Off the Beaten Track

Shenzhen SEZ

While there are surely better places in China to find yourself, a daytrip up to the Shenzhen SEZ (Special Economic Zone) might be just the kind of culture shock you’re after.

Regarded as an ugly, business-oriented and souless kit town (sound inviting yet?), Shenzhen is also increasingly geared towards travellers from Hong Kong. Shenzhen City, just across an always-crowded border point from Lo Wu in Hong Kong, is hardly a great place to discover the beauty and culture that China is famous for. But it is perhaps the perfect place to see China’s emerging embrace of the free market in action; HK shoppers often find the bargains in Shenzhen that simply don’t exist anymore in Hong Kong. Wander the streets, grab a real Guangzhou meal, fob off the pimps, check out the market stalls and bargain hard.

Off the Beaten Track

Outlying Islands

There are 234 outlying islands, many of them little more than uninhabited rocks. However, Cheung Chau (2.5 sq km/1 sq mi) has 22,000 residents and is fast developing into a mini Honolulu, although there is no motorised traffic.

Lantau, the largest of the islands (142 sq km/55 sq mi) has a population of 45,000, a 933m (3060ft) peak, and a 70km (43mi) walking trail, but has avoided many of the development excesses of other islands. It is home to several important monasteries, including Po Lin Monastery with its enormous bronze Buddha. Thanks to the newish airport development, Lantau is now connected by bridge to the mainland. Other islands worth visiting include Lamma, Peng Chau, Poi Toi and the uninhabited Tung Lung Chau

Off the Beaten Track

New Territories

Although a third of Hong Kong’s population lives in new towns constructed in the New Territories, the area has some scenic escapes, including the Sai Kung Peninsula, in the east, which is an unspoilt playground for hikers, campers, swimmers and boaters.

Bird-watchers head to the Mai Po Marsh; cyclists and walkers head to Plover Cove Reservoir; hiking enthusiasts set out on the 100km-long (62mi-long) MacLehose Trail which spans the New Territories from Tuen Mun in the west to Pak Tam Chung in the east.

Attractions of Hong Kong

Victoria Peak

If you’re in Hong Kong, you’d be mad to miss a trip to the top of Victoria Peak, 552m (1810ft) above sea level. The views are giddyingly beautiful in every direction, with the vista of the business district, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon especially grand. In true Hong Kong style the main viewing deck is on the roof of a large shopping mall.

Join the throng of snap-happy tourists - you won’t be disappointed. If you have time, it’s worth making the trip to the top both in daylight (ideal to get your bearings) and at night, when the mass of lights around the harbour will take your breath away and make you wish you had a better camera. The actual peak is a ten-minute walk west and up.

Attractions of Hong Kong

Kowloon

Tsim Sha Tsui, at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, is the territory’s tourist ghetto. It consists of one sq km of shops, restaurants, pubs, topless bars and camera stores. However, Kowloon is also home to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Space Museum, the famous Peninsula Hotel and the Museum of History.

The Promenade, in East Tsim Sha Tsui, is a great place for a stroll, and has wonderful views of Victoria Harbour, particularly at night. The liveliest night market in the territory is on Temple St in Yau Ma Tei.

Attractions of Hong Kong

Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Island is the glitzy big brother of Kowloon - a tightly packed, towering paean to market capitalism that hasn’t been dented one jot by Chinese rule. The bustle of people living and working is the biggest attraction on the island, although many visitors head around to Aberdeen, on the southern side of the island, where 6000 people live or work on junks anchored in the harbour. Sampan tours of the Aberdeen Harbour are definitely worth the expense. The other major draw is the floating restaurants.

The most popular beach is Repulse Bay, also on the southern side of the island, but it gets extremely crowded on weekends. Stanley, with its laid-back atmosphere, is another good spot for escaping Hong Kong’s hustle and bustle, although it is the hustle and bustle that brings people here in the first place - if you want real solitude, you’ve come to the wrong place (more…)

Money & Costs of Hong Kong

Currency: Hong Kong Dollar

Nothing beats cash for convenience – or risk. It’s still a good idea, however, to travel with at least some of it, if only to tide you over until you get to an exchange facility. Banks generally offer the best rates, though three of the biggest banks – HSBC, Standard Chartered and the Hang Seng Bank – levy a HKD50.00 commission for each transaction on non-account holders. If you’re changing the equivalent of several hundred US dollars or more, the exchange rate improves, which usually makes up for the fee. Hong Kong is littered with branches of these banks, so you should have no trouble finding one. (more…)

Events of Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s combined use of the Western calendar and the Chinese lunar calendar can make trying to determine the exact date of festivals a bit tricky. Chinese New Year takes place in mid- to late-February, and many people get four days off for the event. Expect a massive fireworks display over Victoria Harbour. The Tin Hau Festival is a Taoist festival falling around late April. Junks are decorated and sail in long rows to Tin Hau temples to pray for clear skies and good fishing. The Dragon Boat Festival is held in June, with dragon boat races taking place in Hong Kong and Outlying Islands. Lantern Festival takes place in September or October. Lanterns are lit in homes, restaurants and temples. The Festival of Asian Arts is a major international event and usually occurs in October or November. (more…)

When to Go in Hong Kong

Weatherwise, October, November and most of December are the best months to visit Hong Kong; the skies are clear and the sun shines. The June to August heat/rain combo might push your endurance but there’s a lot of sunshine and, after all, it’s summer. Hotels tends to offer substantial discounts outside the high seasons of March-April and October-November. Travel can be difficult during Chinese New Year in late January/early February.

Getting Around in Hong Kong

The Airport Express train connects Chek Lap Kok with Hong Kong station in Central, stopping in Kowloon along the way, in just 23 minutes. Conveniently, you can check your bags in at the train station when heading out to the airport. There’s also a 35-minute Cityflyer airbus, and public buses: A21, best for Kowloon, and A11, for Hong Kong Island. Hotel shuttle buses and taxis are another more expensive option. Hong Kong’s public transport system is a tourist attraction in its own right: there are old harbour ferries and narrow trams, ultra modern trains and the world’s longest escalator. If you can’t get from A to B with style in Hong Kong, you’re not trying.

Public transport is cheap, fast, widely used and generally efficient. The bus system is extensive and bewildering but you will need it to explore the south side of Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. (more…)