Before we set off to sightsee in the city of 7 million inhabitants, we picked up an Octopus Card at an MRT station. This plastic card can be used for payment almost everywhere in Hong Kong and is indispensable, for example, on bus rides without change. In addition to public transport, we can also use it to pay at restaurants or a few supermarkets. When we return the prepaid card, we get the deposit (HK$50) and any remaining balance back.
Hong Kong Park and Bank of China Tower
We took the Island Line subway from our hotel to Admiralty Station. From there, we walked past the oddly shaped Lippo Towers to Hong Kong Park. This beautifully landscaped 80,000 m² green space opened in 1991. It includes a museum, several lakes, and even a small bird park. We left the park toward the Bank of China Tower. This 367-meter-high office tower is one of the tallest buildings in the world. A clear distinguishing feature from other skyscrapers are the visible white crossbars in the glass facade.
On our way to the ifc Mall and the TWO ifc Tower, we repeatedly encountered crowds of people sitting on the ground in cut-up cardboard boxes in the pedestrian zones. They had gathered there, mostly with suitcases and dozens of plastic bags. My first thought was that they had gathered there to protest against the banks, similar to the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. They didn't exactly look like beggars or homeless people, as some were busy with their laptops or smartphones, among other things. We couldn't figure out the exact reason, though.
Addition (23.01.2015): As I have since been informed, these are mainly employees of wealthy Hong Kong families who only have Sundays off.
Arriving at the ifc Mall, we actually wanted to go to the Currency Museum on the 55th floor of the TWO ifc Tower. Unfortunately, since it was Sunday, it was closed.
World's longest escalator in Hong Kong
So we took the world's longest escalator, unfortunately not a continuous one, up into the mountains of Hong Kong Island. This 800-meter-long escalator runs downhill from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in the opposite direction from 10:20 a.m. to midnight. At each elevation, we had to cross smaller streets. These usually house different restaurants or hotels.
Victoria Peak Hong Kong
With blue skies and sunshine, we decided to climb Victoria Peak. At 552 meters, it's the highest point in Hong Kong Island. We reached the observation tower at 379 meters on the Peak Tram, a Swiss funicular railway opened in 1888. It departs not far from Hong Kong Park, and the fare (HK$28/1TP/4T/upward, HK$12/1TP/4T/downward) can be paid with the Octopus Card. The tram climbs very steeply up the mountain, but from there you get a fantastic view of the city. Once at the top, we hiked along the Hong Kong Trail. After about 15 minutes on a well-maintained path, we reached a great vantage point for taking photos.
The entrance fee for the Victoria Tower's Sky Terrace is actually not worth it, as there is a free observation deck in the shopping center next door.
