february-2011

Hong Kong photo: HKTA
Fishing boats
in Hainan
HAIKOU
CHINA
The capital of Hainan enjoys
a long coastline with many
seaside resorts, and is best
known for its food and
historical sites. It’s also
widely known as the Hawaii
of the East.
Haikou
CHINA
FROM THE AIRPORT
CBD 25km from Haikou Meilan
International Airport
Travel time City centre is around
30 mins by car
Taxi Approx CNY50 (S$9.75)
Airport express CNY15 (S$2.93);
fi rst shuttle is at 5.30am; takes
about 30 mins
ON THE GO
1. Tourist buses No. 1, 2 and New
Meilai link attractions like Wugong
Temple and Hai Rui Park for just
CNY1 (S$0.20).
2. Pedicab Three-wheeled bicycle
available from CNY2 (S$0.39).
DUNCAN YU
Director of sales
and marketing,
Sheraton Haikou
Resort
Great place for dinner: Hao
Bai Nian Seafood Restaurant
located on the west coast is a
short eight minutes’ drive from
Sheraton Haikou Resort. It’s a
beachfront restaurant with great
views and a relaxed environment
for seafood fi ne dining.
Best night out: Seaview
Lounge, where you can enjoy the
Philippine band on the terrace
and the refreshing ocean breeze.
Best buy for under S$50:
Hainan coff ee is a special local
product. It’s smoother and
mellower than other coff ees.
Best breakfast: Breeze, in
Sheraton Haikou Resort,
overlooks the pool areas and
ocean through large open French
doors. It’s the best place to enjoy
breakfast with the variety of
delicious dishes.
Must-buy gift: Coconut. You
can drink the sweet coconut
juice and have fun eating the
delicious coconut meat.
Must-eat: Wenchang chicken
is the dish you must defi nitely
try, out of Hainan’s four most
famous traditional dishes.
Must-watch local production:
The Impression Hainan show
directed by Zhang Yimou and
his team. Zhang Yimou was also
the director of the opening and
closing ceremonies of the Beijing
2008 Olympic Games.
international adventures
HONG KONG
CHINA
This throbbing metropolis
combines its breathtaking
harbour along with elements
of Old China and emeraldgreen
outlying islands.
Tourists will be spoiled for
dining and nightlife hotspots.
CHINA
Hong Kong
FROM THE AIRPORT
CBD 30km from Hong Kong
International Airport
Travel time CBD is around
20 mins by car
Taxi About HK$300 (S$49.72) and
45 mins to the CBD
Shuttle bus The Airport Express
services Central, Kowloon, Jordan
and Tsing Yi Island. www.mtr.com.hk
ON THE GO
1. Ferry Cheap and scenic.
2. Bus Go around the entire
territory with coins or the handy
Octopus Card.
3. Train Run ’til after midnight.
The neon-lit
Hong Kong
by night
JO-ANNE DOONER
Co-founder/director,
Get Reading Right
Favourite local festival: The
Dragon Boat festival during
early summer is great fun —
loud, exciting and an excellent
opportunity to try yummy
banana leaf-wrapped dumplings.
Best idea for a family outing:
Hong Kong Disneyland has
something for everyone — it’s
pram-friendly, the food is not
overly priced like many theme
parks are, and there are lots
of fun rides. The whole place
has been designed so that it is
stress-free for parents.
Most unusual thing to do: Go
for a foot massage. Traditional
Chinese refl exology does
wonders for tired feet, and is
supposed to have all sorts of
health benefi ts — go with a
friend, sip tea and chat as your
feet are taken care of.
Survival tip for tourists: Buy
an Octopus Card — you can
use them for the MTR (trains),
for buses and even in 7-Eleven
convenience stores. The HK$50
(S$8.29) deposit is refundable.
Local recreational activity
to watch: Get up early in the
morning to watch elderly locals
doing qigong in Victoria Park in
Causeway Bay.
Best place to hang out with
the locals: You have to go visit
a dai pai dong (street-side
restaurant) at Central district or
Causeway Bay.
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