Hong Kong Park - 香港公園

Location: Mid Level, Hong Kong

I am going to introduce a couple or parks in the urban area. Hong Kong Park, located at mid levels Central, Hong Kong, is very easy to access. As it is nearby Central and Pacific Place, many people come here to do their scenic lunch either at the restaurant or with their own lunch boxes.

The park features a very beautiful lake with fishes, turtles and flowers, with a backdrop of Hong Kong’s state-of-the-art commercial buildings in Admiralty and Central. You can just walk over to the Cheung Kong Center or the Landmark to continue your way exploring Central Hong Kong.

Bird Watching
Unlike bird watching in the wild, you can do it in the aviary here. With hundreds of beautiful birds, including rare breeds, you must enjoy your tour here. Free guided tour is available every Wednesday. Gather at the Conservatory at 8am. The tour is around two hours. Just walk in without pre registration.
Conservatory – Green House
The Conservatory showcases seasonal flowers is connected to a tropical garden. This is one of the must-visit places whenever I come. See my photo album below.

Museum of Tea Ware
Nearby the main entrance is the Tea Museum, specializing in the collection, study and display of tea wares. If you are interested in the art of Chinese tea, you can buy some tea related souveniors here. A Tea House serving Chinese vegetarian food is just next door. Workforce around this area always come to enjoy a relax lunch with Chinese tea and light music. Travel Information
Transportation: MTR Admiralty Station. Exit to One Pacific Place. Continue your way by escalator up to Island Shangri-La level. Hong Kong Park is just opposite.
Opening Hours: 06:00 – 23:00 (Park), 09:00 – 17:00 (Aviary, Conservatory)

Photo Album – Hong Kong Park Hong Kong Travel Blog - Hong Kong Park

Lions Nature Education Centre - 獅子會自然教育中心

Location: Sai Kung, Kowloon

The Lions Nature Education Centre showcases the very best of Sai Kung's natural charms. Opened in 1991 as a joint venture between the then Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Lions Club of Hong Kong and Macau to help promote environmental protection.

The centre features a little of almost everything rural to be found in Hong Kong and is a popular destination for school and club outings.

The centre also has a number of permanent indoor exhibitions. Three are devoted to Hong Kong's fishing and farming industry and protected natural areas. The Shell House contains an impressive collection of shells, many of which are no longer to be found in Hong Kong waters.

Sunday morning visitors can pick up homegrown organic produce sold in a mini market on the grounds. Any day of the week one can drop by the centre's cafe, which is run by employees with hearing disabilities, and enjoy a stunning panorama over the countryside up to Pyramid Hill and Ma On Shan.

Travel Information
Transportation: MTR Diamond Hill Station, change to bus 92, get off at Pak Kong Station. The Centre is just opposite.

Admission: Free

Opening Hour: 09:30 - 17:00 / Exhibition Halls: 09:30 - 16:30 (Close on Tuseday)

Closed on Tuesdays and the first two days of the Chinese New Year.
Suggested time of visit: Two hours

Photo Album

For myself, I find the Shells and Agricultural Plantation most interesting and spend most of time there. Many the vegetables, I have only seen them on dining tables, but never in a field. Here they are - see my photo album.

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Lions Nature Education Centre

Ma Wan Park 馬彎公園

Location: Park Island (Ma Wan Island)

Opened in 2007, Ma Wan Park has attracted plenty of local and overseas visitors.

Tsing Ma Bridge
Ma Wan Park offers two advantages. For photographic fans who want to take a good landmark photo of Hong Kong, this is the place. From Park Island pier towards Ma Wan Park, you will pass by a beach where it is an ideal place to take photos of the Tsing Ma Bridge, which is an important gateway to Lantau Island where the Hong Kong International Airport is. It is also the world's seventh-longest span suspension bridge

Ma Wan Park is also an ideal place for treasure hunt. Pick up a questionnaire at the entrance, and you can start to explore the park and find answers to the questions. Undoubtedly it is also an ideal place outside the classroom for children's liberal learning. The park have invited heuristic experts in children activities to design activity courses for learning with fun in the classroom of nature, focusing on learning strands of “Self & Personal Development”, “Society and Culture”, “Science, Technology & Environment”.

Major Attractions

* Rainbow Wall
* Sweet Garden
* Windmill Station
* Adventure Journey
* Hilltop Lookout
* Heritage Centre
* Solar Tower
* Noah’s Ark

Travel Information
Admission: Free, however some activities would require a fee
Open Hours: 09:00 – 18:00 - Mon, Fri & Sat / 08:00 to 18:00 - rest of the week
Transportation: From Pier 2 in Central, take ferry (approximately 25 minutes) to Park Island, then walk to the park. HK$20 per trip.

Click photo for a larger view

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Ma Wan Park

Nan Lian Garden - 南蓮園池

Location: Next to Hollywood Plaza in Kowloon.

I don’t expect to find a park in Hong Kong resembling Tang Dynasty style. But I must admit it is a very beautiful garden. Though it was newly opened in November 2006, it has attracted a lot of travelers, including overseas visitors and photogenic fans. In deed the scenery here is extremely picturesque. No wonder people come with their professional cameras.

Trees, Stones, Flowers, Waterfall
In Nan Lian Garden, the beautiful landscape is combined with a good balance of water, trees and stones, all had their individual postures and style. You must admit that the gardener does a very good job.

Ponds and Fishes
In a typical Chinese garden, ponds with fishes are musts. You would find the kois here are giant size. In Chinese ‘koi’ carries the meaning of wealth and prosperity. Everybody loves to admire them. But mind you, no feeding here.

Exhibitions There are facilities for exhibitions and conferences here. The Chinese architecture miniatures exhibition is free. The other exhibition hall charge HK$20 for adults and HK$10 for children.

Restaurants, Tea Houses and Souvenior Shop
As Nan Lian Garden is managed by a Baddish organisation in Hong Kong, the food provided here is vegetarian. Served with religious music, why not calm down and enjoy a vegetarian meal and getto know about Chinese vegetarian food culture.

At the Tea House, you can also check out the Chinese tea culture. There are minimum charges at the Long Men Lou Restaurant: Lunch HK$85, Dinner HK$110, Tea Time HK$40. I noticed there was a long line waiting for seats around tea time. I think the food here isn’t bad at all.

I had never expected a world class souvenior shop here, but it does exit. It sells top quality Chinese artifacts and very professionally made items. I seldom recommend souvenior shops, but this one is an exception. Spend some time here, you must find something you like.

Travel Information
Opening hours: 7am – 9pm

Admission: Free

Transportation: MTR Diamond Hill Station, Exit C2, three minutes walk

Garden route: One way, you won’t miss any scenic point

Information map: Bilingual (English/Chinese)

Recommended travel time: 2 hours, excluding dinning time

Website: Nan Lian Garden

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Parks & Gardens

Travel Hong Kong On An Open Top Bus

You might be familiar with the hop on, hop off open-top buses in London. They have recently landed in Hong Kong. I have noticed that this new sightseeing vehicle has become more and more popular.

The Red Tour – Hong Kong
• The Star FerryPeak
• Tramway
• Wan Chai and Expo Centre
• Victoria Harbour
• Central, Lan Kwai Fong and SOHO

The Blue Tour – Kowloon
As you travel through the streets of Kowloon, you will discover the hustle and bustle of everyday Hong Kong life and a variety of sights, sounds and smells. The Tour passes shops, restaurants, churches, monuments, parks and markets, and offers something unique both to the resident and visitor alike.

Night Tour
Tours depart every night from the Avenue of the Stars (adjacent to Starbucks) before the Symphony of Lights Show at 19:00 and again directly after the show at 20:30. The tour offers a recorded commentary in a choice of 8 languages.

Your Big Bus Ticket Includes
• Two tours for the price of one• 24 hour unlimited use• Free return ticket on Peak Tram • Free upper deck return ticket on the Star Ferry • Night Tour Combo Option

Tour Prices
Price Night Tour Big Bus Tour Combo Tour
• Adults HK$ 200.00 ($26) HK$ 320.00 ($41) HK$ 420.00 ($54)
• Children HK$ 200.00 ($26) HK$ 200.00 ($26) HK$ 300.00 ($39)
• Family HK$ 600.00 ($77) HK$ 840.00 ($108) HK$ 1140.00 ($147)
Discounts available for fixed date tickets.
Family = 2 adults + 2 children
Combo Tour = Big Bus Tour + Night Tour

Day Tour
10:00 – 18:00

Night Tour
19:00 - 20:30

Hong Kong Travel Blog - Sightseeing

Hong Kong Budget Hotel - YWCA Garden View International House

Location: 1 MacDonnell Road, Mid Levels, Central, Hong Kong

The Garden View International House is actually a serviced apartment. However they do accept short term bookings. Please expect basic hotel services but not anything five star and they don’t provide room services.

Couple of Reasons You Should Stay at the Garden View International House

Excellent View of the Botanical Garden and Central Hong Kong

I recommend this hotel because of its super value of money in terms of its unique environment and location. In low seasons, its room rate can go down to as low as US$80 for a twin bed room with a view. Rooms facing MacDonnell Road are relatively cheaper, but it definitely worth it to pay a little more for a room with a view.

You’ll be completely impressed by the beautiful view of the Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Garden. The beautiful Central Hong Kong skyscripers can be viewed from near distance. You can’t imagine how beautiful the night view is. Only high floors have partial sea view.
Easy and Comprehensive Transportation Network
- Three minutes taxi ride from Star Ferry or Airport Express. There are always taxis outside the main entrance waiting for you.
- Two minutes walk to The MacDonnell Road Peak Tram station.

At the Garden View International House, you would enjoy tranquility of living in a prestigious residential area while stay close to the busy Central of Hong Kong and at the same time with easy transportation connect to other major points of interest. Take bus 12A, you can go to Admiralty MTR station. From there, change to bus 629 and continue your way to the Ocean Park. The green mini van will take you to Star Ferry.

YWCA operates a number of hostels in Hong Kong, make sure to book the one at One MacDonnell Road. Also you don’t have to be a member of YWCA in order to make a booking.

Read Garden View International House reviews.

Hong Kong Budge Hotel - YWCA Garden View International House

Hong Kong Budget Hotel - YMCA Salisbury

Salisbury YMCA of Hong Kong

Next door to the prestigious Peninsula, same harbour view and nightly light show but much lower price. Make sure to ask for a harbour view room at upper floors when making a booking.

Location: Tsimshatsui, Kowloon

Despite of the hotel name, you don’t need to be a YMCA member. It’s just like a normal hotel. Many rank it as a four-star hotel, but comparing with the next door exclusive Peninsula, it is proved to be of great value for money.

Superior Location – A few reason you should stay at the YMCA Salisbury
- Opposite to Star Ferry
- Opposite to Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Nightly shows at the Grand Theatre and Concert Hall.
- Opposite to the Space Museum and the Museum of Art. If you are a museum fan, you can also walk or take a short taxi ride to the nearby Museum of History and Science Museum.
- Opposite to Star of Avenue, the best place to look at Hong Kong, especially at night.
- At the corner of Nathan Road, where major shopping areas are.
- Three-minute walk to MTR Tsimshatsui station.

Itinerary Suggestions – departing from YMCA Salisbury

Walk to Star Ferry, which is just opposite. Take a scenic ferry ride (HK$2.2 only) to Central, Hong Kong. Arriving Star Ferry in Central, you have two options:

Option 1 – continue to explore Central on covered footbridges
Option 2 – take bus 15C to change to Peak Tram to visit the Peak / or walk to Exchange Square bus terminus, take bus 15 to go the Peak directly.

Explore Central on Covered Footbridges
The pedestrians’ footbridges in Central Hong Kong is designed in such a great way that you don’t really need an umbrella on a rainy day even you had to walk for quite a considerable distance.

Once you get off the Star Ferry, go up at any entrance to the footbridge and you are immediately connected to the IFC Mall. You must be impressed by the prestigious shops and items here. Even you don’t plan to buy, you do enjoy exploring this world class shopping mall.

Continue your way north, you will pass by the Airport Express Hong Kong Station, Exchange Square. Further north (facing the hills and with harbour on your back, turn right if needed to turn), you are connected to the uphill escalators. Along the way, you can exit at Hollywood Road to explore the galleries and antique shops or the Man Mo Temple.

Further up, you can explore the Soho area where bars and restaurants of all kind are. Down the hill, you can find an MTR station in Central. Take only two stops (via Admiralty), get off at Tsaimshatsui, then after three minutes walk, you are back to your hotel.

Explore the Peak of Hong Kong
If you opt for the Peak tour, you can choose to go up by bus and down by Peak Tram. Connected by bus 15C back to Star Ferry and go back to your hotel. If you decided to go up by Peak Tram and down by bus, you can get off at Central and change to MTR to go back to your hotel.

See? It is extremely convenient to move around if you are staying at the YMCA Salisbury of Hong Kong.

Anna's note: Above itinerary suggestions will also work if you stay at the Peninsula or Sheraton. InterContinental will take a few more minutes to walk to the Star Ferry and/or MTR station.

Salisbury YMCA of Hong Kong Reviews


Hong Kong Travel - Budget Hotel - YMCA Salisbury