 WORLD ADVENTURES  GALLERY  NEWS  EDITORIALS  ABOUT OTE 
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| World Adventures: Hong Kong |
| Three Nights in Hong Kong |
Hong Kong is one of the world's most cosmoplitian cities, so we were very excited when we arranged to stop over
for a few days on our return journey from an Indonesian dive trip. The tall buildings of the downtown area
appeared on the horizon as we started our decent to Hong Kong International Airport.
Upon our arrival, we were immediately impressed by the design and efficiency of Hong Kong's mass transit system. We were carrying large amounts of luggage, including our dive gear and photography equipment. The airport has a train terminal so we bought our tickets and Octopus passes. Helpful employees were waiting to load our luggage. The train brought us quickly to our hotel in the center of the Kowloon district. 
We wanted to stay at a hotel that was centrally located, that offers upbeat accommodations and is walking distance to Hong Kong's night life. The Eaton Hotel fullfills these nees and more. It is close to the train station in the heart of situated of Kowloon's shopping, restaurant and nightclub districts. One of the best things to do in Hong Kong, is to take the rail to the top of Peak Tower. This commanding vantage point give you the full impact of the majesty of this island city. 
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We took the tram to the top of the Peak where a multi-story building full of shops occupies the highest point.
Peak Tower, as it is called, is one of Hong Kong's most recognisable icons and its leading tourist destination.
It has just completed an extensive revitalization and now offers visitors spectacular rooftop viewing.
In addition to the view, Peak Tower is crammed with restaurants and shops.
Hong Kong has one of the most sophisticated public transportation systems. Using your Octopus Pass, you can virtually go anywhere with a wave of your card. This includes the underground, Peak railway and the ferries that link across Victoria Harbor. Don't leave your hotel without it. 
Bring your walking shoes. We criss-crossed Victoria Harbor several times made easy by our Octopus Pass but there was still
plenty of walking to do. On the Kowloon side, Nathan Road is lined with shops. By night, it is transformed into a spectacle
of lights. People fill the streets on their way to shopping and dinner. Wandering the Avenue of the Stars along the harbor
became for us a nightly ritual.
The Eaton Hotel has several restaurants and bars. On its top floor is a wonderful swimming pool, where you can swim or relax in the sun. |
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Hong Kong is world-renowned for its fine shopping. There are many fine stores on both sides of Victoria Harbor. There are eight
major shopping centers to choose from, each packed with all the finest merchandise. The IFC Mall is one of the newest upscale
malls with hundreds of stores and dozens of restaurants. It can be an all-day event by itself. In addition to the
stores and shopping centers are the neighborhood districts that specialize in everything from flowers, birds
and fish to jade collectibles.
The Flower Market is a wonderful sight to behold. Flowers from all over the world are sold both
wholesale and retail. There are many different varieties, some of which we had never seen before. There were
large dahlias, dyed all colors of the rainbow.
As the Chinese New Year was approaching, manderin orange miniature trees were everywhere. 
Most of the markets are within walking distance of the Eaton Hotel. After the flower, bird, fish and food markets, we found the jade market several blocks away. This small indoor market has jade carvings and a wide assortment of jewelry. |
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Another popular destination is the town of Stanley in the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. There you will find aisle after aisle of shopping bargains. We combed the stalls for treasures and gifts to take home. Along the shore are numerous restaurants where we sat outside and enjoyed a delicious lunch with a wonderful view of the bay. 
We rode back to Kowloon in time for the nightly multimedia display, the Symphony of Lights. It involves 37 buildings on both sides of Victoria
Harbor. The show uses colored lights, laser beams and searchlights that perform an unforgettable spectacle synchronized to music and
narration. It celebrates the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong.
It is best viewed along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront between the Avenue of Stars and the Hong Kong Cultural Center or on the waterfront promenade outside the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai. You can also take a harbor cruise and view it from the water. The show runs from 8-8:15 pm and draws huge crowds. We packed a lot into two short days and vowed to return as there is much more to experience in this bustling city of activities.
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Eaton Hotel Hong Kong
