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Introduction
Disney travels to the orient in one of the world's most fast moving and dynamic cities: Hong Kong. Flying from London offers a lot of choice, you can travel with the likes of Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic all of whom fly direct to Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok airport which is built out on Lantau Island.
The Disney resort itself is also built on Lantau Island which is one of the main island's off Hong Kong. If you are looking to take in the sights whilst over there, then we would recommend staying right in the centre of Hong Kong in Central, Admiralty or Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon side. That way you can experience the hustle and bustle of the busy city streets, the great food and most of all many of the tourist attractions outside of Disney to the full. Hong Kong Disney is actually one of the newest Disney resorts to be built and offers a greater range of activities for all the family.
You can travel by train from the airport to the resort which takes around 25 minutes. Alternatively if you are staying on Hong Kong Island getting to Disney by train, which is fast and reliable, takes around 45minutes. The main Disney Hotel is approximately 20 minutes from the main resort and the shuttle bus is available throughout the day.
The theme parks here are named Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland and Main Street USA all offering a huge range of fun, shows and rides for all ages.
Staying on Hong Kong Island.
If you are looking for panoramic views of Hong Kong, the best place to go to is 'The Peak'. It is one of the biggest mountains on Hong Kong island overlooking Hong Kong city centre and in the distance you can see Lantau Island, Kowloon and the South China Sea. Taking the Peak Tram up from Central or Admiralty is a very popular attraction, it is steep I might add so remain seated the entire journey. Alternatively you could try your luck walking up to the Peak, but that will take a long time and not only is it steep but also generally the weather can be hot and humid - so you need be reasonably fit.
Central has many other attractions, like the 'Lanes' as they are well known, not far from Central MTR or (underground) station, they are a series of shopping lanes, ideal for anyone looking to pick up a few goodies for friends.
Stanley Market is also another major attraction. The best way to get there is from Victoria Bus Terminus. Take a bus down to the south of Hong Kong Island to Stanley and indulge in the wealth of markets, stalls and bargains which is really popular with tourists. The bus ride around the mid section of the island can offers some great views and the roads are sometimes so narrow that you feel as though you are on a rollercoaster.
Eating Out.
Depending on what kind of food you like, there is plenty on offer. Hong Kong is one of the most modern cities in the world, and if you'd like to try local cuisine like Dim Sum there are plenty of restaurants in Central and Wan Chai that cater for this. Or perhaps the more traditional Chinese again, there is so much on offer.
If you prefer western snack food, McDonald's is probably one of the cheapest and 'best tasting' fast food restaurants to visit.
Seafood is probably best sought after on Lama Island and you can normally take a ferry or junk over to Lama in about 45 minutes or so from Central. The main ferry terminal not far from Central usually has a range of boats sailing to Lama throughout the day. The former Victoria pier which has now unfortunately been demolished was one of the oldest icons of Victoria Harbour standing for nearly 150 years.
See also: Dining
Horse Racing.
Happy Valley is the place to visit, if you are a fan or not, the atmosphere is quite simply out of this world. It is well worth a visit even just to watch the local people betting their hearts out where you will probably be amazed by the scale of the money gambled!
If you fancy a few practice swings of golf while you're in town, the Star City Golf driving range on Kowloon is quite good fun, although probably best to take a taxi there as it is just through the cross harbour tunnel. There are plenty of golf courses throughout Hong Kong and they vary in price and type. Many are exclusive clubs and only admit paid up members, although some hotels may well have affiliations with certain golf clubs so probably best to check at reception.
Walking.
If you like walking there are plenty of sights to see down in Central Hong Kong. You can walk literally in any direction and you will find a brand new sight or street that is totally unique. Take the walkway from Central the law courts and Mandarin Oriental and walk along to Admiralty to the main shopping Centre 'Pacific Place'. It is expensive although it does offer a welcome break from the heat and humidity outside. See if you can find your way from the Macau Ferry terminal along the raised walkway through Central's shops to Admiralty without coming down to road level!
Alternatively you can walk down to Wan Chai down Queen's Road East one of the main roads to a number of smaller market stalls and shops where you can find a few bargains if you take your time.
Star Ferry.
Is one of the best known icons of Hong Kong, definitely worth a trip it is cheap, and relaxing. Once you cross the harbour to Kowloon side there is plenty to do and see here too. The main shopping centre at Tsim Sha Tsui is fairly large and has a huge Toys R Us inside it. It is the main building with all the huge cruise ships moored alongside. The walk way inside goes on quite some way and houses many hotels, shops and restaurants so there is plenty to do and see throughout. It would probably take you a good day or two to explore the whole thing. The main market stalls are further down in Kowloon, they tend to be a bit further in around a 20 minute walk from the Star Ferry although if you are staying on Hong Kong island you can take the MTR (tube) anywhere. It is air conditioned, frequent and always on time! The MTR goes deep into Kowloon so best to consult a map before you travel and find the nearest MTR stop for the markets. Here you will find a lot of bargains, although be prepared to haggle a bit - it is the norm!
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