As this year begins
to draw to a close, for the first time in 4 years I am not making my annual
trip to Hong Kong, I'm going again next summer but I do miss the place. So
because it's on the mind I thought I would do a little travel guide to Hong
Kong with my top 6 places that might not on the tourist map.
1. Ozone Bar- 103rd Floor of the
ICC.
The
ICC is also home to the Ritz Carlton Hotel Hong Kong which runs the Ozone Bar on the highest floor open to the
public. The tourist guide will probably tell you to visit Sky 100, the viewing
deck on the 100th floor, but unless you have Children why not get dressed up
and go 3 floors higher and enjoy the open air view. The drinks are expensive
but if you are only having a glass of wine or a cocktail then you will only
spend the same amount that you would have to get into Sky100!
2. Macau-China
 |
Very young and, despite the smile, I was
utterly terrified! |
When
visiting Hong Kong it might not be that obvious that you should leave the
country and head somewhere else. If you have a British Passport or a HK
Residence card then after a 1 hour ferry ride you will get into Macau, no
questions asked.
Macau
can be done in a day if you get up early, and really it is the place to do all
the typical tourist stuff. Including the Skywalk around the top of Macau Tower,
watch Zia by Cirque de Soleil, and don't you dare leave without going to see
the House of Dancing Water. It was the most breath taking thing I had seen in
my whole life and something you simply can't put into words!
3. The back streets
 |
| Just trust me on this one! |
In
a big new city you probably don't want to go wondering down what appear to be
alley ways but with a place so densely populated some of the finest restaurants
have to be tucked away on a certain floor of a building. The best meals I have
enjoyed have been hidden in a room with very limited windows.
4.Launtau Island and Ngong Ping
360
This
is definitely on the tourist guide but I love it so much that it has a special
place in my heart. Launtau Island is on the outside of the city but still has a
lot of life. It was on my second trip that we stayed in an apartment with a
roof top garden in Launtau and, as soppy as it sounds, I realised that Hong
Kong was truly the place for me. The place you want to visit however is Ngong
Ping 360 which is a Buddhist temple and home to the Big Buddha which is accessed by a cable car from just
outside Tung Chung station. Once you get past the tourist village and reach the real temple you find yourself in another world. I have been 3 times and I still
love it!
5. Middle Levels at night
Partying
in Hong Kong take up most of the time on the trips. There's always a place to
go for a good night, Wan Chai is also worth going to for places like Banana
Joes but if you only have a few nights then take yourself to Middle levels. The
streets are so tightly packed that you end up with groups of people falling out
of clubs and creating street parties in the middle.
6. Discovery bay
After
all the time spent partying, shopping a visiting sites you will probably want a
lazy day. Discovery Bay is a strange residential area where no cars are allowed
in, only a set number of golf buggies. You can get there by a bus from Tung
Chung or a Ferry from central. Although it is purpose built and does feel a bit
like a theme park it does have some good restaurants and places to sip
cocktails while looking out onto the harbour and the little beach with the Hong
Kong Skyline just peeking out in the distance. Stick around till 8pm and you
will get to see the Disneyland fireworks on the other side of the harbour.
Okay, summer time is now out of my system, the Christmas series is carry on this Sunday with 'The ultimate Christmas gift Guide!
Hope to see you then!
Claudia x
