South Side of Hong Kong Island
March 24th, 2003
For a change of scenery, we headed off to the south side of Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong has great bus service, both cheap and prompt. So once we figured out where to pick up the bus (that part took forever) we headed off to Aberdeen Harbor. Aberdeen is known for its sampan (small boat) rides. Most of the boat operators are elderly chinese women which call out to you repeatedly as you walk by. Of couse, we had to try it!
This was our driver!
Aberdeen Harbor is also known for its Jumbo Floating Restaurant...
Here's some pretty harbor pictures!
Next stop was Ocean Park. This is just an amusement park, but we got there way too late and it was typical amusement park expensive. Needless to say, we just took some pictures and left. The amusing part was our trip to get there. Once we left Aberdeen we got on the correct bus, but like all bus rides if you don't know what the stop looks like you don't know to pull the stop handle. Well next thing I know we are going through a long tunnel. I knew from the map that we shouldn't be going through a tunnel, so I start searching the map to see where we are going. Turns out that this bus goes through the tunnel leading to Kowloon (across Victoria Harbor)! Ack!!!! So at the next stop in Kowloon, we have to get off the bus and onto a return bus! As we approached Ocean Park the second time we managed to get off at the right stop only because someone else had already pushed the stop button!
There is a cable car which takes visitors from the main entrance to the rides.
Our final stop for the late afternoon was Stanley Bay. The bus on this part of the ride was quite scenic, winding through beachy resort areas. At the bus stop in Stanley, you walk straight into a little market. I did a little bit of shopping, but not too much. I purchased a little chopstick set with matching napkins and placemats! It was pretty funny the things that the Chinese shop keeper was trying to pick out for Dave to buy!
At the end of the shopping street lies Murray House and the water. Murray House, built 1843, was a colonial military barracks. This house was originally standing in Central at the current site of the Bank of China Tower. In 1982 it was dismantled and put into storage until rebuilt years later in Stanley.
Right next to Murray House was the Tin Hau Temple.
Dying for food, we headed to a restaurant for dinner and then back to the bus!
Ok, once more we missed our bus stop for the hotel since we didn't know when to push the button! We ended up going to the next stop and walking back. Oh well, good excercise after dinner!
The Back to Hong Kong page
Click here
End