DK Travel : Hong Kong

“A dream of Manhattan, arising from the South China Sea.” For succinctness, modern travel writer Pico Iyer’s description of Hong Kong has yet to be bettered. From opium port to Cold War enclave to frenetic financial capital, Hong Kong has never been boring. This is the hedonistic engine room of cultural fusion: East meets West in high style, and the results astonish and delight. Prepare to experience one of the most dramatic urban environments ever conceived.

Tap Mun Chau

One of the New Territories’ best-kept secrets. Picturesque little island where villagers watch the world go by from quaint homes.
Taxis

Hong Kong cabbies are as psychotic as big city cabbies everywhere. Their rudeness is legendary, but you probably would be too if you had to deal with Hong Kong traffic all day, every day. Fortunately, tighter policing means that overcharging is now a rare occurrence.
Temple Street

Comes alive at night. Hundreds of stalls are jam-packed by 9pm, offering pirated goods and all manner of, well, junk. It used to be known as Men’s Street, and many stalls still stock less-than-fashionable attire. Venture past the market and you’ll stumble onto a lamplit coterie of fortune-tellers and possibly a Chinese Opera recital. (see Temple Street Night Market)
Temple Street

Situated in the midle of Kowloon, this is a place that sells anything and everything. Hong Kong is a really safe city, but this is probably one ol the places of might want to be more careful with your handbags.
Temple Street Night Market

Allow plenty of time, not for the distance (Temple Street is no more than half a mile end to end), but to explore the funky pageantry of hawker stalls, fortune tellers, medicine men and opera singers that set up here every night (see Temple Street Night Market).
Temple Street Night Market

Kowloon is at its most atmospheric at night. Head up the peninsula to the narrow lanes of Yau Ma Tei for some serious haggling (see Temple Street Night Market).
Temple Street Night Market

Visit the chaotic, crowded night market on Temple Street as much for the spectacle as for the shopping (see Temple Street Night Market).
Temples of Filial Piety and Six Banyan Trees

The Temple of Filial Piety (Guangxiao Si) was a royal temple as far back as the 2nd century BC, and is thought to have served as a Buddhist shrine since the 4th century AD. However, the buildings that stand today were built in the 17th century. It’s a lovely place to come and sit beneath venerable, ancient fig trees in quiet courtyards. The nearby Temple of the Six Banyan Trees (Liurong Si) has the oldest and largest pagoda in Guangzhou, standing at 55 m (180 ft), though the banyan trees have sadly died.

Temple of the Six Banyan Trees
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery

The Buddhas in question are stacked on shelves in the main hall of this hillside sanctuary at Pai Tau Tsuen, Sha Tin. In fact, there are more like 13,000 Buddha images now. The monastery comprises five temples, two pavilions and an elegant nine-storey pagoda. Take a deep breath before you enter the grounds – there are 400-odd steps to negotiate.

Images, Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
Thai-Malaysian Restaurant

Far-flung curry emporium in Sheung Shui. Famed locally for spicy concoctions involving crabs, fish, king prawns and other fruits of the sea.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal) and extra charges.
- under HK$100
- HK$100-250
- HK$250-450
- HK$450-600
- over HK$600