Page 129 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

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CITIES

Hong Kong tram making its way through Central after dark
Alternative

Evenings

Evenings in Hong Kong tend to revolve around
eating, drinking, and conviviality – with some
snaps of the dazzling night-time skyline thrown
in for good measure. Yet after-dark Hong Kong
affords just as much diversity as during the day.
Floodlit horse-racing at the Happy Valley
Racecourse is a time-honored night out for locals,
who take their racing and their betting extremely
seriously, and great fun for visitors. Located in an
TOP Star Ferry crossing Victoria Harbour ABOVE Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island BELOW Fish drying by the harbor on Cheung Chau Island urban bowl and surrounded by high-rise buildings,
the racecourse itself is a spectacular sight. Be sure
Boat Trips to study the form carefully before betting.
Visitors who prefer to play a sport rather than
watch one can fine-tune their golf swing into the
Hong Kong’s history is tied to the sea. Made up of night at the City Golf Club. Located close to Tsim
236 islands, it is surrounded and defined by water. Sha Tsui, the upper level of the two-story driving
The urban centers of Kowloon and Central radiate range affords fine views over the harbor.
back from Victoria Harbour, and the tradition of Fast ferries, operating around the clock between
feng shui (literally, “wind and water”) decrees that Central and Macau, mean that a high-rolling
harmonious residences should face the sea. evening in Macau’s bars and glitzy super-casinos
So, naturally, the best way to discover Hong is relatively straightforward – provided you don’t
Kong’s hidden treasures is by boat. The most visible stake your return fare on the baccarat tables.
option is the Star Ferry, which runs between Kowloon For a romantic and nostalgic trip, the venerable
and Hong Kong Island, and also offers harbor tours Hong Kong Tram plies a meandering route between
and charter vessels for evening parties. For a more Causeway Bay and Western via the Central Business
upscale experience, the Agua Luna, an 80-year-old District and Downtown. Jump on and off en route
junk, has been restored in style, with scarlet sails, (there’s a stop roughly every 275 yards/250 m), or
for cocktails-and-canapés harbor parties. just sit and snuggle up as your wooden carriage
Lamma Island’s rising contours, lush vegetation, trundles through the heart of Hong Kong.
and excellent seafood restaurants make for an Practical Information
alluring day-trip by boat. A scenic hike across Aqua Luna Several sailings daily between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui Practical Information
from Yung Shue Wan to Sok Kwu Wan takes about (reservations essential); www.aqua.com.hk Causeway Bay–Western Tram www.hktramways.com
2 hours. From Sok Kwu Wan catch a 35-minute Cheung Chau Central Ferry Terminal, Pier 5, Central; www.nwff.com.hk City Golf Club Jordan, Kowloon; www.citygolfclub.com
ferry back to Central. Another getaway option is Lamma Island Ferry Central Ferry Terminal, Pier 4, Central; Happy Valley Racecourse Happy Valley, Hong Kong Island;
Cheung Chau, a picturesque island with beaches, www.nwff.com.hk www.happyvalleyracecourse.com
markets, and great seafood. A ferry from the Star Ferry Star Ferry Pier, Kowloon Point, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Shun Tak Ferry Terminal, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon;
Central Ferry Terminal takes 45–55 minutes. www.starferry.com.hk www.turbocat.com

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