Hong Kong Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

Beaches
The pristine beach of Repulse Bay is overlooked by the Tin Hau Temple. Lantau Island has the white sandy beach, Cheung Sha, and the amazing Shek Pik Reservoir Dam.

Central Plaza
The impressive Central Plaza (www.centralplaza.com.hk) is 78-stories high. Visitors can view the city from the Sky Lobby on its 46th floor. After 1800 each day, neon rooftop lights change color every hour to denote the time.

Colonial vestiges
Observe glimpses of Hong Kong's colonial past, such as Government House, the residence of 25 British governors from 1855 until Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997 (www.ceo.gov.hk/gh/eng). Other vestiges are seen in St John's Cathedral, thought to be the oldest Christian church in the Far East (www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk).

Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware
An imposing colonial-style building in Hong Kong Park, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware houses ancient Chinese artifacts used in tea-making (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/cs_mus_lcsd.php).

Mong Kok
Thought to be the world's most densely populated urban area, Mong Kok provides the ultimate opportunity to mingle with the crowds. Exotic fish and amphibians are sold at the Goldfish Market, and intricate bamboo birdcages and songbirds can be purchased near the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden.

Ngong Ping 360
Take the Ngong Ping 360 (www.np360.com.hk), a 5.7km (3.5-mile) cable car ride, to the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island. The Buddha sits upon Ngong Ping Plateau at the Po Lin Monastery (www.plm.org.hk). At 26m (85ft) high and weighing in at 202 tons of bronze, it is the world's largest seated outdoor Buddha.

Nunneries and pagodas
The Chi Lin Nunnery is a spectacular Tang Dynasty-style complex. Hong Kong's only historic pagoda, the Tsui Shing Lau Pagoda was built in 1486 in the Yuen Lang district.

Temples
The country's oldest Chinese temple, Man Mo Temple on Hong Kong Island, honors the gods of literature (Man) and war (Mo). On the China border is Fung Ying Seen Koon Temple, built in the traditional Taoist style with a double-tiered roof of orange tiles.

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
The Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, in the New Territories hills above Sha Tin, houses around 13,000 small Buddha statues. Also in the New Territories, amble around a beautifully designed complex, located in Tuen Mun, which features pavilions, bonsai trees, lotus ponds and a Taoist temple.

Views of Hong Kong
The view of Hong Kong from Victoria Peak is a must-see. The futuristic, seven-story Peak Tower is reached by the Peak Tram, that rises 386m (1,266ft) up the mountainside (www.thepeak.com.hk). In the New Territories, the Waterfront Park in Tai Po has a futuristic Lookout Tower that provides breathtaking views across Tolo Harbour.

Top Things to Do

Bet on the horses
Vast sums of money change hands at Hong Kong's horse-racing meetings, held from September to June, Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and Wednesday evening. The two main racecourses are at Happy Valley (Hong Kong Island) (www.happyvalleyracecourse.com) and Sha Tin (New Territories) (www.sha-tin.com).

Disneyland Hong Kong
Disneyland Hong Kong, on Lantau Island, incorporates four themed lands and two hotels. Attractions range from the adventurous Jungle River Cruise to the dizzying heights of Orbitron, where visitors pilot their own rocket (www.hongkongdisneyland.com).

Dragon's Back
Walk along the Dragon's Back on Hong Kong Island, which follows a ridge, giving spectacular views. This can be concluded with dinner in one of the restaurants in Shek-O Village.

MacLehose Trail
Hong Kong's longest hike at 100km (62 miles), the MacLehose Trail crosses the New Territories, taking in Hong Kong's highest peak, Tai Mo Shan (985m/3,231ft).

Shopping
Go shopping down bustling Nathan Road in Kowloon. Grab a bargain at Stanley Market. In Yau Ma Tei, stalls set up at 1400 on Temple Street for the Night Market, selling everything from electrical goods to incense sticks.

Star Ferry
The famous Star Ferry (www.starferry.com.hk) goes to Kowloon from Central, Hong Kong Island's financial and commercial hub. For a different harbor view, take a morning harbor cruise and watch the Noon Day Gun that has fired at midday since the 1840s at Causeway Bay.

Swimming
Hong Kong has over 30 highly acclaimed beaches. Excellent snorkeling, waterskiing, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, and fishing are available. Watersports equipment can be hired from beaches and hotels in Stanley and Sai Kung. One-day island-hopping tickets allow unlimited ferry trips between islands.

Tolo Harbour Cycling Track
For an easy ride through scenic countryside, cycle on the Tolo Harbour Cycling Track, running from Sha Tin to Tai Po. Bikes are available for hire near KCR stations. Most outlying islands do not allow cars.

Wildlife watching
The excellent country parks at Sai Kung East and West are home to macaque monkeys, wild boar, civet cats, barking deer and the Chinese pangolin. Watch birds at the Mai Po marshes near Yuen Long in the New Territories (www.wwf.org.hk/eng/maipo) and look out for the Chinese pink dolphin near Lantau Island.

World's longest covered outdoor escalator
The buzz of city life is best experienced by riding the 800m- (2,625ft-) long central-mid-levels escalator (the world's longest covered outdoor escalator) which transports tens of thousands of people each day and has created its own escalator culture of cafés and restaurants.