Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [52]
As well as excellent animal attractions and enclosures with some worthwhile educational content, the park also offers plenty of white-knuckle thrill rides, such as the celebrated roller coaster called the Dragon and the Abyss ‘turbo drop’. In Marine Land you’ll find sea lions and seals, daily dolphin and killer-whale shows, and aquariums. The Atoll Reef is particularly impressive, with over 2000 fish representing 200 species in residence. Bird-watchers are also catered for with aviaries, a flamingo pond and the Amazing Birds Theatre, with regular aerial shows.
The park is divided into two main sections. The main entrance is on the Waterfront (lowland) side and is linked to the main section on the Summit (headland), where most of the attractions are found, by a scenic cable car. From some time in 2010 you’ll also be able to take a marine-themed funicular train called the Ocean Express. The headland section affords beautiful views of the South China Sea. At the rear entrance, where a giant escalator will bring you down to Tai Shue Wan and Shum Wan Rd, is the Middle Kingdom, a sort of Chinese cultural village with temples, pagodas and traditional street scenes.
SAMPAN TOURS Map
Aberdeen Promenade
Sampan tours can easily be arranged along Aberdeen Promenade, which runs south and parallel to Aberdeen Praya Rd. You can have your choice of private operators, which generally mill around the eastern end of the promenade, or licensed operators registered with the HKTB, such as the Aberdeen Sampan Company ( Map; 2873 0649; Aberdeen Praya Rd). The private sampans usually charge around $55 per person for a 30-minute ride (about $110 to Sok Kwu Wan and $130 to Yung Shue Wan on Lamma), though you should easily be able to bargain this down if there are several of you. Ferries to several spots on Lamma also operate from the promenade, as well as infrequent services to Stanley and Po Toi island (see the transport section for details, Click here).
The promenade is easily accessed from Aberdeen bus terminus. To get to it just take the pedestrian subway under Aberdeen Praya Rd.
AP LEI CHAU Map
Ap Lei Chau
On the southern side of the harbour is Ap Lei Chau (Duck’s Tongue Island), one of the most densely populated places in the world. It used to be a centre for building junks, but now it’s covered with housing estates, including a huge one called South Horizons. There’s not much to see there, but a walk across the bridge to the island affords good views. From Aberdeen Promenade you can get a boat across to Ap Lei Chau (adult/child under 12 $1.80/1). Ap Lei Chau is also a destination for bargain hunters drawn to its discount outlet stores (see the boxed text).
ABERDEEN
TEMPLES Map
Aberdeen Main Rd
If you’ve got time to spare, a short walk through Aberdeen will bring you to a renovated Tin Hau temple (182 Aberdeen Main Rd; 8am-5pm). Built in 1851, it’s a sleepy spot but remains an active house of worship. Close to the harbour is a Hung Shing shrine (cnr Aberdeen Main Rd & Old Main St), a chaotic collection of altars and smoking, ovenlike incense pots. Both temples are a short walk from Aberdeen bus terminus.
Stanley
An easy bus or taxi ride 15km from Central, Stanley ( Map) has an attractive market, beaches and good pubs and restaurants, which make it an appealing place to escape the concrete jungle. It had an indigenous population of about 2000 when the British took control of the territory in 1841, making it one of the largest settlements on the island at the time. A prison was built near the village in 1937 –just in time for the Japanese to intern the builders. Stanley Prison is a maximum security facility today. Hong Kong’s contingent of British troops was housed in Stanley Fort at the southern end of the peninsula