Enjoy the amazing view at the Central Plaza and Hopewell Center

See good view from skyscrapers in Hong Kong

It is easy to go to the tall buildings, e.g. Central Plaza and Hopewell Center, to appreciate the architectural style, interior design and even the beautiful view of Hong Kong.

 

Central Plaza is the third tallest in Hong Kong.

You can go to its 46^th floor to enjoy the view and get a little souvenir from its concierge.

Hopewell Center was once the tallest building in Asia and Hong Kong in the 1980s.

On the way to 56^th floor, you can enjoy the spectacular view of Hong Kong inside the observation lift.

At last you can even enjoy a romantic candle light dinner at the revolving restaurant on the top floor.

Want to know more about the tall buildings of Hong Kong? Just contact Frank the tour guide to plan YOUR private tour.

YOU may also book the easy and enjoyable Hong Kong Island highlights private tour to go to the Victoria Peak by the included Peak Tram ride to enjoy the Victoria Harbour view and skyline of Hong Kong!

See YOU in Hong Kong!

Rope Drawn Ferry to draw bridge, Tai O

Venice of the East, Tai O

Tai O is called the Venice of the East because of its stilt houses and fishing village culture. 

Tai O, fishermen and stilt houses

In the 1940s, there were 500-600 fishing boats anchored at Tai O.  

So it was one of the four biggest fishing villages in Hong Kong.  

Different from others, Most Tai O fishermen lived on the stilt-houses on the banks of the river. 

Rope-drawn ferry at Tai O in the past

Apart from using sampans to commute, people at Tai O used a rope-drawn ferry, which was powered by the hardworking ladies’ pulling actions, to cross the river.  

That interesting transportation was Tai O’s icon in the past.

New bridge and old ladies' retirement

In 1996, a new bridge offered a happy retirement life to the ladies.  

The free bridge also offered convenience to the public, although it caused the loss of an attractive tradition.

Today, YOU can still take the boat ride to see the fishing village and enjoy beautiful sunset at Tai O.

YOU may browse the webpage of easy and enjoyable Lantau Big Buddha and Tai O sunset private tour, which includes Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car ride, for details.

YOU may also contact Frank the tour guide for private tour planning.

  

Sha Tin’s Lion Pavilion

Different Lion Pavilion in Hong Kong

There are several Lion Pavilions in Hong Kong.  The most famous one should be the one at the Victoria Peak, where tourists can enjoy the stunning view of the Victoria Harbour and skyscrapers.

Lion Pavilion in Sha Tin

In Sha Tin new town, people can also find another Lion Pavilion, which is unknown to the public.  It is at the quiet Fo Tan Peak, at the end of Shui Wo Road.  It was built in 1981 and witnessed the development of the most successful new town, Sha Tin.

Good view at Sha Tin Lion Pavilion

At the lookout point, you can see the view of the huge public housing estates the tall private apartment buildings.  You can also see the natural landscape, Lion Rock, Amah Rock, Saddle Hill etc. near the straight Shing Mun River.

If YOU want to visit the Lion Pavilion in Sha Tin, please contact Frank the tour guide for private tour planning.

Sha Tin is close to Sai Kung, the backyard garden of Hong Kong.  YOU can have the easy and enjoyable private tour to see the view of the amazing Geo-park very easily.

YOU may browse the full day tour link for details. 

 

A MOSAIC, WHICH INTRODUCES SHA TIN AND PROMOTES RECYCLING

A mosaic art in Sha Tin with dual function 

This mosaic, which is in the Sha Tin Government Office, has dual function.

Introduction of Sha Tin District

First, it introduces Sha Tin Distrct.

The white horse is running in the Sha Tin Race Course.  The athletes are sweating on the dragon boat on the Shing Mun River (City Gate River).  The cyclists are cheering on the bicycle track and heading to Ma On Shan (Saddle Hill).

Promoting environmental protection 

Second, it promotes environmental protection.

The materials of this mosaic are the plastic bottle caps.  Artist creates a good work through recycling.

Sha Tin is a New Town in the New Territories of Hong Kong.

If YOU want to have a easy and enjoyable private tour for the New Territories, YOU may contact Frank the tour guide for private tour planning.

YOU may also browse the New Territories private tour webpage for details.

Shing Heung Yuen outdoor food stall (TAI PAI DONG)

Central Hong Kong has different good food!

Apart from the fancy restaurants with Michelin Stars, you can also find lots of good local eateries in Central, the central business district of Hong Kong.

Taipaidong and Shing Heung Yuen 

Just like Shing Heung Yuen at Mei Lun Street.  It is a typical TAIPAIDONG (outdoor food stall), which means the kitchen, dining area etc. are all outdoor!  

TAIPAIDONG was a legacy of WWII.  Veterans were granted the TAIPAIs (a very ‘big licence’) to open their small eateries on the street after the war.

Tomato Soup Macaroni with Sliced Beef and Honey Crispy plus milk tea

The signature dish of Shing Heung Yuen is ‘Tomato Soup Macaroni with Sliced Beef’.  The sweet and sour soup, tender beef and macaroni with popping texture create a perfect match.  

The ‘Honey Crispy’ and ‘Milk Tea’ are also tasty and reasonably priced.

But one thing is free of charge at the outdoor Shing Heung Yuen.  It is the natural air-con, i.e. the wind!

For further questions about the dining culture of Hong Kong citizens, YOU may contact Frank the tour guide.

Jardine House

Jardine House of Jardine  

The Jardine House owner, Jardine, is a Scottish company.  

Jardine as an opium trader

It was an opium trader.  It sold Opium to China and caused the Opium War, which turned Hong Kong a British colony.  So Jardine is very important to Hong Kong’s history.

Jardine as the major landlord

Jardine then became the major landlord of Central.  It spent the unprecedented 248 million HKD purchasing the land and just used 16 months to build the first skyscrapers, Jardine House, in Hong Kong in 1973.  

The 52-story building was the tallest building in Hong Kong and even Asia in the 1970s.  

Today, the building is just a little baby!

Jardine House, a building with many holes

The building has about 1700 circular windows.  The round "moon gate" windows hold an honoured place in Chinese architectural tradition and offer beautiful views of Victoria Harbour and The Peak.

If YOU want to see the Jardine House and other skyscrapers at the Victoria Peak, YOU may have the easy and enjoyable Hong Kong Island half day city tour, which includes the Peak Tram ride.

YOU may browse the tour webpage for details.

YOU may contact Frank the tour guide for private tour planning.

The Old and New Aberdeen

Old and new Aberdeen in a painting of a student

A student’s painting shows you a beautiful old and new Aberdeen in the southern part of Hong Kong Island.

Ocean Park of the old Aberdeen

The cable car at the top of the painting just symbolizes the World’s best themed park in 2012, the Ocean Park.  It will bring more happiness to visitors by offering a new hotel and water world.

Ap Lei Chau of the old Aberdeen

The bridge under the cable car is Ap Lei Chau Bridge.  It is important for more than 90,000 islanders of the Duck Tongue (meaning of Ap Lei) Island, where the area is only 1.3 kilometer square.

Aberdeen Center of the old Aberdeen

The archway on the left is the Aberdeen Center.  It is now the biggest private housing estate in Aberdeen.  In the past, the area was just a dockyard!

Jumbo of the old Aberdeen and subway of the new Aberdeen

The subway under construction can bring more visitors to the famous Jumbo Floating Restaurant and surely make Aberdeen more prosperous and convenient.  The Jumbo is still the pearl of the fading fishing village, where the population of boat people is ever-decreasing.

YOU may have a easy and enjoyable private city tour to know more the Aberdeen Fishing Village during the included sampan boat ride.

For the tour details, please browse the private car tour webpage.

YOU may contact Frank the tour guide for further private tour planning. 

Old Kai Tak Airport, New Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and fortune telling

Kai Tak Airport to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal 

In the past Kai Tak meant airport in Hong Kong. 

Today it means the new cruise terminal in Hong Kong. 

From the reclaimed land to Kai Tak Airport in 1920

Kowloon’s old Kai Tak Airport was built in 1926 on the reclaimed land.  It was famous because it was a dangerous in-city airport, which was surrounded by hills and buildings.  

However, fortune tellers (Fung Shui experts) emphasized that the busy Kai Tak Airport was the ‘heart’ of Hong Kong.  It pumped the blood for Hong Kong’s prosperous economy.   

Busy airport to no-man land after 1998

The old Kai Tak Airport was emptied when Hong Kong got a new airport at Chak Lap Kok Island in 1998.  It became a quiet no-man land with some decaying buildings for about 10 years!  

Fortune tellers described that it was a heart failure.  It lost the important function.  So Hong Kong economy became sluggish.

NO-man land to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in 2013

Later Hong Kong Government decided to build a Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on the old runway.  It opens in June 2013.  The berths can even accommodate the biggest cruises in the world.

  
Lots of cruises, cruise passengers and tourists are going to bring vibrancy to Hong Kong’s economy.  Fortune tellers reiterate that the new terminal can bring good luck to Hong Kong.  Do you believe in them?

If YOUR cruise will berth at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and YOU are looking for the private guide for YOUR private shore excursion, YOU can contact Frank the tour guide for private shore excursion planning!

YOU may also browse easy and enjoyable tour options for the YOUR private shore excursion in Hong Kong and Macau!

See YOU in at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong! 

Fire boat Alexander Grantham

Fire boat on the land, Alexander Grantham

On the Eastern part of Hong Kong Island, you can find a ship on the land also.  That is the Fire boat Alexander Grantham.

Alexander Grantham, made in Hong Kong fire boat

In 1953, Whampoa Dock (today’s Whampoa Garden) built a new fire boat.  

The boat was named after the Hong Kong Governor, Alexander Grantham, who ordered to develop public housing for the poor.

The ‘Made in Hong Kong’ fire boat was the flagship of the fireboat team.  It led the team to put out the disastrous fire on a luxurious cruise, RMS Queen Elizabeth, in 1972.  

It had served Hong Kong citizens until 2002.

Old Fire boat as new museum 

Later the boat was restored as a museum, which showcases the fire fighting history of Hong Kong.

Visitors can also enjoy a beautiful Victoria Harbour view during the visit of the old fire boat.

During the included local ferry ride in the easy and enjoyable full day city tour, YOU can see the old fire boat.

YOU may contact Frank the tour guide for further details!

YOU may also browse the full day private car tour webpage for more information and booking!

A Ship on the Land at Whampoa

Whampoa is the ship on the land in Hong Kong

In Kowloon’s Whampoa Garden, you can see a big ship on the land! You may ask: How come?

The history of Whampoa Shipyard

In the past, Hong Kong had the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry.  

Whampoa Shipyard was even one of the biggest shipyards in Asia.  

It employed more than 4000 workers in the 1900s.

The richest Mr Li Ka Shing built the ship on the land

In the early 1980s, the richest man in Hong Kong, Mr. Li Ka Shing, redeveloped the whole area.  

A department store, i.e. the big ship on the land was built inside the Whampoa Garden for remembering the glorious history of the shipyard and attracting more visitors.

Want to have a easy and enjoyable Kowloon private car tour to visit the ship on the land?  

You may call browse the Kowloon tour webpage or contact Frank the tour guide for help. 

‘Why no the Year of Cat?’

NO Year of Cat in Chinese Zodiac? Why?

The coming Chinese New Year is the Year of Snake! 

Lots of guests wonder why there is no the Year of Cat.  It is due to the rat’s mistake!

There was a chance for the Year of Cat at first...

The Cat and the rat were good friend.  They joined the animal marathon race organized by the Jade Emperor. 

The rat told the cat a wrong date of the race mistakenly.  So the cat did not show up on the racing day and lost the chance to be one of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs, just like the rat.

Cause for the hide and seek between cat and rat...

The cat was so angry and wanted to take revenge, although the rat apologized.

Therefore cats and rats have played the game of hide and seek for many years!

Just share a funny story with you on the Chinese New Year Eve!

Happy Chinese New Year to all!

Want to learn more the interesting Chinese culture?

YOU may contact Frank the tour guide to have a easy and enjoyable private tour in Hong Kong!

Tips for Taking Hong Kong’s Peak Tram

Three Tips for easy and enjoyable Peak Tram ride

There are three tips for you for the easy and enjoyable Peak Tram ride.

Please wait for the tram at the front of the platform. 

You can enjoy more spaces and get the seats easier.

Remember, take the seats on the right hand side

You can enjoy the view more easily.

If you cannot get a seat, please move to the back of the tram. 

When the tram is moving up, you can see the buildings and cars getting smaller and smaller.  Don’t waste the chance for taking a good picture!

Want to have a easy and enjoyable private Hong Kong city tour with included Peak Tram ride?  Please browse the tour webpage or contact Frank the tour guide.