Hong Kong Travel Guide

Address: 1 Garden Road, Wan Chai Hong Kong Island.

The Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong is one of the most distinctive skyscrapers in the world. Built by designer I.M. Pei, the tower was the tallest in Asia for several years after its construction, but has since been surpassed by two other towers in Hong Kong alone.

The Bank of China Tower stands 315 meters and 369 meters when the building's rooftop towers are taken into consideration. Five steel columns at each corner of the building provide the basic structure, and the triangle supports running up the side of the building transfer weight and stress like a suspension bridge to these supports.

Designed to resemble growing bamboo shoots, the building came under strong criticism by practitioners of Feng Shui for its sharp angles and it's numerous X's depicted on the side of the building. Pei changed the design somewhat after receiving this feedback, but the building still resembles a meat cleaver and points toward the Hong Kong's government building.

It is the only building from Hong Kong to appear in both SimCity 3000 and SimCity 4 and the building makes a cameo on several episodes of the television series Star Trek: Voyager.

The Bank of China Tower contains two observation decks. One on the 43rd floor, which is open to the public, and one on the 70th floor, by appointment only.

Hours: M-F 9a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: Free

Address: Kowloon Park, Hong Kong, China

In a city so densely populated, Kowloon Park can be a bit surprising. The largest recreational and sports facility in the Tsim Sha Tsui neighborhood, this forested park occupies land that was a military base in the 1860s. With its convenient location near the southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, the park is popular with locals as well as tourists.

Several historic buildings and structures remain from the military days. Most have been transformed into small museums that show off their previous life, but the Kowloon West Battery II has been turned into a children’s adventure playground after the gun emplacements were converted.

The large tree-filled area hosts a fitness walk, a rose garden, an open-air sculpture garden, and a lake featuring flamingos and other water birds. There are also three outdoor leisure pools that are connected by a series of waterfalls, as well as an indoor heated Olympic-size pool that is used for more serious training and during winter.

Hours: 6 a.m. to midnight, daily. The swimming pools close at 9 p.m. daily.

Admission: Free for the park, but about $US2.50 for adults to use the swimming pools, and about half as much for children.

Address: 124 Hollywood Rd., Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

Originally constructed in 1848 during the early years of British rule in Hong Kong, the Man Mo Temple has been partially rebuilt several times since, and remains one of the most popular and mysterious attractions on Hong Kong Island. The two words, Man and Mo, refer to the two gods the temple is dedicated to. Man refers to Man Cheong, who is the God of Literature, and Mo refers to Kwan Yu, who is the God of War.

For many decades the Man Mo Temple was used to solve disputes that didn’t fit within the British legal system. Chickens were sacrificed as a way to seal the deal, but that practiced stopped long ago. Likenesses of Man and Mo are found inside the main structure, but the most notable feature might be the coiled incense spirals hanging from the ceiling that are meant to attract positive attention from the gods while they fill the air with very fragrant smoke.

Just outside the Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road you’ll find a large group of “fortune tellers” operating from permanent stalls. For a small donation these practitioners will shake their fortune sticks until one falls out, which reveals your destiny.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily

Admission: Free, although donations are encouraged to light up a new incense coil

Address: Star Ferry Pier, Kowloon, Hong Kong

One of the few modes of local transportation that are tourist attractions in and of themselves, Hong Kong’s famous Star Ferries keep on cruising long after newer and faster crossing methods have been put in place. Ferries have been sailing the harbor since 1873 and officially as the Star Ferry since 1898.

The main route is from the Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon Peninsula across Victoria Harbour to the Central Business District on Hong Kong Island, although the Star Ferry operates three other routes as well. Even though road tunnels and a subway have been in place to make the crossing for decades, the famous ferries still serve over 70,000 passengers a day and 26 million passengers a year.

Their popularity with older locals remains, but a trip on the ferry is a must for nearly every tourist as well. The slow and cheap voyage is not only traditional, but an excellent way to take in the stunning skylines of Hong Kong in addition to the picturesque Victoria Harbour itself. The voyage takes about 15 minutes, and as cheap as the upper deck is, the lower deck is a bit cheaper still.

Hours: 6:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. every day, boats leave every 6 – 10 minutes

Admission: Adults - about 27 US cents one way; ages 3 – 12 - about 14 US cents, ages 65+ free

Address: Peak Tower, 1 Lugard Road, The Peak, Hong Kong

Officially known as Victoria Peak, the 552-meter mountain that sits on the western side of Hong Kong Island is usually just known as “The Peak” to locals and tourists alike. The actual top of the mountain is taken up by radio towers and is closed to the public, but the large area around the summit consists of public parklands, shopping facilities, and ridiculously expensive housing developments. The Peak is the most popular tourist attraction in all of Hong Kong.

The views from the various lookout points near the summit are stunning. Hong Kong has arguably the most impressive skyline, or group of skylines, in the world, and The Peak is by far the best place to take it all in. There are two major leisure and shopping centers near the top, Peak Tower and Peak Galleria, each containing several restaurants.

The views seem like the main event, but getting up to The Peak is part of the fun as well. There are roads that go all the way up so buses and taxis are common, but the most enjoyable way to get up the mountain is on the Peak Tram funicular railway that goes from Hong Kong’s Central district to the Peak Tower. In just under 5 minutes, passengers can ride up the ultra steep hillside with great views along the way. There are also walking paths from the Mid-levels up to The Peak for those who’ve brought good shoes.

Hours: The Peak is always open, but the Peak Tram runs from 7 a.m. until midnight

Admission: The Peak is free, but the Peak Tram costs about US$2.75 one-way and US$4 return. Ages 3 – 11 and 65+ are US$1 one-way and US$2 return.