In Two Days

After a full day following the "The Best of Hong Kong in 1 Day," above, you'll find yourself packing in the activities for Day 2 as well. Start: MTR or Star Ferry to Central. 1. Shanghai Tang This classy shop revolutionized traditional Chinese clothing with mod cheongsams, Chinese jackets, and other fashionable wear in eye-popping colors. It also sells home accessories, purses, and funky goods. 2. Li Yuen Street East & Li Yuen Street West These two parallel pedestrian lanes between Queen's Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central are packed with stalls selling clothing and accessories, both Western and Chinese. 3. Western District West of Central, this colorful neighborhood features traditional Chinese shops selling ginseng, herbal medicine, preserved foods, and funeral goods, concentrated on Wing Lok Street, Des Voeux Road, and Queen's Road West. 4. Take a Break It's nothing fancy, but Sammy's Kitchen, a family-owned restaurant and one of the few serving Western food in the Western District, has been dishing out inexpensive Western and Chinese fare since 1970. A throwback to older days in decor and atmosphere, it's also good for breakfast, lunch, or simply a refreshing drink. Located at 204-206 Queen's Rd. W. tel. 852/2548 8400. 5. Hollywood Road This long street stretching through the Western District to Central is lined with shops selling high-end Chinese antiques and furniture, as well as curio stores selling snuff bottles, old postcards, and bric-a-brac. 6. Cat Street A pedestrian lane parallel to Hollywood Road, it's lined with street vendors and shops selling antiques, junk, and reproductions. 7. Man Mo Temple

Located on Hollywood Road and dating back to the 1840s, Hong Kong Island's oldest temple makes for a picturesque and peaceful stop. Take a taxi to Aberdeen's waterfront promenade, on the south side of Hong Kong Island. 8. Aberdeen Although now surrounded by high-rises, Aberdeen is still known for its fishing fleet of modern boats and traditional junks, many inhabited by boat people who have lived on the sea for generations. If you wish, you can take a sampan tour for an up-close view. 9. Take a Break Take the free shuttle boat from Aberdeen's waterfront promenade to Jumbo Kingdom (tel. 852/2553 9111), a colorful floating restaurant where you can feast on dim sum and Cantonese fare. Alternatively, on the top deck is the Top Deck, at the Jumbo (tel. 852/2553 3331), which features alfresco dining and an international menu of seafood. Catch bus no. 73 or take a taxi to: 10. Stanley Market This market is great for both Western and Chinese clothing for the whole family, as well as traditional Chinese souvenirs, making it a fun, laid-back destination. Take bus no. 973 to Kowloon. 11. Symphony of Lights Guinness World Records rates this the world's largest permanent light-and-sound show, where every evening at 8pm more than 40 buildings on both sides of the harbor put on a light-and-laser show. The best vantage point is on the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade. 12. Winding Down Breathtaking views, a dramatic setting, and innovative northern Chinese cuisine make Hutong one of Hong Kong's most talked-about restaurants. In other words, make reservations as early as possible. Located on the 28th floor at 1 Peking Rd. tel. 852/3428 8342.

Attractions
Although ferries from Central will deposit you at either Yung Shue Wan or Sok Kwu Wan, I personally prefer to land at Sok Kwu Wan for a light seafood meal, hike to a beach for some R & R, and then continue onward to Yung Shue Wan for drinks or dinner before heading back to Central. The advantage of this route is that ferry service is more frequent from Yung Shue Wan, which means you're not constricted to a limited departure schedule. If, however, you choose to hike the trail in reverse from my description below, remember that ferries to and from Sok Kwu Wan are less frequent, so you'll have to time your arrival and departure with precision (or, if you dine at Rainbow Seafood Restaurant, described below, you can take advantage of the restaurant's free shuttle boat to Central and Tsim Sha Tsui by making advance reservations). The hike between the two villages along a marked, concrete footpath takes about 1 1/2 hours and is a true delight, with great views of the surrounding sea and, in the distance, even Ocean Park and Aberdeen on Hong Kong Island. Tiny Sok Kwu Wan is famous for its open-air seafood restaurants and is a popular destination for those lucky enough to own pleasure boats. The restaurants are aligned along the small waterfront, extended over the water on stilts and shaded by canopies; they offer views of the harbor (and, unfortunately, of denuded hills belonging to a defunct cement factory across the harbor; there is talk of eventual landscaping, but only time will tell). All restaurants here have tanks of fresh seafood from which you can choose your own meal. Fresh seafood is available by the catty (one catty is about 1 1/2 lb.). Prices for a catty vary each day, depending on supply and demand. One catty of prawns will cost approximately HK$150 to HK$175 (US$19-US$23/9.75-11), with half a catty usually enough for two people. A catty of lobster will cost about HK$250 to HK$280 (US$32-US$36/16-18), though small lobsters for one person are available for about HK$100 to HK$120 (US$13US$16/6.50-7.80). If you go all out, meals here will average about HK$250 (US$32/18) a person. Incidentally, as you dine, you'll notice Hong Kong's largest fleet of fish-breeding rafts in the harbor, some also supporting family homes. Also in the harbor is Lamma Fisherfolk's Village (tel. 852/2982 8585; www.fisherfolks.com.hk), which you might want to visit if you're looking for something to do or simply want to support a worthwhile local endeavor. Reached by shuttle from Sok Kwu Wan's public pier (the same pier where the ferry docks), the floating "village" consists of moorings, fish-breeding rafts, and displays relating to local fisher-folk culture, including fishing tools, implements used to craft traditional junks, model boats, clothing, and more. Most interesting is the authentic 60-year-old junk, which you can explore at leisure, peeking into the boat's tiny sleeping quarters, the kitchen with its wood-burning stove, and even the "outhouse" toilet. It's open daily from 10am to sunset. Admission, including the shuttle boat to and from the village, is HK$40 (US$5.20/2.60) for adults and HK$30 (US$3.90/1.95) for children and seniors. Turning right from the public pier and walking past the many seafood restaurants, you will soon come to a newly renovated Tin Hau temple on the edge of town, first founded more

than 150 years ago. Tin Hau temples are common near the sea, since the goddess Tin Hau is believed to protect fishermen. Continue on the concrete path that hugs the harbor about 10 minutes to Lo So Shing School, where you should turn left. Soon you'll see the turnoff for Lo So Shing Beach, which you can reach in about 5 minutes (there are also public latrines along this path). Prettily situated in a small bay, this is the island's nicest and least crowded beach, offering changing rooms and lifeguards on duty April through October daily from 9am to 6pm. Otherwise, continuing on the main pathway takes you through lush and verdant valleys and banana groves, with butterflies flitting across the path and roosters crowing from the distance, before ascending to a hillside pavilion overlooking the scandalous cement factory. From this point, the path climbs higher onto barren and windswept hills. About halfway along the trail, on the top of a peak, is a pagoda where you can take a rest and enjoy the view of the South China Sea. After that, the barren hills give way to valleys and trees and then Hung Shing Yeh Beach, which also has changing facilities, showers, toilets, and lifeguards on duty in the summer. If it's hot, it may be hard to resist joining the throngs of families and taking another dip in the water. Regrettably, however, the beach is overshadowed by an unsightly power station. The hiking path resumes on the other side of the beach. In less than 20 minutes, you'll reach Yung Shue Wan, but it takes a while to walk past new development before reaching Yung Shue Wan Main Street and the center of town. Yung Shue Wan, which translates as "Banyan Tree Bay," is Lamma's main town. It used to be small and undeveloped, with old houses and little garden plots, but new apartment buildings and shops have sprung up on its hillsides in the past couple decades, and the town is unfortunately blighted by that unsightly power station. What's more, small motorized wagons carrying building supplies zip around as if they can't get to construction sites soon enough. Compared to how the village looked in the early 1980s, I can barely recognize the place. Still, the village has a laid-back, tropical-island atmosphere, with a sizable population of expatriates drawn by low rents and the slow pace of life. With Yung Shue Wan's narrow streets, funky eateries, and shops selling Southeast Asian crafts, jewelry, and clothing, Hong Kong's bustling city life seems more than a short boat ride away.