Hong Kong & Macau [antikvár]

The Author Steve Fallon A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Steve graduated from Georgetovkin University with a Bachelor of Science in modern languages, including Chinese. After he had worked for several years for an American daily newspaper and earned a Master's Degree in journalism, his fascination with the 'new' Asia led him to Hong Kong, where he lived for over a dozen years, working for a variety of media and running his own travel bookshop. Steve lived in Budapest for 2V2 years before moving to London in 1994, and returns to his 'hometown' of Hong Kong almost annually. He has written or contributed to more than two dozen Lonely Planet titles, including China and Best of Hong Kong. PHOTOGRAPHER Greg Elms Greg completed a Bachelor of Arts in Photography at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, then embarked on a travel odyssey across Australia, Southeast Asia, India, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. He has been photographer for numerous award-winning books, and has worked for magazines, ad agencies, designers and, of course, book publishers such as Lonely Planet. STEVE'S TOP HONG KONG DAY A tip-top night usually demands a tiptoe morning, but I need to hammer myself awake today. What better way than by having early dim sum at City Hall Maxim's Palace (pl52)? Two hours (and as many Extra-Strength Tylenols) later, the tide is high and I'm not holding on; time to jump on the MTR and then the KCR West Rail for Yuen Long and the Mai Po Nature Reserve (pll2). After communing with feathered friends - almost a species for every day of the year - I've half a mind to check out the new Hong Kong Wetland Park (pill). Instead I remain on the move, with the Light Rail taking me to Tuen Mun and the ferry bound for Tung Ching on Lantau. Before I know it, I'm on the Ngong Ping 360 cable car (pl33), climbing upward for Ngong Ping village and the Tian Tan Buddha statue (pl33). After devotions and devouring (at the vegetarian canteen, pl95), I follow the Lantau Trail (p220) westward for a couple of kilometres (just to say I've done it); bus 1 (or 2 or 4, for that matter) on the Keung Shan Rd takes me to Mui Wo (pl32). As luck would have it, there's an inter-island ferry at the pier waiting to take me to Cheung Chau and a seafood meal at one of the Praya St restaurants (pl92). I'll catch a late-evening ferry back to Central and check out what's on at the Hong Kong Fringe Club (pi52) before walking down memory lane at the Cavern (p211) in Lan Kwai Fong. LONELY PLANET AUTHORS Why is our travel information the best in the world? It's simple; our authors are independent, dedicated travellers. They don't research using just the Internet or phone, and they don't take freebies in exchange for positive coverage. They travel widely, to all the popular spots and off the beaten track. They personally visit thousands of hotels, restaurants, cafés, bars, galleries, palaces, museums and more - and they take pride in getting all the details right, and telling it how it is. For more, see the authors section onwww.lonelyplanet.com.