(First of two parts)
HONG KONG is a treasure trove of unforgettable adventures, breathtaking landscapes, and mouth-watering cuisine as well as every shopper’s dream destination, making it the Asia’s World City.
And I was fortunate that this vibrant city-state was my destination for my first ever flight abroad. I was lucky enough to be a part of a group composed of Iloilo-based media personnel and vloggers that embarked on direct flights from Iloilo to Hong Kong and vice versa for a familiarization tour in Hong Kong from March 3 to 6, 2005, hosted by Cebu Pacific Air and Hong Kong Tourism Board.
This bustling metropolis definitely has something for everyone, whether you’re an adventure-seeker, a culture vulture, a foodie, or a shopaholic. Hong Kong is definitely a travel destination like no other with its unique blend of tradition and modernity especially for first time international travelers.
Let’s head on to a journey as I relive our four days of exploring the best of Hong Kong.
DAY 1
What was more exciting than Victoria Peak, or The Peak, to kick off your Hong Kong trip? The Peak is an ideal place to enjoy the panoramic views of the vibrant city’s iconic skyline, skyscraper-flanked Victoria Harbour, and woodland trail both day and night.
Yes, shopaholics, this place is for you, too! There are two shopping malls here – Peak Galleria and The Peak Tower – offering a wide range of food and beverage options. A kiosk in Victoria Peak Garden also provides snacks and drinks.
The Peak is easy to reach by bus or taxi.
We then headed for lunch before we went to Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminal to commence our Lantau Island tour, a perfect escape from the bustling city and immerse ourselves in nature.
Ngong Ping 360 is a unique travel brand established in 2006. This attraction operates the Ngong Ping Cable Car and the Ngong Ping Village.
Of the three types of cable car cabins available, our group boarded the crystal+ cable car for an around 25-minute journey to Ngong Ping Village. All sides of this cabin and its bottom are made of fully transparent tempered glass, providing panoramic views of the South China Sea, the lush North Lantau Country Park, Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and the Big Buddha.
The other two cable car cabins are crystal with a bottom made of tempered glass and standard in which half of the sides are made of glass.
After a visually spectacular 5.7-kilometer journey between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping – the longest bi-cable ropeway in Asia – we landed at the Ngong Ping Village, a dining, shopping and leisure hub.
The 1.5-hectare Ngong Ping Village is a home to the Big Buddha and 115-year-old Po Lin Monastery.
The Big Buddha statue on top of the 479-meter-high Muk Yue Shan is the world’s largest seated outdoor Buddha. The 34-meter-high figure symbolizes the stability of Hong Kong, prosperity of China and peace on Earth. Visitors can climb the 256 steps to visit the hall inside its base, and also enjoy the impressive view as they look back down at the monastery.
The village’s boasts traditional Chinese architectural design features and reflects the cultural spiritual integrity of the area. Among the themed attractions here are the Cable Car Discovery Centre, Fengyun Pavilion of Chinese Dynasty The Three Kingdoms and Motion 360.
After several hours of exploring the village by foot, we concluded that indeed, Buddhist culture meets nature at Ngong Ping.
With fulfilled hearts, we left Ngong Ping and rode a crystal+ cabin back to Tung Chung. You may also opt to return on bus 23.
We ended our first day by visiting the Avenue of Stars along the Victoria Harbour waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui and Aqua Luna Symphony of Light Cruise.
The storied promenade is where you’ll find Hong Kong’s biggest entertainment stars immortalized via celebrity handprints and statues. Reopened in 2019 following an extensive redesign led by landscape architect James Corner, the Avenue of Stars is a celebration of the city’s artistic offerings and elemental aesthetics.
Martial arts master Bruce Lee’s statue, a two-meter likeness in bronze, occupies a prime position on the eastern portion of the promenade, and beneath his feet, water flows, recalling the actor and philosopher’s famous quote: “Be formless, shapeless, like water.”
Another famous statue here represents the beloved cartoon character McDull, a young pig who was the unlikely hero of Brian Tse and Alice Mak’s comic strips.
Before having our Chinese dinner at a local restaurant to cap off the day, we got to experience Hong Kong’s skyline aboard and the nightly Symphony of Lights aqua luna’s traditional junk boat.
“A Symphony of Lights” combines interactive lights of 43 buildings and two attractions on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon with musical effects to showcase the vibrancy and glamorous night vista of Victoria Harbour.
DAY 2
We had the entire day to experience the magic of Hong Kong Disneyland on the second day of our familiarization trip.
As I stepped into the “Happiest Place on Earth”, I couldn’t help but feel the rush of excitement and nostalgia. It was a dream come true for me, a fulfillment of a childhood dream.
We first went to the World of Frozen, the world’s first and largest “Frozen” themed land. In here we got to experience the kingdom of Arendelle, a must-visit travel destination and the enchanting hometown of Queen Anna and Elsa.
World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios films, “Frozen” and “Frozen 2”. It transports guests into many familiar cinematic scenes. As soon as guests step into World of Frozen, they will hear the enchanting melodies of the “Frozen” films playing throughout the land. The music is re-arranged specially for World of Frozen, weaving soulful and orchestral music together. (To be continued)/PN
