Hong Kong Instant

The spectacular views from Victoria Peak both during the day and the night, trying to figure out how to get down from the top of the world's longest escalator, shopping in the retail stores and local market places on Nathan Road in Kowloon, negotiating in Stanley Market for pearls and pashmina scarves, acting like we were actually guests at the plush Peninsula Hotel and swimming in its regal pool, private boat ride in the harbor and visit to the Jumbo Floating Restaurant

Quick Tips:

Take the short but memorable Star Ferry from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island then take a bus to the Peak Tram station and for the climax, take the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak for the incredible views of the city and harbor - make sure it's a clear day for viewing

If you're unfortunate enough to lose your passport in Hong Kong, don't panic as Hong Kong is one of the most efficient places to have your passport replaced from the U.S. Consulate. We found this out when my friend lost hers and she had it replaced in a few hours.

This city takes littering seriously. The streets are kept clean because of the fines imposed for littering. Think twice before you drop something on the street and find a garbage can instead - they are plentiful.

Best Way To Get Around:

Like in NY, you can either walk or take mass transportation all around both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon

Several options abound for public transportation including the double decker bus, the tram that runs on tracks along side the buses and somewhat resembles them too, and the subway, plus taxis are abundant

Beware that the world's longest escalator only goes up, leaving you on your own to find your way back down the hills. Since I didn't opt to follow the stairs back down alongside the escalator it took me quite a long time to finally arrive back down to the Star Ferry station.

Like London, it is difficult to find an inexpensive place to stay in an expensive city. Our research beforehand led us to find the best deal at the Salisbury YMCA. This is not a typical YMCA as found in the US, but a large facility with over 300 rooms and over 60 suites plus many recreational activities. The hotel and our room proved to be quite adequate for the price especially with our location immediately next door to the 5 star Peninsula Hotel. The Salisbury YMCA does a good job of catering to the foreign traveler on a budget and also offers additional services such as laundry, dry cleaning, business needs, room service, and a hair salon. There is a free shuttle service to the hotel from the Kowloon Station which you can arrive at by railway from the airport. For eating, there is the main Salisbury dining room and also an informal cafe open until 12am. For business and social functions, there are banquet and conference facilities available.

The hotel location was very convenient to reaching the Star Ferry and shopping on Nathan Street. We had a great view of the river from our window eventhough we weren't paying extra for a Harbour View room. We overlooked the Hong Kong Cultural Center across the street. The skyline of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Harbor were just beyond it.

Our standard room was painted a pale yellow and not very large, but it was quiet, comfortable and clean and included a TV, air conditioning, mini-bar and coffee maker. The hotel also offered several sports and recreational options with its 2 pools, jacuzzi, sauna, fitness center, squash courts, climbing wall, dance studio, shops and tour activities desk. It is also child friendly and offers baby-sitting service and has a children's library.

At over $400 per night, this ultraluxurious hotel was not in our budget, so we didn't actually have a room here, yet we ate, drank and swam here. Because it was situated right next door to the Salisbury YMCA where we WERE staying, we took advantage of the proximity to visit several times.

The prix fixe breakfast at the well spaced tables in the elegant lobby was very good. There were plenty of available tables and no need for reservations. I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee and eggs benedict in this grand atmosphere.

Another time we made a visit to the grandiose, awe-inspiring pool which affords a majestic view of the Victoria Harbor. The white ionic columns and stairway overlooking the pool are a sight to be seen. At the time of our visit, we were the only "guests" at the pool and this fact along with the incredibly enticing beauty of this pool and its warm water, prompted us to take advantage of our privacy by actually taking a swim. The angled glass windows around the deck of the pool lead to a sundeck open to a view of the Hong Kong skyline. The pictures below can't truly capture the unbelievable beauty of this place.

The Felix bar/restaurant/disco is located on the 28th floor and rooftop and is also worthy of a visit. I didn't manage to get a glimpse of the inside of the rooms but I can imagine they are extraordinary, judging from pictures of these well-furnished accomodations and their regal, marble bathrooms.

Bargaining at the Stanley Market on Hong Kong Island for quality merchandise was definitely a highlight of our visit. We took a bus for 7.90 HK$ to arrive here from the Star Ferry. Hong Kong is well known for its high quality, low priced pearls. At Ming Shop Pearl located at 46A Stanley Market - Main Street, I had a pearl necklace custom made out of fresh water pearls. I also bought a pair of cute pearl stud earrings here for $20. Pearls of many different types, sizes, colors and quality are available at good prices.

The streets of Stanley Market contain many stalls selling various wares and this market is a bargain shoppers paradise. Some items are unique and some are just sold at lower prices than found outside the city. My friend snatched up a few Pashmina scarves knowing they were being sold at a fraction of the price found in U.S. department stores. Clothing made of assorted silks, wools and cottons are sold in abundance. Another hot item are purses and at one stall, I secured 2 of them along with a set of coasters for $30. Interesting toys and musical instruments are for sale.

There is also opportunity to quench your hunger and thirst and an iced cappuccino gave me the energy to continue my bargaining in the Stanley Market for several hours.

Victoria Peak, 552m (1810ft) above sea level is known to the locals as "The Peak" and is a spectacular view point you must see while on Hong Kong Island. In earlier years, Victoria Peak was only open to those in the upper society, but now it is accessible to all. You can walk or take a bus to the Peak Tram station and then either climb your way to the top of Victoria Peak, or take the more common and quicker alternative, a ride on the furnicular railway or "tram". The tram has been operating for over 100 years but is considered one of the most advanced tram systems in the world. The ride takes about 8 minutes each way and in May 2000, it cost 30 HK$ for a round trip ticket which you buy at the ticket office at the entry to the tram.

If possible, when inside the tram, stand on the right side while going up, for the best views. This isn't always possible as the tram can get pretty crowded, and people are vying for the best spots. The tram operates from 7am to midnight and runs very frequently. We went up and down both during the day and another time at night to contrast the view with and without daylight and we were happy we did as the skyline at night is also magnificent.

The extraordinary views are first glimpsed as the tram ascends almost vertically up the Peak, but once on a top, a viewing platform and walks around the Peak really let you soak in the amazing views below while helping you orient yourself to the city. Upon reaching the top, you enter the modern Peak Tower, which has retail stores, game areas, cafes, and restaurants. The chain restaurant Movenpick Marche is here which doubles as a food market. Next to it, is a cafe that offers free Internet access.

Exiting the Peak Tower, you can walk down the walkway past the artists selling their paintings. There are also 2 access roads around the Peak if you feel like taking a short hike.

We returned at night to experience the popular Peak Cafe which even has its own web site at www.peakcafe.com where you can make your reservation. The night we went, there was an Australian chef and thus the menu contained Australian specialties. I had crab cakes and a kangaroo rump which I was not thrilled with since I have had kangaroo before and this one was too tough and the tendon too stringy for my liking, but the Australian Shiraz wine, as usual, was very pleasing to me. However it was also a costly dinner at 303 HK$ before tip for 2 of us. The Peak is a highly visited site and there is good reason for it.

It takes awhile by bus #70 to get to the neighborhood on the shore known as Aberdeen. However, this port area offers a flavor of Hong Kong different from that found in the main part of the city and is worth the trip.

Upon reaching the boating area, we walked down the wooden plank walkway to where a number of boats were waiting for passengers. However there weren't many passengers waiting to go on the boats. We discussed the amount of time and cost and agreed on paying 40 HK$ for a private 1/2 hour boat ride. This boat probably could have held 20 people comfortably, but my friend and I had it all to ourselves. Our guide/driver did not speak English, but we were just taking the ride to get to see a bit of the Victoria Channel.

The channel contained boats of different sizes and ages and in some parts the waters were quite dirty. At times it was humorous to view the contrast of a small dinghy motoring by a large vessel. Several of the boats cruising around were similar to ours - covered over the main part of the boat, open at the bow and carrying tourists. It was a nice day and we were glad to have the boat to ourselves to relax and unwind and direct the driver toward areas and boats we wanted to see closer up.

One such "boat" that caught our attention was the Jumbo Floating Market and Restaurant and our driver let us off there to explore. This spectaculary ornate vessel seems like a carnival in the middle of the channel. This enormous monstrocity cost HK$ 32 million to build and holds 2300 people. The interior decor is meant to imitate that of the Imperial Palace of China. We climbed the carpeted stairs inside to view the restaurant which had an impressive assortment of over 60 different types of seafood including shrimp, lobster, crab, grouper, shark as well as duck, chicken, spare ribs and other meat and poultry in addition to many noodle and vegetarian dishes and desserts. There is also a wine shop with selections from countries across the continents and a smaller selection of liquors. The souvenir shop did not have anything worthy of much attention.

After our tourist stop, we reentered our private boat and enjoyed the short trip back to shore. Hiring the boat to take us into the channel was a nice diversion on this warm pleasant day.