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Barnacle-encrusted hulks and down-at-heel gin palaces rub gunwhales with multi-million dollar yachts in this packed haven from the “big winds” that regularly bear down on the South China coast. There are also quaint houseboats with homely touches like flower boxes permanently anchored behind the stone breakwater. The impressive edifice to the left as you look out to sea is the Hong Kong Yacht Club.

Perhaps the developers figured “Central Plaza” had more cachet than “Wan Chai Plaza”, or perhaps Wan Chai is more central than Central if you’re talking about the mid-point of the waterfront. Anyway, this is Hong Kong’s second tallest building (after the new IFC Tower) at 374 m (1,227 ft), and has a viewing platform.

With Chen being the most common family name in the area, it’s no surprise that the many groupings of local Chens constructed a suitably vast temple complex in the 1890s. It’s particularly worth a look if you haven’t visited any of the ancestral halls in the New Territories of Hong Kong. The most impressive feature is the ornate ceramic friezes adorning the roof, which depict legendary beasts. There are also displays (some of admittedly patchy quality) of jade, bone and other local crafts, some for sale. Head to the leafy courtyards for peace and shade.

This former pirate haven retains much of its traditional character, from the small-scale shipyards at the harbour’s edge to the old temples and shrines that dot its narrow alleys. With many of its inhabitants still being fishermen, it’s a good destination for cheap seafood. There are also a couple of excellent beaches (see Cheung Chau Island).

It is said that not a single nail was used in the construction of this lavish replica of a traditional Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907) place of worship. The nunnery opened in 2000, funded by donations from wealthy families, whose names are inscribed under the roof tiles. Few original structures survived the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s, so this is a rare chance to see the ingenuity of ancient Middle Kingdom architecture. There are also impressive statues of the Sakyamuni Buddha, ornate gardens and gently whispering waterfalls, and the underlying hum of the chanting, shaven-headed nuns.

Chi Lin Nunnery complex

Stretching away on the hill above Aberdeen, the Chinese Cemetery is a great place for photographs, both of the cemetery itself and of the harbour beneath. Negotiating the steep, seemingly endless steps is quite an undertaking, though, especially on a hot day.