Hong Kong Tourist Attractions
There is so much to see in Hong Kong whether you are a tourist or a resident. What are some of the most desirable attractions?
Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #4
Ride!!!!
“Ride what?” you ask. Let’s start with one of Hong Kong’s icons, the Star Ferry. For HK$2.30 (US$0.30) or free if you are over 60, you can ride the ferry back and forth across the harbor. As long as you don’t get off, you can make the trip as many times as you wish. You better do it soon, though. At the rate the government is filling in the Harbor, the Star Ferry may soon be a memory.
The Star Ferry
Date: June 19th, 2006 |
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Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #2
Walk!!!!!!!
I am referring to two kinds of walking here: walking as in “hiking” or “trekking” and walking as in “strolling” or “wandering.” Both apply to Hong Kong.
Aberdeen Country Park on Hong Kong Island
Date: June 11th, 2006 |
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Hong Kong Versus Singapore - Sights and Activities
Number four in a series.
Museums
There are some fine museums in Singapore, especially the Asian Civilization Museum. The government is upgrading the museums so some are closed. Hong Kong, on the other hand has at least Six world-class museums, four of which are less than 10 years old. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the Museum of Hong Kong History are both “don’t miss” destinations if you are at all interested in museums. The Art Museum, the interactive Science Museum, the Coastal Defense Museum and the Space Museum are also worth spending time in. Except for the Heritage Museum and the Coastal defense Museum, the other four are within walking distance of one another. I’ll have to give Hong Kong the nod, here.
Cantonese Opera Exhibit, Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Date: June 6th, 2006 |
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Dragon Boat Races
My ongoing comparison of Hong and Singapore will have to wait.
Yesterday Hong Kong celebrated the Tuen Ng Festival, which commemorates the death of a popular Chinese national hero, Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Mi Lo River over 2,000 years ago to protest against corrupt rulers. Legend has it that as townspeople attempted to rescue him, they beat drums to scare fish away and threw dumplings into the sea to keep the fish from eating Qu Yuan’s body.
Dragon Boat races are a major part of the festival. Participants train for months. Sitting two abreast, with a steersman at the back and a drummer at the front, the paddlers race to reach the finishing line, urged on by the pounding drum.
Date: May 31st, 2006 |
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Ten Things to do in Hong Kong, #1
Thanks to M at the Fringe, an extremely fine and inventive restaurant, for the inspiration to attempt to pick ten things that are not usually found in guidebooks and are aimed primarily at residents and then offer the list to tourists also. I must acknowledge that I have used the M at the Fringe list as a springboard for my list.
I doubt that I will limit myself to ten items in the long run but it is a start. I also freely admit that I have not done all of these things myself but, if I have not done something, I certainly wish I had or I plan to do it someday.
The list is ordered randomly so pick any item to begin to build your own list.
Date: May 28th, 2006 |
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Hong Kong’s Very Own World Cup - Shopping
The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced a two month Shopping Festival in an attempt to lure tourists who are not caught up in World Cup fever.
There has never been any doubt that Hong Kong people are World Class shoppers. I guess that now they will have some competition from tourists lured here by the opportunity to spend HK$300.00 in order to be eligible to win one of 113 prizes totally worth about HK$2.7 million.
Happy Shoppers Celebrating Maxing Out their Credit Cards!
Date: June 12th, 2006 |
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Hong Kong Versus Singapore - Getting Around and Getting Along
Fourth in a continuing series.
There are just a few other comparisons between the two places that need to be made. One is the ease with which people can move around the city. Singapore has wide streets that make walking a pleasure. Hong Kong’s streets, on the other hand, are usually narrow and overcrowded. Strolling is difficult in the built up areas. It also seems as if the sidewalks and streets are constantly being torn up.
Tree Lined Lane in Singapore’s Chinatown
Date: June 8th, 2006 |
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Protesting the Tiananmen Square Crack-down
June fourth marks the 17 year anniversary of Chinese troops violently ending the democratic demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. Hong Kong’s Victoria Park is the only place on Chinese soil where candles are lit every year in memory of the hundreds that were killed that night.
Victoria Park, June 4, 2006
The organizers estimated that 44,000 people attended the event. The police put the figure at 19,000. Donald Tsang, Hong Kong’s CEO was out of town but put out a statement basically suggesting that the whole matter be put in …
Date: June 5th, 2006 |
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Hong Kong Versus Singapore - Dead Heat
Five days ago I announced that I was Off to Singapore and promised to draw some comparisons on my return.
Among Westerners who have been in Hong Kong for a while, there’s a phrase used to put down those who live in Singapore, “Singapore is Asia for beginners.” I’ve also heard it referred to as, “Asia Lite.”
The Merlion, A Symbol of Singapore
As with any generalization, there is a certain amount of truth to what people say. However, Singapore need never feel like a second city to Hong …
Date: May 31st, 2006 |
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Hong Kong Destroys Its Heritage
I wish I could say I was surprised when the Antiquities Advisory Board, in a closed door meeting, voted to demolish the colonial-era, Bauhaus style Central Market. Instead, in an act of supreme foolishness, they recommended that detailed photos of it be taken for display in the future.
Even though the architects on the board disagreed, one of them actually walking out on the meeting. The board decided it wasn’t even genuine Bauhaus and that there were other buildings in Hong Kong in this style, some of them even more attractive and having more architectural merit: this in spite of 80% of interviewed architects desiring to retain the building in some form.
The fact that the site will fetch in the neighborhood of HK$5.8 billion at auction, I’m sure had nothing to do with the decision. Developers could be heard licking their chops from miles away.
Date: May 21st, 2006 |
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