Truly a land of contrasts, Hong Kong is part of the People’s Republic of China – a special administrative region where glitzy modern shopping malls show off the latest in brand names and styles, yet quaint street markets allow visitors to browse for cheap clothes, jade and even pet birds.
You can visit modern themed entertainment centres like Disneyland or Madam Tussaud’s (both have “outlets” in Hong Kong that cater to the seven million locals and more than seven million visitors who come here each year) - or shop for the latest electronic gadgets and gawk at modern 50 storey skyscrapers.
On the other hand you can visit the Po Lin monastery on tranquil Lan Tau island to admire one of the largest Buddha statues in the world – and explore traditional fishing villages like Tai O where the Tanka people, descendants of Hong Kong’s first settlers still live in stilt houses, much as their ancestors did long before the British colonised this place.
Visitors marvel at Hong Kong’s technologically advanced and efficient Mass Transit Railway (MTR) transport system, the graceful Tsing Ma Bridge which is one of the world’s longest rail-and-road suspension bridges and the modern Chep Lap Kok airport. The trip from airport to city centre on the Airport Express train costs just HK$ 100 and takes only 25 minutes.
For a truly Hong Kong experience, you should take a ride across the harbour in the Star Ferry – the green and white boats have been plying this route since 1898, taking seven minutes for the crossing, ten minutes between crossings. The journey still costs HK$1.80 on the lower deck and HK$2.30 on the upper deck – just as it did 20 years ago when I lived here – and still gives you a magnificent view of the island skyline as the boat pulls out of the Central Pier.
You can have a traditional English Afternoon Tea, complete with cucumber sandwiches and Darjeeling tea, at a posh establishment like the Peninsula Hotel on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront – and next morning enjoy a typical breakfast of rice congee and mixed fried noodles at a cheap street-side dai pai dong. Watch the spectacular daily sound and light show across the harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui and thrill to the spectacular vistas of Hong Kong harbour at night – and on the following day travel for an hour or so outside the big city to enjoy rural views of rugged mountains, peaceful beaches and the green islands of the South China sea.
Hong Kong Temples
Hong Kong has more than 500 temples that cater to the major religions of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Many - like the Tuen Mun’s Ching Chung Koon temple with its colourful paintings, pavilions, pagodas and pai-laus (ornamental arches) - stand cheek by jowl with high rise apartment blocks. In contrast the tranquil and beautifully preserved 120 year old Hung Shing temple is situated on Kau Sai Chau island and only accessible by boat from the New Territories town of Sai Kung.
Go to Hong Kong if you must for business and shopping – but don’t forget to take time off to experience the ageless beauty, spectacular views and matchless wonders of this destination of memorable diversity that can truly be described as ‘Asia’s World City’.
Information: Discoverhongkong.com
Sanjiva Wijesinha - Dr. Sanjiva Wijesinha, Associate Professor at Monash University medical school, writes on health, travel and medical topics.
