Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [51]
Shek O lies halfway down a long peninsula in the southeast of Hong Kong Island; Stanley village is at the start of the next peninsula over, but you’ll have to travel a bit further south to reach the best beach on Stanley peninsula. Further west along the southern coast is Repulse Bay, with its ever-heaving beach, Kwun Yam shrine, lucky bridge and posh shopping complex, and then Deep Water Bay, a much more serene beach and one of the best places in Hong Kong for wakeboarding (see Click here).
Aberdeen is at the western edge of the southern coast. From here, buses return to the northern side of the island either through the Aberdeen Tunnel or Pok Fu Lam Rd along the west coast.
Buses, and to a lesser extent green minibuses, are the best form of transport for getting to and around the southern part of Hong Kong Island. Though some go via the Aberdeen Tunnel, many buses (eg bus 6 to Stanley and Repulse Bay) climb over the hills separating the north and south sides of the island. It’s a scenic, winding ride; for the outbound trip, make sure you sit on the upper deck on the right-hand side.
Aberdeen
At first glance Aberdeen ( Map) – or Heung Gong Tsai (Little Fragrant Harbour) in Cantonese – is not much to look at, but it’s well worth a visit for the remnants of an almost bygone maritime era when thousands lived and worked on the junks and other traditional sailing craft moored in the harbour. Over the years the number of boats has dwindled as more and more of these boatpeople have moved into high-rises or abandoned fishing as a profession, but you can still see the odd family clinging onto their floating homes alongside fishermen working on their handsome seagoing boats. It’s captivating to just soak up the minutiae of daily life on the harbour. It is also home to popular floating restaurants (Click here) and to Ocean Park (below), Hong Kong’s first, and still thriving, amusement park.
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TRANSPORT – ISLAND SOUTH
Bus Shek O: The easiest way to reach Shek O is to take bus 9 from Shau Kei Wan MTR station (exit A3). Bus 309 (Sunday and holidays only) runs here from Central, below Exchange Sq. If you’re coming from Stanley, take bus 14 and change to bus 9 on Tai Tam Rd, at the junction with Shek O Rd.
Stanley: From Shau Kei Wan take bus 14 from Shau Kei Wan Rd, a short walk from the MTR station (exit A3). Buses 6, 6A, 6X, 66 and 260 all leave for here from Central, below Exchange Sq.
Aberdeen: From Aberdeen buses 73 and 973 run to Stanley, with both from Aberdeen Main Rd and the latter from the bus terminus by the promenade. Buses 73 and 973 also run here from Repulse Bay beach. From Tsim Sha Tsui take bus 973, which leaves from Concordia Plaza by the science museum. Green minibus 40 (24 hours) runs from Times Sq to Stanley via Tang Lung St and Yee Woo St in Causeway Bay.
Repulse Bay: From Central, below Exchange Sq, take bus 6, 6A, 6X, 66 or 260. From Stanley (the terminus is just up from the market) take bus 6, 6A, 6X, 66 or 260 (which go on to Central) or bus 73 or 973. To get here from Aberdeen take bus 73 or 973 – both stop on Aberdeen Main Rd and the latter at the bus terminus, too. From Tsim Sha Tsui take bus 973, which leaves from Concordia Plaza by the science museum.
Deep Water Bay: From Central, below Exchange Sq, take bus 6A, 6X or 260. From Stanley (the terminus is just up from the market) take bus 6A, 6X or 260 (which go on to Central) or bus 73 or 973. To get here from Aberdeen take bus 73 or 973 – both stop on Aberdeen Main Rd and the latter at the bus terminus, too. From Tsim Sha Tsui take bus 973, which leaves from Concordia Plaza by the science museum.
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OCEAN PARK Map
3923 2323; www.oceanpark.com.hk; Ocean Park Rd; adult/child 3-11yr $208/103; 10am-6pm; 6A, 6X, 70 & 75 from Central, 629 from Admiralty, 72, 72A & 92 from Causeway Bay or 973 from Tsim Sha Tsui
Despite the arrival of its shiny, new Disneyland competitor on Lantau (see Click here), Ocean Park remains the best theme park in Hong Kong