Month: December 2010

An island apart – Cheung Chau!

On By James HandlonIn Destination Hong KongLeave a comment

‘Next sailing in 30 minutes’ the neon board exclaimed! I had always wanted to take a slow boat to China but a slow ferry to Cheung Chau Island would have to do instead. Having braved the markets and temples of a totally chaotic Mong Kok the previous day I was now more than ready for a quiet backwater of an island like Cheung Chau.

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The Cheung Chau Ferry Port

At just under a square mile in size the island is very small, but that made it a perfect destination for a lazy day of sightseeing. The island’s topography is relatively tame and most of the main attractions can be seen in an easy 3-2 hour walk around it. So with the National Geographic Traveler Guide in hand, and a healthy appetite for adventure to go with it we set off on the slow ferry from Pier 5 in downtown Hong Kong, across the South China Sea, towards Cheung Chau. Continue reading “An island apart – Cheung Chau!” →

‘One court, three yards, and three doors’

On By James HandlonIn Destination Hong KongLeave a comment

Our third day in Hong Kong saw us heading towards the mainland of China aboard the Tsuen Wan train rumbling under the harbour towards the grittier, more urban district of Hong Kong, known as ‘Kowloon’. It would be a day of monasteries, temples and markets away from many popular tourist traps, spent instead seeking out some of the real Hong Kong.

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Chin Lin Nunnery (Tang Dynasty style) and not a nail in sight.

With Diamond Hill as our destination and a map in hand we were dead eager to reach our goal. Our goal being the Chin Lin Nunnery, its said of the nunnery that not a single nail had been used in its construction, also that it is a perfect reproduction of Tang Dynasty style architecture. 95,000 pieces of timber amazingly were used in its construction, and it follows the rules of feng shui to the letter. Upon arrival we quickly discovered that we were not going to be disappointed by this amazing place! Continue reading “‘One court, three yards, and three doors’” →