HONG KONG SPRING & SUMMER GUIDE 2012 The best places to eat, sleep and play in Hong Kong this spring and summer With more than 60 million reviews and opinions, TripAdvisor makes travel planning a snap for more than 50 million travelers visiting our site each month. Think before you print. And if you do print, print double-sided. INTRODUCTION TripAdvisor, the most trusted source for where to eat, sleep and play in thousands of destinations around the world, has collected the best insider tips from its 50 million monthly visitors to produce a unique series of travel guides. In addition to the best hotels, restaurants and attractions for every type of traveler, you’ll get great advice about what to pack, how to get around and where to find the best views. Be sure to check out the guides at www.tripadvisor.com. Inside HONG KONG You’ll find reviews for more than 555,000 hotels, 200,000 vacation rentals, 175,000 attractions and 780,000 restaurants on TripAdvisor.com. Learn from other travelers what to expect before you make your plans. Hong Kong’s appeal as a modern metropolis amid an ancient culture thrives. Sometimes bustling, sometimes serene, this great city is divided into four distinct areas: Hong Kong Island, the busy, pulsating heart and financial and commercial center; Kowloon Peninsula, home to many of the upscale hotels; New Territories, where you’ll find traditional rural life; and the 200 outlying islands, PACKING TIPS of which Lantau is the largest. The British took control of Hong Kong in 1841, after the First 1. Haggle like a local: “Bring small bills for the markets, bargain from 1/3 of the Opium War against the Chinese; in 1898, they also gained a 99- price they quote you and walk away year lease on the New Territories. When the lease ran out in if they won’t budge; they will usually lower the price when you walk away.”— 1997, the entire province was handed back to China. Today, British TripAdvisor Member, Hong Kong influence is still strong. As a result, most of the local population .2 “Hong Kong markets are a must. Leave knows English (if not fluently, they know what you’re saying). Learn extra space in the suitcase, so you a few phrases and especially know the numbers so you can bargain can fit your bargain purchases in!”— TripAdvisor Member, Derby, England in the markets! A3. “ tripod is a must. I carry a cheap Hong Kong’s sub-tropical climate promises pleasant, temperate and light tripod everywhere in my backpack for a trip. I set it up for weather for half of the year. January and February tend to be cool scenic shots, so my wife and I can be and cloudy; between May and August, expect hot, humid weather in the picture together. I also use it for night shots.”—TripAdvisor Member, with occasional showers. Cyclone season (July through September) Hong Kong can bring higher winds, thunderstorms and occasional flooding. tripadvisor.com 2 Top VIEWS HONG KONG’S BEST VIEWS “The Lobby Lounge is among the best in “An excellent way to get from Kowloon to Victoria Peak (Tai Ping Shan) is “billed the world for view, service, facilities and Hong Kong across the harbor, Star Ferry is as the number one tourist attraction in live music.”—TripAdvisor Member, Dallas, quick, cheap and efficient and a real taste of Hong Kong, and rightly so. The Peak Texas old Hong Kong. You can sit on the top and Tram is a fun and easy way to get to the Lobby Lounge, Intercontinental Hong Kong, enjoy the fantastic view. Especially stunning top of Victoria Peak, but it is the views 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, at night when all the skyscrapers are lit up.”— from the peak that are the star of the 0852 2721 1211 TripAdvisor Member, Nottingham, U.K. show. We went up during the day, which Star Ferry, Star Ferry Pier, Edinburgh Place, being nice and clear, afforded great views 0852 2367 7065 over the harbor and across to Kowloon.”— TripAdvisor Member, Scotland Victoria Peak, 1 Lugard Road, Where 0852 2849 7654 to PLAY TOP 10 Attractions . 1 Dialogue in the Dark Hong Kong, 8 King Lai Path, Meifoo, . 5 Victoria Harbour Kowloon, 0852 2891 0438 . 6 Star Ferry, Star Ferry Pier, Edinburgh Place, 0852 2367 7065 . 2 Nan Lian Garden, 60 Fengde Road, Zhuanshishan, . 7 Hong Kong Skyline, along Victoria Harbour 0852 3658 9424 . 8 Happy Valley Racecourse, Sports Road, Happy Valley, 0852 2895 1523 . 3 Hong Kong Museum of History, 100 Chatham Road S, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, 0852 2724 9042 . 9 Lantau Island . 4 Chi Lin Nunnery, Chi Lin Road, Diamond Hill, 0852 2354 1735 10. Hong Kong Park, 19 Cotton Tree Dr., Central, 0852 2521 5041 FAMILIES “Hong Kong Disneyland is indeed very Ocean Park is a theme park with rides “The Hong Kong Zoo & Botanical small, but absolutely gorgeous. The park and a butterfly house. “My kids enjoyed the Garden is a great way to relax from the is so clean! My wife and I visited and had a rides. The cable car view alone is worth the busy shopping and sight seeing. A range truly magical day. The fireworks at the end trip.”—TripAdvisor Member of sights from plants to pythons will cover of the day are the best we have seen at any Ocean Park, Ocean Park Road, Aberdeen, everyone’s interest. And did I mention that Disney.”—TripAdvisor Member, Colchester, 0852 3923 2323 admission is free?”—TripAdvisor Member, England London, U.K. Hong Kong Disneyland, Lantau Island, Hong Kong Zoo & Botanical Gardens, 0852 1830 830 “The cable car view Albany Road, 852 2530 0154 alone is worth the trip.” ROMANCE A trip on the Star Ferry is “one of the most “Fifty2 Lounge is a seductive lounge For a few moments of peace away from the romantic journeys you can make. Traveling bar with awesome ambiance and a good crowds, take a stroll to the conservatory from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island with drinks selection. The best thing was the and the aviary at Hong Kong Park, “a quiet the mass of neon lights in the background is balcony area which allows you to go out oasis.”—TripAdvisor Member, Solihull, U.K. the perfect place to propose.”—TripAdvisor for a breather without leaving the bar.”— Hong Kong Park, 19 Cotton Tree Drive, Member, Cheltenham, U.K. TripAdvisor Member, United Kingdom Central, 0852 2521 5041 Star Ferry, Star Ferry Pier, Edinburgh Place, Fifty2 Lounge, 3/F, 52 Wellington St., 0852 2367 7065 0852 2110 4483 Call an Expedia Travel Specialist now 877 633 3716 tripadvisor.com 3 Where to PLAY BUDGET For inexpensive clothes shopping, visit “We’ve been living here for 5 years and we For less than a few dollars, you can take the Stanley Market, open daily. “The market still make frequent trips into the Mongkok tram on Victoria Peak for a stunning view itself is a maze of small shops and stalls with area. Yes, it’s packed with people but the of Hong Kong. It’s a “fun and easy way to a huge array of things—some of which you sights and smells are exactly what Hong get to the top, but it is the views that are the never knew you’d need (or want!). My only Kong is all about. We recommend taking star of the show. The vista is breathtaking.”— word of advice would be to barter and, if an evening stroll through the Ladies Market TripAdvisor Member, Scotland you think you’re not getting a good deal, just near Argyle Street.”—TripAdvisor Member, Victoria Peak Tram, Lugard Road, walk away. You’ll be amazed how many stall Hong Kong 0852 2849 7654 owners will come after you to make a sale.”— Mongkok, Kowloon TripAdvisor Member, London, England TripAdvisor members have posted more Stanley Market, Stanley Beach than 10 million traveler photos on the site. The good, the bad and the very candid. It’s almost like being there! ADVENTURE For the more energetic, there’s the 43-mile The Dolphin Encounter Program at The YMCA offers “lots of amenities, Lantau hiking trail, for which you need a Ocean Park “was really good fun! Basically including two indoor pools, squash courts, map and a plan. You can do it in stages, but you get to go behind the scenes to meet, a climbing wall and exercise room.”— “allow at least five hours for the walk; bear feed and touch the dolphins. I really enjoyed TripAdvisor Member, Cambridge, England in mind Lantau Island is the largest island in this!”—TripAdvisor Member, Aberdeen, U.K. YMCA, 41 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong and it is very mountainous. It is Dolphin Encounter Program at Ocean 0852 2268 7000 not easy.”—TripAdvisor Member, Hong Kong Park, Ocean Park Road, Aberdeen, Lantau Trail, Lantau Island, 0852 2984 8191 0852 3923 2323 “...and the big Buddha, well it was impressive I must say.” EDUCATIONAL/HISTORICAL The Museum of History “takes you for a Experience Hong Kong without the benefit The Po Lin Monastery features the largest walk through time. There are various movie of sight during Dialogue in the Dark. “I seated outdoor bronze Buddha in the world. rooms, displays, recreations and photos of went for the novelty, but was struck by “A fair way to spend half a day. We took the old Hong Kong. You’ll learn so much about the experience. It opened my mind to a ferry out from Hong Kong island, and had a the rich culture and history of this vibrant different world.”—TripAdvisor Member, very enjoyable walk back down through the woods to Tung Chung.