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Hong Kong’s Southern District is laid back, but it’s also one of the city’s most diverse districts. Here, you can tackle Hong Kong’s most popular hike, visit artisan shops, explore historic buildings, and feast at local seafood joints. Let’s go!
Dragon’s Back Hike
Dragon’s Back offers an accessible 90-minute to two-hour jaunt with sensational panoramas of beaches and mansions, distant mountains and across the South China Sea. It’s also one of the best known, hence busiest, treks, so head out early or go in the late afternoon to avoid the hordes. To get there, take a bus from Shau Kei Wan or taxi to To Tei Wan on Shek O Road. After a steep 15- to 20-minute climb, you’ll find signposts to the main trail, which undulates across several hills, ending at the Correctional Institute on Shek O Road. If time permits, carry on to Big Wave Bay for a well-deserved burger and craft beer on the beach.
The Verandah
Take afternoon tea at The Verandah
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{{taRatingReviewTotal}} {{taRatingReviewText}} Address {{address}} Website {{website}} More info and you’re cast into another era; its whirring ceiling fans, potted palms and Art Deco flourishes hark to a bygone age of leisurely dining. With views over the ocean, this sophisticated restaurant is part of the Repulse Bay Hotel, Hong Kong’s original recreational stay, built on the site of the iconic 20th-century hotel bearing the same name. While The Verandah is a reproduction of the original interior, its grand, 1920s decor and elegance offer a nostalgic dip into the past.
Limewood
It’s bikinis and boardshorts a go-go at this upscale beach shack overlooking Repulse Bay. Limewood
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{{taRatingReviewTotal}} {{taRatingReviewText}} Address {{address}} Website {{website}} More info abounds with the buff and the beautiful sipping Aperol spritzes as they graze on wholesome Cali-meets-Asia fare, but you can leave them to stare at their selfies as you tuck in. Seafood is the speciality, from zesty ceviche to line-caught seabass flavoured with chimichurri and tamarind, while the jerked coconut corn and smoky coleslaw are delish. Servings are small, so order plenty to share and book ahead or be prepared to wait, especially on sunny days.
Béthanie
Located in Pokfulam, the Béthanie
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{{taRatingReviewTotal}} {{taRatingReviewText}} Address {{address}} Website {{website}} More info was built by the Paris Foreign Missions Society (Missions Étrangères de Paris) in 1875 as a sanatorium. Almost a century later, the heritage building was taken over by the Hong Kong Government and used by the University of Hong Kong from 1978 to 1997. Today, the Béthanie and the two neigbouring Dairy Farm cowsheds have been restored and transformed into the associated campus of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. You may walk around the premises or join the guided tour (Cantonese only) to visit the Béthanie Museum and the exhibition about the building’s history. Guided tours in English are available upon request. For enquiries on guided tours, please contact the Béthanie directly.
Aberdeen Fish Market & Promenade
Get a sense of Hong Kong’s seafaring origins at the Aberdeen Fish Market & Promenade
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{{taRatingReviewTotal}} {{taRatingReviewText}} Address {{address}} Website {{website}} More info . Rock up early and head to the wide, pedestrianised boardwalk, where you’ll encounter fisherfolk selling the day’s catch straight from their brightly coloured boats. Jostle with elderly folk snapping up the best specimens, then dive into the market itself, Hong Kong’s only wholesale fish depot. When hunger strikes, Yee Hope Restaurant is the local canteen for flip-fresh seafood and other Hong Kong staples. Open from 4am to cater for fisherman and market workers, it’s zero frills, with no menu and no English spoken, so be prepared to gesticulate — you won’t find fresher fish.
Sin Sin Atelier
Owned by cultivated artist, curator and adventurer Sin Sin Man, this diminutive studio shelves a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind stash of artisan-made jewellery, silver, apparel and accessories inspired by her travels across Asia. Having fostered a decades-long relationship with Indonesia, much of Sin Sin Atelier
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{{taRatingReviewTotal}} {{taRatingReviewText}} Address {{address}} Website {{website}} More info ’s collection is handpicked from the archipelago — don’t miss the beautifully printed fabrics and Southeast Asian artworks.
Find out more about the Béthanie with the Lord Wilson Heritage Trust’s video series on human heritage of Hong Kong.
Information in this article is subject to change without advance notice. Please contact the relevant product or service providers for enquiries.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board disclaims any liability as to the quality or fitness for purpose of third party products and services; and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, adequacy or reliability of any information contained herein.
