Visit Hong Kong - Hong Kong Island

<body>  <p>Hong Kong ( Heūng góng in Cantonese, Xiāng gǎng in Mandarin, either way meaning "fragrant harbour") is a place with multiple personalities, as a result of being Cantonese Chinese with a long-time British influence. Today, the former British colony is a major tourism destination for China's increasingly affluent population. It is also an important hub in the Chinese diaspora with global connections to many of the world's cities. It is a unique destination that has absorbed people and cultural influences from places as diverse as Vietnam and Vancouver. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is much more than a harbour city. The traveller weary of its crowded streets may be tempted to describe it as "Hong Kongcrete". Yet, this SAR with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands is mostly a rural landscape. Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7 million people are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of wilderness that will reward the more intrepid tourist. Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with at least one season to match your comfort zone. Boasting one of the world's best airports, it is the ideal stopover for those who wish to travel deeper into the Orient. </p> <h2>When to visit</h2> <p> Weather: For those who are seeking warm, dry and sunny weather, the ideal time is October to December. Those who are wanting to escape the humidity of tropical climates will appreciate the cooler months of January to March. The temperature ranges from 9°C to 24°C during winter, and from 26°C to 33°C during summer. The humidity is typically high in the spring and worse in the summer, when high temperatures (usual maximum of 32-34°C) are often recorded. Events — During Chinese New Year, whilst there are some extra celebratory events such as a lion dances, fireworks, and parades, many shops and restaurants are closed for three to five days. The official public holiday lasts three days. Culture lovers will be able to feast on a multitude of cultural activities from February to April. The Hong Kong Arts Festival, a month-long festival of international performances, is held in February and March. The Man Literary Festival, a two-week English language festival with international writers as guests, is held in March. The Hong Kong International film festival, a three-week event, is held in late March to early April. Rugby fans, and those wishing to party, should come during the weekend of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens. There is a second round of cultural activities in the autumn lasting till the end of the year. Christmas is also a nice time to visit as many stores and shopping centres are nicely decorated and the festive mood is apparent across the city. </p> <h3>Nature</h3> <p>Contrary to popular belief, Hong Kong is not all skyscrapers, and it is worthwhile to go to the countryside (over 70% of Hong Kong), including the country parks and marine parks. Many are surprised to find that Hong Kong is actually home to some stunning landscapes and breathtaking scenery. </p> <ul> <li> Lantau Island is twice as big as Hong Kong island and is well worth checking out if you want to get away from the bright lights and pollution of the city for a spell. Here you will find open countryside, traditional fishing villages, secluded beaches, monasteries and more. You can hike, camp, fish and mountain bike, amongst other activities. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> In the waters just off Tung Chung on Lantau Island, live the Chinese White Dolphins . These dolphins are naturally pink and live in the wild, but their status is currently threatened, with it current population estimated to be between 100-200. Take a boat trip with Hong Kong Dolphinwatch to see these pink dolphins, and if you're lucky you can watch them jumping and playing. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> The Sai Kung peninsula is also a worthwhile place to visit. Its mountainous terrain and spectacular coastal scenery make this a special place. If you like challenging routes, try going to Sharp Peak (Nam She Tsim in Cantonese). Sharp Peak is famous for its steep slope with a height of more than 400m. The view from the top is fantastic. For a more relaxed route, try to walk along Section 2 of Maclehose Trail. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> Hong Kong Wetland Park is a relaxing park set amidst an ecological mitigation area. One can stroll along a network of board walks built over the marshy area and watch birds from a tower. The park also features a large visitors centre/museum. The museum has many interactive exhibits ideal for children, as well as some live animal habitats. To visit, take KCR West Rail to Tin Shui Wai Station, then the #705 light rail to Wetland Park. The park is pushchair and wheelchair friendly. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> North East New Territories is also famous for its natural environment. Yan Chau Tong Marine Park is in the North East New Territories. A few traditional abandoned villages are connected with hiking trails in the territory. North East New Territories is one of the famous hiking hot spot for the locals. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> Short hiking trails (2 hours) can be found on Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. You can even hike up to the Victoria Peak. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> There are some outlying islands are also worth to visit, e.g.: Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, Ping Chau, Tap Mun, Tung Lung Island. .</li> </ul> <h3>Theme parks</h3> <p>The entrance to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. </div> </p> <ul> <li> Hong Kong Disneyland opened on September 12, 2005. It is on Lantau Island, about 12km east of the Hong Kong International Airport, and may be reached via the MTR Disneyland Resort Line from Sunny Bay Station (note that to get to Disneyland from the airport, you must make two connections, the first at Tsing Yi and the second at Sunny Bay; in this case it probably would make more sense to just take a taxi). Though significantly smaller in size than other Disney parks elsewhere, it does offer some great attractions (including "Space Mountain" roller coaster, "Festival of the Lion King" stage show, "Golden Mickeys" stage show, "Mickey's PhilharMagic 4D" show, and an updated "It's a Small World" boat ride) and very short queues most of the year (except the week of Chinese New Year). Three new theme lands (Mystic Point, Grizzly Trail, and Toy Story Land) will open in the few years to come, and a tract of land has been reclaimed directly across from the park's entrance, so a second theme park should open there someday. The park also features two hotels, Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Hollywood Hotel. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> Ocean Park is on the southern side of Hong Kong island, and is the park that grew up with many local Hong Kong people. With roller coasters and large aquariums altogether, it is still packed on weekends with families and tourists after opening to the public for 30 years. The cablecar is an icon and an essential link between the two parts of the park. The views of the South China Sea from the cable car is always terrific. It would be fair to say that many local people would choose Ocean Park if they had to pick a single theme park to attend. For many, the chance to see Hong Kong's pandas would be a deciding factor. Young adults will be attracted to the wider range of rides. There are also large festivals each year, including summer, Halloween and Christmas. The Halloween Bash on weekends of October and November, and on 29-31 Nov is often considered the most successful, with a large number of haunted hosues and creepy performers that will keep you screaming. You can get to Ocean Park by a direct bus ride from Admiralty MTR station; it will be the first stop after you clear the Aberdeen Tunnel. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> Ngong Ping 360 is a Buddhist themed park that features Imperial Chinese architecture, interactive shows, demonstrations, restaurants and coffee shops. Although the destination might not appeal, the highlight of this trip is the longest cable car ride in Hong Kong that affords stunning views of Lantau island and Hong Kong International Airport. The ride also takes you to the largest outdoor seated Buddha, which is situated at the end of Ngong Ping Village. Be aware that the Buddha is accessible by walking up around 200 steps. Take the MTR to Tung Chung Station, which is next to Ngong Ping 360. </li> </ul> <p>Based on work by Martin Cox, Kai-Pan Mark and Peter Fitzgerald, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. Text is available under <a href="http://wikitravel.org/shared/Copyleft">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0</a></p>  <script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-119091-1"; urchinTracker(); </script> </body>