The first excursion on Hong Kong Island for most tourists has to be Victoria Peak which rises 554 metres above sea level and is reached by taxi or mini-bus from the Central District. 

Next, visit Government House, the former residence of the British Governor in Upper Albert Road. You can't enter, but you can admire it through the gates before strolling across the road to the Zoological and Botanical Gardens which contain many endangered species. In the mornings you will see locals practising tai chi chuan in the gardens.

Most of the 18th century buildings in Hong Kong have made way for modern blocks, except the Supreme Court building, now the Legislative Council, and St. John's Cathedral.

In a westerly direction as you face the harbour, the streets become more Chinese in character with open-front shops offering all sorts of Chinese exotica. You can easily spend days climbing any of the steep, narrow, staircase streets that lead up the hill to tiny stalls and shops selling a jumble of treasures. Of special interest are the curio and antique shops in Ladder Street and Hollywood Road. 

Man Mo Temple in Hollywood Road is one of the oldest and largest temples of its kind in the region.

Two of the most impressive skyscrapers on the island are the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank and the Bank of China Tower designed by famous Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei. These are the tallest buildings in the colony and, to some, a symbol of China's authority over the British colony.  

Hong Kong's Fung Ping Shan Museum at the Hong Kong University is on Bonham Road and open daily except Sundays and public holidays. Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware in Cotton Tree Drive gives visitors an opportunity to view a rare specialised collection.

To the east of the Central District is Wanchai, once the home of the fictional Suzie Wong and also the site of Hong Kong's modern convention and exhibition centre. Near the harbour is the Arts Centre which presents hundreds of recitals and shows each year, and the Academy of Performing Arts.

Causeway Bay is an excellent shopping and restaurant area and it is also where the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club is located. To the east is the heavily populated North Point with bustling crowds from morning to night. Located between Wanchai and Causeway Bay is the famous Happy Valley Racecourse.

Nature-lovers will enjoy the views in Hong Kong's hills and reservoir areas where you can wander in fresh green countryside on roads and trails that weave beside streams and lakes.  

Strung out along Hong Kong Island's southern side are a number of beaches. Here you can find Repulse Bay, (the largest and most crowded beach), South Bay, Deepwater Bay and Stanley Peninsula, all very popular in summer. Further still are the beaches of Shek O and Big Wave Bay on the east coast.

Don't forget to leave time to visit the fishing centre of Aberdeen with its picturesque harbour full of fishing junks. A meal on board one of the many floating restaurants is an event you won't forget.

Ocean Park at Brick Hill near Aberdeen includes an oceanarium, water gardens, wave tank, Ocean Theatre, dolphins and whales, an aviary and greenhouse, plus a rollercoaster ride called The Dragon which does a complete loop-the-loop. While here, check out Middle Kingdom, a collection of re-created temples, shrines and pavillions presenting a 'living' history of 13 Chinese dynasties.

Maps

Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Area