What to see in Hong Kong

Top Things To See    


See the country's oldest Chinese temple, Man Mo Temple on Hong Kong Island, which honours the gods of literature (Man) and war (Mo).

View the incredible density and scale of the city from Victoria Peak. The view here has been further enhanced by the Peak Tower, a seven-storey, futuristic-looking building, incorporating a viewing area, restaurant and entertainment centre. Reached by the Peak Tram, that rises 386m (1266ft) up the mountainside within eight minutes, the summit offers an exceptional panorama, whether by day or night. In the New Territories, the Waterfront Park in Tai Po has a futuristic Lookout Tower that provides breathtaking views across Tolo Harbour.

Observe glimpses of Hong Kong's colonial past, such as Government House, the residence of 25 British Governors from 1855 until Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997. Other vestiges are seen in St John's Cathedral, thought to be the oldest Christian church in the Far East.

Go to the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, located in Hong Kong Park; the museum is an imposing colonial-style building housing ancient Chinese artefacts used in tea-making.

See Hong Kong's tallest building, the impressive 78-storey Central Plaza. Visitors can view the city from the Sky Lobby on its 46th floor. After 1800 each day, neon lights upon the building's rooftop change colour every hour to denote the time of evening.

Visit the pristine beach of Repulse Bay , overlooked by the Tin Hau Temple. Lantau Island has the white sandy beach, Cheung Sha, and the amazing Shek Pik Reservoir Dam. Day trips to Lantau and tours can be arranged from Hong Kong Island.

In Kowloon, look at the time at the old Clock Tower near to the star ferry pier, the remaining piece from the Kowloon-Canton railway station that was re-located to Hung Hom in 1975.

For a more spiritual retreat, visit either the Chi Lin Nunnery, a spectacular Tang Dynasty-style complex, or Wong Tai Sin Temple, built in honour of a shepherd who earned immortality. Many fortune-tellers congregate here.

Mingle with the crowds at Mong Kok, thought to be the world's most densely populated urban area, which heaves with selling and buying. Exotic fish and amphibians are sold at the Goldfish Market, and near the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, intricate bamboo birdcages and songbirds can be purchased.

Venture up to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in the New Territories, situated in the hills above Sha Tin, which actually houses around 13,000 small Buddha statues, and is well worth visiting.

Whilst in the New Territories, amble around a beautifully designed complex, located in Tuen Mun, which features pavilions, bonsai trees, lotus ponds and a Taoist temple that contains lanterns from Beijing's Imperial Palace.

See Hong Kong's only historic pagoda, the Tsui Shing Lau Pagoda built in 1486 in the Yuen Lang district.

On the border with China is the fantastic Fung Ying Seen Koon Temple, built in the traditional Taoist style with a double-tiered roof of orange tiles.

On the Outlying Islands, Lantau Island is famed for its Giant Buddha that sits upon Ngong Ping Plateau at the Po Lin Monastery. At 26m high and weighing in at 202 tonnes of bronze, it is the world's largest seated outdoor Buddha. Ngong Ping 360 (opened in early 2006) is a 5.7km (3.5-mile) cable car ride to the Giant Buddha. Tourist Information


Hong Kong Tourism Board in the UK
6 Grafton Street, London W1S 4EQ, UK
Tel: (020) 7533 7100.
Website: www.discoverhongkong.com

Hong Kong Tourism Board in the USA
115 East 54th Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10022-4512, USA
Tel: (212) 421 3382.
Website: www.discoverhongkong.com


Man Mo Temple

Man Mo temple is one of the oldest and well preserved temples in Hong Kong. The temple was build by Taoists during the colonial era in 1848, renovated in 1894, dedicated to two gods; Man Cheong, god of literature and Mo, god of war. Man holds a calligraphy brush and Mo holds a long sword. Man Cheong was born in AD 287 named as Cheung Ah Tse, sacred to officials and statesmen. Mo was born in AD 160 named as Kwan Yue, also known as Kuan Ti or Kuan Kung. Having fought against oppression and injustice, Mo was eventually killed in AD 219 at the hands of his adversaries. Honouring Mo and his achievements, Emperor Wan Li granted Mo as "great venerable and loyal, assistant of Heaven and protector of the Empire". Statues of Man and Mo are one of the key focal points of the temple, surrounded by statues of other gods including Pau Kung, god of justice and Shing Wong, god of the city. The historical artefacts of the temple, amongst others, include a bronze bell dated 1847.

Man Mo temple has been managed by Tung Wah Group of Hospitals since 1908. The temple, apart from the regular worshipers attracts a considerable number of visitors. The air inside the temple has a sense of thickness which is the effect of the aromatic vapours emitted by scores of burning coils. That is combined with shreds of sunrays, offering the visitor the illusion of travelling back in time.

Man Mo temple is open daily between 8:00am and 6:00pm. It is situated on the Western District of Hong Kong Island, 124 Hollywood Road. This is only a few minutes walk from the Mid-Level Escalators. Alternatively the temple can be reached by bus route 26 departing from Des Voeux Road (in front of HSBC main building). There is also another Man Mo temple in Tai Po, which has been declared as a Hong Kong monument.


Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware

Flagstaff House, located in Hong Kong Park, is the oldest colonial building in Hong Kong--the best place to go if you want to see typical Hong Kong architecture of 150 years ago. The house was completed in 1846 in Greek Revival style for the commander of the British forces. Now a museum devoted to the subject of tea culture in China, its collection includes about 500 pieces of tea ware ranging from earthenware to porcelain, primarily of Chinese origin, dating from the 7th century to the present day. With explanations in both English and Chinese, the exhibits also describe methods of making the various kinds of tea favored by the major dynasties. Don't miss the museum shop, which sells beautifully crafted teapots as well as teas. You can see everything here in less than an hour.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


Hong Kong Skyline

Hong Kong skyline is the most beautiful in the world. Any visitor who has been here would agree.

In Hong Kong, you’ll see the most beautifully designed skyscrapers by world-famous architects. These state-of-the-art buildings do worth a visit.

There is a lazar show called A Symphony of Lights held at 8pm daily with 33 buildings participating. Make sure you won’t miss it.

Ideal Place to Admire the Hong Kong Skyline
First, go to Star Ferry on Kowloon side. Turn left while facing the harbour. Take a one-minute walk towards the harbour front. You’ll see the Hong Kong skyline as shown above.

As I live here, let me be the host and introduce the four tallest buildings.

The Four Tallest Buildings in Hong Kong
See if you could spot them on the above Hong Kong skyline photo. From left to right:
Central Plaza | Bank of China Tower | IFC II | The Center

Now let’s take a closer look at each of these buildings and see how we can explore them.


Clock Tower

The plan of Kowloon-Canton Railway was realised in 1904 with its terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui. The railway was inaugurated on 1st October 1910; however, construction of the station did not begin until 1913. Because of World War I, the British materials required for the construction could not be shipped on time, and construction was halted for some time. The part of the station, together with Clock Tower, was completed in 1915, and the whole station 28th March 1916.

The Clock Tower reused the clock from the demolished Pedder Street Clock Tower. However, only one side had a clock, and it was not until 1920 that the remaining three sides of the Clock Tower were installed. They began operation in the afternoon of March 22, 1921, and have run ever since except during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II.

In 1975, Kowloon Station was moved to the present-day Hung Hom Station on the newly reclaimed Hung Hom Bay. The building of the station was demolished in 1977 despite the protest and petitioning from the Heritage Society and other pressure groups. However, as a compromise it was decided that the Clock Tower was to be preserved, and is now accompanied by the Hong Kong Space Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Cultural Centre, all built on former station grounds.

The bell inside the Clock Tower is currently in the railway depot in Ho Tung Lau.


Fung Ying Seen Koon Temple

The Fung Ying Seen Koon was founded as an affiliate of the Dragon Gate sect of the Complete Perfection lineage. The birth of the Fung Ying SeenKoon is as follows:

He Jinyu and Chen Sikai, two Daoist priests who had learned the orthodox teachings of the Dragon Gate sect, together with senior Daoist priest Mai Xingjie, the abbot of the Triple Origin Temple of Guangzhou, once travelled along the Xiangjiang River to visit Li Daoming, the owner of Benli Garden in Anle Village, Fen Ridge. The reason for their visit was that they were aware that the manners and morals of the time were decaying and that they were past their prime, so they thought it necessary to find a holy place for secluded cultivation from which to advocate Daoism in order to remedy the ills of the age.

Arriving at their destination, they saw at a distance green mountains surrounded by a very great number of pines. The place was named Double Fish Grotto and Great Happiness Village. Just as the morning sun began to shine, auspicious clouds in five colors drifted halfway up the hill, making it look like a natural fairyland. Seeing this, they decided to found a Daoist temple of the orthodox Dragon Gate sect on the spot.

After their visit, they asked their Daoist friends Liang Qimei, Zhou Langshan, Su Shouqi, Su Yaochen and Ruan Chanqing to pool a huge sum of money to purchase the land, and they bought the piedmont of the Double Fish Grotto from the relatives and friends of their Daoist friend Feng Yaoqing. There they built a Daoist temple named Fung Ying Seen Koon.

At first, the Supreme Venerable Sovereign and Patriarch Chunyang was enshrined, and later, patriarch Qiu Changchun was also enshrined. From then on the Fung Ying Seen Koon has transmitted its mysterious lineage and expounded the Dao and the scriptures.

In the early days of the Fung Ying Seen Koon, the buildings were dilapidated and the equipment was simple and crude. Later, in 1929, the Jisi year, through the generous financial assistance of the Daoist directors Ruan Chanqing and Su Yaochen, the Eastern Hall was built as a Quiet Chamber for Cultivating the Dao. In the spring of 1951, the western chamber was built, and in the winter of the same year, the senior Daoist Luo Zongxu ceded his Quiet Chamber back to the FungYing Seen Koon, and its name was changed to the Southern Chamber. During the following several years, the two Pavilions, "Plum" and "Orchid," were also built to provide shelter from sunlight and rain for pilgrims, and the Hall of Eternal Memory was established for later generations to honor ancestors with sacrifices. By then, the Fung Ying Seen Koon had become one of the largest Daoist temples in Hong Kong.

In 1950, the gengyin year, the Board of Directors and Advisors was established to administer Daoist pracitce. Soon after that, the Fung Ying Seen Koon applied to the government and was granted the land at the back of the mountain, and opened up new gardens. In 1952, the renchen year, Daoist priests raised funds to build the octagonal Pavilion of Joyous Benevolence. In 1954, the jiawu year, the senior Daoist priest Zhang Yujie donated money to build the Pavilion of Accumulation of Kindness. In 1955, the yiwei year, some colleagues proposed to build the Penglai Pavilion and the Joyful Rain Pavilion. In the winter of 1965, the yisi year, the son of the senior Daoist priest Mai Congfu donated money to build the Congfu Pavilion to commemorate his ancestors. In 1966, the bingwu year, colleagues of the temple enthusiastically donated money to build the Terrace of Light.

Since then the Fung Ying Seen Koon has grown from a private Daoist temple for secluded cultivation into an officially registered, non-profit charitable and religious body. Later, it revised its rules and regulations, accepted female Daoist priests, and built a temple for female Daoist priests so that they could enter the temples to cultivate secretly and accumulate merit. Moreover, we enlarged the Hall of Eternal Memory to offer sacrifices to ancestors, and built or renovated the Hall of Eternal Joy, the Hall of Eternal Happiness, the Hall for the Accumulation of Kindness, the Hall of Foresight, and the Hall of Eternal Remembrance to place funerary caskets, recite scriptures and repent at the appropriate times and seasons, in order that those in both this world and in the nether world would enjoy safety and happiness.

Later, the Fung Ying Seen Koon expanded the Great Palace of the Three Sages (1977), the Southern Chamber (1986), the Hall for Female Daoist Priests (1987), the Eastern Chamber (1988), and the Western Chamber (1988), and made preparations for the construction of the Tower of Seasonable Rain (1994) and the Palace of Original Stars (1997), in a manner appropriate to the development of the affairs of the Fung Ying Seen Koon.

During the past decade, in order to further the perfection of the management of our Daoist temple, the seventh Board of Directors of the Fung Ying Seen Koon, led by President Feng Diping, President-for-Life Qiu Fuxiong, Chairmen Li Xianhua and Lu Weigan, Vice-Chairmen Huang Chiquan and Zhu Yongchang, and the colleagues of all previous boards of directors of the Fung Ying Seen Koon, have spared no effort in their promotion of Daoism and their participation in public welfare and charity activities, to include:


Ngong Ping Skyrail

Ngong Ping Skyrail is a visually spectacular 5.7km cable car journey, travelling between Tung Chung Town Centre and Ngong Ping on Lantau Island.

Guests will enjoy some of the best views in Hong Kong, as their cable car cabin glides over the South China Sea and North Lantau Country Park on an amazing 20-25 minute experience. Ever-changing panoramic views include the Hong Kong International Airport, verdant, mountainous terrain of Lantau Island and the Tian Tan Buddha Statue.

The cable car's route was carefully selected to provide minimal environmental impact on the precious North Lantau Country Park. There are two Angle Stations, which allow the ropeway to turn from Airport Island to Lantau Island, and eight towers.

If commencing your Ngong Ping Skyrail experience at Tung Chung, you will depart the terminal and glide across Tung Chung Bay to Airport Island, before the first Angle Station turns the ropeway back
towards Lantau. From the comfort of your 17-person cable car cabin, you will enjoy amazing views of the Hong Kong International Airport and Tung Chung skyline.

Crossing back over the shores of Lantau Island, you enter the North Lantau Country Park; the vistas from the cable car dramatically change from the hustle and bustle of the city, to the serene and natural surrounds that Lantau is famed for.

As the cable car glides gently through the Country Park, you will be inspired and refreshed by the rolling grassland slopes, forested mountains and natural streams and waterfalls. You will come to understand why Lantau Island is also known as Hong Kong's 'green lung'.

Approaching the cable car's Ngong Ping Terminal and Ngong Ping Village, you will begin to catch your first glimpses of the mighty Tian Tan Buddha Statue. Constructed from 202 bronze pieces, the Tian Tan Buddha Statue weighs over 250 tonnes and soars 34 metres into the sky; it is a dominant landmark on the Ngong Ping Plateau.

Alighting from the cable car at Ngong Ping Terminal, you are a short stroll from Ngong Ping Village and its many attractions and retail, dining and entertainment experiences. You are also within walking
distance of the Tian Tan Buddha Statue, which is only a five-minute stroll from the Village.

Ngong Ping Skyrail is a bi-cable ropeway; the first of its kind to be installed in Hong Kong. This type of ropeway system was selected as it allows long spans between towers, meaning less environmental
impact. It was also chosen for its safety and reliability and will provide guests with a smooth and
comfortable journey.

Ngong Ping Skyrail will have a total of 112 cabins, each capable of holding up to 17 passengers (10 seated, 7 standing); this creates a total carrying capacity of 3,500 passengers per hour in each direction. Ngong Ping Skyrail is suitable for people of all ages and abilities and incorporates
assistance features to meet the needs of disabled passengers, including the elderly and those with
wheelchairs.