Green City Guide: Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an epic drama of new meeting old and east meeting west. It is a center of business, a hive of activity and a vision of the future, all wrapped up in a relatively small city just off the Chinese mainland that has a great deal on offer and is easy to explore.

Explore

Hong Kong is an easy city to get to know – it is not as big as one would first think and street signs are generally posted in English as well as Cantonese. It is divided into four distinct parts: Hong Kong Island; Kowloon Peninsula; New Territories; and the outlying islands.

Hong Kong Island is home to the Central District, a hub of financial and business activity, more commonly referred to simply as Central. It also houses the Western District, Wan Chai, and Causeway Bay.

Across Victoria Harbor, at the tip of Kowloon Peninsula, is the lively Tsim Sha Tsui, an excellent tourist area as well as Tsim Sha Tsui East, Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok. The New Territories is the biggest district and has grown massively over the last few decades from a sleepy backwater of villages to booming satellite towns with huge public-housing projects.

Hong Kong has about 260 outlying islands, most uninhabited, ripe for exploration by the day tripper. Of the lived on islands Lantau, Lamma, and Cheung Chau are three of the best known and enjoy a relaxed and enviable way of life.

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Attractions

Hong Kong is famed for its plentiful tourist attractions, but one of the most popular is The Peak, with its fantastic train journey and magnificent views. The Museum of History is also well worth while and fills you in on all the important facts of Hong Kong which have made it what it is today. The Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple is also a culturally important site, and here you can witness locals praying and divining the future or you can explore the gardens and temple complex.

To see Hong Kong from another (and eco-friendly) point of view, get adventurous and go kayaking in Repulse Bay. The beach is one of the most beautiful in Hong Kong with sunbathers always out in force. You could also get active with a spot of wakeboarding at Tai Tam, or for a more relaxing sport Tai Tam is also a great place for fishing, along with High Island, Pok Fu Lam and Shing Mun. Apply to the Water Supplies Department for your license and you will get it that the same day.

Finally, a visit to Hong Kong’s Outlying Islands is integral to a complete trip to Hong Kong. Of the three most popular, Lantau boasts the world's largest seated bronze Buddha, while Lamma is famed for its al fresco waterfront seafood restaurants, lovely beaches and pleasant hiking; finally Cheung Chau offers a lovely excursion with its lively traditional village, boat population, and beach.

For a sheer fun night out a night at the Happy Valley Races is cracking! Full of excitement, noise and energized hustle and bustle a night at the races is a spectacle to behold. The season runs from September to July. If you have been in Hong Kong less than three weeks and are over 18 years old you can buy a tourist ticket, meaning you can skip the line and hangout in the members’ enclosure.

Shopping

Shoppers love Hong Kong’s excellent markets and incredible malls – though a highlight of any shopping visit is a trip to the beachfront Stanley Market on the sunny south side of Hong Kong Island, with its relaxed ambience, eclectic shopping and lovely surrounds. In the evening Temple Street night market in Kowloon is great fun, not only for shopping but also for dining, having your fortune read or just simply people watching! The Wet market is another must do - alive with loud fishmongers selling their catch and awash with vibrant colors, but be sure to take a local with you to help you choose your purchases wisely!

Food and Drink

Organic restaurants are few and far between in Hong Kong, but they do exist. The Life Organic Health Food Cafe in heart of SoHo offers an organic menu, serves take away food in biodegradable boxes and donates 10% of the profits on select dishes to local charities. The cafe also provides organic food to the Hong Kong Marriott and runs a deli in The Landmark shopping center. Organic vegetarian meals are also available at The Kung Tak Lam restaurant in Causeway Bay.

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Green Accommodation

Eco-friendly Budget

Hong Kong's greenest hotels receive 'eco-hotel Champion awards', but the city's range of budget accommodation is unlikely to ever lay their hands on one. For backpackers though, there are hundreds of choices and you will never be short of somewhere to stay.

Hotel Nikko Hong Kong Not a budget option, but Hotel Nikko does have a strong environmental code of practice and follows a 6R rule - reduce, reuse, recycle, replace, repair, refill. Hotel Nikko

Star Hostel In a typical Kowloon street off the main road this is a typical Hong Kong guest house, with typically predictable small rooms - un-typically it's in better condition than plenty of other places you could stay and so makes a good budget option. Book at Hostelworld

Ibis North Point Excellent value budget hotel with great transport links into Central Hong Kong. The 'Harbor View' rooms have good vistas to take advantage of. Book at Hostelworld

Ibis North Point Exceptionally clean, budget to mid range hotel with little character but excellent facilities. Book at hostelworld

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Going Green

As with any big destination pollution remains a huge problem in Hong Kong and although the Environmental Protection Department is on a mission to clear things up the waterways are still incredibly dirty, rating systems on Hong Kong’s beaches, however, ensure they are safe to swim in. Air pollution also remains a huge problem but the government has committed to reducing the pollution by more than half by 2010.

Despite the pollution problems there are still plenty of excellent green attractions to enjoy. Hong Kong Park features a rooftop aviary with more than 150 species of birds in a carefully designed tropical 'rainforest', as well as a greenhouse, lily ponds and much more. The Zoological and Botanical Gardens also have plenty of nature to enjoy as well as being a great place to visit early morning to watch locals gathering for Tai Chi. Victoria Park and Kowloon Park are also delightful retreats from the busy urban sprawl where locals and tourists alike stop to relax or take in a spot of exercise.

Outside of the city landscape there are a number of country parks that offer spectacular retreats and day trips. Aberdeen Country Park is built around reservoirs on the south side of Hong Kong Island, Pok Fu Lam Country Park is just a stone throw’s away from Peak Tower, and more views abound at Tai Tam country park. Also look out for eco-friendly tours run by WWF Hong Kong - these Nature Kaleidoscope tours change during the seasons and visit sights such as Hong Kong's largest paddy fields and mangroves.

To the west of Tai Po you will find the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, showcasing Hong Kong's wealth of natural flora and fauna and concentrating on protecting native orchids and rehabilitating birds of prey. Also of note is The Lions Nature Education Center which features 70 different types of trees and shrubs in the arboretum, with lychees, longans, jackfruit, mangoes and plums growing in the orchard.

Finally a must see green attraction is the Hong Kong Wetland Park - a world-class ecotourism facility aimed at promoting green tourism, education of issues and conservation work. It is home to a vast array of wildlife that live in the park's man-made habitats specially designed for waterfowls and other wildlife and visitors can enjoy a hands-on experience at the wetland Discovery Center within the Reserve. Also worth a note is Tsim Bei Tsui - one of the best sites for viewing wetland birds.

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Nightlife

There is plenty to keep you busy and entertained in Hong Kong, from lively night markets to high end restaurants; crowded night clubs to upmarket operas and theatre performances, and sleazy hostess bars to outlandish karaoke haunts.

Knutsford Terrace in Tsim Sha Tsui has a great strip of bars and restaurants, popular with tourists, expats and locals, bringing with it an energetic and fun night scene. The most well known social haunt in Knutsford Terrace is Bahama Mamas a beach themed party venue that keeps going until the small hours. Nearby the Observatory Court area is home to an ever-increasing number of bars – including the excellent Eight Fine Irishmen.

Get your rocks on as bling is the order of the day in Tsim Sha Tsui - a lively party spot and home to Aqua Spirit, which has a reputation for excellent cocktails and affords some of the best views of Hong Kong imaginable.

Lan Kwai Fong is Hong Kong’s party central with streets packed with bars, clubs and restaurants. At the weekend the place is practically overflowing with revelers (mainly expats and tourists) with partying going on well into the morning.

Wan Chai is where the real naughtiness kicks off, primarily thanks to the American GIs of the Vietnam War for whom girlie bars and night clubs sprang up a-plenty. Whilst not as seedy as in it’s “hey day” (if you can call it that) it still has a rough edge to it with a few girlie bars still in operation. There are also some great British style pubs, many open 24hours and most show sports on TV so are swapped on big match nights! Joe Bananas, Delaney’s and Mes Amis are some of the most popular.

Music

Hong Kong's music scene is known locally as Canto-pop and is just that – pop! It’s not particularly revolutionary and touches on such sentimental subjects as teen heart ache and unrequited love! You can pick up the tunes quickly and if you fancy, join in with a favorite local past time – karaoke.

Most Western music also makes it way to Hong Kong and there are some excellent concert venues, not least Asia World Arena, which plays host to huge international artists, excellent events and world-class exhibitions.

To find out what's on pick up the tourist board’s free weekly leaflet What's On - Hong Kong, or grab a copy of HK Magazine, distributed free at restaurants and bars where expats hang out.

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Getting Around

	The MTR train run every two to ten minutes from about 6am to about 12.30am and is a cheap, efficient and quick way to travel. Pick up a 1-day pass for cheap rates, or for longer usage the Octopus card is a good purchase - it's valid on most forms of public transport in Hong Kong it will also save you 5 to 10% on the MTR and KCR (Kowloon – Canton Railway)
	Hong Kong Island’s double decker trams are a fun way to get about. A flat fare of $2 will take you to a number of destinations along the northern coast on regularly operating trams. The one tram you can’t miss is the funicular Peak Tram, which departs every 10 to 15 minutes from 7am to midnight taking you up to Victoria Peak.
	The world famous Star Ferry is a useful commuter’s tool but also ideal for tourists and best enjoyed on a clear night, when views of the city are stunning and the ferries are lit up with twinkling fairy lights.
	Unless you are on a kamikaze mission it’s probably not best to hire a car yourself, much better to hop in a cab, which are relatively good value and stress free on the busy, clogged up roads.

Getting There

f you are traveling by plane you will most likely fly in and out of Hong Kong International Airport, on Chek Lap Kok. Check-in is on level seven and departures on level six. Make your way from the airport to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island by the Airport Express fast train, or taxi (though a taxi might prove expensive if you are on your own). Of course you don't have to enter by plane as you can also arrive in Hong Kong via mainland China by ferry, bus or train.

Amy Clarke

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