36 hours in Hong Kong

(New York Times)
Updated: 2007-04-09 10:36

Hong Kong's newest tourist attraction, a 25-minute cable-car ride over the rugged green hills of Lantau Island, says a lot about this former British colony. Ngong Ping 360 (www.np360.com.hk) demonstrates Hong Kong's fascination with travel and technology; the skyrail's hilltop terminus, an ersatz Chinese village, plays to local passions for eating, shopping and taking pictures. From there, it is a short walk to the Po Lin monastery's 112-foot-tall bronze statue of Buddha seated on a lotus throne, an expression of Hong Kong's fundamental Chineseness. This crazy mix of commerce and culture ¡ª plus sublime modern architecture, great food, nonstop nightlife and amazing views ¡ª makes Hong Kong,one of the world's biggest tourist draws.

Friday

3 p.m.
1) FERRY THROUGH HISTORY

Make your way down the swaying gangplank and board a Star Ferry, the humble vessel that has been plying Victoria Harbor for more than a century. The upper deck (2.20 Hong Kong dollars, or about 29 cents at 7.97 Hong Kong dollars to the U.S. dollar) has great views of Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, while the lower deck (1.70 Hong Kong dollars) provides an additional glimpse of the boiler room. From the Tsim Sha Tsui terminal in Kowloon, walk past the ¡°copy watch¡± hawkers of fake Rolexes, to the Hong Kong Museum of History (100 Chatham Road South; 852-2724-9042; www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/museum/history). The museum is a testament to Hong Kong's determination not just to survive (see the extraordinary film scenes of typhoons, the Japanese occupation and Red Guard campaigns), but also to prosper (behold a replica of an old street lined with a pawn shop, tea house, post office, bank, grocery store and Chinese pharmacy).

7 p.m.
2) WASHROOMS WITH A VIEW

Felix, the Philippe Starck-designed aerie atop the Peninsula Hotel (Salisbury Road; 852-2315-3188; www.hongkong.peninsula.com), is justifiably popular with tourists, with its Starck-ly white d¨¦cor and washrooms with spectacular views (especially when facing the urinals). But a hipper local crowd drinks nearby at Aqua, a bar and restaurant complex high in an office building (1 Peking Road; 852-3427-2288; www.aqua.com.hk). Snag a comfy sofa and place your Aquatini (Ketel One vodka, lychee liqueur, Chambord and gold leaves, 108 Hong Kong dollars) on a glowing blue table.

8:30 p.m.
3) CHINESE CHIC

With its striking lighting and floor-to-ceiling harbor views, the restaurant Hutong bears no resemblance to those old, smelly Beijing alleys of the same name (part of the Aqua restaurant group, on the 28th floor at 1 Peking Road, one flight below Aqua; 852-3428-8342). Try the crispy de-boned lamb rib (248 Hong Kong dollars) or the soft-shell crabs in a mound of Sichuan peppers (230 Hong Kong dollars), washed down, if you are splurging, with a bottle of Australia's famed Penfolds Grange shiraz (5,480 Hong Kong dollars).

10:30 p.m.
4) TOWERS OF BEER

Though there are street signs pointing to Knutsford Terrace in Kowloon, this bar-filled promenade is still hard to find. But the street's bright little lounges and clubs are worth the effort, especially if you want to order a three-liter tower of Carlsberg (278 Hong Kong dollars) at Big Tree Pub (No. 4-5; 852-2721-1686), smoke a tobacco-filled bubble pipe (100 Hong Kong dollars) at Merhaba (No. 12; 852-2367-2263) or boogie to live cover-band music at the appropriately named All Night Long (No. 9; 852-2367-9487). (Hint: take the escalator or stairs from Kimberley Road.)

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