Exploring Hong Kong, Lantau and Macau in China

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This is a guest post written by Wendy Lau, a freelance writer based in New York City.

Hong Kong’s Bustling Streets and the Neighboring Macau and Lantau Island

It was my first trip to Hong Kong. I had three days to spend there before moving to my next destination .

I arrived on a weekday during the mid-afternoon, after a 16 hour flight from New York City. My best friend also flew in from Los Angeles. This was going to be a reunion and vacation we both needed.

After settling into our hotel located in Kowloon, we were on a mission to find food. There were so many places to choose from walking down the streets. The streets were always bustling with people no matter what time of day it was.  We’d be out around 11pm on a weekday and the streets would be filled like it was a Saturday evening.

We had the opportunity to visit several places even with the limited stay in Hong Kong. Our first night we headed over to Victoria Harbour to see A Symphony of Lights. This is a spectacular light and sound show that tickles the senses. It’s an all-round vision of lights, with buildings lighting up too, and laser beams swiping the sky, all synchronized to music and narration. The show runs for about 14 minutes. It’s amazing that it’s a permanent set up that goes on every day at 8pm, weather permitting.

Below: At Victoria Harbour watching “A Symphony of Lights.” 

Our second day, we started the day early to head over to Macau and spent a full day there. The ferry ride from Hong Kong was convenient and only took an hour to get to Macau. Once we arrived, we needed to transfer onto a bus to get to Senado Square. Macau’s streets and buildings are a mix of Portuguese and Chinese style. We also saw areas that were newly renovated and then areas that seemed to be in shambles. Our main destination in Macau was the Ruins of St. Paul’s.

Below: The crowded streets of Macau as we approached the Ruins of St. Paul.

 
Below: We finally reached the Ruins of St. Paul’s and my friend made it to the top of the remaining façade wall. 

Below: Macau looks renovated and modernized, but there are still little hidden alleys that still claim its old looks. We came across this backside of homes as we were leaving the Ruins of St. Paul.  

Our third and final day, we headed to Lantau Island to see the Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha Statue. I am not a Buddhist, but I thought this would be an interesting trip where we would be in a more tranquil place. I also wanted to see the Big Buddha in person.  This is a fascinating site and an amazing development.

After climbing up several flights on stairs to reach the base of the Big Buddha, we toured its inside, which is a museum. We headed back down to enjoy a vegetarian meal that tasted so healthy that I felt internally cleansed.

Below: About to venture of the stairs at the Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha Statue.

Below:  A vegetarian meal to complete the adventure at Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha Statue.

Hong Kong, Macau and the surrounding islands offer an experience of the city, the island and villages of Chinese culture.  I know I’ll be back for more!

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Wendy Lau is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on earning your online psychology degree  for the Guide to Online Schools.

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