Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook)
    Ebook479 pages1 hour

    Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook)

    By Insight Guides

    4/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong

    Travel made easy. Ask local experts.
    Focused travel guide featuring the very best routes and itineraries.

    Discover the best of Hong Kong with this unique travel guide, packed full of insider information and stunning images. From making sure you don't miss out on must-see, top attractions like Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Disneyland and Tian Tan Buddha, to discovering cultural gems, including the stunning beaches on the Southside, the glorious Pak Tai Temple and fabulous artistic discoveries at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the easy-to-follow, ready-made walking routes will save you time, and help you plan and enhance your visit to Hong Kong.

    Features of this travel guide to Hong Kong:
    - 18 walks and tours: detailed itineraries feature all the best places to visit, including where to eat and drink along the way
    - Local highlights: discover the area's top attractions and unique sights, and be inspired by stunning imagery
    - Historical and cultural insights: immerse yourself in Hong Kong's rich history and culture, and learn all about its people, art and traditions
    - Insider recommendations: discover the best hotels, restaurants and nightlife using our comprehensive listings
    - Practical full-colour maps: with every major sight and listing highlighted, the full-colour maps make on-the-ground navigation easy
    - Key tips and essential information: packed full of important travel information, from transport and tipping to etiquette and hours of operation
    - Covers: Central District; Western District; Causeway Bay and Happy Valley; Hollywood Road; Lan Kwai Fong, Wyndham Street and Soho; Wan Chai Afternoon; Wan Chai After Dark; Victoria Peak; Southside; Tsim Sha Tsui; Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok; Lantau; Hong Kong Disneyland; Lamma; Western New Teritories

    Looking for a comprehensive guide to China? Check out Insight Guides China for a detailed and entertaining look at all the country has to offer.

    About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInsight Guides
    Release dateJan 1, 2020
    ISBN9781839052194
    Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook)
    Author

    Insight Guides

    Pictorial travel guide to Arizona & the Grand Canyon with a free eBook provides all you need for every step of your journey. With in-depth features on culture and history, stunning colour photography and handy maps, it’s perfect for inspiration and finding out when to go to Arizona & the Grand Canyon and what to see in Arizona & the Grand Canyon. 

    Read more from Insight Guides

    Related to Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook)

    Titles in the series (26)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Asia Travel For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      7 Of The Best Places To Retire

      Jun 24, 2021

      As cases of COVID-19 continue to decline, retirees may no longer feel the need to retreat to the hinterlands. But some seniors may still feel uncomfortable in crowded urban areas, as evidenced by the recent boom in home sales in suburban and rural ar

      2 min read

    • Article

      URBAN WONDERS 52 Seoul searching

      Sep 12, 2023

      URBAN WONDERS 52 Seoul searching
      8 min read

    • Article

      Hong Kong

      Sep 8, 2021

      Hong Kong
      2 min read

    • Article

      Footloose Freedom

      Dec 5, 2017

      Footloose Freedom
      3 min read

    • Article

      13 Hong Kong

      Dec 16, 2020

      WHAT IS THE ONE THING PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HONG KONG WHEN THEY ARRIVE? Hong Kong is a city that never sleeps or never stops, it is filled with energy and there is always something to do, to see, to eat and to drink in this city. HONG KONG HAS ONE

      2 min read

    • Article

      Hong Kong

      Oct 19, 2018

      Hong Kong
      3 min read

    • Article

      Get lost IN BANGKOK

      Aug 27, 2023

      Get lost IN BANGKOK
      2 min read

    • Article

      Get lost IN BANGKOK

      Aug 27, 2023

      Get lost IN BANGKOK
      2 min read

    • Article

      Kaohsiuna

      Dec 1, 2020

      Kaohsiuna
      3 min read

    • Article

      48 Hours In Bangkok

      Feb 1, 2024

      48 Hours In Bangkok
      3 min read

    • Article

      In The Mood For hong Kong

      Oct 20, 2019

      In The Mood For hong Kong
      4 min read

    • Article

      Far East treasures

      Mar 14, 2018

      Far East treasures
      2 min read

    • Article

      Hong Kong Heroes

      Mar 28, 2019

      Hong Kong Heroes
      8 min read

    • Article

      Transport

      Jul 7, 2022

      Over centuries our human race has come up with all sorts of ways to move from one place to another: from walking to using animals, from pedal power to motor vehicles, from sea travel to flying. Researching different modes of transport is not only rel

      3 min read

    • Article

      Transport

      Jul 7, 2022

      Over centuries our human race has come up with all sorts of ways to move from one place to another: from walking to using animals, from pedal power to motor vehicles, from sea travel to flying. Researching different modes of transport is not only rel

      3 min read

    • Article

      HEART & SEOUL

      Nov 18, 2020

      HEART & SEOUL
      1 min read

    • Article

      Hong Kong

      Nov 3, 2023

      Hong Kong
      2 min read

    • Article

      Small-Town Getaways

      Dec 16, 2022

      Small-Town Getaways
      2 min read

    • Article

      Phnom Penh

      May 29, 2019

      Phnom Penh
      2 min read

    • Article

      Kaohsiung

      May 14, 2021

      Kaohsiung
      3 min read

    • Article

      Getting To The Heart Of Seoul

      Mar 4, 2019

      Getting To The Heart Of Seoul
      8 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook)

    4/5

    7 ratings1 review

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I bought this, not knowing when I’d be going to Tokyo, but found out I would be going there sooner than I thought. Less that a year after buying this book I found myself in Tokyo for a 4 hour layover. I hadn’t bookmarked anything in this book, and had barely read it, but I had broughtit along with me so when I landed in Japan, I’d know what to do. Thanks to this book I was able to go through the very difficult task of taking all the trains into the city from Narita Airport and rushing to Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku. It was stressful and confusing, but I managed it, and am so happy I did. It totally worth the effort (not to mention money). If this book can guide me in a rush through Japan, then I’m sure it can do its job wonderfully if you actually read the whole book! And the maps Insight Guide includes with numbers, matching with sites being described is so helpful. It also includes a small fold out map (not entirely helpful) with a bunch of restaurants pinpointed on it. Defiantly a necessity for all planning on going to Tokyo.

    Book preview

    Insight Guides Explore Hong Kong (Travel Guide eBook) - Insight Guides

    How To Use This E-Book

    This Explore Guide has been produced by the editors of Insight Guides, whose books have set the standard for visual travel guides since 1970. With ­top-­quality photography and authoritative recommendations, these guidebooks bring you the very best routes and itineraries in the world’s most exciting destinations.

    Best Routes

    The routes in this book provide something to suit all budgets, tastes and trip lengths. As well as covering the destination’s many classic attractions, the itineraries track lesser-known sights, and there are also ex­cursions for those who want to extend their visit outside the city. The routes embrace a range of interests, so whether you are an art fan, a gourmet, a history buff or have kids to entertain, you will find an option to suit.

    We recommend reading the whole of a route before setting out. This should help you to familiarise yourself with it and enable you to plan where to stop for refreshments – options are shown in the ‘Food and Drink’ box at the end of each tour.

    Introduction

    The routes are set in context by this introductory section, giving an overview of the destination to set the scene, plus background information on food and drink, shopping and more, while a succinct history timeline highlights the key events over the centuries.

    Directory

    Also supporting the routes is a Directory chapter, with a clearly organised A–Z of practical information, our pick of where to stay while you are there and select restaurant listings; these eateries complement the more low-key cafés and restaurants that feature within the routes and are intended to offer a wider choice for evening dining. Also included here are some nightlife listings, plus a handy language guide and our recommendations for books and films about the destination.

    Getting around the e-book

    In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

    Maps

    All key attractions and sights mentioned in the text are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

    Images

    You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of the destination. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.

    © 2019 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

    Table of Contents

    Recommended Routes For...

    Architecture

    Art buffs

    Beaches

    Dining out

    Family

    Night owls

    Shopping

    Temples and monasteries

    Explore Hong Kong

    Hong Kong Island

    Kowloon

    The New Territories and outlying islands

    People

    Confucianism and capitalism

    New nostalgia and confidence

    Handover and beyond

    Public protests

    21st century

    Beyond Hong Kong

    Macau

    Shenzhen

    When to go

    Food and Drink

    Where to eat

    Top-end restaurants

    Fashionable restaurants

    What to eat

    Cantonese food

    Other Chinese cuisine

    Vegetarian food

    Indian food

    Out of town

    Food shopping

    Shopping

    Malls

    Markets

    Stanley Market

    Kowloon’s markets

    What to buy

    Art, antiques and furniture

    Gadgets and electronics

    Entertainment

    Festivals and events

    Theatre and dance

    Music

    Film

    Nightlife

    History: Key Dates

    Early history

    Colonial period

    Handover and beyond

    Central District

    Exchange Square

    Two IFC

    Powerhouses

    LegCo and the Club

    ‘The Bank’

    Colonial reminders

    Hilly Hong Kong

    Zoo and Botanical Gardens

    Up to the Peak

    Down to Hong Kong Park

    Modern spires

    High finance

    Western District

    The university

    University Museum and Art Gallery

    Sai Ying Pun

    Funeral shopping

    Sheung Wan Bazaar

    Western Market

    The heart of Sheung Wan

    Chop Alley

    Causeway Bay and Happy Valley

    Noonday Gun

    Victoria Park and Tin Hau

    Lin Fa Kung Temple

    Central Library

    Causeway Bay shopping

    Mall life

    Tram ride

    Happy Valley

    The cemeteries

    Hollywood Road

    Hollywood Road Park

    Paak Sing Hall

    Temple of Mercy

    Cat Street

    Moving upmarket

    Wyndham and Pottinger streets

    Lan Kwai Fong, Wyndham Street and Soho

    Lan Kwai Fong

    Dining out

    Wyndham Street

    SoHo

    Wan Chai Afternoon

    Old Wan Chai

    The first waterfront

    Towers and temples

    Tai Wong Street

    Reclamation

    The Convention Centre

    The Golden Bauhinia

    Central Plaza

    Wan Chai After Dark

    Arts and music

    Eating and drinking

    Global choices

    Wong’s world

    Music and dancing

    Star Street

    Victoria Peak

    Around the Peak

    Up to the top

    Southside

    Aberdeen

    The harbour

    Sampans and floating restaurants

    Ocean Park

    Marine life, rides and pandas

    Repulse Bay

    Repulse Bay Complex

    Stanley

    Around Stanley Market

    The beach and military cemetery

    Tsim Sha Tsui

    Around the Star Ferry

    Former Marine Police HQ

    Old Kowloon station clock tower

    Hong Kong Museum of Art

    Hong Kong Space Museum

    Along the waterfront

    The Peninsula

    Nathan Road

    Kowloon Park

    East of Nathan Road

    Knutsford Terrace

    Chatham Road

    Hong Kong Science Museum

    Hong Kong Museum of History

    Factory shops and megamalls

    Back to the harbourside

    Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok

    Temple Street

    Jade Market

    Temples and fortune tellers

    Central Yau Ma Tei

    Mong Kok

    Mong Kok’s markets

    Lantau

    Towards Po Lin

    Tai O

    Tung Chung

    Hong Kong Disneyland

    Main Street USA

    Fantasyland and Tomorrowland

    Adventureland and Toy Story Land

    Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point

    Lamma

    Yung Shue Wan

    Tin Hau Temple

    Beaches

    Hung Shing Ye

    Lo So Shing

    Sok Kwu Wan

    Mo Tat Wan

    Village fisheries

    Western New Territories

    Hakka heritage

    Along the coast road

    Miu Fat Monastery

    Wetland Park

    Walled villages

    Monastic getaways

    Three temples in one

    Eating in Tsuen Wan

    Shenzhen

    Lo Wu Commercial City

    Relaxation and refreshments

    Beyond Lo Wu

    Golf

    Macau: city tour

    Largo do Senado

    São Paolo and the Fortaleza

    Barra

    Nape

    Macau: Taipa and Coloane

    Taipa

    Carmel and Taipa’s old mansions

    Coloane

    Around the village

    Coloane’s beaches

    Accommodation

    Hong Kong Island

    Kowloon

    Shenzhen

    Macau

    Restaurants

    Central, Sheung Wan and the Peak

    Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Happy Valley

    Kowloon

    Macau

    Nightlife

    Theatre, classical music and dance

    Other music venues

    Cinema

    Bars

    A-Z

    A

    Addresses

    C

    Children

    Clothing

    Crime and safety

    Consulates and visa offices

    Mainland China

    Customs

    E

    Electricity

    Emergency numbers

    Hong Kong

    Macau

    Shenzhen

    H

    Health

    Medical services

    Hospitals

    Macau

    Shenzhen

    Pharmacies

    Holidays

    Macau

    China

    Hours

    I

    ID

    Internet

    L

    Left luggage

    LGBTQ travellers

    Lost property

    M

    Maps

    Money

    Traveller’s cheques

    Credit cards and ATMs

    Tipping

    P

    Post

    T

    Telephones

    Mobile (cell) phones

    Telephone codes

    Useful phone numbers

    Time

    Tourist information

    HKTB Information Centres

    Tours

    Transport

    Arriving by air

    Transport to and from the airport

    Arriving by sea

    Getting around: travel passes

    Getting around: the MTR

    Getting around: buses

    Bus information

    Getting around: minibuses

    Getting around: trams

    Getting around: star ferries

    Getting around: taxis

    Ferries to the outlying islands

    Outlying islands ferry information

    Ferries to Macau and Mainland China

    Trains to the New Territories and Mainland China

    Travellers with disabilities

    V

    Visas

    Language

    A language minefield

    Pronunciation

    Numbers

    Common expressions

    Questions

    Adjectives

    Health and emergencies

    Books and Film

    Books

    Non-fiction

    Fiction

    Films

    Recommended Routes For...

    Architecture

    Architectural highlights on route 1 range from the colonial to the contemporary. Route 15 explores the ancient walled villages of the New Territories. For European style, head to Macau (routes 17 and 18).

    Alex Havret/Apa Publications

    Art buffs

    Artistic highlights include the galleries around Hollywood Road (route 4), Wan Chai’s Arts Centre (route 6), the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre (route 10).

    Alex Havret/Apa Publications

    Beaches

    In need of a break from the city backdrop? Some of the area’s most accessible beaches are on the Southside (route 9), and less crowded ones are dotted around Lamma (route 14).

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    Dining out

    There is great regional Chinese cuisine available everywhere and good international options in Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo (route 5), Wan Chai (route 7), Southside (route 9) and Tsim Sha Tsui (route 10).

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    Family

    Animal-lovers should visit the pandas, dolphins and other creatures at Ocean Park (route 9). Science fans may prefer the Space Museum (route 10). For a treat with some familiar faces, head out to HK Disneyland (route 13).

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    Night owls

    Bars and restaurants open late across the city, but good starting points for night-time action include Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo (route 5), Wan Chai (route 7) and Tsim Sha Tsui (route 10).

    Alex Havret/Apa Publications

    Shopping

    There are traditional stores in Sheung Wan (route 2), malls in Shenzhen (route 16), flea markets in Cat Street (route 4), electronics and tailors along Nathan Road (route 10) and markets (route 11) in Kowloon.

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    Temples and monasteries

    Of the many fine temples in Hong Kong, among the best are the Man Mo (route 4) and Pak Tai Temple (route 6). The giant bronze Buddha at Po Lin Monastery draws crowds (route 12).

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    Explore Hong Kong

    Hong Kong is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and also one of the most straightforward and safe to explore. Signposts are in English as well as Chinese, while inexpensive public transport and taxis make it easy to get around.

    Covering 1,104 sq km (426 sq miles) Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, at the nation’s southernmost tip, can be divided into three parts: Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories (including numerous outlying islands).

    Hong Kong Island

    Hong Kong Island, where the earliest British settlements were established, is dominated by futuristic buildings housing the big banks and lavish hotels. Glamorous shops and restaurants rub shoulders with earthy establishments, and life moves at a breathless pace. Amid the awe-inspiring contemporary architecture, this is also the place to find some of Hong Kong’s rare colonial buildings and the oldest street market in the city.

    A highlight on Hong Kong Island is The Peak, home to a number of magnificent old residences. Gazing down from these rarefied heights reveals just how crowded the city below really is. Pollution and weather permitting, take in the contrasts of skyscrapers, hills and islands and the tiny size of the territory.

    In Lin Heung Teahouse

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    Capturing the classic skyline

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    Kowloon

    Across the harbour from Hong Kong Island, accessible by Mass Transit Railway (MTR), Star Ferry or via one of three vehicular tunnels, Kowloon offers a taste of ‘urban’ Hong Kong, with millions of people packed into just a few square kilometres. Nathan Road is the spine of Kowloon, reaching from iconic hotel, The Peninsula, overlooking the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, right up towards the northern Kowloon hills, which are said to represent nine dragons (gau lung), and giving Kowloon its Anglicised name. In between are some of the most densely populated blocks on earth.

    Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon’s southern tip, is the traditional tourist centre of Hong Kong and the site of numerous hotels, bars and shops. It is changing as fast as anywhere in the SAR, with huge developments above and below ground.

    At night, there is an exciting edge to Kowloon, and while it is often referred to as gritty, it has been upping its glitz factor in recent years with new skyscrapers, malls, restaurants and a cruise terminal (developed from a runway at the former Kai Tak airport). It also has some of the city’s best museums, lively outdoor markets and bargain clothing, and from Kowloon you can hop on a train to the mainland border or on a through train to Beijing and Shanghai.

    Wong Tai Sin temple

    Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications

    The New Territories and outlying islands

    Beyond the mountains that ring Kowloon lie the New Territories (NT). A mix of empty hillsides, bucolic landscapes and bustling developments, they show a very different side of Hong Kong. Once defined as the land beyond Boundary Street in Kowloon and the Shenzhen River as leased by the British for 99 years in 1898, today this comprises both the land between the Kowloon hills and the Chinese border, and the outlying islands.

    The New Territories are home to a little more than half of Hong Kong’s population, most of whom live in purpose-built high-rise ‘new towns’ such as Sha Tin, alongside some traditional village housing. Much of the New Territories is made up of unpopulated grassy hills – almost half is designated country park with mountains, rugged, mangrove and sandy coastlines, and well-marked hiking trails.

    Even Lantau Isand, home to the international airport and a Walt Disney theme park, is largely undeveloped and green – although plans were announced in early 2018 to develop an artificial island that will eventually be home to 1.1 million people.

    People

    Now home to 7.4 million people, Hong Kong’s population in its early years as a British colony was closer to 7,000. Since 1850, Hong Kong absorbed refugees, adventurers and entrepreneurs from all over the world, remaining predominantly Chinese. Today 92 percent of the populace is Chinese, almost half Hong Kong-born, and most have ties to southern China. There are some 370,000 foreign domestic helpers, mainly women from the Philippines and Indonesia.

    Confucianism and capitalism

    Hong Kong Chinese retain traditional Confucian ideals and a strong work ethic. Buddhist and Taoist deities are actively worshipped in over 300 temples, and the various religious festivals through the year continue to outstrip their secular cousins in popularity.

    Cynics like to remark that the only culture in Hong Kong is capitalism, but there is no denying conspicuous consumption and wealth have become less obvious from the late 1990s onwards, as a somewhat humbler philosophy has seeped into most walks of life

    New nostalgia and confidence

    Collective nostalgia, or civic pride, has recently planted itself within the city’s consciousness, albeit too late to save

    Enjoying the preview?
    Page 1 of 1