Having recently watched the tv series Expats it brought back memories of our previous travels to Hong Kong and inspired me for this article! 
When people think about Hong Kong they usually just think about Hong Kong Island but there are two other district areas, namely the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories. These regions are themselves separated in to local districts.
My husband John during his career with British Airways flew there on a regular basis starting in the late 80âs. At that time the main airport for Hong Kong was called Kai Tak, and was located on the southeastern corner of the Kowloon Peninsula with the runway sticking out in to Victoria Harbour having water on three sides. Because of the high ground to the North of Kowloon it was not possible to complete a normal straight in approach on the runway centreline as is the case in all bar a handful of airports around the world. Aircraft would have to fly up between Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island heading towards a radio beacon situated in the cargo basin. From there a series of strobe lights were visually acquired and followed whilst maintaining the descent profile. The strobe lights would lead you towards Checkerboard Hill and once that came in to view you then started to cast your eye to the right to find the airport and the runway. You would then start turning the aircraft to the right to begin a 47 degree turn on to the runway centreline commencing the turn at about 600ft above ground level and completing the turn at about 300ft. Manoeuvring a 747 and other modern aircraft in this fashion was most unusual and required a high degree of concentration. The photo below is John flying past the Checkerboard to complete the final turn towards the runway. This was when John was a Co-pilot back in April 1996. Kai Tak closed in 1998 when the new airport Chek Lap Kok was opened on the North side of Lantau Island.
Hong Kong is a very bustling vibrant city with so much to see and do with some of the worldâs leading restaurants that this article cannot cover it all! These are just a few of my own personal experiences so please feel free to add to this article with any other suggestions.
Obviously one of the first must sees is Victoria Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong Island at an elevation of 552 metres where you can enjoy stunning views of Downtown Hong Kong looking across Victoria Harbour towards Kowloon. You can take a taxi to the Peak but a more exciting and interesting way is to take the Peak Tram which first opened on 28th May 1888. This was the first funicular railway in Asia and runs from Garden Road Admiralty to Victoria Peak via the Mid-Levels. From the tram stop it is a short walk to Peak Tower which stands at 396 metres, or if you want an even higher view point you can go up to the highest observation deck in Hong Kong, Lingxiao Pavilion Sky Terrace 428. If you wish you can walk back in to the city via Magazine Gap and enjoy different views of the skyscrapers as you descend. The photo below shows me at the Peak with the beautiful skyscrapers in the background of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.
Hong Kong has an excellent underground system called MTR that will get you to most places. If the MTR doesnât then a taxi can and these are numerous although when it rains you might have difficulty hailing one! There is another method of getting from Hong Kong Island across Victoria Harbour to Kowloon and that is via the Star Ferry. The Star Ferry Company was founded in 1888 and still operates to this day. The companyâs main route runs between Central on Hong Kong Island to the Tsim Sha Tsui terminal in Kowloon. The ferry operates daily every 6 to 12 minutes from 6.30am to 11.30pm.
Another must see during your time in Hong Kong is what is colloquially known as The Big Buddha on Lantau Island. To get there you can take the MTR from Central to Tung Chung. From this point you can walk to the Buddha or take the Ngong Ping cable car which will transport you to the Buddha in 25 minutes. Ngong Ping, the village at the top, is where the Big Buddha is located, comprising of 250 tonnes of bronze, facing northwards towards Beijing. 268 steps will take you to the foot of the Buddha and this ascent can be a little challenging in the heat of the Hong Kong summer. Another sight I did not expect to see whilst visiting this area are cows which just wander freely. It is said the presence of the cows is at least in part due to the now defunct Trappist Dairy. When the dairy went out of business in the early 80âs it is said that the cows were just set free to wander as they will.
Hong Kong offers a range of wonderful restaurants and bars such that we cannot do justice to them all here! One of our favourite Chinese restaurants is Mott 32, the name of which comes from the address 32 Mott Street in New York City. This was the location of the first Chinese grocery store that opened in New York in 1891. Mott 32 is located at the Standard Chartered Bank Building in the Central District and is somewhat perplexing to find because from the outside it looks like a skyscraper bank and the restaurant is actually underneath it. I particularly enjoyed the Sweet and Sour chicken, Dragon Fruit and Aged Black Vinegar dish and they have stunning Dim Sum.
Another go to place for us for Dim Sum is Din Tai Fung located at No.68 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay. This is just one of three locations, the other two being in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon and Sha Tin in the New Territories.
If you wish to step back in time then you might like to partake of an exquisite Afternoon Tea served in sumptuous surroundings with some of the most attentive service you will ever experience then you should visit the Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel. This is located on the southern shore of the Kowloon Peninsula, only a few minutes walk from the Star Ferry terminal. The hotel initially opened in 1928 and combines colonial and modern elements, and is notable for its large fleet of Rolls Royces painted a distinctive âPeninsula greenâ.
The promenade in front of the Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel is an excellent spot to watch âA Symphony of Lightsâ. This is a music and light show that is staged every night at 8pm with the music being broadcast on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. Numerous buildings on both Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon waterfront are illuminated and the light show is synchronised to the music.
Staying on Kowloon side you might like to visit what is possibly Hong Kongâs most famous street market, Ladies Market. The market got its name for mainly selling feminine goods in the past particularly clothing, though there are plenty of menâs products sold there now too. The market lies along a kilometre stretch of Tung Choi Street and on the adjoining side street areas. It is open from noon until midnight although some stalls open later at nightfall. If you want to see it at its most bustling then go there after 7pm.
These are just a few of my experiences in Hong Kong and it would be great to hear what anyone else has to add.
@kimshady how was Chinese New Year during your recent trip to Hong Kong? ⊠and it would be great if you have any photos to share on here! 
@IHeartAnimals did you manage to visit Hong Kong during your trip to Asia?
@KoS I see you recently moved from Hong Kong to the UK. As we all know local knowledge is the best and do you have any recommendations you can share?
@CharlieCook as you have been a regular sitter in Hong Kong do you have any favourite places to visit or restaurant recommendations?
@Maggie8K you mentioned Hong Kong has some of the best Southern Chinese food in the world, do you have any favourite restaurants or food outlets you can share with us?
