Hong Kong's most typical traditional "Chinatown" area is always teeming with activity. Vibrant Western is a hive of shophouses, exotic markets and steep "ladder" lanes. This is where modern Hong Kong started, mushrooming around Possession Street where the British first planted the Union Jack in 1841. Chinese migrants began to settle here in the same year, creating the raffish heart of 19th Century maritime Hong Kong.

Hollywood Road and Upper Lascar Row, known as "Cat Street" are must-see stops on every visitor's itinerary. Crammed with antique shops and an open-air curio market, these quaint locales are ideal places for picking up eclectic souvenirs and gifts. You'll find everything from Ming furniture and lotus lamps to Mao badges and ancient snuff bottles. Photogenic Man Mo Temple, dedicated to the God of Literature (man) and the God of War (mo), is just a stroll away.

After extensive renovations, the Edwardian Western Market was re-opened in late 1991. It is crammed with fabric shops and stores selling handicrafts. More traditional shopping can be found along Bonham Strand West, where stores selling Chinese medicinal herbs and ginseng wholesalers have changed little in the past half century. On Queen's Road West you can buy birds' nests for soup, as well as paper offerings, including paper cars and mobile phones, for burning at funerals to ensure a prosperous afterlife. Des Voeux Road West is celebrated for its dried seafood shops. Here you can find all manner of preserved oysters, shrimp, mussels, squid and fish.

MODERN LANDMARKS

Happy Valley Racecourse was built on reclaimed marshland, and the first races were held here in 1846. They have been extremely popular ever since. Today, the track is ultra-sophisticated with computerised betting and races broadcast live on gigantic screens. Night racing was introduced at Happy Valley in 1973 and was an immediate success. The extra revenue raised was used to build Hong Kong's second racecourse at Sha Tin in the New Territories, which opened in 1978.

1) Take MTR to Causeway Bay station (Exit A) walk along Matheson Street to Wong Nai Chung Road about 20 mins.

 2) Take tram to Happy Valley Tram Terminal.

3) Take Bus No.1, 5A at Admiralty MTR station or take No.19 at Yee Wo Street of Causeway Bay MTR station.

4) Take Taxi outside Causeway Bay MTR station (Exit A)

Sha Tin, once a tiny village on the shores of a shallow inlet, is now a bustling new town. Built almost entirely on reclaimed land, Sha Tin Racecourse is more than just a modern racetrack. Extensive landscaping of the infield has transformed it into one of Hong Kong's largest public parks, Penfold Park, enjoyed by thousands every weekend.

Take KCR to Racecourse Station (on race days only)

GARDENS & PARKS
Hong Kong Island

Aberdeen Country Park

Built around reservoirs on Hong Kong Island, this park's splendid trails provide leisurely and attractive walks. In fact, the longest can be completed in less than an hour. An information centre in the park's southern section documents the area's flora and fauna with informative pamphlets - a great way to teach children about local plant and animal life.

How to get there:

1) Take bus no. 7 at Man Yiu Street opposite Hong Kong Station and get off at the Shek Pai Wan bus terminus.

2) Bus no. 76 outside Hennessy Centre at Causeway Bay and get off at the Shek Pai Wan bus terminus.

Hong Kong Park

An oasis of green amid the urban landscape, Hong Kong Park features an aviary, greenhouse, the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, fountains, lily ponds, playgrounds, a restaurant and even a marriage registry. More than 150 species of birds live in this carefully designed tropical "rainforest".

Take MTR to Admiralty station (Exit named Pacific Place), and then follow the sign up the escalator to the Park.

Located near the former British governors' residence, these gardens were laid out in 1864 to the design of a nature-loving governor. They are open every day and are a popular place to join in the early morning tai chi exercises. Nearby, on Battery Path, is the former French Mission Building, a Victorian structure acquired by the French Mission in 1915.

1) Take maxicab no. 1A from Star Ferry Pier and get off at the Macdonnell Road.

2) Take bus no. 23 from Hong Kong Central Library at Causeway Bay and get off outside Caritas centre at Caine Road.

3) Take bus no. 12A from Admiralty (Tamar Street) bus terminus and get off at Garden Road outside Hong Kong Zoological & Botanical Garden.

With an entrance just a stone's throw from the Peak Tower, Pok Fu Lam Country Park is an accessible escape into nature. Visitors can enjoy fresh mountain air, sweeping views from its peaks and lush woodlands around the reservoir below.

How to get there:

1) Take maxicab no. 1 from Central and get off at the Peak Tower.

2) Take bus no. 15 from Central (Exchange Square) bus terminus and get off at the Peak Road.

This park features coastal scenery and relaxing views as you hike around Tai Tam Reservoir. Also located in the park are historic World War II sites, such as military buildings, pillboxes and deserted bunkers.

1) Take bus no. 6 or 61 from Central (Exchange Square) bus terminus and get off at Wong Nai Chung Gap Road near Wong Nai Chung Reservoir Park.

2) Take MTR to Sai Wan Ho station (Exit A), take bus no. 14 to Tai Tam, and get off at Tai Tam Country Park.

This expansive parkland in the heart of Causeway Bay contains many facilities such as swimming pools, jogging tracks and tennis courts. Early risers gather here to practise tai chi. And tens of thousands of people gather on special occasions such as Chinese New Year and the Mid-Autumn Festival. During weekends, the park is full of people exercising, relaxing and simply enjoying the sunshine.

1) Take MTR to Causeway Bay station (Exit E) and walk along Great George Street to Victoria Park.

2) Take MTR to Tin Hau station (Exit A2).

WALKS & TRAILS
Coastal Walks

From the many temples dedicated to the sea-goddess Tin Hau, to the emergence of the world's busiest container port at Kwai Chung, Hong Kong's past and present are defined by the sea. Though urban development has altered much of the natural coastline, Hong Kong still has some beautiful and unspoiled coastal areas that offer plenty of opportunities for visitors to discover and enjoy its natural beauty.

Interested visitors can pick up the series of Green Scene publications or the Coastal Guide Series published by Friends of the Earth from Hong Kong Tourism Board Visitor Information & Services Centres.

Shek O is a fascinating and popular place to visit. A mix of village houses and up-market villas can be found within easy walking distance of each other. The natural scenery is grand. There are a couple of beautiful beaches in the area, a granite inlet to the east, and a bracing ridge walk above. The Dragon's Back is a sometimes challenging ridge walk offering splendid views of the ocean and mountains.

1) Take bus no. 9 from Shau Kei Wan MTR Station bus terminus (Exit A3) and get off at the Shek O bus terminus.

2) Take bus no. 309 from Central (Exchange Square) bus terminus and get off at Shek O bus terminus (Sunday Only).

This is one of the best urban walks in Hong Kong and takes about half an hour. Prime sights are the Star Ferry Pier, the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and Central Plaza, Hong Kong's tallest building. The promenade around the HKCEC is a great place to enjoy the magnificent views of Victoria Harbour.

BEACHES

This attractive bay lies beyond Aberdeen along a scenic coastal road flanked by flame trees and imposing cliffside mansions. Its public beach, one of the most attractive in Hong Kong, is next to the Hong Kong Golf Club's annex. A scenic pathway winds along the coast from here to Repulse Bay.

How to get there:

Take bus no. 6A, 6X, 260 from Central (Exchange Square) Bus Terminus and get off near the Golf Course station.

Hong Kong Island's most popular beach is easily accessible by bus or taxi from Central. The large, sandy beach has been extended recently and there are many facilities for beachgoers and day-trippers, including shops, restaurants and bars. The Life Guard Club's terraces are noteworthy for a pair of large statues of two goddesses, Kwun Yum and Tin Hau. Above the beach, the reconstructed The Repulse Bay is a picturesque example of early 20th-Century colonial architecture.

Take Bus no. 6, 6A, 6X, 260 from Central (Exchange Square) Bus Terminus and alight at Repulse Bay.

Seen from the hill above, the popular seaside destination of Shek O looks like a picture-postcard image of an ancient Chinese community. Its ambience is still traditional and rustic, in dramatic contrast to the millionaires' mansions on the surrounding hillsides and headland. The exclusive golf and country club nearby is where they play. Many others make for the golden sands of Big Wave Bay, where Bronze-Age rock carvings can be found.

1) Take bus no. 9 from Shau Kei Wan MTR Station bus terminus (Exit A3) and get off at the Shek O bus terminus.

2) Take bus no. 309 from Central (Exchange Square) bus terminus and get off at Shek O bus terminus (Sunday Only).