Hong Kong Tuttle Travel Pack. Simon Ostheimer
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rel="nofollow" href="http://www.discoverhongkong.com">www.discoverhongkong.com; see also www.lamma.com.hk
Admission Fee Adult: Mon–Sat $16.10, Sun & Public Holidays $22.30. Child (under 12): $8.10–$11.20
13 Hong Kong’s Trams
Ride the city’s oldest and most beloved transportation
Without a doubt, the best way to see the city is from the top of a tram. Each day, a fleet of 161 double-deckers slowly trundle their way along the north shore of Hong Kong Island, carrying more than 230,000 passengers. Founded in 1904, Hong Kong Tramways forms an integral part of the territory’s comprehensive transport system, its 118 tram stops (spaced on average about 250 m apart) allowing people to travel short distances quickly. In fast-paced Hong Kong, where people even walk up the escalators because they move too slowly, this is of vital importance. Of course, for visitors with more time on their hands, trams offer a scenic way to travel through the heart of the busy city (not to mention great photo opportunities) from Kennedy Town in the west to Shau Kei Wan in the east. Unlike buses, trams are boarded from the back and exited from the front, where you pay the driver the grand fare of $2 (senior citizens and children pay $1). It is this affordability, added to convenience (during peak hours they run every 1.5 minutes), that explains Hong Kongers’ ongoing love affair with their trams. This happy relationship was put under strain in 2009 when French transport firm Veolia bought the company. Despite fears the new owner would raise prices and scrap the iconic, if dated, design—for a while there was talk of replacing the historic double-decker trams with modern European single-decker models—Hong Kong’s beloved trams continued to trundle on their merry way. Indeed, with three new lines (the first for decades) being proposed (a north Island route connecting Western Market in Sheung Wan with the Wan Chai Convention Centre via the Star Ferry Pier in Central, and separate tracks in the new West Kowloon Cultural District and Kai Tak redevelopment), the future of the trams seems stronger than ever. Like Hong Kongers, you will still have to hurry on board to grab your seat up top.
See: www.hktramways.com
Opening Times 5 am–midnight
Address N.A.
Getting There N.A.
Contact +852 2548 7102; enquiry@hktramways. com; www.hktramways.com
Admission Fee Adult: $2.30. Child (under 12): $1.20
14 Morning Tai Chi Classes
Learn to control your inner chi with these free lessons
While Hong Kong is often associated with Bruce Lee’s famed Jeet Kune Do or the kung fu antics of Jackie Chan, the seemingly serene art of tai chi is arguably the most popular form of martial arts in the territory. Roughly translating as ‘Supreme Ultimate Fist’, tai chi chuan was founded as a series of slow-motion exercises designed to give the practitioner complete control over their body and mind. Today, it is practised the world over for the same reasons, promoted for its ability to relieve stress, health benefits, and, if necessary, self-defence. Regarding the latter, the basic precept of tai chi is to meet force with softness (yang with yin), letting the attacker tire themselves out with their own movement. These days, though, tai chi is more on a par with yoga and pilates than karate or judo, and is practised worldwide as a form of active meditation and way to keep fit, especially among the older generation. No matter what your age, you too can try this ancient art form while in Hong Kong under the direction of experts. Every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the Tourism Board holds free morning classes in two dramatic locations: at the viewing platform on top of The Peak Tower and along the Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) waterfront (advance registration is essential; call the Hong Kong Tourism Hotline on 2508 1234). Commencing at 8 am and lasting an hour, these sessions are an excellent way to learn about this ancient art as well as an opportunity to explore two of the city’s most interesting areas. If you choose to sign up for the TST class, take a late morning walk afterwards along the Avenue of Stars. Hong Kong’s answer to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, this waterfront walk is home to the hand prints of Jackie Chan and a life-size statue of Bruce Lee.
Opening Times Mon, Wed & Fri: 8 am–9 am
Address Sculpture Court (in front of the Hong Kong Museum of Art), Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Getting There MTR East Tsim Sha Tsui Station, Exit J. Walk for approximately 10 minutes until you reach the museum. From the Star Ferry pier at Tsim Sha Tsui, walk for around 10 minutes until you reach the museum
Contact Hong Kong Tourism Board Visitor Hotline: +852 2508 1234 (9 am–6 pm, daily); www.discoverhongkong.com
Admission Fee Free
15 Dolphin Watching
Meet the SAR’s wildest inhabitants—pink dolphins
As with much of the city’s wildlife (cows? really?), people are unlikely to believe you when you tell them that Hong Kong is home to wild dolphins, pink ones at that. Yet it is, though the dolphins are endangered because of threats to their habitat and feeding grounds. Officially known as the Chinese White Dolphin, in Cantonese slang the mammal is called hoi tuen, or sea pig. Despite their name, pink dolphins are actually born with dark skin, which gradually turns grey and then white as they age; the reddish colouration is a result of blood vessels close to the skin, which help the animals regulate their internal temperature. While the exact number of pink dolphins in the Pearl River Delta is unknown, scientists estimate the total population at no more than a few hundred. Local interest in the pink dolphin has increased dramatically over the last 16 years, since the founding of Hong Kong Dolphinwatch in 1995 first raised awareness of the animals, and the indigenous species was made the official mascot of the 1997 Handover. While local boatmen in places such as Tai O offer speedboat tours, Dolphinwatch offers the only real environmentally minded way to see them, providing a portion of proceeds to the World Wide Fund for Nature, as well as supplying them with information on sightings and photos that assist with research. They also have a ‘Go-Again Guarantee’, where you can join another trip free of charge if you don’t sight a dolphin. Their regular trips include return trip coach transport to the ferry pier, a presentation on the dolphins by experienced guides and free light refreshments on board.
Opening Times Mon–Fri 9 am–6 pm (office hours), trips run every Wed, Fri & Sun
Address 1528A Star House, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (office)
Getting There Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station, Exit L4, or walk from Star Ferry Pier
Contact +852 2984 1414; info@hkdolphinwatch. com; www.hkdolphinwatch.com
Admission Fee Adult: $380. Child (age 3–11): $190. Child (under 3): $50
16 Harbour Junk Rides
Watch the sunset from the deck of an historic boat
There was a time when Victoria Harbour was full of Chinese junks. Trading vessels could be seen unloading their cargo of Chinese goods for shipment overseas before heading back up the Pearl River under sail to Canton (the former name of Guangzhou) for more. Fishing vessels also sought out this safe anchorage on the South China coast, a refuge from the frequent typhoons as well as an