Cheap eats in HK

Eating out can be one of the most memorable parts of a holiday...for better or worse!

The problem is sometimes, however, that spending the time to find a restaurant that offers the food you want at the price you want in the area you're in at that time can take up most of your afternoon or evening and spoil a good day's sightseeing!

Lost In HK understands this, and knows that falling back on the famous international fast food chains can often be an all-too-easy but not entirely desirable option. So here we suggest a few places round Hong Kong that may not have Michelin stars, but that will get you a cheap, decent feed hassle-free without fear of rip-offs or Bombay Belly.

Just to be clear though, this is by no-means a ringing endorsement of these places, simply a list of the spots we nip to for lunch or dinner while out gadding about Hong Kong. Enjoy!

1) DeliFrance: Either the smaller cafes or the larger bistros will serve up panini, croissant, pasta, pizzas, etc. All very tasty, all very cheap and straight-forward. The restaurants are ubiquitous on Hong Kong Island and in most parts of Kowloon and even in Tung Chung on Lantau Island. And a soup, sandwich and drink combo at lunch will cost you around $40!

http://www.delifrance.com.hk/

2) Cafe de Coral (pictured): So you read the first entry and thought "Yeah, but I didn't come to Hong Kong to eat European fare"? Well then, your choices for a quick and easy dinner are to be a brave soul and dive into one of the thousands of congee joints, with their menus scribbled all across the walls in Chinese, or to head for the black and yellow sign of a Cafe de Coral. Not Hong Kong's finest by any means but you can get decent Chinese dishes from all regions and at silly prices. Sizzling BBQ Beef with rice and a drink should again set you back around $40.

http://www.cafedecoralfastfood.com/eng/main/index.jsp

3) Yoshinoya: The self-proclaimed "Japanese beef bowl specialist" is as omnipresent, cheap and accessible as the first two, serving up great Gyudon and other Japanese classics. A Super Chicken or Beef set will get you a large bowl of your chosen meat with rice, Miso soup, Kimchi, a dessert plus drink for $36.

http://www.yoshinoya-hk.com/en/menu.php

4) Food Courts: If you're near Times Square in Causeway Bay, Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hollywood Plaza in Diamond Hill or the Citygate Centre in Tung Chung (to name but a few) you can sample the delights of a food court. Here you'll find a number of restaurants lining a canteen-like area, offering everything from Korean to curry, sushi to burgers. The quality of the food can be really good (The Teppinyaki joints in Hollywood Plaza and Citygate stand out as good spots), but the simple surroundings keep the prices low. At Times Square and Harbour City you order your food at the stand, they give you a ticket to then pay at the central till, then you return that ticket to the stand and wait for your food! At the other two you generally pay in the restaurant itself. Again, a full meal here with a drink should set you back no more than $40 per person.

5) Triple O's: Western food again sorry, but the best burgers in town bar none! You can find British Columbia's finest burger joint at The Forum, Exchange Square (Central), Great Cafe, Pacific Place (Admiralty), Harbour Centre (Wan Chai), Times Square (Causeway Bay), Harbour City (Tsim Sha Tsui) and New Town Plaza (Sha Tin). A little bit more expensive (expect to pay around $60 for burger, fries and drink) but it's damned well worth it!

http://www.tripleo.com.hk/en/index.html

6) Suzuki Cafe: Selling a strange blend of Japanese and Western food (such as sushi pizzas!), Suzuki Cafe is a bit more expensive than the other places, but still affordable and spread far and wide around the SAR. A meal here should cost you around $80 per person, but the food is a lot more varied and original (and tasty!) and is worth the extra bucks if you fancy something a little more upmarket than a quick bowl of sweet and sour in a shopping centre canteen. There are eight cafes around town. The pick of the bunch is at Ocean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui where you get cracking views out of the huge window over the harbour and the Central skyline. There are also restaurants on Leighton Road (Causeway Bay), Hopewell Centre and Tai Yau Plaza (Wan Chai), Vicwood Plaza (Central), Langham Place (Mongkok), Tsuen Wan Plaza and Metroplaza in Kwai Chung.

http://www.suzukicafe.com/index.htm

Ping Shan Heritage Trail - New Territories

Normally it's hard in Hong Kong to find any sight or historic monument that's older than your Grandad, but right up in the north-western corner of the New Territories is a group of ancient monuments linked together by the Ping Shan Heritage Trail.

Declared a national monument only in December 1993, the trail runs from just outside Tin Shui Wai MTR station (just past Yuen Long), and links together monuments built by the Tang clan, one of the "five great clans" which occupied the territory from the 12th century onwards.

In most other areas these buildings have been flattened, but here you'll find incredibly well-preserved pagodas, temples and ancestral halls dating back more than 600 years, as well as a 200-year-old walled village which you

can explore. It's all extremely well-preserved, and sits oddly among the drab modern buildings

of three new villages right on the cusp of one of the New Territories' famous mammoth New Cities.

You can enter all the buildings along the 1km route and it won't cost you a penny! It takes maybe an hour to walk the route with stops along the way, and good connections by bus and MTR mean you only have to walk the route one way. Most of the buildings close at 5pm.

Coming out of the MTR the first monument you come to is the Tsui Sing Lau Pagoda, the only surviving ancient pagoda in Hong Kong. Its name means Pagoda of Gathering Stars, and it was supposedly built by the seventh generation ancestor of the Tang clan over 600 years ago. You can enter the shrine inside for free, but don't climb the steps up to the first floor...the security guard will come after you!!!

You can get a map from here, and follow the road (not the path at the side of the pagoda) round past some rather ugly truck stops and a pond until you get on the path to the walled village of Sheung Cheung Wai. It is 200 years old and the gate house, shrine and some of the old houses are still in their original form. Before you get to the village you'll pass the "Shrine of the Earth God", a lot less impressive than its name suggests. It was built to protect the villagers, but in-keeping with Hong Kong's attitude towards history it now sits next to the rubbish bins, and is itself a receptacle for a great deal of litter. Best to move along quickly.

After the walled village you come to the old village well and the Yeung Hau Temple, which is believed to have a history dating back several hundred years. It has

three bays housing shrines to Hau Wong (believed to be a Song Dynasty general who gave up his li

fe to protect the last two emperors of the dynasty) as well as Kam Fa (Patron Saint of Expectant Mothers) and To Tei (the Earth God).

Around the corner in the centre of the new village sit the Yu Kiu and Tang Ancestral Halls (on the right and left respectively). These two buildings are two of the most impressive on the trail. The Tang hall is the oldest, with its construction dating back to around 700 years ago, while the Yu Kiu hall was built next door sometime in the early 16th century. Both have undergone major restoration work, but both are still in use and retain a sense of importance through the photographs on show inside showing visits from high-ranking British officials in the late 19th century.

Further along the Kun Ting Study Hall and adjoining Ching Shu Hin provide two of the interesting buildings to explore. In the latter especially no guards watch over you, allowing you to walk around the various corridors and shady rooms of what was once a a guest house for prominent visitors and scholars. You can also see the entrance to the Shut Hing Study Hall, even though the rooms of the hall were demolished in 1977. All of these buildings date from the 1870s.

Across the road, a path leads to the Hung Shing Temple, which originally dated from 1767 but which was renovated in 1963. The temple is supposedly in honour of a man named Hung Hei, who was given the title of "Kwong Lee Hung Shing Tai Wong" after his death by the Governor of Kwong Lee in the Tang Dynasty.

The final building you'll come to walking in this direction is the Old Ping Shan Police Station, dating from 1899. It is one of very few remaining pre-war police stations in the New Territories, and now houses the Heritage Trail visitors centre (open 10am-5pm daily except Mondays and public holidays). Here you'll get a thorough explanation of everything you've just seen, so if you've missed anything you can check it out again on the way back.

All in all the trail makes for something a little different to Hong Kong's usual tourist fare, and while it may not be a full day's activity in itself could easily be combined with visiting the other walled villages in nearby Tsuen Wan, which would also provide an insight into how modern-day Hong Kong people live in the New Territories.

For a map and more information visit the website for the Antiquities and Monuments office: http://www.amo.gov.hk/

Transport in Hong Kong - Trams

A bit of mobile blogging action now....just took this video on the tram ride from Happy Valley up to Western Market.

It's unedited, but hopefully it serves to show somewhat the changes in the neighbourhoods as you pass through them.

Nicknamed "Ding Ding" by the locals, not only are trams a cheap way to get around this side of Hong Kong Island (it's $2 for any trip, $1 for children under 12 and senior citizens over 65), they're also a quality tourist attraction in their own right. Trams started running down here in 1904 and provide some of the best views of the city, especially if you bag one of the seats at the front of the upper deck.

The various routes will take you through the neighbourhoods of Western, Shueng Wan, Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley and North Point and run from around 5am till midnight every day.

You'll see concrete stations in the middle of the road all across town, but trams will also stop by other roadside stop signs. Board at the back and pay when you get off. Drop the exact change in the box or use ur Octopus Card. Tourist passes for the MTR won't work and the driver won't give change for nobody!

Here you have the website for the company that runs the trams: http://www.hktramways.com/en/home.html

While the tourist board also have their own guide: http://www.discoverhongkong.com/tramguide/eng/index.jsp

Hopewell Centre Part II

Having first visited the Observation Lift on a rainy day, here's a few shots from the Hopewell Centre when the sun was out.

Enjoy.....

Observation Lift, Hopewell Centre

While Hong Kong is sometimes dubbed
"Manhattan of the East", one area where it falls behind its Western counterpart is in the viewing deck stakes.

While New York can offer views from the Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center, Hong Kong's skyscrapers were built for business, not pleasure, and so seemingly don't offer such treats.

That is with the exception of the cylindrical structure of the Hopewell Centre on Queen's Road East in Wan Chai.

Enter this building via the escalators and take a lift to the 17th floor. From here you can enter the "Observation Lift", which will run you up the outside of the building to the 56th floor offering stunning views across Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Victoria Harbour as you go - and all for free!

At the top, another lift will take you up to Hong Kong's only revolving restaurant, on the 62nd floor, for even better views. However - while the lift may be free, the restaurant certainly isn't, and eating here doesn't come cheap...you have been warned! Reservations are also a good idea if you fancy it.

To get here take the MTR to Wan Chai then take Exit A signposted Hopewell Centre. Cross the road and to your right is a street with an all-day market (with a big neon sign hanging over it saying "Under Wear" if you're unsure!) Battle your way to the end and turn right down Queen's Road East. You'll see the Hopewell Centre on the other side of the road about 500m down. You can take an escalator to the elevated walkway to cross the road, and then when you go in walk past the McDonalds and other cafes to the circular lift lobby and go up to the 17th floor to get the Observation Lift.

It's all entirely free and you can go up and down as many times as you like...I did! It's also still worth the trip on a rainy day.

As for other buildings you can (legally) make your way up to catch some views from, watch this space! (Of course, if I don't post for some time, assume I've been arrested trying to get up the IFC2 and start a whip-round for my bail please!)

More pictures and video:

Transport in Hong Kong - MTR

Seeing as it's lashing it down and no sightseeing can be done, it's time for the first of LostInHK's practical guides - how to get around town on the MTR.

The MTR is the city's underground system, as is good to get you around the northern side of Hong Kong Island (Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, etc), most of Kowloon, as far as Tung Chung on Lantau, plus out into the New Territories.

If you're making a trip out to this latter area the MTR is a great way to travel. A lot of the lines are new, it's quick and it's dirt cheap - for the price of just a couple of GBP or USD you can get from Hong Kong Island right out to towns and villages up near the border with China.

The main problem with the MTR however is the stations are quite spread out, and sometimes not in the centre of a given place. The stations are also vast and sprawling. However, their location is signposted all over town, and you just need to look for the symbol shown on the right here.

As a tourist you have a number of options when it comes to tickets:

1) Get a day pass - this will cost you $55 and gives you 24 hours unlimited travel on the MTR from the minute you first use it. If you want to be gadding about Kowloon or the New Territories one day this is well worth it, but not such a good bet for a day out knocking around HK Island. A child day pass costs $25.

2) Airport Express Pass - this will cost either $220 or $300 depending on whether you buy a card with one or two journeys on the Airport Express train (well worth it as a one-way trip on this is $100 anyway, and it is probably the best way to travel to and from the airport). As well as these two trips you then also get three days unlimited travel on the MTR.

3) Get an Octopus Card - this is what the locals use, it's a top-up card which you can use on pretty much any form of transport around Hong Kong (MTR, bus, tram, light rail). It costs $150, $100 of which is credit for transport and the other $50 you usually get back when you return the card in fully-working condition. However, if you return it within three months of buying it there's a $7 fee, so you still get $43 back. This card you just top up when you need to and you get discounted rates on the MTR. It saves having to scramble for change and can just be swiped on all the forms of transport mentioned. To top it up, either go to the machines in the MTR, insert it, then insert multiples of $50 or $100, or go to a Customer Service station in the MTR or even a 7Eleven store! Another good thing about this card is it can be used to pay for things other than transport. You can use it to pay in places like 7Elevens, bakeries, some restaurants, McDonald's, Cafe de Coral, etc, which comes in quite useful when you want that sneaky McDos strawberry milkshake! Also if you use Octopus there are machines dotted around town where you can swipe your card and get further discounts from certain stations. There's one for Wan Chai in the Causeway Centre near the ferry pier (at the top of some escalators near to the "Al Dente" restaurant) and one for Central and Sheung Wan on the mid-levels escalator. It is LostInHK's mission to find more, and we'll post a more in depth report at a later date.

These three items can be bought in the airport or at MTR stations - just go to the Customer Service Desk - while the first two can be bought online here: http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/oticketing/intro.html.

If you pay for the trip on an individual basis it will cost a lot more and can be a real pain. There are ticket machines in the stations which take notes and coins and will often give change. You have to select your destination, pay the fare, then get a ticket which you need to enter the paid area of the station and will need again to get out at the other end. The price of a trip changes depending on the distance.

Trains run from around 6am to midnight, but it changes depending on the station so be sure to check.

One more thing...all the stations have all manner of cafes and shops selling food and drink in them (some even have designer stores, but that's another matter) but eating and drinking on the trains and in the paid part of stations is forbidden. You may see locals doing it, but don't copy them! There can be an on-the-spot fine of anything up to $2000 dollars!

http://www.mtr.com.hk/index.html

Victoria Peak

The Rough Guide to Hong Kong and Macau says "Everyone should make the effort to visit the 555-metre-high Victoria Peak, whose summit gives unsurpassed views." LostinHK could not put it better themselves.

A cheap way to write an intro perhaps, but you can't argue with fact. And if there is one thing any visitor to Hong Kong should do - whether they are here for a couple of hours or a couple of months - it's to make the trek up to Hong Kong's highest point: Victoria Peak.

There are many reasons to come - it's cooler up here when the weather gets humid, it provides a welcome escape from all the hustle and bustle down below, there is greenery in abundance - but the top reason people flock here is for the views, which on a clear day are possibly the best you'll find in the whole territory, and maybe even one of the best cityscape views you can find in any city around the world.

Since the first path to the top was created in 1859 "The Peak" has been a desirable spot for tourists and residents alike, and today is one of the most sought-after addresses in the region. The opening of the tram in the 1880's made it easily accessible, and now you'll be forced to fight for space among the hoards flocking here for the daytime views, the sunsets and the Symphony of Lights show once night falls.

Don't let that put you off, however. The best thing about the Peak is, despite it's popularity, it is relatively easy to escape the crowds, as the best views are reserved for those who strike off the beaten path.

Once you arrive at the top, whether it be by tram or by bus (more on this later), you'll arrive at the Peak Galleria - a large shopping centre (what else did you expect to find here...this being Hong Kong!) with a number of cafes and restaurants as well as a Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and an open-air viewing gallery right at the top called the "Sky Terrace", for those willing to pay a few dollars to get up there. While LostinHK could take or leave the former, the latter is worth a visit at least once, and especially if you're only in town for a few days, as the views from up there are excellent and it is a little easier to bag yourself some space. Tickets are available from inside the Galleria and cost $20 (half that for kids under 11), or you can get a combined ticket with the tram (see the end of this article).

Behind the Galleria is a small square, and on the opposite side of that another shopping centre, again with cafes, restaurants and a decent supermarket for picking up a picnic. Around this square and shopping centre there a few more (free) places to go to admire the views: a flight of stairs next to the Delifrance across the square lead up to a children's playground from where there are good views across to Lamma and which also provides a good spot for watching the sunset over Lantau; and to your left as you exit the Galleria there is a path leading off (past the tram station), a short way along which you'll find a concrete pavilion type construction which offers good views for the Symphony of Lights (the top picture in this article was taken there).

But it is away from this area where the best delights The Peak has to offer are hidden, and where their are the fewest people also. In the square an old tram carriage houses the Tourist Information Centre. Stop in there and grab yourself a free map of the walking routes around the Peak. While there are many, the top two for views are described here.

The first one is a circular route which begins on the right as you come out of the Galleria. Walk around the side of the building, and as the road turns left and up the hill you will see a path that leads off down the side (Lugard Road). This is a great little shaded route which includes information about the wildlife and foliage all around you, and which is interspersed every so often with viewing platforms and great vistas out over the city, the harbour and the islands.

Don't be put off by the fact that it seems like nobody is down here, that's half the beauty of this route. As you follow it round views of the city give way to views across the harbour to the Tsing Yi bridge then Lantau Island (picture below). A little further Lamma comes into view across the water, with the town of Aberdeen down on the coast of Hong Kong Island below you. Following this path all the way around takes about 1-1.30hours with stops. There are lookout points along the way with benches to stop and picnic. The one where this picture was taken is a decent one for that, and is about 30 minutes into the walk.

For those with a little more stamina, the second walk heads up the hill. And by up, we mean up! The gradient is extremely steep at times, and while this is by no means an extremely challenging walk, it certainly isn't your average stroll in the park neither. But don't worry....anyone who isn't up to the task will know after about five minutes, and can easily walk back to the Galleria! Those who do go, take water. There are no stores on the way up and the "light refreshment kiosk" at the top isn't always open.

The thing is, where the buses and trams stop is by no means the actual peak of Victoria Peak. In fact the very top of the mountain is home to a transmitter of some description, and therefore off limits unfortunately. Still, just before that point there are the landscaped Victoria Peak Gardens some 50m below the actual top, which was the site of the Mountain Lodge -the Governor's summer residence in Hong Kong - which and still makes an excellent destination to head for.

Where the previous path starts the road turns left and heads steeply up the hill (Mount Austin Road). Follow this road up and round to the right, past a children's playground, and then to the left again. There is a path that leads off the road here and down to the route described before. Unless you want to join that route you need to follow the road to the left and continue upwards ever upwards.

The road continues to snake its way up the hill, and once you have gone past some final apartment buildings there is no longer any pavement, so try to be careful as cars do use this route. After snaking left then right again after the final set of apartments you will soon come to a shabby-looking one story house. This is the Gate Lodge, the only building left of the old Mountain Lodge, and which was built between 1900 and 1902.

A little further up and you arrive at the park. There is a car park at the end of the road, and to the left of this is a viewing platform with steps leading down into the park. Various paths lead off into the park and there are benches all over where again you can stop and enjoy a picnic. If you head along to the right after coming down the steps from the car park you come to a circular viewing area fro where you have 270 degree views out over the South China Sea, taking in Lantau and Lamma, and on a clear day you could perhaps see the many tiny islands beyond these two, dotting the sea between Hong Kong and Macau.

Now, as for how to get to the Peak, you're best options are take the bus or the Peak Tram from the terminal near the Bank of China building and Hong Kong Park in Central. The same Rough Guide also says that: "The precipitous tram ride up is another Hong Kong institution." While it may be an institution, in our humble opinion it is not as good a way to reach the peak as the bus.

While the tram will cost you $22 one-way or $33 return ($37 and $48 respectively with the "Sky Terrace" included), the bus will set you back about $9 each way, and the views are by far superior (get the front seat on the top deck and you won't be disappointed!) Bus #15 gets you there from Exchange Square or the Pier in Central, or from Queen's Rd East in Wan Chai.

The tram meanwhile can be one hell of a fight, as you queue for hours to get on and then things get hairy as you are rounded like cattle onto the platform. There is a good bit of information about the history of the Peak and the tram at the station, but you won't see any of it while you are being herded through. Our advice, if you do want to take the tram get the bus up and the tram back down - the queues are shorter and people seem a lot more relaxed about the whole thing!

http://www.thepeak.com.hk/en/home.asp

Walking route - Causeway Bay to Wan Chai

Walking around Causeway Bay you'd be forgiven for asking yourself "Hey! Where the hell's the bay?!"

It's a fair question. The waterfront here is now hidden behind a wealth of shopping centres such as Sogo and the WTC. But for the more adventurous who take the time to seek out what must have at one time been a very peaceful harbour, you will be rewarded with a promenade which is good for a walk all the way back to Wan Chai almost to Admiralty, with great views over the harbour, the city, and even with a little bit of history thrown in for good measure too.

Start the walk off in Victoria Park, where there are fountains and gardens and nearby cafes for grabbing something to eat either before you get going or to take on the walk with you. At the bottom end of the park down by the water there is a bridge which will get you over the monster of a main road (follow signs for the Noon Day Gun), and once on the other side you come out on a wide harbour-side promenade right next to the Typhoon shelter. From here there is a great view down the island back towards Wan Chai and Central (pictured above) and views across the harbour to Kowloon.

For the more adventurous, there is the typhoon shelter itself to discover. Turn right after coming off the bridge and you'll see steps leading down to the water. At the bottom little sampan boats will be waiting to take you out into the harbour to boats selling seafood and the like. Now, we have not tried this (as the smell of the harbour does not get my appetite up, I'll be honest!) so we can't recommend it. But, as we said, for the more adventurous, the option is there!

For those of you not willing to risk an evening on the toilet and who want to stick to the walk the views of the boats and the city is more than reward enough for heading out here. Head down the path towards the big pointy spire of Central Plaza in Wan Chai (Fact of the Day: Central Plaza is the world's tallest building made from reinforced concrete, apparently!). After a few hundred yards, just past the end of the shelter, you'll come across the Noon Day Gun: a small cannon owned by the Jardine company which is still fired every day at noon. Jardine, Matheson and Co was one of the first big companies set up in Hong Kong, and after setting up their warehouses in Causeway Bay they installed a cannon to protect their waterfront. The story goes that this cannon was always fired to celebrate the return of one of their ships, but one day this event coincided with the arrival of a new Governor, who was so shocked by the sound of this cannon fire as he entered the harbour that he ordered the gun to be fired at midday from then on for ever more. It isn't a spectacular sight in itself, being stuck behind bars and often covered in tarp, but it is one of the few historic relics knocking about in HK. A plaque at the site explains the story, and also tells you that the site behind you across the road was the first patch of land bought in Hong Kong and is known as Plot One. However, seeing as the coastline was considerably further back when the gun was first used (and even when the plaque was put up) it's unlikely that what you're looking at really is the historic Plot One.

From here you can carry on the route or head back into Causeway Bay via a nearby tunnel which comes out at the WTC shopping centre. If you carry on this stretch heads right by the road (not so pretty) for a few hundred yards, then you have to turn right and follow the path past the Hong Kong yacht club on a patch of land that juts out into the harbour, and used to be a small but separate island.


Past the yacht club you go through a gate on your right that leads onto the Wan Chai stretch of the path. Here you'll see people fishing, sitting by the waterfront reading books, couples sitting together admiring the view, and lots and lots of very proud dog owners walking their pride and joy. Dog lovers will have a field day.


All in all it's a pleasant walk on a sunny afternoon, with great views of the harbour, and a much better alternative to getting into Wan Chai down the choked Hennesey Road.


Once you reach Wan Chai your choices are to head into the centre through the Harbour Centre, which has a couple of good cafes and restaurants (LostInHK top tip: try the chocolate cheesecake at Main St Cafe in the Harbour Centre. You get views over the harbour and the best cheesecake this side of Germany!), or you could catch the Star Ferry from the Wan Chai Ferry Pier and continue your journey on the other side of the harbour along the Avenue of Stars (ferries are generally every 6-12 mins, cost approx $2.30). The Star Ferry of course is one of the highlights of Hong Kong in itself, and while most people go for the Central-Tsim Sha Tsui route, the Wan Chai crossing is longer and the boat turns side-on to offer better views. Sit on the far side of the boat as you get on for views of the Central skyline. Don't go in the end compartments, you'll see nothing. Get a seat in the middle of the boat.



Alternatively you can walk past the ferry pier and continue along the harbour front past the Wan Chai Conference and Exhibition Centre, a relatively new addition to the harbour skyline. The path leads along to the right again to Bauhinia Square (pictured right), which sits in front of the CEC and commands great views of Tsim Sha Tsui and Central. It was here that the British officially handed Hong Kong back to the Chinese in 1997. Two statues stand here to commemorate the occasion: The Golden Bauhinia, which is the symbol of Hong Kong; and a big black obelisk type structure that the Chinese erected to show they had arrived. A plaque on this statue describes the occasion from a Chinese perspective, and offers an interesting take on how the new rulers were greeted on that day.


Also down here there are cafes, benches to sit and watch the boats or admire the skyline, and it is also one of the top spots for watching the Symphony of Lights (see the post of the same name for more info). A walk all the way around the building and across the road will bring you into a quiet park surrounded by the glass skyscrapers. From here you can get onto the elevated walkways that will take you into central Wan Chai if you head left, or into Admiralty and Central if you go right.

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Lantau Island 1 - The Big Buddha

I was going to put this post up as one for all of Lantau Island, but then realised how wrong that would be given that there is so much to do here!

Pretty much every visitor who comes to Hong Kong comes to Lantau, as it is the site of the airport at Chek Lap Kok. Those who come back here to do some sightseeing during their trip however come mainly for two reasons: 1) Disneyland 2) The Big Buddha (also called Tian Tan Buddha). In this humble scribe's opinion you can safely skip the former, but while the latter is somewhat of a major tourist magnet it is definitely worth the trip.

The statue itself is the world's largest outdoor sitting statue of Buddha made out of bronze (don't act like you're not impressed!) It stands at 110 ft high and sits on a platform which is reached by climbing 268 steps. It's free to get this far, but if you want to go inside (where there's an exhibition on Buddhism, the construction of the statue and access to the upper platform) you have to buy a food ticket (seriously!) The ticket costs about $4 and can be redeemed at the nearby vegetarian restaurant or one of the snack kiosks around the Buddha.

The views from both the lower and upper platforms over Lantau are great, and the statue is undoubtedly impressive, but unfortunately there's no real history to the statue in the same way as there is with other "Big Buddhas" across Asia. This project was only started in 1990, and completed in December 1993 at a cost of $68 million.

Next door to the statue, however, is the equally impressive but slightly more historic Po Lin Monastery. Founded in 1903 by three visiting monks from Jiangsu Province in North East China, the monastery is a fairly large complex with an incredibly ornate main temple, which includes three further bronze statues of Buddha. Approaching from the Big Buddha you enter via a garden filled with furnaces burning incense (as shown in the photo above), the smell and sight of which is rather moving. The monastery is walled off, and once entering through the ornate gates you emerge into a small courtyard with the temple ahead of you and flanked either side by the living quarters, with a small vegetarian restaurant on the left. Even with the crowds the whole thing is as peaceful as things get in Hong Kong, and while the cynical will be upset by the presence of numerous souvenir stands and snack stalls, it is still a impressive sight and one of the best temples to see in the region.

Whilst still at the top there are also a number of walks that can be taken, such as the Wisdom Path (an easy walk around the top of the hillside through woodland and complete with more Buddha statues), the walk to Lantau Peak (Hong Kong's second highest mountain), and the longer walk to Sunset Peak. We haven't done these yet, but plan to and will post on them when we have.

Just as much fun as being at the Big Buddha is the making the trip there and back. There are a number of ways of making the journey to the top either from Tung Chung or Mui Wo (Silvermine Bay), so the route we took is by no means the only option, but we reckon it's the best, that's why we took it!!

We got here by first taking the MTR to Tung Chung then getting a glass-bottomed cable car (called Ngong Ping 360) up the mountain. This is a great way to go, as you get cracking views over the mountains and the coast right next to Tung Chung. Then as you sweep over the ridge you see the big bronze head of the statue peering over the hillside at you on the left-hand side. It's a great introduction to the place, made even more magnificent on a cloudy day when the statue appears out of the mist right at the last second.

To get to the cable car come out of the MTR station into the big square with the fountains and head left towards the bus stop. You'll see the station from there. Bring money, as this trip is not the cheapest way up and, while you can pay on credit card, those who want to pay cash won't find an ATM up at the station, the nearest one being back down in Tung Chung at the MTR, and there's always a massive queue. A single trip (you won't need a return on this itinerary) will cost $63 in a normal cabin and $109 in one of the "crystal cabins" (glass bottomed). The opening times are 10am-6pm weekdays, 9am-6.30pm weekends and holidays.

After getting off the cable car you're greeted by the rather tacky Ngong Ping "Chinese Style" village. You can head straight through this unless you want a starbucks or a t-shirt with a monkey on it! The bus station is behind the village. Walk straight through and out the other side to get to the Buddha.

Once you've done looking round, the best way back is take a bus down to Mui Wo. The road winds down the mountain side with views over the coast and past the reservoir on its way into the small coastal village. Sit on the left-hand side for the best views. You'll need the No.2 bus, which departs Ngong Ping pretty much every 45 mins weekdays and Saturdays until 6.20pm ($17.20 one way), every 30 mins or so on Sundays and holidays until 6.45pm ($20 one way).

At the bottom there's not much to do in Mui Wo other than catch the ferry back. There's a bike rental place right by the ferry pier (where the bus drops you off) if you want to hang about. The beach extends out of town to the left of the ferry pier, past a few dodgy looking seafood stalls, as is decent enough for a short walk. Otherwise there's a short walk out of town to a waterfall near the old mine that gives the bay its English name. Follow the road back out of town the way you came in on the bus and you'll see the sign posts.

If you do get the ferry back, sit on the right hand side for views of the Central skyline as you come back in to Hong Kong Island. The ferries are every 40 mins and are mostly the fast ferry service which cost $25.50 Monday to Saturday and $36.70 Sundays and holidays. The slow ferry is about half the price but does not run often and takes about an hour.

All in all budget at least $500 for two people for the transport and drinks/lunch etc, and expect to spend the whole day out and about.

Po Lin website: http://www.plm.org.hk/blcs/en/index.asp

Ngong Ping 360: http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/front/index.asp

A Symphony of Lights

The neon-clad skyscrapers which are creeping ever closer to each other on both sides of Victoria Harbour are to Hong Kong what the Statue of Liberty is to New York. They are the sight most people have in mind when they think about coming here, and nearly every guidebook carries their image on their covers.

The ingenious folks at HK tourism are well aware of this, and after days locked in a meeting room deciding how they can make this awe-inspiring sight of glass, steel and neon even more, well, awe-inspiring, the conclusion they came to seemed kinda obvious...stick even more lights on the buggers!!!

But that wasn't enough. Not content with more lights that flash and laser beams that shoot out from over 70 stories high across the harbour sky, it was decided for the thing to be really spectacular it should be set to cheesy music.

And so every night at 8pm (barring a Typhoon or Rainstorm warning at any time that same day) the skyline from Causeway Bay to Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island and from Tsim Sha Tsui to Hung Hom on the Kowloon side dances to the Symphony of Lights - a 15-minute laser and light show choreographed around the themes of "Awakening", "Energy", "Heritage", "Partnership", and "Celebration".

It's cheesy as hell, but well worth seeing, as the skyline is impressive enough by itself but really comes to life with the addition of flashing lights and laser beams. The top spots to go and see the show are The Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui, by the Wan Chai Exhibition Centre next to Wan Chai ferry pier on Harbour Road, and from Victoria Peak.

At the first two places you'll get the musical accompaniment, and in all three you'll have to sharpen your elbows and nudge your way into a good spot among the crowds. The Avenue of Stars is where you'll get the classic view of the Central skyline (as shown in my photo), whereas the Wan Chai spot gives you an all-round harbour view. The show from the Peak can be a bit of a letdown, as some of the lights on the front of the buildings can't be seen.

An alternative to these three places (and the first of your LostInHK mega tips!) is to head to a rooftop garden near the Central ferry pier. Exit the IFC mall next to the CitySuper supermarket and follow the walkway past the escalators and round to the left. There's a small garden next to bar from where you can see all the lights in Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Shui and there are absolutely no crowds. There's a bar up there, which often has live music (much better than the cheesy stuff served up for the show!) and you could even grab a cheeky Ben and Jerry's ice cream right by the exit to the IFC! Nice!

http://www.tourism.gov.hk/symphony/english/details/details.html

Lost and Found!

People in Hong Kong work a lot. They go to work at 9am and work through till 6pm, but then, because it's considered rude to leave work on time, most people keep going until at least 7. They rarely take holidays, both because most companies only grant seven days leave after the first year of service, and because they think if they spend too much time away from the company they will be viewed as dispensible.

The people behind this blog, however, do not work a lot. And we take plenty of days off. We work enough to be able to stay in Hong Kong then spend the rest of our time sightseeing and writing about it here.

If you want help planning a trip to Hong Kong we hope this blog will be the place for you. We have used guidebooks to help us with our jaunts around the territory, and where they have fallen short we will fill in the blanks.

Like for example, it's useful to know that when you ride the trams on Hong Kong Island, you board at the back and get off at the front, paying as you get off. There's your first tip, read on and dig out some more.....