It was Sunday morning and time for tea in the tinyHong Kong café where my fellow travellers and Iwere sat. Milk tea, that is – a local favourite. Andit was doing a roaring trade, with the few seatsgrabbed as soon as they were vacated and localsqueuing to buy take-away snacks and drinks.Actually, café is probably too grand a description.

This was an industrial-looking dai pai dong, or open-airfood stall, although inside a food market. Oncewidespread, relatively few now survive as a result ofstrict licensing and controls.Finding such gems would be impossible by yourself.

But we were on a behind-the-scenes tour of Kowloon,the mainland part of Hong Kong, discovering hiddendelights off its well-trodden tourist circuit. After hagglingfor trinkets in the Jade Market, we visited a pearl shopfor some rather more expensive bargaining, then set offexploring on foot. First stop, a lively street market full of exotic fruits, meat

and fish, followed by one of Hong Kong’s oldest streets,Shanghai Street, then a park with locals playing board gamesin the shade and, tucked between buildings, an elaborately-decorated temple where incense hung heavy in the air. Finally it was time for dim sum lunch, at the award-

winning Super Star Seafood restaurant – only we wouldbe making it ourselves. With expert guidance by thechefs during our hour-long lesson we tried our hands atcreating various dumplings, with varying degrees ofsuccess. But we were all awarded certificates beforetucking in to our home-cooked meal, which was unex-pectedly tasty. A fitting end to a fascinating tour.Hong Kong is very much a destination that draws you

in so that you feel part of the hubbub of daily life. Hardlysurprising, given the former British colony’s compact

Autumn 2011 tlm n the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 15

Street lifeFormer colonial outposts Hong Kong and Macau have continued to burgeon under Chinese ruleand offer experiences that are worlds apart yet just a ferry ride from each other. PeterEllegard takes to the streets to explore these pulsating Asian siblings

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Hong Kong Tourism Board

size and the huge population crammed into it. One ofmy abiding memories from visits there is of flying in toland at the old Kai Tak Airport and passing so close tohigh-rise apartments that you could wave at the residentson their balconies.

tai chiEscape the noise and bustle of its crowded streets bytaking the tram up to the top of Victoria Peak(www.thepeak.com.hk) on Hong Kong Island, knownlocally as The Peak. You may not escape the throng, asit is Hong Kong’s most popular attraction, but you arerewarded with wonderful panoramic views of the city’ssoaring skyscrapers and Victoria Harbour, as well asforested mountains and smaller islands. Get there earlyenough and you can join in free beginners’ tai chiclasses, held on four days a week as part of the touristoffice’s Cultural Kaleidoscope programme. Avoid the tram queues and walk back down the path,

gaps between the trees and luxuriant vegetation suddenlyopening up stunning vistas. It is also worth visiting ThePeak at night, with the city spectacularly lit up below you.The Peak trip can be done as part of a day-long Hong

Kong Island tour, also taking in a harbour sampan ride atAberdeen fishing village and a scenic drive via prettyDeep Water Bay and Repulse Bay to Stanley, where youcan barter with traders for silk pashminas or Chineseemperor-style dressing gowns in Stanley Market(www.hk-stanley-market.com) before reviewing yourbargains over a leisurely lunch.You can also escape the hectic street life on a sunset

boat trip to Lamma Island, visiting the Fisherfolks’Village, where you can try fishing, followed by aseafood dinner before returning to watch VictoriaHarbour’s dazzling, nightly Symphony of Lights soundand light show, played out on its high rises. If you arenot on a boat, the best place to watch it from is atKowloon’s Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, reached by a shortcrossing aboard the Star Ferry from Hong Kong Island.

lantau islandIf you are in Hong Kong for a few days, other thingsyou can do include visiting the Ocean Park marinetheme park (www.oceanpark.com.hk) at Aberdeen,heading to Lantau Island for Hong Kong Disneyland

(www.hongkongdisneyland.com),the Giant Buddha, Po LinMonastery (www.plm.org.hk) andNgong Ping Village(www.np360.com.hk), enjoyingpanoramic views from the Ngong Pingcable car, or perhaps hiking in the NewTerritories parks, taking a harbourcruise on the Duk Ling(www.dukling.com.hk) junk andshopping in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Nathan

Road and nearby Mong Kok,where the Ladies’ Marketbelies its name and offersbargains for all.At night, besides Victo-

ria Peak and the Symphony of Lights, you can watchhorse racing at Happy Valley (www.happyvalleyrace-course.com), home of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, orgo clubbing in the Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai enter-tainment districts as well as in Causeway Bay, where youalso find great local restaurants. Stanley, Kowloon andTsim Sha Tsui are other good places to eat withoutbreaking the bank. But there are many top-class restau-rants if you want to dine in style, particularly atupmarket hotels such as The Langham(www.langhamhotels.com), the Renaissance HarbourView (www.marriott.co.uk) and the Island Shangri-La(www.shangri-la.com). Just 15 years ago, Hong Kong was in its last days

under British rule and was facing an uncertain future asa holiday destination, with many wondering how itwould change after its handover to China. The fears weremisplaced, as it has not lost any of its vibrancy and haseven more to offer visitors now than ever before.

macauThe same can be said of former Portuguese colonyMacau, which reverted to China just two years later tobecome a Special Administrative Region like its near-neighbour. Less than an hour from Hong Kong by fastferry and often linked with it on twin-centre holidays,Macau is undergoing huge investment in its tourismindustry. Much of that has been in mega casino hotels,notably in the Cotai Strip (www.cotaistrip.com.mo) –dubbed Asia’s Las Vegas. Queen of the Cotai Strip is The Venetian Macao, a

$2.4 billion resort that opened in August 2007. It is on apositively gargantuan scale, as I discovered when I flewin as an invited guest for its grand opening. Our coachpulled into what seemed like a giant aircraft hangar,although actually its own dedicated bus terminal, theillusion underlined by a marshal waving the driver into aparking bay using airport-style glowing wands. I have been to most of the casino hotels in Las Vegas,

but the sheer size of this edifice was staggering to takein. Walking from my room to any of the public areas

required planning followed by what seemed like a routemarch, while the casino itself was a vast windowlesscavern with endless rows of jangling, flashing slotmachines interspersed by dozens of gaming tables. It feltlike Dante’s Inferno on speed. The 3,000-suite hotel – Asia’s largest single structure

and the world’s second-largest building – also featuresmore than 350 shops in its Venice-themed Grand CanalShoppes retail area, complete with a canal and gondolas,as well as 30 restaurants, a 15,000-seat arena and the1,800-seat Venetian Theatre, which is home to thepermanent Cirque du Soleil show, Zaia. Matching it for spectacle is the Theatre of Dreams,

with its £250 million House of Dancing Water spectacu-lar, in the Cotai Strip’s City of Dreams(www.cityofdreamsmacau.com). Most of Macau’slarge hotels have resident bands as well as clubs, barsand restaurants. You’ll also find buzzing nightlife in thetrendy clubs of waterfront theme park Fisherman’sWharf (www.fishermanswharf.com.mo).

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hong kong and macau tipsl Hong Kong is more than just a city – 70% of the land is rural and there aremore than 260 islands, plus over 30 beaches.

l Hong Kong can easily be combined with other destinations in Asia orAustralasia.

l Hong Kong and Macau are a gourmet’s paradise. You can find any kind of cuisine,including dim sum, in Hong Kong while Macau’s cuisine has a strong Portugueseelement.

l Ride Hong Kong’s iconic, double-decker trams – known locally as Ding Dongs –to get a real flavour of the destination, hopping on and off to explore sights.

l Macau’s 17th-century Guia Fortress is the oldest lighthouse on China’s coast.l Top festivals in Macau include the Dragon Boat Festival, held in June at Nam VanLakes, and the International Fireworks Display Contest, held over three weeksuntil October 1.

l Hong Kong’s events include its own Dragon Boat Festival, in June, as well as theTin Hau Fishermans’ Festival in April/May and Cheung Chau Bun Festival inMay/June.

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Peter Ellegard

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n Tai Chi on ThePeak, Hong Kong

n Lantau Island’sGiant Buddha

n Take aharbour cruiseon the DukLing junk

n Kowloon’sJade Market

n Kowloonmarketfishmonger

n Aberdeen Harbour, Hong Kong

n The brightlights ofMacau

world heritage siteBut what sets Macau apart, and for me what makes itsuch a special place, is its rich blend of Portuguese andChinese heritage. It was a Portuguese colony for overfour centuries until its handover in 1999 and its historiccentre was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCOin 2005.Macau’s historic heart spans eight elegant squares

and it comprises the most complete array of Europeanarchitectural legacy in China. Gems include the ruins ofSt Paul’s, the façade of a church originally built in 1594but ravaged by fire in 1835. It is the symbol of Macau.Facing out across St Dominic’s Square is the ornate,

yellow-painted St Dominic’s Church, dating to 1587 andthe first church built in China. An annual spectacle notto miss if you are in Macau is the Procession of OurLady of Fatima, in which women clad in white bear astatue every May 13.Adjacent Senado Square, with its wavy-patterned

cobbles surrounded by glorious old buildings, is anothercrowd-puller. Make sure you take in Macau’s Chineseheritage, too, at places including the tranquil and beauti-ful, red-walled A-Ma Temple, with the flowing tiles ofBarra Square in front.There are plenty of other attractions to explore, too.

Museums encompass the Maritime Museum(www.museumaritimo.gov.mo), Macau Museum(www.macaumuseum.gov.mo) and Grand PrixMuseum (http://gp.macau.grandprix.gov.mo), cele-brating the annual Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix. Thenthere’s the cone-shaped Macau Science Centre and Fisherman’s Wharf, featuring three themed areas withrestaurants, cafés, shops and street entertainment, aswell as the landmark, 1,100ft Macau Tower(www.macautower.com.mo), from which the bravecan hurl themselves off on the Bungy Jump or take amore sedate, 20-second journey down with a SkyJump,while others can simply take in the view from on high inthe revolving 360º Café.At just 11 square miles, Macau packs so much in you

will wish you had allowed more time for your stay.Combine it with Hong Kong and you will have a fasci-nating and action-packed twin-centre break that willhave you planning your return as soon as you leave.

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hong kong and macau facts

when to goHong Kong and Macau have a tropicalclimate with high humidity. October-March is the most pleasant time ofyear, when humidity levels are lower.

getting thereDirect Hong Kong flights fromLondon are operated by British Airways(www.ba.com), Cathay Pacific(www.cathaypacific.com), Virgin Atlantic(www.virgin-atlantic.com), Qantas (www.qantas.co.uk) and AirNew Zealand (www.airnewzealand.co.uk).Macau has its own airport with regional flights but most people go byfast ferry, with direct services from Hong Kong International Airport,Hong Kong Island and Kowloon taking an hour or less.

getting aroundPublic transport in Hong Kong is world class, with frequent services onits bus, tram and MTR underground networks. Buy an Octopus Card,similar to London’s Oyster Card, for best value. Cross-harbour servicesare operated by Star Ferry, while other ferries link outlying islands. Taxisare also plentiful and good value, as they are in Macau, where buses andpedicabs are other ways to get around.

accommodationAll top hotel chains are in Hong Kong, offering accommodation andservice levels of the highest quality. If you have a head for heights, stay inthe world’s tallest hotel, the newly-opened Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong(www.ritzcarlton.com) or perhaps grande dames such as the historicPeninsula Hotel (www.peninsula.com/hongkong) or MandarinOriental (www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong).Macau’s hotel scene is dominated by luxury casino hotels. Choose fromThe Venetian Macao (www.venetianmacao.com), Wynn Macau(www.wynnmacau.com), Hard Rock Hotel(www.hardrockhotelmacau.com) and others or, for a quietergetaway, the Westin Resort, Macau (www.starwoodhotels.com), theonly resort on Macau’s Hac Sa Beach.

tour operatorsCompanies offering packages include Virgin Holidays(www.virginholidays.co.uk), Audley Travel

(www.audleytravel.com), Kuoni(www.kuoni.co.uk), Bridge & Wickers(www.bridgeandwickers.co.uk),Premier Holidays(www.premierholidays.co.uk),Funway Holidays(www.funwayholidays.co.uk)and Hayes & Jarvis(www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk).

tourist informationHong Kong Tourism Board:

www.discoverhongkong.com/ukMacau Government Tourist Office: www.macautourism.gov.mo

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n St Paul’sruins, Macau

n A-MaTemplestatue,Macau

n The Peaktram at night