098 VIRGIN AUSTRALIAMAY 2017
ATHER GRANDLY SELF-APPOINTED
as ‘Asia's World City’, Hong Kong has
mastered the art of multiple guises.
For many visitors, the city is a culinary
playground, but for others its high-end
boutiques, luxury hotels and energetic
nightlife are what makes it magnetic.
This multi-faceted appeal is overlaid
with its secluded Buddhist temples,
contemporary art galleries, densely
packed markets and contoured coastal
landscapes, meaning whichever island, district or street you
find yourself in, the past, present and future seem to overlap.
Visiting one of Asia’s most photogenic urban landscapes,
Victoria Harbour, it’s obvious that much of the city’s British
colonial architecture has been replaced with skytowers —
although pockets of cultural traditions do remain. The port
separates Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon Peninsula and is
the heartbeat of the city — with its feverish flow of ships, barges
and green-and-white Star Ferries painting a constantly evolving
picture. Taking to the water in a southern Chinese junk — a hand-built teak and ironwood boat with a high
stern and three scarlet sails — is a refined
way to cruise the harbour, particularly
during the evening as the multimedia
Symphony of Lights show illuminates
the waterside landmarks. Aqua Luna (also
known as Cheung Po Tsai) is one of only
a handful of junks still in active service,
and has been ofering private harbour
cruises since 2006. (The company will
launch a second luxury junk, Aqua Luna
II, or Dai Cheung Po, this year).
From the water, you should head to
the sky. Ascend to the rooftop helipad
of The Peninsula hotel for a helicopter
Sky Tour that takes in the waterfront
and Hong Kong Island before zipping
across the breathtaking volcanic rock
formations of the Hong Kong Geopark
and the dramatic coastlines of the New
Territories and Lantau Island nearby.DO
Aqua Luna Central
Pier 9, Tsim Sha
Tsui Public Pier 2,
Wanchai Public Pier
and Hung Hom
Public Pier; http://www.
aqualuna.com.hk.
Peninsula
Helicopter Sky Tour
http://www.heliservices.
com.hk.DRINK
Ozone Level 118,
The Ritz-Carlton
Hong Kong, 1 Austin
Rd West, Kowloon;
http://www.ritzcarlton.com.
Potato Head 100
Third St, Sai Ying
Pun; http://www.ptthead.
com. Sevva Level 25,
Prince’s Building, 10
Chater Rd, Central;
http://www.sevva.hk.STAY
Hullett House
1881 Heritage,
2A Canton Rd,
Kowloon; http://www.
hulletthouse.com.
Tai O Heritage
Hotel Shek Tsai
Po Street, Tai O,
Lantau Island;
http://www.taioheritage
hotel.com. The
Murray 22 Cotton
Tree Dr, Central;
http://www.marcopolo
hotels.com. The
Pottinger 21 Stanley
St, Central; http://www.
thepottinger.com.EAT
Dim Sum Library
Level 1, 124 Pacific
Pl, Admiralty; http://www.
dimsumlibrary.com.
hk. Ho Lee Fook 1–5
Elgin St, Central;
http://www.holeefookhk.
tumblr.com. Mrs
Pound 6 Pound
Lane, Sheung Wan;
http://www.mrspound.
com. The Peninsula
Hong Kong
Salisbury Rd,
Kowloon; http://www.
peninsula.com.