Traveling To Hong Kong & Seeing the Holiday Highlights

For many years, Australians have chosen Hong Kong as a great value holiday destination, and it is indeed a great stopover, and a great holiday experience in its own right. Hong Kong is bounding with diversity. Whether it’s food, history, culture or shopping that you’re looking for, you’ll find them all in Hong Kong - and you’ll find them in spades.

Start your journey to Hong Kong with a city tour. Hong Kong has highlights in many different areas and in some of those areas, you’ll find public transport a little scarce. By doing the half day city tour it provides an orientation of many of the popular spots, and also gives you a quick glimpse of what happens in each different area – which is the best way to work out if you’d really like to come back to that area and devote more time, or skip it in favour of another.

There are many highlights to a trip to the ephemeral Hong Kong. Definitely make a trip to Victoria Peak  one of your must-see’s. Keep in mind though, that many times when you travel to ‘the Peak’, it will be fogged in. Put aside multiple opportunities to take in its splendour, as it’s worth changing your schedule to catch the view on one of those perfect south-china days.

Dining is almost the religion of Hong Kong. Outside of France and Italy, no other place on earth is as well regarded for honouring food. Try everything you can in Hong Kong as your palate is in for a complete invigoration. Remember also that Hong Kong is still an intertwining of Chinese and British cultures, so High Tea is very much at home next to Yum Cha.

One of my favourite things to see or do in Hong Kong is to visit the Noon Day Gun. Taking in the ceremony of the Noon Day Gun on your holiday is not just out of the ordinary, but is a timeless way to peek behind the busy exterior of Hong Kong and to gaze upon the island’s history.

The Gun fires a blank round everyday to mark the stroke of Noon. The gun is owned and run by Jardine’s (the well-mentioned ‘Noble House’ of legend), the company that secured Hong Kong for Britain from the Chinese. At just before Midday, a well-groomed Jardine’s staffer will unlock the gate, load the chamber, and at exactly twelve o’clock, fire a round that marks custom and law – while it shakes the many cameras that are poised in anticipation!

The artillery piece used to herald the arrival of the head of Jardine’s, the ‘Tai-pan’; until bureaucrats took offence. From then on the gun has fired everyday at Noon. Forever entrenching its special place within the minds of visitors. Just like Hong Kong itself.

You won’t be disappointed, imagine yourself in Hong Kong.