Hong Kong is a smash and grab sort of place. Fly in, do the tourist thing,
then move on after a few days to somewhere more relaxing.
But once you take the time to explore and find out a bit more about the region
it becomes obvious that there is no need to drive back out to the airport
and head to New Zealand, Australia or Thailand to find a good beach and
somewhere to relax.
Not that the tourist thing is not worth doing.
After flying in on a Sunday evening my first port of call was to get a suit
made to Sam’s Tailors, whose walls are covered with pictures of famous faces
in his shop, from Elvis to Gordon Brown (who likes his shirts blue).
In between the two fittings there was time for a visit to Ladies Market, where
you can buy everything from fake designer handbags and watches to wigs and
chess boards, a trip on the tram to take in the view from The Peak, a visit
to MingCha, a specialist tea firm, a trip to the horse racing at Happy
Valley and traditional Dim Sum, including chicken’s feet.
The city feels similar to Bangkok but mixed with the lights of Piccadilly
Circus. There are always hordes of people on the street and the roads are
always full of cars.
Our first couple of nights were spent at the well placed Manor Lux, a smaller
hotel in Kowloon. Within yards of the front door you could buy live fish to
eat, have a wedding dress made or buy a genuine Cartier watch.
On the first full day we were taken from here to the harbour to meet Paul
Etherington who runs a hiking and
kayaking business. Paul came to HK with his father thirty years ago from
Yorkshire and never left.
It is his sort of business that gives you another take on the area. Charging
across the South China Sea on his former Marine speedboat at 35mph we passed
some beautiful, deserted beaches that can be used for a relaxing picnic and
swim.
After 40 minutes of touring several islands we soon reached High Island in Sai
Kung, and went on a two mile hike through the undergrowth to some high
points that gave an amazing panorama of the area.
Back to the beginning of the path and there was time for a quick cooling dip
before the only restaurant on the island cooked us lunch. We were joined by
the village elder Cheng Tai Yeu and his wife.
Speaking through an interpreter he told how 40 years ago there were 100 people
on the island but now less than 20 lived there, as most had been lured by
the bright lights, public housing and pay packets of Hong Kong.
if you want some better info on HK birds and its environs take a look at these web sites:
http://www.hkoutdoors.com/
http://www.drmartinwilliams.com/
or as South China Morning Post put it:
"Hong Kong's one-man answer to National Geographic."
Iain, Hong Kong, China
This is a pretty poorly-researched article; apart from getting the Sai Kung 'island' thing wrong, those would be mangroves around Tai O, not 'mango groves' (whatever they are).
There are also plenty of relatively clean beaches on the south of Lantau Island which attract families with kids throughout the year, although Oonagh is right; July to September is pretty unbearable due to the humidity.
There's also a pretty clear distinction between Hong Kong Island (where all the skyscrapers are, and Kowloon; home of Nathan Road (tourist rip-off capital of HK), known with good reason as 'The Dark Side' to islanders. The south side of Hong Kong island away from the built up northern strip is lush and green with country parks and beaches, and Lamma island is the place to go for fresh seafood; Sunday lunch there is an institution for locals and ex-pats, accompanied by green tea for the former and lashings of chardonnay for the latter. Can't recommend it too highly...
NB in HK, Hong Kong,
Try Lamma Island in Hong Kong. It's one of the islands you can see when you are sitting in a restaurant on the Peak.
It's supposed to be good for sea food. You can arrive in the south of the island, walk past all the seafood restaurants and then keep on walking through the countryside to the other small harbour in the north.
You go through lush vegetation, pass by small shanties and banana trees, a small garden that sells its own produce and can take a small detour to a quiet, clean beach. It's all very idyllic. Despite Hong Kong's largest power plant being on the island.
It's easy to get to by ferry. Lovely
Tina, Dusseldorf, Germany
Good luck for a nature and beach holiday for
Tretch, Hong Kong,
Although Hong kong has beautiful beaches, anyone who expects to have a beach holiday here would be disappointed. Hong Kong is now very polluted - both the water and the air - and the humidity in July and August is stifling.
Don't cancel the flight to Thailand.
Oonagh, Hong Kong,
I hope after reading your article tourists aren't racing off to try and find Sai Kung Island. Sai Kung is a penninsula and very easy to visit. Take the MTR to Hang Hua and jump on a mini bus 101 and you can be there in 30 minutes from central Hong Kong.
Sai Kung town has excellent bars and resturants and unforgetable walks through the country park. All trail well marked and leaflets about the trails and their degree of difficulty aviliable at the Tourist Offices and you will find some of the best secluded beaches in Asia but not unfortunaly the best water quality.
It is well worth a visit
sandra, coloane, macau
Sai Kung's not an island
Chris, Hong Kong,