Lonely Planet Asia - June 2016

MINI GUIDE

Architecture in Hong Kong

COMPILED BY NATALIE MILLMAN, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM PIERA CHEN AND EMILY MATCHAR. PHOTOGRAPHS: CLAUDIO CASSARO/SIME/4 CORNERS, BOB HENRY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, MOHR/ULLSTEIN BILD VIA GETTY IMAGES, PETER SCHOLEY/ALAMY, TRAVEL PIX COLLECTION/AWL IMAGES

Hong Kong essentials The know-how

FURTHER READING

Lonely Planet’s Hong Kong

(US$21.99) is a

comprehensive guide, and

chapters from the book can

be downloaded at

lonelyplanet.com

(US$4.95), while Pocket

Hong Kong (US$13.99) is

ideal for stopovers. For

more on Hong Kong’s

architecture, read the

illustrated pocket guide

Skylines: Hong Kong, by

Peter Moss. Already

Tomorrow in Hong Kong

(2015) is a

film of

budding

love

in the

maddening

city.

THE CITY’S BEST VIEWS

OVictoria Peak is the highest

point on Hong Kong Island and

offers superlative views of the

city and the mountainous

countryside beyond.

OThe territory’s highest

observation deck, Sky 100,

is on the 100th floor of Hong

Kong’s tallest building, the ICC

in West Kowloon (pictured).

OHead to the car park

atop the Harbour

City shopping

mall and cruise

terminal, where

Victoria Harbour

lies in all its glory.

OTake the Star Ferry

between Central

and Tsim Sha Tsui,

and let Hong Kong

unfold before you.

OThe lounge at the

InterContinental

hotel is one of the

best spots to soak

up the skyline and

busy harbour.

and café (yha.org.hk; Block 41,

Shek Kip Mei Estate; from US$94).

East is a sleek business

hotel with 345 bright rooms

decorated with contemporary art

and minimalist furniture.

The 32nd-floor bar, Sugar, is

spectacular for sunset cocktails

(east-hongkong.com; 29 Taikoo

Shing Rd; from US$217).

The Peninsula, Hong Kong’s

finest hotel, exudes colonial

elegance. Stay in one of the 300

classic European-style rooms,

many with spectacular harbour

views; all have opulent marble

bathrooms (hongkong.peninsula.

com; Salisbury Rd; from US$485).

WHERE TO STAY

Mei Ho House marked the

beginning of Hong Kong’s public

housing policy but has now been

converted to a youth hostel

that offers immaculate en suite

rooms, as well as a museum

TRANSPORT

Cathay Pacific and SilkAir fly

direct from Singapore and Kuala

Lumpur to Hong Kong

International Airport (from

US$173; cathaypacific.com). The

Airport Express train is the fastest

way to get to the city (US$11.60;

35 mins to Central), plus it stops

at Kowloon station in Jordan and

at Tsing Yi island. Buses A11 and

A12 run to the major hotel areas

on Hong Kong island (from

US$4.35), while the A21 covers

Kowloon hotel areas. A prepaid

Octopus Card can be used on

most forms of public transport in

Hong Kong. For short stays, buy

a one-day (US$6.50) pass for

unlimited rides on the MTR

(mtr.com.hk).

Sights Sleeping

The Peninsula’s lobby is a classic

place to have afternoon tea