From pirates and pink dolphins, to traditional Chinese junks, water sports and white sand beaches, Hong Kong has it all. Made up of the Kowloon peninsula and 263 islands (at one time more, but many have been swallowed up due to land reclamation), Hong Kong has its harbour at its heart — a term that is the literal English translation of the Cantonese “Hong Kong”. It is this famous harbour that has facilitated Hong Kong’s status as one of the world’s major ports, and an extension of it that shows off many of the city’s finest offerings.
Aqua Luna
Named after an infamous Cheung Chau island pirate who used to terrorize Hong Kong’s waters, Cheung Po Tsai in Cantonese is the recognisable Hong Kong junk that glides across the harbour, red sails blazing. It’s better known in English as the Aqua Luna. Climb aboard one of the city’s last remaining traditional Chinese junk boats and sail around Victoria Harbour. To make the most of the junk, take the day cruise to Stanley on the south side of Hong Kong Island, departing every Saturday and Sunday. The boat features indoor as well as al fresco space, and even a full bar and cocktail lounge. Don’t worry, each ticket includes a drink. A number of other trips aboard the Aqua Luna are also on offer and destinations vary according to day of the week.
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Shun Kee Sampan Supper
From the early 1960s, typhoon shelters were not only home to boat-dwelling families, but also a hub of restaurants and other nightlife. In the mid-1990s the boat restaurants were shut down until the recent – and welcome – return of Shun Kee in the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter. This hidden gem offers some of the finest and freshest seafood in Hong Kong, from fried green crabs and steamed whole fish, to razor clams with garlic, fried clams with black beans and chilli, poached whelks and more — all enjoyed rolling gently in a private floating sampan looking out across the calm waters of the shelter.
The Outlying Islands
A number of Hong Kong’s 263 islands are easily accessible by regular ferries, and each island has something different to offer. Take Lamma – a peaceful, low-rise settlement, free from cars and recognisable for its three-chimneyed power station visible from miles away. A home to artists, musicians and other creative types, this island features handicraft shops, bars and a selection of beaches to choose from. Hong Kong’s largest island, Lantau, houses the famous Big Buddha and stunning hiking trails, while Cheung Chau serves up white sand beaches, windsurfing opportunities, and one of Hong Kong’s oldest temples. And each island is just a short boat ride away. Visitors can also enjoy some of the freshest fruits of the seas, cooked in the Cantonese style at seafood restaurants on most outlying islands.
Symphony of Lights
Hong Kong’s light show holds records for being the world’s largest permanent light and sound show. Displayed daily at 8 p.m., it’s a treat to gaze across Victoria Harbour at the shining lights and lasers atop the city’s skyscrapers. If you’re watching from Tsim Sha Tsui’s Avenue of Stars, listen as the buildings are introduced before blinking along to the music. Alternatively, pick a spot at a posh bar – try Ozone at The Ritz-Carlton, Aqua at One Peking or Felix at The Peninsula Hong Kong for true luxury — and take in the light show from lofty heights as it sets the harbour waters a-twinkling.
Star Ferry
A trip to Hong Kong would not be complete without a ride on this bastion of Hong Kong life. The Star Ferry is a Hong Kong institution, established originally in 1888 as the Kowloon Ferry Company before becoming the Star Ferry 10 years later. The iconic green and white double-decker boats run between Hong Kong Island – both Central and Wan Chai have piers – and Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui. They’re not only one of the cheapest ways to travel across the harbour but are also without a doubt one of the best value ferry journeys in the world, offering spectacular views of the famous Hong Kong skyline, best seen at twilight as the lights begin to shine on the city’s skyscrapers.
Dragon’s Back
Hong Kong is well known for its commerce and skyscrapers, but it also offers fabulous hiking trails, many of them less than half an hour by taxi from the city centre. To get started try the Dragon’s Back which runs along the ridge of Hong Kong Island and features spectacular view of the rocky coastline and sprawling blues seas that surround the island. Access is from Stanley Gap Road with the option of finishing in Big Wave Bay, just a stone’s throw from stunning Shek O beach. Alternatively, the ocean views from Jardine’s Lookout, or The Twins are spectacular on a clear day.
Tai O
Sometimes called the Venice of Hong Kong, Tai O’s stilted houses sit atop the waterway on a tip of northwest Lantau. Bars and restaurants occupy some of the stilted houses, while traditional salted fish and shrimp paste are found elsewhere. From here, take a boat out to see Hong Kong’s well-known yet endangered pink dolphins, and stay overnight in the Tai O Heritage Hotel, formerly the old police station but today a nine-room boutique hotel restored by the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation.
Ocean Park
This is Hong Kong’s very own theme park and home to the world’s largest aquarium dome containing more than 5,000 fish. The park also plays host to a pair of giant pandas — and seeing them is a quintessential local Hong Kong experience. Located in Wong Chuk Hang, on the south side of Hong Kong Island, the park can be accessed via cable car, which gives you good views over the South China Sea. The park’s shows, rides, marine mammal park and oceanarium are a delight if you have little ones in tow.
Featured image: Rachel Duffell, Hong Kong at twilight
Slider image: Mk2010, Kwun Yam Wan, Cheung Chau via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
