When you travel to any place, things that most of us look for are the beauty of the place- natural or historical, good food, hotels, shopping, and warm hospitality. The below 5 spots have been chosen by me as my Top 5 favorites which encompasses these features.

As you leave the airport and either take the train or taxi, you will see the magnificent Tsing Ma Bridge, , the world’s longest span suspension bridge carrying both road and rail traffic, is the key connection between Hong Kong and its international airport on Lantau Island.

For further information please click on

http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/attractions/nt-tsingma-bridge.html

I.Lantau Island and Giant Buddha Day Trip from Hong Kong

Take a day trip to Lantau Island, Hong Kong’s largest island, and you can discover & enjoy pristine serene beaches, in an otherwise fast pace city, traditional fishing villages, lush valleys, soaring mountains (for some lovely challenging hikes) and spiritual enlightenment. A full day tour includes a guided visit to Po Lin Monastery, the Giant Buddha Exhibition Hall and a 5.7 kilometer cable car journey offering spectacular views of Lantau Island and the South China Sea.

The beauty of Lantau needs to be seen and sensed. Lush greenery, peace and serene valleys is a treat to a City that never sleeps.

For more details on Lantau Island http://www.hkoutdoors.com/lantau-island/lantau-surprises.html

II. Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak is a major tourist attraction for any visitor to Hong Kong. This is the highest point situated on the western side of Hong Kong Island with splendid views of the harbour and the city. One can take a taxi, drive , or take the peak tram from Central. The peak tram is a tram that starts from Central and is a ride that must not be missed especially on the way down. Victoria Peak offers panoramic views of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the surrounding islands and the views are spectacular especially on a clear day. There are 3 very good restaurants (with one of them with out-door seating) and some quaint shopping for souvenirs.

From there one can go to the famous fishing village of Aberdeen, Deepwater Bay, Repulse Bay and Stanley. The ride up to these places offers some spectacular views of the greenery in the concrete Hong Kong. You get a view of some of the most beautiful homes and sky rise buildings.  The sky rise apartments are work of one of the best designs of architecture.  Stanley Market in Stanley is one of the must-go places when you visit Hong Kong.  You will find an interesting array of little shops selling silk garments, sportswear, art, Chinese costume jewelry and souvenirs.  An once your are done with your shopping, you can treat yourself  with a good lunch at one of the many restaurants with some of that offer outdoor seating, which is a rarity in HK,

III. Lan Kwai Fong and Soho & Shopping

Lan Kwai Fong on Hong Kong Island is the perfect venue for a night full of fun and pleasure. Jazz clubs, bars, upmarket bistros and pleasant restaurants line the streets.  Lan Kwai Fong is a small square of streets in Central, Hong Kong. The area was dedicated to hawkers before the Second World War, but underwent a renaissance in the mid 1980s. It is now a popular expatriate haunt in Hong Kong for drinking, clubbing and dining. The street Lan Kwai Fong is an L-shape with two ends joining with D’Aguilar Street.  The crowds during special occasions such as Halloween or New Year’s Eve put the place at a literal standstill with the large numbers.

The Soho district in Hong Kong is an entertainment zone located in Central and bordering Sheung Wan, within Central. The name is derived from its location: South of Hollywood Road. Some of my favorites Casual dining places are located in Soho.

The Central-Mid-Levels escalator was built-in 1993; the now vibrant character of Soho is attributed to the creation of the escalator system, which at the time was the longest escalator system in the world. Prior to the escalator construction, the area was populated by many elderly locals, old go-downs and porcelain shops.

No visit to Hong Kong is ever complete without the shopping. Best places to shop in Central & Admiralty are IFC, Pacific Place, street shopping at Granville Road, Mong Kok, and Causeway Bay for some street and off shoot items.

IV. Ocean Park

Ocean Park Hong Kong is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park, situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern District of Hong Kong. Founded in 1977 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, Ocean Park has now grown to about 35 attractions and rides. The park has won several awards, including The World’s Seventh Most Popular Amusement Park and 33rd Most Visited Tourist Attractions in the World by Forbes. For further details please click on

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Park_Hong_Kong

For those of you who enjoy rides and water wold, Ocean Park is one I would highly recommend over Disney Land, Hong Kong.

V. Hikes

Hiking and Hong Kong??  You say no way… Surprisingly Hong Kong is a marvelous place for hiking. I would recommend the easy hikes of Hong Kong Island: the Peak, Mount Butler, and Dragon’s Back. Each of these offers some spectacular views of Hong Kong, Kowloon & Lantau Island. For further details, please click on

http://www.hkoutdoors.com/hiking-and-biking-in-hong-kong/hiking-in-hk.html

There are various other treks and hikes from moderate to difficult and difficult to very tough which I shall not mention for this post.

I hope you enjoyed the virtual visit to Hong Kong and will consider visiting a city that has character, attitude, and a personality.