4 Best Sights in Hong Kong, China

One of the prettiest parks in the city proper is a sloping arrangement of rock gardens, water features, and leafy pathways. It's common to stumble on locals practicing tai chi or reading in a secluded spot. This welcome respite from the surrounding skyscrapers occupies the site of a former garrison called the Victoria Barracks, and some buildings from 1842 and 1910 are still standing.

The park is home to the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware. With its simple white facade, wooden monsoon shutters, and colonnaded verandas, the house is the earliest surviving example of colonial Greek revival architecture in Hong Kong. Built in 1846 as the office and residence of the Commander of the British forces, it now serves as a museum dedicated to the art of tea, exhibiting hundreds of delicate tea sets from the Tang (618–907) through the Qing (1644–1911) dynasties. Look out for the understated beauty of Yixing teapots, crafted from unadorned brownish-purple zisha clay, where perfection lies in their flawless form and the subtle, tactile texture of the clay. You will also be able to find the Edward Youde Aviary, containing hundreds of tropical birds. A raised boardwalk gets you close to the ornithological action.

The Peak Tram has its lower terminus just beyond the park's northwest exit.

One of Hong Kong's most beautiful parks, Kowloon Walled City Park is designed in Qing-dynasty style. In previous centuries it was a walled military site, then a notorious slum filled with unlicensed doctors and dentists, opium dens, brothels, gambling houses, and worse, until it was demolished in 1994. Today the major attraction is the Yamen—the imperial government administrative building—the only remaining structure from the original Walled City and an example of southern Chinese architecture of the 19th century. There are also a number of traditional gardens on the grounds, and eight zones showcasing different flora that you can see on free 45-minute guided tours on weekends. Hong Kong's Thai community is based in the streets south of the park, and there are countless hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurants.

This 670-acre extension of Hong Kong's largest park is packed with challenging trails, like the Mount Parker Trail and Sir Cecil's Ride, that reward hardworking hikers with stunning views of Hong Kong's skyline. Another interesting sight is the Wartime Stoves, relics of cooking ranges built by the government in 1938 in anticipation of war. Since Hong Kong fell soon after the start of the Battle of Hong Kong on 8 December 1941, it's thought that the stoves have never been used. The densely forested park is also home to rich wildlife, including the elusive Chinese leopard and the Hong Kong newt, making this a compelling stop for both history and nature lovers.

Hong Kong Island's largest park is a welcome breathing space on the edge of Causeway Bay. It's beautifully landscaped and has recreational facilities for soccer, basketball, swimming, lawn bowling, and tennis. At dawn every morning hundreds practice tai chi chuan here. During the Mid-Autumn Festival it's home to the Lantern Carnival, when the trees are a mass of colorful lights. Just before Chinese New Year (late January to early February), the park hosts a huge flower market. On the eve of Lunar New Year, after a traditional family dinner at home, much of Hong Kong happily gathers here to shop and wander into the early hours of the first day of the new year.