours
True, this is no Thailand, but with its crop of craggy, green mountains and many picturesque little islands, there’s a great deal of seashore to explore. Popular Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay on Hong Kong Island’s south side are the most accessible, just 15 minutes from Causeway Bay by cab.
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| Tai Long Wan beach/ photo: Jessica Ng |
These spots are also served by the 260, 6X, 6A or 6 buses from Central. Dining options are a bit limited, but both are popular for their barbeque pits and get besieged at weekends – especially on Sundays, which is a holiday for Hong Kong’s domestic workforce.
A quieter and more secluded option can be found just a short HK$20 taxi ride from here at South Bay, which is slightly off the beaten track. All have the full range of changing and showering amenities and at least one purveyor of snacks and beach paraphernalia.
Further up the coast, Stanley Main Beach is also popular with families and can be combined with souvenir shopping at Stanley’s famous market and a pub lunch on the waterfront for a good day out. Try Vietnamese at Saigon (tel: 2899 0999, Rm 101, 1F) in relocated colonial Murray House. Beach buffs note that the seawater quality improves as you move further away from urban areas. Big Wave Bay near Shek O is popular with surfers, and you can rent water sports equipment there, but don’t expect Hawaiian swells. There are a number of snack outlets.
Farther afield, more bucket-and-spade action can be had on a number of Lantau Island beaches that also offer a number of hearty Western and local restaurants. The South African/Mediterranean barbeque-style The Stoep (tel: 2980-2699) on Lower Cheung Sha beach (both accessed via Mui Wo) is perfect for long, lazy lunches with the sand between your toes. Book on weekends as it fills up quick. It’s closed on Mondays.
The best Hong Kong beaches are along the series of spectacular white-sand coves up the coast from Sai Kung in the eastern New Territories near Tai Long Wan. The water is crystal clear, the beaches expansive and pretty much empty. In summer, a couple of friendly cafes at Tai Long Wan serve up sandwiches and hot meals. Tents and sun umbrellas are available for hire. It’s quite a mission to reach the beach, but worth it.
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| Murray House, Stanley |
Take the MTR to Diamond Hill, then bus No. 92 to Sai Kung. From here, take bus No. 94 to Wong Shek Pier. At the pier, either negotiate with one of the sampan drivers to take you round to the beach (around HK$500) or follow the well-kept hiking trail in Sai Kung Country Park. Always take plenty of water – Hong Kong’s country parks aren’t exactly teeming with shops.
And diving? Surprisingly there are a few less spoilt patches of ocean that are worth a try. Diving Adventure (tel: 2572-2138, www.divinghk.com) has the inside info. The company offers local diving packages and a range of courses (from beginners to advanced and specialty programmes) and rents out gear from its main shop on Hennessey Road in Causeway Bay (full diving kit for HK$250 for the day).
Courses start at HK$3,500. Splash Hong Kong in Sai Kung (tel: 2792-4495, www.splashhk.com) is a friendly establishment offering beginner and advanced courses that can be completed over two weekends, starting from HK$3,500. Pro-Dive (tel: 2890-4889, www.prodive.com.hk) offers courses from HK$3,980.
Golf in Hong Kong will cost an arm and a leg but there are three excellent 18-hole public golf courses, and a nine-hole course, on Kau Sai Chau, (tel: [852] 2791-3388, www.kscgolf.org.hk) an island near the charming New Territories town of Sai Kung. The town is easily reached by MTR to Choi Hung and Green Minibus 1A to Sai Kung Bus Terminus.
After a 15-minute ride on the ferry you'll be set for one of the most scenic rounds of golf in Asia. Gary Player designed the courses. Green fees start from HK$285 for nine holes on the South Course on weekdays or HK$365 for weekends and public holidays. An 18-hole round starts from HK$490 on weekdays or HK$670 on weekends and public holidays.
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| Shek O Beach, Island South |
Hong Kong by night is amazing. Hong Kong by air is both amazing and expensive. And why wouldn’t it be? This is one of the greatest sights anywhere. If you still have cash to flash, Heliservices (Hong Kong) Limited (tel: [852] 2802-0200, www.heliservices.com.hk) offers charters ranging from a fifteen-minute Hong Kong island and harbour highlights scenic flight priced at HK$6,600 or around US$851 (pick-up from The Peninsula’s helipad) to a one-hour tour of Hong Kong island, Lantau island (including the famous giant Buddha at Po Lin monastery) and the New Territories for HK$20,000.
Those prices are what you pay to charter the twin engine AS355N helicopter, which seats five. For a fly-and-dine experience, The Peninsula (tel: [852] 2920-2888) offers a 15-minute helicopter ride across the city, followed by lunch or dinner at one of the hotel’s top-end restaurants. Prices start at HK$7,190 for two people. So there you have it: something for everyone. Still insisting on that one-night stopover?
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