The City of the East - Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a unique blend of Eastern and Western heritage, offering an experience of fantastic shopping, superb dining with spectacular harbour views and rural splendour. A city where many tourists from all over the world love to go. A must go country not to be missed and a country where visitors will go there again and again.

If you have not been to Hong Kong or plan to go to Hong Kong soon, hope that this will be a good reference for you to decide where to go and what you will expect to see.

Bargain Hunting

If you loves to go for bargain hunting and catch the great deals in town, then there will be a few streets in Hong Kong which you must definitely go! But you must prepare to walk in order to catch these great deals! You drop off at Prince Edwards MTR and walk along the streets and you will pass by these bargain places, continue your bargain shopping and end your day at Tsim Sha Shui.

1) Yuen Po Street Bird Garden

This is a traditionally designed Chinese - style market filled with stalls selling bird cages, birds, and other accessories. This place offers a pleasant and novel experience while enjoying bird singing and fresh air. A must go market for bird lovers.

2) Flower Market

This is a fun and colorful experience place where a large variety of flowers and potted plants for sale. Sweet fragrance filled the whole place and make one feel so relaxed.

3) Goldfish Market

Even though this is called Goldfish Market, there are other pets for sale too such as puppy, kitten, hamster, etc. Basically this is a pet paradise but majority of the stalls are selling fishes as Hongkonger love fishes due to their Chinese culture.

4) Fa Yuen Street

Fa Yuen Street is the place to go to find bargain-priced trendy fashion and casual wear for everybody.

5) Ladies' Market

This market has something for everyone, from clothes to watches and beauty products.

6) Sport wear Street

This is great place for sports shoes and equipment, featuring all kinds of brands at affordable prices. Whatever your style, this is one of the best places to find sports equipment for the whole family.

7) The Jade Market and Jade Street

This is a fun place to browse and watch jade dealers buy and sell from their stalls. There are about 450 stalls selling jades of all types, shapes and sizes.

8) Temple Street Night Market

Temple Street is the biggest night market in Hong Kong. There are many kinds of items for sales. There are also food stalls if you get hungry. Here you also can get your palm read or enjoy Cantonese opera.

9) Nathan Road

This long boulevard of fine shops and hotels sparkle at night. A typical scene in Hong Kong. Nathan Road is often called the "Golden Mile" and rarely will you leave it empty handed.

With so many streets selling so many items, you will be tired with your bargain shopping. Tsim Sha Tshui is a great place to shop and dine. After having a hearty dinner, you can proceed to watch "A Symphony of Lights". Before that, you will pass by the Clock Tower and you can't miss this as it is located along Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade. This is an icon to rail travel when trains arrived Hong Kong with passengers who had set off from London weeks before on the world's longest railway journey.

"A Symphony of Lights" is acknowledged as the biggest permanent light and sound show by Guinness World Records. This stunning show starts every night at 8pm featuring flashing neon lights, laser and searchlight beams and music as more than 40 buildings on both sides of the harbour glow in a myriad of colors depicting Hong Kong's colorful and bustling atmosphere.

After watching the "Symphony of Lights", you can go to the Avenue of Stars. It is situated along the waterfront promenade where you watch the "Symphony of Lights". Here you will find commemorative plagues, sculptures, movie memorabilia and much more in this great tribute to the stars of the silver screen.

Hong Kong's Wetland Park

Locating near the town of Tin Shui Wai in the New Territories, the Hong Kong Wetland Park is dedicated to promoting green tourism, education on environmental protection and wetland conservation. It's 10,000 m2 visitor centre contains galleries featuring arctic displays, a tropical peat swamp, live fish and educational exhibits on pollution and conservation.

Hong Kong Park

Hong Kong Park is an eight hectare green oasis boasting landscaped gardens with ponds and a waterfall, a greenhouse and an aviary. The park also boasts a visual arts centre and the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware.

The Peak Tram and The Peak

The Peak Tram is pulled by steel cables and the tram climbs 373m. It's so steep that the buildings you pass look like they're leaning at a 45 degree angle! The Peak Tower offers some of the best views from its rooftop platform with its striking 360 degrees view. There are also a wide range of shops and restaurants as well as Madame Tussuad's Hong Kong featuring more than 100 wax likenesses of stars, world leaders and sports heroes.

Wong Tai Sin Temple

Wong Tai Sin Temple is one of the most famous temples in Hong Kong. There are thousands of believers going to Wong Tai Sin Temple everyday to pray and Wong Tai Sin Temple is well known to make the believers' wishes come true. Wong Tai Sin Temple is make up of "5 shape" architecture which represents earth, water, fire, wood and gold.

Ngong Ping 360, Giant Buddha, Po Lin Monastery and The Wisdom Path (Lantau Island)

Your Ngong Ping experience starts with a stunning cable car ride that offers breathtaking views of North Lantau and the South China Sea. At Ngong Ping Village, you will enjoy a variety of shopping and dining options in this pleasant Chinese style village setting located next to the world famous Giant Buddha.

Giant Buddha is the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha. The nearby Po Lin Monastery is a sacred spot for devout Buddhists in Hong Kong. Not too far away is the Wisdom Path which is an outdoor replica of the centuries-old heart sutra, one of the world's best-known prayers that is revered by Confucians, Buddhists and Taoists alike. The sutra is displayed on wooden pillars placed in the form of a figure "8" to symbolize the idea of immeasurable splendour and infinity.

Hong Kong's Disneyland

Immerse yourself in the storybook world of Fantasy land, embark on daring exploits in Adventure land, explore fascinating futurscapes in Tomorrow land and travel back in time to a small town America with a visit to Main Street USA.

There are magical experiences around every corner, like inspiring Broadway-style shows, dazzling fireworks displays, thrilling rides and exciting parades.

One personal comment about Hong Kong Disneyland is that if you had been to USA and Tokyo's Disneyland, then Hong Kong Disneyland can be a disappointment. One thing is that Hong Kong's Disneyland is simply too small. You can tour around the whole place with less than half a day excluding the rides you take. Hong Kong Disneyland is more for very young kids as the rides are really very kiddy rides, there are no thrilling rides at all. Service standards is very low, you won't get to experience the "wow" feeling when you visit Hong Kong Disneyland. They are unable to make you feel the magical experience that Disneyland promises.

Ocean Park

Ocean Park is one of the Southeast Asia's largest aquariums and theme parks. See amazing animals including exotic birds and sea creatures ranging from dolphins and sea lions to sharks and jellyfish.

There are also heart-stopping adventure rides and rides with a dazzling simulated experience for you who enjoy thrills. Not forgetting Sky Fair, a thrilling balloon ride where you can soar more than 100m into the air for a breathtaking view of the majestic south side of Hong Kong.

Stanley Market / Murray House/ Hong Kong Maritime Museum

Stanley is world famous for its relaxed ambience, sea environs and bargain buys in the main street market. Visitors can stroll along the promenade beside the adjacent Waterfront Mart to enjoy the beautiful sea view. This leads to Murray House, an 1846 colonial building originally located in Central, that was restored in Stanley in 1998. Blake Pier, another colonial relic from Central, was rebuild nearby to complement the architecture style. Murray House now contains Hong Kong Maritime Museum and restaurants.

Repulse Bay

This crescent-shaped strand of sand is one of the most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong. Adjacent to the beach is an ornate Chinese pavilion with two 10m tall statues of traditional Chinese deities Kwan Yin and Tin Hau. The nearby Repulse Bay complex, built in colonial style, offers upmarket shopping and dining.