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As a Hong Kong Specialist I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to visit with the Hong Kong Tourist Office for a long weekend. On arrival we checked into the Marco Polo Hong Kong and I was equally thrilled to find I had been given a harbour view room. These rooms would usually be at a supplement and have wall-to-wall windows with stunning views of Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island across the water. The hotel is located along Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. What that means is the Star Ferry and Hong Kong’s tourist office are minutes away while shopping is right next door at Harbour City – Hong Kong’s largest shopping complex.

As we were in the ‘city that never sleeps’ we decided that we would head out to Ladies Market to do some haggling. Sure enough the stalls are full of replica handbags, watches, t-shirts, etc. and you get good quality for very little cash. If you go as a group and can team up you will get good discounts for quantity - I bought pashminas in virtually every colour under the sun for Christmas stocking fillers and the ‘designer’ shirts also went down well!

After a good night’s sleep we started the day with a visit to Victoria Peak. The tram looks pretty normal but as you leave the station it climbs very steeply and you see the need for the ridges on the floor of the carriage which stops people slipping backwards! The view from the top is amazing but on the day we went it was hazy and you could hardly see the other side of the harbour let alone the mountains. Everyone knows the iconic pictures of the harbour and the Giant Buddha but few realise that Hong Kong is 70% national park.

As the trip was organised by the tourist board they were keen for us to experience the different forms of transport available. In a city where only 5% of the population drive, the transport systems are cheap, efficient and frequent. We also see the diversity of the local lifestyles as the houseboats of the fishermen sit in the waters below the skyscraper apartment blocks close to ‘Jumbo’ – the largest floating restaurant in the world!

There are plenty of places to watch the ‘Light and Sound’ free laser show which happens at 8pm every night at the Kowloon waterfront. If you’re outside you can hear the music but we were up on the 28th floor of the Peninsula Hotel after a brief hotel inspection & just enjoyed the view. Later we decided to venture across the harbour on the famous Star Ferry to Lan Kwai Fong for a nightcap. The bars and clubs were in full swing and the taxis ran long after the ferry and MTR had stopped. It’s always a good idea to take a handful of hotel cards with you when you go out as they have the hotel name, address and directions in Chinese characters – invaluable late at night!

Next day we went to Lantau. This island is the home to the airport, Disneyland, the Giant Buddha and Tai O fishing village. I had always imagined the Giant Buddha to be ancient but in fact it was only completed in 1993. Our guide told us about the beliefs and customs of Buddhists before we visited the Po Lin Monastery and finally Ngong Ping Village which is also new. The Village has some shops, a theatre and a tea house but is essentially the place where you wait, take photos and then descend on the new Skyrail cable car. Again, luck wasn’t with us at it was hazy and the views weren’t that good but it was a smooth, peaceful, 25 minute journey and I could imagine the views of Lantau on a clear day would be lovely.

Disneyland was everything I expected it to be… a smallish ‘Magic Kingdom’ but immaculate and well organised with rail transport to the park.

Unlike Ngong Ping, Tai O is an authentic, working village. People don’t speak very much English and it’s heaving with locals at the weekend who buy fresh fish to eat and dried fish for medicinal purposes. We also visited their Taoist temple and learned about why they burn paper replicas of luxury items such as mobile phones and have heaven & hell bank notes!

Tai Chi, Feng Shui, ceremonial tea drinking and Dim Sum lunch finished our last day!