Marine Department, Hong Kong SAR - HKU Libraries - The ...

Experience the wonder of Asia's
spectacular island treasure
Enjoy Hong Kong's fascinating
contrasts, from ancient temples and
modern shopping malls to wildlife
reserves and beautiful beaches, there
is something to delight every visitor
to this glorious island.
THERE is an unmistakable buzz of
excitement about Hong Kong which,
to this day, remains one of the
world's most unique and vibrant
metropolises and a multi-purpose
holiday destination.
From temples that are centuries old
and modern amusement parks, to lush
green forests, sandy beaches, luxury
shopping malls and open-air street
markets, cosmopolitan Hong Kong is
a fascinating mix of old and new,
traditional and high-tech.
The newly created Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (SAR)
of the People's Republic of China
comprises Hong Kong Island,
Kowloon Peninsula and the New
Territories which, in itself, contains
235 islands, each with its own
distinctive flavour and charm.
Most people appear to come to
Hong Kong to shop, spending an
average of 50 percent of their money
on goods bought at any of its
thousands of specialist shops and
department stores or from traditional
market stalls selling everything from
fruit to fine art and household pets.
Stanley Market, Ocean Park and
Victoria Peak, which should be
scaled at least once by the near
vertical-travelling Victoria Peak tram
and offers a 554 metre high
panoramic view over Hong Kong,
are without doubt Hong Kong's most
popular tourist attractions.
Another 'must-see', accessible by
cable car or escalator, is Ocean
Park. The largest oceanarium in
Southeast Asia, it comprises Water
World, the Middle Kingdom and a
Chinese cultural village and features
attractions such as Atoll Reef, Wave
Cove and Shark Aquarium.
Other popular tourist sites include
Hong Kong Park, a 10 hectare oasis
at the heart of Hong Kong Island,
Repulse Bay, St John's Cathedral, Aw
Boon Haw Gardens, Wong Tai Sin
Temple, Hong Kong Arts Centre and
Science and Space museums.
Hong Kong harbour and the
surrounding waters are, of course, a
tourist attraction in their own right
and can be explored by boarding a
host of vessels ranging from tiny
sampans which provide 20 minute
tours around Aberdeen Harbour, to
motor!sed junks offering seven
hour excursions.
Newer sites of interest for tourists
include the newly opened
international airport at Chek Lap Kok
and the 'Lantau Link' which
incorporates Tsing Ma Bridge, the
world's longest suspension bridge