Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
A slice of exotica
|
From heritage to shopping, Hong Kong has many attractions
|
PHOTO: S. GANESAN
A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE Hong Kong offers plenty of options
For those of us who thought that Hong Kong was just an urban agglomeration of skyscrapers and nothing more than a shopper's paradise, it would come as a surprise that the land of `fragrant harbour' has to offer a diverse range of exotic tourist attractions.
No doubt, the former British colony represents all that is modern, being a major trade and commercial hub. Yet, it preserves in itself all that is pristine int Nature. The first impressions of the picturesque locale of the airport, the architectural splendour of its interiors, the engineering marvel of the "world's longest road-and-rail suspension bridge" linking the airport to downtown and the imposing skyline of skyscrapers en route could belie the fact that Hong Kong is pregnant with possibilities for the adventurously inclined.
Breathtaking sight
Nearly 60 per cent of Hong Kong's landscape is green, locals claim. And it takes just about seven minutes — a ride on the Peak Tram to the Victoria Peak from Central Hong Kong — to realise it first hand.
The Tram, with a 1.4 km long track with a gradient of 4 to 27 degrees, rises from 28 to 396 metres above sea level, could take you right up into the clouds and reveal a panoramic vista of the Hong Kong Island, the harbour, Kowloon peninsula and the hills beyond — the concrete jungle beneath merging with the lush green mountain ranges and the sea.
Hong Kong has about 260 outlying islands, many uninhabited though, offering endless opportunities for those seeking refuge in Nature. The Lantau Island makes for great outdoors, and it will soon offer a dynamic new experience, `Ngong Ping 360,' a 5.7 km gondola cable car ride to provide a 360 degree view of the flora and fauna of the island and the giant Tian Tan Buddha, stated to be the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze statue. The Wisdom Path, the heart sutra wood inscription, is set amidst the island's green splendour.
The culturally themed Ngong Ping village is a place to let your hair down. The Chinese village features three main attractions — walking with the Buddha (a multi-media show which traces the life and experience of Gautama Buddha), the Monkey's Tale Theatre (a comical show inspired by the Jataka stories) and Ngong Ping Tea House.
Visitors could be one with Nature at the 61-hectare Wetland Park, a wildlife hotspot on the north-eastern edge of Tin Shui Wai in the New Territories. The aesthetically designed park is an outstanding example of sustainable development and serves the functions of conservation, tourism and education.
The little known countrysides of Hong Kong are best explored on foot at a leisurely pace. To help you find your way, the Hong Kong Tourism Board has developed ten walks with detailed directions. Tourists could also walk through the cultural and historical kaleidoscope through the museums of Art, Maritime, Science, Space and Heritage.
No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without the magical journey to the Disneyland, the immensely popular Madame Tussaud's, the stunning nightly spectacle of Symphony of Lights on the Victoria Harbour front and the Aqua Fantasia multimedia show beside the Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsuai.
Compulsive shoppers could be swept away in the frenzy of the mega shopping festival, which opened last week in the presence of about 500 media and travel trade representatives from around the world. The festival, touted as the biggest ever with the participation of 7,500 merchant outlets, includes several hot deals and is on till the end of August.
S. GANESAN
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
