Taking the tram to the top of Victoria Peak (太平山) for the first time can make you a bit giddy, first with the kind of buzz little kids get from amusement park rides, then with the pleasure of realizing that, in Hong Kong, everyday public transportation is fun (don't forget the double-decker street trams and Star Ferry). And once you reach the peak, you're in for another treat: one of the world's best views, with Hong Kong's skyscrapers, bustling Victoria Harbour and Kowloon spread out before you. The tram drops you off at the foot of the Peak Tower. An oddly unnecessary addition to such a stunning spot, the eight-story wok-shaped mall-in-the-sky looks a bit like a clunky party hat perched atop the head of an otherwise grand dame. Along with the neighboring Peak Galleria, the tower houses a slew of expensive shops, pricey eateries and a Madame Tussaud's wax museum. Of far less qu... more >>

Stanley, the town, sits at the narrow neck of Stanley, the Peninsula, and is home to Stanley Market, Stanley Beach and Stanley Military Cemetery. It's also where you'll find St. Stephen's Beach, the Tin Hau Temple and Murray House. Once one of the more remote areas of Hong Kong Island (the last Hong Kong tiger was shot there 1942, the skin of whom can be seen in Tin Hau Temple), Stanley today is a pleasant upscale community popular with tourists for the aforementioned market and its manageable assortment of sights. Stanley's a great place to get away from the crush of Hong Kong's crowds for a laid-back good time. The beaches are popular barbecue spots and the town features a handful of relatively mellow pubs. The market is worth a browse, offering a fairly typical assortment of market goods, from antiques of dubious provenance to beads and discount clothing. Stanley Beach i... more >>

Serving the people of Hong Kong for over 100 years, Star Ferry is both tourist attraction and daily mode of transport for commuters, connecting Hong Kong Island with Kowloon Peninsula. To some extent these ferries have become a symbol of the city. The main service between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui runs between 06:30 and 23:30 everyday. The Star Ferry Company came into existence around 1898 and since then its ferries have been shuttling busily between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The Star Ferry now owns 12 double-deck ferries and each ferry has a cabin on the upper deck All of its ferries have the word 'star' in their names (Night Star, Morning Star, Gold Star, Heaven Star). Ferries run frequently and it takes only about 10 minutes to travel across the harbor. In the evening, passengers can enjoy the sea breeze gentle breeze and the world-famous sky-line of Victoria Harbor. ... more >>

The 5.7 km (3.5 mi) Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car is the first cableway of its kind in Hong Kong, lifting passengers up above Lantau Island and toward Ngong Ping Mountain, home of the giant Tian Tan Buddha statue and Po Lin Monastery. The 25-minute ride boasts scenic views of the South China Sea and sloping, verdant grasslands of North Lantau Country Park. The cable car is a true departure from the bustling urban sprawl of Hong Kong as you glide into the serene and natural setting for which Lantau is revered. The ride comes back down to earth within a five-minute walk of Ngong Ping Village’s many retail and dining venues, in the shadow of the mighty, bronze Tian Tan Buddha. Visitors can opt to ride in either a standard cabin or one of the newer, glass-bottomed "crystal" cabins for an enhanced experience of&nbs... more >>

Located in the Peak Tower atop Victoria Peak, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong is home to the waxy likenesses of Hong Kong's biggest entertainment names as well as a host of celebrity figures from around the world and throughout history. Kung Fu stars Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh and Bruce Lee are major draws, along with a leggy Anita Mui, Taiwanese icon Teresa Teng, Cantopop king Aaron Kwok, and numerous other fixtures in the Chinese-speaking pop firmament.  And if you're looking for a scare, check out SCREAM, a bit of live-action interactive theater frightening enough to be off-limits for children under 12.  Though a bit on the pricey side, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong is a fun diversion for fans of Asian pop culture and return visitors to the Peak ready to head indoors rather than admire the spectacular view of Victoria Harbour.   more >>

Repulse Bay, located in the southern part of Hong Kong Island, is the most spectacular bay in the region and the most popular beach and swimming place in Hong Kong.  Primarily an upmarket residential area, sun-drenched Repulse Bay has a relaxed resort-like atmosphere. Endowed with a pleasant seascape and charming vistas it offers a long stretch of golden sand and gets really busy, especially on weekends and holidays. During the summer, lifeguards are on duty. Near the beach, there are extensive facilities: showers, change rooms, barbecue racks, shade trees, hotels, supermarkets, and cafes. A lighthouse near the beach is a popular photo spot. Sunset is a favorite time to bring out a beach blanket and have glass of wine. With year round water temperatures ranging between16 C (60.8F) and 26 C (80.6F), this is a great place to beat the heat and get a bit of rest and ... more >>

Immortalized in Noel Coward's Mad Dogs and Englishmen, the firing of the Jardine Noonday Gun is a tradition that harks back to Hong Kong's colonial heyday.  Established in 1832, Jardine Matheson & Co., more commonly known as Jardine's, quickly became one of the island's most successful enterprises. By 1834, they had made the first private shipment of Chinese tea to England, breaking the British East India Company's monopoly on trade, and haven't looked back since. Amassing great fortune and success exporting tea and silks to Europe and trading Indian opium to the Chinese, today, the company remains a powerful force with widespread interests across Asia. In 1860, Jardine's took to firing a cannon from near their headquarters on East Point, to welcome tai pans arriving by sea. The Royal Navy, feeling this to be inappropriate use of a gun fire salute, deman... more >>

Named the "World's Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show" by the Guinness Book of World Records, Hong Kong's "Symphony of Lights" ignites the city’s skyline with synchronized pulsing lasers, spotlights and colored beams across 44 soaring skyscrapers and buildings. Designed to symbolize the spirit, vibrancy and diversity of Hong Kong, the spectacle creates a panoramic buzz of light and music on both sides of Victoria Harbor. The Avenue of the Stars, set on the water’s edge and featuring a broadcast of the show’s soundtrack and narration is one of the best vantage points from which to view the spectacle. Another (less crowded) option is the Ocean Terminal Pier, to the north of Star Ferry Terminal. Launched in December 2005 by Australian company LaserVision (also the brains behind Singapore's Marina Bay Sands WonderFull ligh... more >>

The beach in Shek O in the southeast is one of the best beaches in Hong Kong. The name, Shek O literally means "rocky bay" and those same rocks make for lovely scenery and some good rock climbing. There is a great laid back feeling about this place, and there are a few great restaurants (try the Black Sheep). This is a very small, family run place serving up great Mediterranean style cuisine at reasonable prices. more >>

Just 2 km north of Shek O is an even nicer beach, Big Wave Bay. The waves of its namesake only really steam onto shore when the wind is up, making it a favorite spot for both surfers and windsurfers when a storm's a-brewing. Surf boards can be rented for around HKD 50 per day and bodyboard HKD 10-30. Even if you're not into surfing, this is a lovely beach and if the weather is fine the waves are very gentle, plus it's a nice walk or bike ride from Shek O Village (bikes can be hired locally). Usually the sea is clear and great for swimming, and the cliffs here also boast some interesting prehistoric rock carvings. Hong Kong has three other spots known as Big Wave Bay or "Tai Long Wan" in Cantonese, two of the others are on Lantau Island (West of Shek Pik and South coast of Chi Ma Wan Peninsula) and the other east of the Sai Kung Peninsula, ne... more >>