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Happy Valley Race Course
By Minghong (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)
This is one of the two main race courses in Hong Kong and I would recommend it as a great night out if you are partial to a flutter. Horses have been racing here as far back as 1846 when it was set up for the British in Hong Kong. Nowadays there are meets most Wednesday nights with general admission starting from £1 per person. If you are in Hong Kong around mid-March, you could try to see the Hong Kong Derby which is one of the premier races at this track – although the prices will increase I’m sure the atmosphere will be worth it.
Hong Kong Science Museum
By Mk2010 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
The Hong Kong Science Museum is worth a visit particularly if you are travelling with children. The museum has over 500 exhibits with sections including robotics, transportation, biology and evolution. The general admission is between £2-3 per person, with under 4’s entering for free with a paying adult. They also have free admission to everyone on Wednesday, but the museum will be busier on this day.
The Peak
By Dennis Tang [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
This is the number one tourist attraction in Hong Kong. The area referred to as The Peak is situated on Victoria Peak which is the biggest mountain in Hong Kong. The main pull of this tourist hot spot is the magnificent views of the harbour and the famous Hong Kong skyline. The most popular way to make the ascent to the top is the Peak Tramline, this traditional form of transport inclines at incredible angles to reach the summit. The ride will take around 10 minutes which you can spend taking in the Hong Kong landscape at an unusual angle. The privilege for this journey will cost around £4 per person for a return.
Once at The Peak you can spend time in the wok shaped building known as Peak Tower. The tower has a number of restaurants & bars, a Madame Tussauds and the Sky Terrace 428 – this latter attraction is the highest viewing platform in Hong Kong at 428 meters above sea level. There is also the Peak Galleria which unlike the other attractions is free for tourists. This is the most popular place to take in the views of the island. Again there are plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants in this area so you can easily spend a few hours at The Peak.
A Symphony of Lights
By Eddypoon (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
This is the nightly light show that occurs at 8pm every night and includes 40 buildings across the Hong Kong skyline to produce a notable multimedia show. My tip would be to avoid the light show cruise tickets, these are when you are taken out on a boat to view the show. The light show is worth seeing if you are in Hong Kong, but it’s not worth paying an overpriced ticket for the pleasure. You can get good views of the light show from the harbourside or I personally found viewing from my high rise hotel a good experience.
Tian Tan Buddha
Béria L. Rodríguez [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Otherwise known as Big Buddha this attraction is on most tourists hit list. The 112ft bronze figure is one of the largest seated Buddha statues in the world. Most people think this is an old historical site however the Tian Tan sculpture was actually erected in 1993 but is now a hot spot for tourists. Once you get to the base of the site there are then 268 steps before you reach the bottom of the statue. As people climb the staircase many take breaks to take in the natural surroundings. Once at the top, there are three levels with the uppermost rewarding you with the best views of the spectacular mountains and valleys around the site. Also the upper levels give you the chance to have a close up look at Tian Tan.
Discoverhongkong.com
Article By: Gurpreet Singh
