A Circular Tour
Morning
This circular tour of
Hong Kong Island is perfectly feasible to complete in a day, so long as
you don’t start too late. From Central, jump on an Aberdeen-bound bus,
alighting close to
Aberdeen harbour
. Haggle for a sampan harbour tour
offered by one of the pushy touts on the waterfront. Don’t expect an
informative commentary. Keep a look out for Aberdeen’s few remaining
houseboats.
Avoid the production-line floating restaurants and opt instead for lunch at Repulse Bay,
which is just a 15-minute bus ride away. Enjoy the beach and a swim,
then take lunch either at one of the beachfront cafés or the upmarket
Verandah
. Alternatively, head to the supermarket behind the Verandah and create your own picnic.
Afternoon
Just a short hop further south along the coast, the lovely town of Stanley
is certainly worth a visit. If you haven’t yet eaten, the restaurants
here are excellent, some with lovely sea views. Lose a couple of hours
browsing for clothes and souvenirs in
Stanley market
, though admittedly it is not Hong
Kong’s best market. If you want to get some walking in, take a short bus
or taxi ride to Tai Tam country park. A path leads through to Wong Nai
Chung Gap, from where buses and taxis head back into the city.
Designer Outlets in Ap Lei Chau
Horizon Plaza This shabby, high-rise building on the edge of the island of Ap Lei Chau
is home to a number of outlets for discount clothing, warehouse
furniture, antiques and home furnishings. A taxi from Aberdeen is
probably the simplest way to reach it. Joyce Warehouse The
extensive selection of clearance designer wear from the stores of Hong
Kong chain Joyce are perhaps the main reward for struggling out to
Horizon Plaza. You get discounts of 60 per cent on the likes of Armani. Replay A samples and warehouse shop with limited stocks of casual clothes, but great discounts, often around 80 per cent. Inside A
modest warehouse outlet of a smart interior furnishings chain. There’s a
small range of clearance items at discounts that can be as high as 90
per cent. The Birdcage This
one offers mostly original Chinese antiques and curios sourced by the
owners of the Birdcage shop on the mainland. Items range from portable
antiques and curios to furniture. Toys Club A small shop offering an award-winning selection of educational toys at warehouse prices. Lane Crawford Outlet Slow-moving items and old stock from Hong Kong’s trendy department store are on sale here at much lower than original prices. Matahari Chinese
antiques and reproductions, soft furnishings, silk Shanghai-style lamps
and hand-painted children’s furniture are crammed into Matahari’s
extensive store and wholesale warehouse. Space Take
your pick of last season’s bags, accessories, shoes and clothes by the
inimitable Italian designer Miuccia Prada. Minimalist décor and layout
ensure a true Prada experience. Golden Flamingo Lots
of smaller knick-knacks alongside the bigger-ticket furniture at Golden
Flamingo include a wide selection of attractive Chinese vases, picture
frames and lacquer jewel boxes.
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Note: Unless otherwise stated, all restaurants accept credit cards
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Places to Eat and Drink
The Verandah Indisputably
Southside’s premier venue, the Verandah, with its candlelight, sea
views and old colonial grandeur, is the place for big-budget romancing.
The Verandah
The Black Sheep Stroll the quiet lanes of the bohemian enclave of Shek O on the southeast coast, and this veggie-friendly, organic café beckons. Pickled Pelican Reliable, tasty English pub food is served with speciality beers and a wide choice of Scotch whiskies here. Spices One
of the best places for al fresco dining in Hong Kong, Spices serves
well-executed Thai and Indian curries in a lush garden setting. El Cid After
sangria and tapas on the wide colonial balcony of this upscale Spanish
restaurant, Stanley takes on a faintly Iberian edge. El Cid also offers
possibly the prettiest views available from the waterfront.
El Cid
Saigon at Stanley End
a satisfying day in Stanley at this atmospheric Vietnamese restaurant.
Romantics will gravitate towards the balcony tables at sunset.
Saigon at Stanley
Top Deck Residents
usually avoid the floating restaurants as most of them are tourist
traps, but the revamp of Jumbo’s top floor has brought the crowds back.
The seafood buffet is excellent. Pepperoni’s Basic but satisfying pizzas, burgers and ribs are served in a casual setting. Children’s portions are available. Smuggler’s Inn Stanley’s
gentrification has thankfully bypassed the Smuggler’s Inn, which is a
relic of the days when British soldiers from Stanley Fort blew half
their wages here. 90A Stanley Main St 2813 8852
Lucy’s Perennially
popular venue for bistro-style nosh, with Mediterranean influences.
Vibes are relaxed, standards consistently above-par. Stanley’s answer to
a light, well-bred lunch. 64 Stanley Main St 2813 9055
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