Golden Bauhinia Square

The Bauhinia Square is a famous tourist attraction in Wan Chai (on Hong Kong Island), named after the statue of a golden flower at the center of the area. The flower is Hong Kong’s special emblem, and the statue was a gift from China to Hong Kong during the handover and establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region that was held in July 1997.

A flag-raising ceremony is held there every morning at 8AM, and many tourists go there to take pictures. It is located near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, which is also a famous landmark whose shape reminds me of the Sydney opera house. From there you can take a short walk along the waterfront and see the tall buildings on the Kowloon side.
Repulse Bay

This is probably Hong Kong’s most famous beach. You can walk right down to the water’s edge from a temple just by the sea, and have a clear view of the distance. It was quite windy when we went there, and there weren’t any people swimming (it being December). But it was nice to take a long, leisurely stroll along the beach and hear the sound of the wind and the waves lapping on the shore. The area seems to be undergoing some development, but there are benches and paved areas with lamps where you can rest and just be. I imagine it must get quite crowded there in summer.
Fishing Village (Sampan Ride)

We took a sampan ride to see some floating fishing villages, which are actually houseboats and fishing boats clustered together in the water. The ride lasted about half an hour, and we got to see some of the fishing boats up close. We even saw some fresh-caught fish hanging from a line on one of the boats! It was nice to see how the traditional fisherfolk lived and see the contrast between their simpler lifestyle and the tall buildings and bustling city back on land.