Travel to China

Stanley Market

Home to Stanley Market - famous for the wide variety of relatively inexpensive goods such as Chinese souvenirs, rattan products, handicrafts and designer labels - Stanley offers more than just shopping. It also boasts a relaxing beach, a plethora of waterfront restaurants and bars, and the 18th century Tin Hau Temple. Stanley Prison, which is still in use today, is also historically important, as this is where Hong Kong civilians were held during the Second World War.

Temple of heaven

Situated in the south of the city, this stunning temple park was built between 1406 and 1420. It was here that the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed, through an elaborate ritual, to the gods for good rains and good harvests. There are four main areas: the Round Altar, Echo Wall, the Vault of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The distinctive outline of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a symbol of Beijing, and a whisper at any point on the echo wall can be heard anywhere else along its length. Admission: CNY35.

Yu Gardens

The 400-year-old Yu Gardens were built in the Ming Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Jia Jin. Recognized as a significant national heritage site, the Gardens are a remarkable representation of a southern Chinese-style garden. Visitor highlights include the Jade Exquisite—one of the three most famous jade stones in East China. More recently, a shopping bazaar has developed around the attraction. Loud, bustling and full of character, tourists can brush up on their bargaining skills as they shop for souvenirs and gifts. Admission: CNY20.

Temple of Heaven

Situated in the south of Beijin, this stunning temple park was built between 1406 and 1420. Where  the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties prayed, through an elaborate ritual, to the gods for good rains and good harvests. It counts with four main areas 1- the Round Altar,2- Echo Wall, 3-the Vault of Heaven and 4-the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. The distinctive outline of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is a symbol of Beijing, and a whisper at any point on the echo wall can be heard anywhere else along its length. It will cost you CNY35 but it is definetly worth every CNY.

star ferry

The Star Ferry to/from Central to Kowloon is about $2.2HK and its pretty fun to see all the Christmas lights on all the tall buildings. Taking the ferry is quite common mode of harbor crossing and quite inexpensive. Try to avoid it when there's a storm or hard rain. It can get really shaky.

The Great Wall

The Great Wall extends over 6,000 kilometres in north China. It rises and falls like a magical dragon keeping the spiritual lifeline of their nation. More than 2,000 years ago, the First Emperor of Qin ordered that the separate walls left over by the principalities be linked up to form a wall thousands of kilometres long. General Meng Tian commanded 300,000 troops to beat back the attacks of the Huns in the north, take the Great Bend of the Yellow River and build the Great Wall . When hundreds of thousands of peasants, soldiers and prisoners built the wall in the mountains with their blood and sweat, they began to create a miracle in the world history, one of the greatest masterpieces left by mankind on the globe. The Chinese made so great efforts to build the wall because they were determined to defend their civilization. The Great Wall was a line of demarcation between the agricultural civilization and the nomadic civilization. Outside the Great Wall were grasslands and deserts. Inside it were fields and cities, a society with a high level of civilization built on the foundation of agriculture. Built in a period of about a thousand years, the Great Wall shows the firm will of the Chinese nation to defend its peaceful life. Even today, people are singing in the National Anthem: "With our flesh and blood, let us build our new Great Wall." Of course, the Great Wall was mainly a defensive project at first. During the Han Dynasty, the Great Wall stood on the desolate land like a guard defending the Silk Road, the only route of trade between the east and the west. The Great Wall extended to distant places. In a multi－national country, the defensive function of the Great Wall gradually disappeared. The Great Wall was rebuilt on a large scale during the Ming Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty when Emperor Qianlong crossed the Great Wall on his way to the Mountain Summer Resort, he was glad to find that the people of different ethnic groups inside and outside the Great Wall had become one family. The Great Wall kept apart the farming groups and the nomadic groups, but the separation enhanced their mutual attraction. The Great Wall prevented disordered plunder and promoted ordered trade. Bartering tea for horses brought prosperity to many cities along the Great Wall. Some strategic passes and fortresses became important cities and towns. Now the cultural discrepancies between the areas inside and outside the Great Wall have disappeared. The Great Wall has become a symbol of peace for various ethnic groups. Today the Great Wall has no practical use any longer, but people are coming from everywhere to view its grandeur and express their feelings. "The sky is high； the fleecy clouds are bright. We watch the southbound wild geese out of sight." The Great Wall is encouraging the Chinese nation to march on for ever.