Honeymoon Adventure in Hong Kong
by Esther K. Choy
Imagine that you’re attending a live rugby match with thousands of people cheering on teams from around the world. Your adrenaline is running so high you take a break to enjoy some fresh-out-of-the-oven buns filled with steaming, hot barbecued pork. To finish off your day, you find yourself admiring an exhibition of French Impressionist paintings by Manet, Monet, Renoir, Degas and Cezanne.
Where are in the world are you? That’s right. You are on a honeymoon adventure in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong is the perfect honeymoon destination for action-starved couples looking for excitement and tranquility. The city is home to several relaxing beaches, museums, cultural icons, historical sites, and world famous architecture to enjoy with your partner. Hong Kong is always moving and takes you along for the ride.
A former British colony and the home to nearly 7 million Chinese, the city is made up of Hong Kong island, Kowloon peninsula, hundreds of small outlying islands, and the New Territories, which connect to Mainland China. Most of the commercial and residential districts are located on the northern shores of Honk Kong island and the Kowloon peninsula.
Hong Kong is bursting with festivals and special events year-round to entice curious travelers. In February the entire island comes alive with festivities surrounding the Chinese New Year. A parade of colorful dragons undulate under a night sky lit by fireworks and light shows.
Thousands of tourists flock to the annual Hong Kong Arts Festival from February through March, while others come for the Hong Kong International Film Festival in early spring every year. In late March, fans from all over the world converge in Hong Kong for the annual Rugby World Cup Sevens to watch seven teams compete for the top prize.
Shopping is another great sport you can enjoy in Hong Kong. A city for all budgets, Hong Kong boasts a countless number of name brand stores with no sales tax. Most shops are clustered in major shopping areas: Central, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, and Tsing Yi. International designer stores, sleek and compact Japanese department stores, and local shopping malls are spread throughout every single city district. A popular favorite is the Stanley Street in Repulse Bay, where you will find Chinese arts and crafts ֖ a one-stop location for all your souvenir needs.
If you come to Hong Kong from late-July until the end of August, you will be able to shop to your heart’s content in the annual Hong Kong Shopping Festival. Stores, crafts, restaurants and services are available until the wee hours of the morning. You’ll be able to stock up on name brand items without breaking the bank.
Once you work up an appetite from all this non-stop fun, treat yourself to the many mouth-watering dishes of China. Chinese cuisine has evolved over thousands of years with the country and its people. Each province has its own distinct taste and culinary traditions. Hong Kong happens to the hub of this gastronomic diversity.
Be sure to try a local favorite brunch item: Dim Sum. This includes little snack portions of small delights like shrimp dumplings, beef balls, and egg tarts served in little bamboo baskets in steaming mobile carts pushed around by the restaurant staff. You don’t even have to get up for seconds.
When you’re ready to slow things down a bit, you can lounge around on the beach of Deep Water Bay. Later in the day you check out the historic Governor’s Mansion, which was originally built for British governors and now stands in the heart of the financial district. Haven’t seen a giant panda lately? Well, pop on over to Ocean Park to visit the two giant pandas, An An and Jia Jia.
To take a well-deserved break from all of the hustle and bustle of the city, feel free to take a few daytrips around the area. Your itinerary can include the Wong Tai Sin Temple, where the many faithful pay their respects to Buddha, Confucius and have their fortunes told. You can also visit Lantau Island to see the 85-foot Buddha statue at the Po Lin Temple.
A must-see destination is Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. Take a cable tram from Central and you will be magically transported to the top of a hill where you can see the city skyline. You’re only a ten-minute tram ride away from the busy city, yet you feel very, very far away.
Be sure to visit the national preserves of Sai Kung, located on the northeast side of New Territory. There you can go on a two-hour hike, sit by the pier for a seafood lunch and watch the fishermen bring in their daily catch. At sunset you can charter a small boat to go on a private cruise. Independent boat owners stand ready to solicit business with you, so remember to bargain, bargain, and bargain some more!
Hong Kong is a city with contagious ambitions. It’s a city that never sleeps and one that constantly reinvents itself in search of new national identity. An urban jungle cramped with stylish architectural signatures, nestled in the middle of Asia and serves as the gateway to other Asian countries. Going there requires little preparation but the rewards can be tremendous.
Happy Honeymooning!
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