Things to Do in Hong Kong Sar

Hong Kong and its surrounding islands have plenty of sleepy fishing villages and secluded beaches, but if you’re looking for a more upscale beach resort experience, you’ll find it at Repulse Bay. Primarily a high end residential area, Repulse Bay also has a crescent-shaped white sand beach -- one of the best on Hong Kong Island -- with a roped off area for swimming and a shopping and dining venue inside the Repulse Bay Tower.

Some of the beaches on Lantau and Cheung Chau Islands are nicer and quieter, but Repulse Bay scores extra points for its proximity to the city. In just a 20-minute bus ride from Central you can be soaking up the sun in Repulse Bay. To ensure a quieter beach experience, avoid the central portion of the beach where tour buses from the Mainland tend to unload; opt instead for eastern portion. You’ll find grocery and convenience stores in the area where you can buy supplies for a picnic lunch, but expect prices to be higher than if you stock up in the city before coming.

If you ask around Hong Kong about the best attractions, chances are you’ll hear mention of the Big Buddha (Tian Tan Buddha) on Lantau Island. What you probably won’t hear mentioned is Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery, yet this once remote monastery is one of the city’s most important Buddhist sites.

The monastery was established in 1906, long before the Big Buddha was erected, by three monks traveling from China. The three men discovered a flat stretch of land amid the verdant mountains and though it would be a perfect place for meditative religious practice. The monastery didn’t gain a spot on the global tourist map until 1993 when the Buddha statue was completed, and today it welcomes thousands of tourists who ride the cable car to see the statue and gaze out over the South China Sea.

The monastery itself is easy to overlook but is well worth a visit, particularly for the excellent vegetarian restaurant run by the monks. Dishes vary season to season and are made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients thought to help cleanse the body and spirit.

The Star Ferry Pier in Hong Kong serves as the launching spot for the Star Ferry on the Hong Kong Island side of Victoria Harbour. Located in Central, the current Star Ferry Pier is actually the fourth to bear the name since the Star Ferry first started carrying passengers across the harbor in 1888. The current structure was designed to resemble Edwardian style of the second generation pier, including a clock tower and five bells.

While modern transportation allows commuters and travelers to traverse the harbor via tunnels or the subway, riding the Star Ferry is inexpensive and much more scenic, with views of Hong Kong’s famous skyline on either side of the harbor.

Even if you choose not to ride the Star Ferry, it’s still worthwhile to pay a visit to the pier. Head toward the waterfront restaurant on the second floor of the building and turn right to access a public viewing platform for views of Victoria Harbour and the Kowloon side of Hong Kong.

When the frenetic pace, flashing LED lights and crowded streets of Hong Kong become a bit overwhelming, consider spending a day at the beach in Sai Kung. Located on the Sai Kung Peninsula, Sai Kung District is the second largest by area in Hong Kong, though the area is largely rural. Sai Kung town, a former fishing village, has become a hotbed of seafood restaurants, many located on the waterfront along a stretch of road known as Seafood Street.

Besides the food, Sai Kung is also known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in Hong Kong. By day, visitors come to soak up the sun on the beaches lining Clear Water Bay. At night, the waters just off the coast light up with the lanterns of small chartered boats fishing for squid, an activity tourists can participate in as well. If you can pull yourself away from the waters, Sai Kung offers some of the best hiking trails in the greater Hong Kong area.

There was a time when this mountainous buffer between downtown Hong Kong and mainland China was populated solely by indigenous Hakka farmers and a scattering of old villages. That time wasn’t too long ago—just a mere number of decades. In the time that has lapsed since, however, the area known as the New Territories has exploded with growth and seen subsidized housing projects spring up as far as the eye can see. Although it’s now a sprawling suburb which houses 3.5 million people (half of Hong Kong’s population) there are still a number of worthwhile sights interspersed among the urban growth which transport visitors back to the New Territories of old.

Chief among the activities of most visitors is walking one of the historical trails such as Lung Yeuk Tau, a heritage trail which takes visitors past traditional walled villages constructed to guard against bandits and invaders. Pockmarked with rural parks—unlike the heavily urbanized areas of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon—the New Territories also feature legitimate treks and coastal walks where visitors can tackle trails such as the 1,400 foot (426.7 meter) Sharp Peak for a sweeping view of the city center.

For many the attraction of visiting the New Territories provides for a way to see how Hong Kong locals go about their daily life, yet attractions such as the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery still provide visitors the opportunity for some good old fashioned sightseeing. Those visiting the monastery will first have to climb a lengthy hill which is covered in plastic, golden arhats which peer out from bushes along the walkway. Once at the top, take in the 12,800 Buddha statues spread in all directions for a unique sight not to be found anywhere else in all of Hong Kong. Although this is just one example of the unique sights in the New Terrirories, the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery encourages visitors and locals alike to escape the city center for a spell and enjoy the slow pace of life found in the outer reaches of Hong Kong.