Hong Kong Golfers Top Spots

Hong Kong golf insiders reveal their favourite local destinations.

JON WALL, travel editor of Prestige Hong Kong magazine, has been resident for 22 years and has lived for the past 12 on Lantau, Hong Kong’s biggest island and certainly one of its greenest and least populated areas. Setting a pattern for many of the insiders we consulted, his considered favourites are a mix of city slick and open air.

1. Lane Crawford: For years a byword for fiercely expensive frumpiness, Hong Kong’s original department store has reinvented itself as a dazzling emporium of everything that’s super-cool and razor-blade edgy. Think of its two floors in IFC Mall as a museum of the drool-over desirable as much as a place to spend money. www.lanecrawford.com.

2. The Pawn: One of the few remaining colonial-era Chinese buildings in busy Wanchai, and until recently a pawn shop, it now houses an atmospheric gastro-pub. Grab a table on the first-floor terrace with the double-decker trams trundling past and, suspending disbelief for just a moment, it’s possible to imagine you’ve slipped back several decades in time. www.thepawn.com.hk.

3.The Peak lookout: Admittedly, this delightful old cafe beside the upper Peak Tram station is a tourist-track staple, but on a sunny autumn day, with the whole of Hong Kong spread out beneath you, there’s nowhere quite like it. The food’s not bad either. www.thepeaklookout.com.hk.

4. Tai Long Wan: At the farthest extremity of Sai Kung Country Park, Tai Long Wan isn’t easy to reach (at least a couple of bus rides, a short speedboat journey and a one-hour hike), but with a rugged backdrop of mountains on one side and clear blue water on the other, this remote and magnificent spot is well worth the effort. Better still, take a tent and spend a night here; there are simple restaurants and washing facilities at the back of the beach. www.hkoutdoors.com.

5. Outlying Islands ferries: It costs just a few dollars to take a slow ferry to the islands of Cheung Chau, Lamma or Lantau, which is all the more reason to take a seat on the open back deck and watch one of the world’s most exciting cities slip away behind you, to be replaced by gorgeous views of mountains and ocean that are oddly reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands. And that’s just the beginning of a fascinating day of exploration. www.hkoutdoors.com.

DAVID BELL, Australian PR manager for Cathay Pacific Airways, lived in Hong Kong for 26 years and still visits four or fives times a year.

1. Walk around the Peak: On a clear day, there is nothing more delightful than a walk around the Peak on Hong Kong Island. From the upper Peak Tram station, along Lugard and Harlech roads, a footpath winds around the circumference, with unforgettable views of skyscrapers, harbour and outlying islands.

2. Tram ride: An off-peak tram journey along Hong Kong Island, from Kennedy Town in the Western District to Shau Kei Wan, through Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, North Point and Taikoo Shing, gives real local insights. Launched in 1904, it is one of only three tramways in the world regularly operating double-deckers (sit upstairs). www.hktramways.com.

3. Little bites: Dim Sum, the Art of Chinese Titbits (63 Sing Woo Rd, Happy Valley), features traditional furniture, old-fashioned ceiling fans and creative dim sum, dumplings and abalone. About $HK100 ($14) plus wine and service charge, and well worth it.

4. Lan Kwai Fong: This small neighbourhood on Hong Kong Island features bars, clubs and restaurants, many opening on to the street; perfect for strolling about on a summer’s evening. Adjacent SoHo, almost an extension of the older Lan Kwai Fong, is also popular with locals, expat residents and tourists. www.lankwaifong.com.

5. Hong Kong Museum of History: At this must-see museum, you start in ancient Hong Kong and proceed through a fishing village, small towns and downtown, all as they were under British rule and have been since the handover to China in 1997. www.lcsd.gov.hk.

DANNY LAI, concierge at the venerable Mandarin Oriental, advises guests on shopping and sightseeing.

1. Temple Street, Kowloon: Go in the early evening for traditional street bands and even Chinese orchestra players performing Cantonese opera songs among the hawkers’ stalls. Temple Street Market is here, and there are fortune tellers around the temple.

Cracker package
Cruise: Watch the spectacular Chinese New Year celebrations on February 15 from aboard the Legend of the Seas in Victoria Harbour, during a five-night Asian cruise. The package also includes a night before and after the cruise at the Marco Polo Hotel, Hong Kong, and return air fares and taxes from Sydney, all meals, entertainment, ativities, airport/hotel transfers and local transport passes. From $2699 a person, twin-share. More: 1300 369 848; ecruising.

2. Lei Yue Mun seafood village: Choose fresh seafood from the tanks to take to one of the adjacent restaurants to be cooked.

3. Hong Kong Wetland Park: In the New Territories, this is an attractive place with wooden walkways and viewing huts to watch birds and butterflies. The Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden is another green option. www.wetlandpark.com; www.kfbg.org.hk.

4. Double-decker trams: The track for this 1 1/2-hour trip runs along what used to be the shoreline of Hong Kong Island, but is now often 1km inland. Get off in Sheung Wan district for pre-war architecture, dim sum teahouses and street stalls selling “stocking tea” made with condensed milk and filtered through sackcloth. For home-style cooking: Ngau Kee restaurant, 3 Gough St.

5. Wet markets: Throughout the city (Graham Street is famous), these are not for the squeamish but great for people-watching and photography. Wear sensible shoes.

DAVID MEAGHER, editor of The Australian’s Wish magazine, a frequent visitor, has recently returned from a trip.

1. Hutong restaurant: Contemporary northern Chinese cuisine to die for and a view that is spectacular. Be seated by 8pm; the Central skyline explodes nightly in an over-the-top light show. www.aqua.com.hk.

2. Lane Crawford: The IFC Mall branch in Central is one of the best department stores anywhere. Tom Ford, Lanvin, Balenciaga; worth a visit just to see the visual merchandising. www.lanecrawford.com.

3. Octopus stored-value card: Buy at the airport and use Hong Kong’s public transport, including the Airport Express, just to see what Australian cities are missing out on: airconditioned subway platforms with rarely more than five minutes’ wait, minibuses for steep hills where the subway doesn’t venture. www.octopuscards.com.

4. Causeway Bay: Big-name stores and smaller boutiques stock great fashion at affordable prices.

5. Cathay Pacific Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport: If you’re travelling business (or first) class, get to the airport with time to spare as the lounge is one of the world’s best with its much talked-about Long Bar and Noodle Bar. www.cathaypacific.com.

VIJAY VERGHESE, editor of Hong Kong-based online magazine Smart Travel Asia, nominates:

1. Tai Mo Shan: Go to Hong Kong’s tallest mountain (in the New Territories) for wraparound views and splendid walks on rough-hewn trails, picnic tables and, in the evenings, kite-flyers catching the updraughts.

2. Shek O Village, Hong Kong Island: A fishing village that has turned boutique-chic with small restaurants and bars, a fine beach, barbecue area and golf club. Try the Black Sheep bar, +852 28092021.

3. Sai Kung, New Territories: This is a seafood lover’s paradise, an old-style residential area with tourist kitsch rubbing shoulders with history and yachts. Rent a sampan for the trip to Tai Long Wan, one of Asia’s best beaches. www.travelinsaikung.org.hk.

4. Tung Lo Wan Road and Wun Sha Street, Causeway Bay: Dinky cafes offer Japanese, Vietnamese, Szechuan, Cantonese and more; friendly, often messy and very local, although a couple of places are stylish.

5. SoHo, Hong Kong Island: South of Hollywood Road is where the cognoscenti wine and dine into the wee hours. Go clubbing in Lan Kwai Fong, a short stroll downhill. www.smarttravelasia.com/hongkong.htm.

RAINY CHAN, general manager of The Peninsula Hong Kong, shares her favourites.

1. Horizon Plaza: Just beyond Aberdeen, this is the place for brand-name shopping at huge discounts. Must-visits are Tequila Kola for Asian furniture and the Joyce Warehouse for past-season designer clothing. 2 Lee Wing St, Ap Lei Chau; www.dollarsaver.com.hk.

2. The Peak Tram: Rising 396m above sea level, this is one of the world’s oldest funicular railways. The Peak Tower offers shops, restaurants and Sky Terrace, with 360-degree views. www.thepeak.com.hk.

3. Salon de Ning: Our hotel’s new lounge, in Shanghai deco style, with live music, signature cocktails and Asian-inspired light fare. www.peninsula.com.

4. Sevva: A penthouse restaurant and bar atop Central’s Prince’s Building. www.sevvahk.com.

5. Hong Kong Museum of Art: Established in 1962 to preserve the cultural heritage of China and promote local art, the collection now has more than 14,000 objects. www.lcsd.gov.hk.

ANJALI NIHALCHAND, Hong Kong-based communications manager for Amanresorts, mixes full-day excursions with a romantic tete-a-tete.

1. Tai Long Wan, New Territories: Totally removed from the craziness of the city, this is a protected marine reserve with soft sand, clear blue water and serenity; hike or take a speedboat ride. www.hkoutdoors.com.

2. Hire a junk: Visit the outlying islands with a lunch stop in Lamma, where you can pick your seafood straight from the tank; try Lamma Hilton Shum Kee Seafood Restaurant, 26 First St, Sok Kwu Wan.

3. 131 restaurant: An all-time favourite in a three-storey village house with outdoor terrace and garden overlooking the bay, a 45-minute cab ride from the centre. www.one-thirtyone.com.

4. Sheung Wan: Meander through this old district forvintage furniture and clothing. I go to Master Ng to have my fortune told: $HK100 a question, with wide-ranging answers.

5. Healthy Foot: This is a local haunt for a good foot massage; 16 Eglin St, SoHo, +852 25300096. Or splurge at the Landmark Mandarin Day Spa. www.mandarinoriental.com/landmark.

MARINA BULLIVANT is marketing executive for Hong Kong’s trendy Jia boutique hotel.

1. Hatton Road Morning Trail: I live half-way up the Peak at Mid Levels and am a regular walker on this trail via lush hillsides, streams, waterfalls, historic ruins and harbour views. An hour to the Peak, then take lunch or a cocktail at the Peak Lookout Cafe; the Dragon’s Back trail is more adventurous. www.hiking-hong-kong.com.

2. Horizon Plaza: For recession glam, great deals on barely out-of-season designer collections: Joyce Warehouse, Lane Crawford and, nearby, Space for Prada, Miu Miu and Church shoes.

3. China Club: A private dining club (ask your hotel concierge for advice if you don’t know a member); gorgeous Shanghai deco interiors, great dim sum and thebusiness buzz of spirited conversations. Visit the top-floor library with its terrace and great views. 13thfloor, Old Bank of China Building, Bank Street, Central, +85225218888.

4. Jason Wordie’s walking tours: Join this local historian on interpretive tours or, if you prefer to wander, browse along Hollywood Road for contemporary Chinese art and antique galleries. www.jasonswalks.com.

5. Happy Foot: Pedi-massages in Central or Causeway Bay with private rooms for groups (BYO champagne) orhome visits. Central, +852 25221151; Causeway Bay, +85225733438.

GRANT PEARCE, men’s fashion director with publisher Conde Nast Asia-Pacific, has been resident in Hong Kong for more than 12 months and has been visiting for many years.

1. Island Tang: A wonderful alternative to designer David Tang’s members-only China Club is Island Tang, which is just as amazing and open to the public. www.islandtang.com.

2. Luk Yu Teahouse, Hong Kong Island: Established in 1933, this is the place for the authentic dim sum experience, exceptional staff (some of whom, I think, have been here since the opening), traditional interiors and, of course, the food. 24 Stanley St, +852 25235463.

3. Cococabana, Deep Water Bay: A curiously named but perfect outdoor setting for a long weekend lunch. www.toptables.com.hk/coco/.

4. Sevva and The Pawn: Wraparound terrace bar, perfect martinis and amazing views at Sevva. The newish cool bar and restaurant The Pawn, in the heart of Wan Chai, is on two floors of a converted pawn shop, with an English pub menu that includes roasts. www.sevvahk.com; www.thepawn.com.hk.

5. Star Street, Wan Chai: Stroll through this precinct for boutiques and small restaurants offering cosy atmosphere and great international food.

www.discoverhongkong.com

And of course for all the insider info on Golf in Hong Kong visit www.golfinhongkong.com