The Hong Kong Flower Show

Every year for about 10 days in March, Victoria Park plays host to the annual Hong Kong Flower Show.  This year it’s on from Mar 11 – 20.   If you don’t mind the crowds and if you want to score some really good deals on orchids (or other plants) and other planting paraphernalia (pots, soil, seeds, fertilizer, tools, etc.) without having to trek all the way to Prince Edward for the Flower Market, this is definitely a must-see.

 

Perhaps don’t go on the first day or even the first weekend as there would be long lines and LOTS of people.  I went on a Wednesday morning.  There were still a lot of people. but I did not have to queue up just to get my entrance ticket.   There were a lot of elderly people (senior citizens get free entry on weekdays).  There were many photographers.  There always are at the show.  They pull out the fancy equipment –big lens, tripod, etc., –all in the hopes of capturing the perfect macro.

 

This year’s theme is Symphony of Spring Flowers and there are many “flower sculptures" designed to the theme.  Apart from music notes, there were flower animals, too!  Apart from these flower displays, there are also floral arrangement exhibits from local organizations as well as overseas ones.

 

Many people go on the last day of the show, because that is when they can snag plenty of bargains on the plants that the vendors don’t want to have to take back to their nurseries and shops.   Although you won’t get as much choice or selection on the last day, you could still potentially get some really good deals.

Venue : Victoria Park, Hong Kong Date & Time : 11 - 20 March 2011 (10 days), 9:00 am - 9:00 pm Theme Flower : Primula Theme : Symphony of Spring Flowers Admission Fees Adults : $14 Children, students and senior citizens aged 60 or above : $7 Persons with disabilities and minder (each person can enjoy the concessionary rate with one minder only) : $7 Concessionary Rate during Monday to Friday Free admission for senior citizens aged 60 or above Free admission for persons with disabilities and minder(each person can enjoy the concessionary rate with one minder only). Adults in a group of 30 persons or above will be admitted at half rate.

 

 

Mui Wo

Mui Wo is a quaint rustic town on the eastern coast of Lantau Island - still a part of Hong Kong but far removed from the concrete jungle of the city. It's a great place to visit to get away to view the simple charm of a rural village. The easiest way to reach Mui Wo is to take the ferry from Central (Hong Kong Island) or from Discovery Bay (Lantau Island).

Since we were visiting from Lantau Island we took the ferry from Discovery Bay.

View of Discovery Bay from the boat.

You can also hike there from Discovery Bay. It's a hilly 2 hour hike and along the way you pass by the Trappist Haven Monastery. You can see the steeple in the hills in the picture above. The Trappist Monastery is known for making the cream rich Trappist milk, although the farms are no longer located here and have instead been relocated within the New Territories.

At Miu Wo:


You can rent lovely colorful bikes to pedal around the town.

Part of Silver River flows down a canal that passes through part of the town.

They have a wet market here where you can purchase fresh local produce and seafood.

Right next to the wet market is a small temple.

There is also an cooked food market with small restaurants to choose from if you are feeling peckish.


Dragon boats along Silvermine Beach. We didn't have time to visit, but the Silvermine Bay Waterfall is located within a 5 minute hike from the beach.

The real reason we went to Mui Wo. All our friends raved about Bahce, a Turkish restaurant, which we had to try. We had a mix of hot and cold mezze and some beef kofta. It was pretty yummy.

Bahce provides crayons and paper for children to draw on and also offers a children's menu.

View from the pier.

How to get there:
From Central, take ferry at Pier 6 which is located behind the IFC mall.
From Discovery Bay, take ferry from Kai-to Pier which is next to the Marina Club.
From Tung Chung (MTR Tung Chung, Station Exit B), take bus 3M from Tung Chung Town Centre Bus Terminus.

Star Ferry

When in HK, riding the Star Ferry is a rite of passage. The Star Ferry shuttles you between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon and thousands of people cross Victoria's Harbour this way, whether it is for their daily commute or just a great way to enjoy the view of the harbour, especially in the evening when the light displays on the buildings are active. Fares range from only $2-3 HKD, depending on if you are riding the upper or lower deck of the ferry or if it is a weekday versus the weekend.

Even the buoys are personalized. Most boats are green but there is one red boat in the feet called the Morning Star.

The deck of the ferry.

The back rest on each row of seats can be flipped so that passengers can ride forwards or backwards.

Enjoying the ride!

When the Star Ferry first operated they were only 4 coal fueled boats in the fleet. Today, the boats are diesel powered and there are now 8 boats in operation, each named after a particular star. The crew still sport the same sailor uniforms though! It's amazing to see them in action, as the rope in and dock the boat.

As the boat crosses Victoria's Harbour, you can see the convention center in Wanchai and above it the Central Plaza, the IFC building (tallest building in Hong Kong), the Back of China, and the HSBC building. At the Tsim Sha Tsui ferry pier you can see the landmark clocktower which is the last remnant of the old Kowloon railway station.

Source: Star Ferry Website

Quick Facts:
Routes: The ferry runs from Centra/TST, Wanchai/TST, Hung Hom/Central and Hung Hom/Wanchai. There is also the Harbour Tour which is a tourist cruise that makes a circular route to all the stops.
Hours: Hours of operation vary per route. Please refer to schedule on the Star Ferry Website.
Cost: Fare information can be found on the Star Ferry Website.