june-2011

SOUTHERN
CHARM Hong
Look beyond the usual
hotspots on Hong Kong Island
— there’s plenty to discover in
the old-meets-new, laid-back
Southern District, and with
fewer crowds too
WORDS BELINDA WAN
PHOTOGRAPHY HARYATI MAHMOOD
Kong is a place that I’ve
always wanted to visit, but it had
somehow ended up falling by the
wayside in the scheme of my travel
plans (although its drama serials were a
big part of my TV diet). Now, I’ve decided
to explore the Southern District of Hong
Kong Island to see how it compares with
the busier north.
For the fi rst night, we book into Novotel
Century Hong Kong (formerly Century
Hong Kong Hotel) in Wanchai for one last
dose of conviviality before heading for the
quieter south. Its minimalistic ambience
provides a welcome retreat after a night’s
revelry in the bustling neighbourhood,
which has been given a booster shot with
the opening of bars and boutiques.
BEACHES, MOVIES AND A THEME PARK
The next morning, we head off to Repulse
Bay, site of the former 1920s Repulse Bay
MY JOURNEY //
Hotel, and the choice residence of the
rich and famous. Some say the bay was
once used by pirates, who were repulsed
by the British fl eet; others say the area
was named after the HMS Repulse,
stationed there in the 1840s. Whatever it
is, this area has been the inspiration for
writers and fi lmmakers: Eileen Chang’s
Love in a Fallen City is set in the historic
Repulse Bay Hotel, which also featured
in the Hollywood movies Love is a Many
Splendored Thing and Coming Home.
Don’t miss the Chinese deities and
mythological fi gures like the East Sea
Dragon King at Kwun Yam Shrine — the
most notable statues being two enormous
fi gures of Kwun Yam and Tin Hau (or
Mazu), which grace the left and right of the
shrine respectively — as well as Longevity
Pavilion and Longevity Bridge.
The Ocean Park Hong Kong provides
plenty to see and do, whatever your age.
Seek peaceful respite at
Longevity Pavilion and the
nearby Longevity Bridge
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