Description: As an international financial and trading centre, Hong Kong has evolved significantly in the past few decades. Facing rapid development and changes, Hong Kong has a pressing need in the pursuit of sustainable development to enhance the quality of life and strengthen her status as Asia’s world city. This thematic tour is tailor-made to showcase the urban planning, infrastructure development and urban management in Hong Kong and how these can tackle the urban challenges and concerns. Unlike some city tours, this tour features detail explanations and information on various urban issues of sustainable development by government officers and our staff, such as water resources management, new town planning, urbanization and heritage preservation. Two travelling experiences, including coach and ferry, are included in this day tour to enrich the participants by showing different faces of Hong Kong. 

The journey will begin with a visit to the New Territories where demonstrates the water treatment works, land-use planning and development of the first generation of new town – Shatin. After lunch, the tour will continue to the renowned Tsing Ma Bridge where an introduction on transport networks and port development will be given on the coach. Victoria Harbour is one of the Hong Kong’s unique natural assets, participants will be brought to the promenade and experience a harbour tour. The tour will conclude with a visit to Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery which provides interactive devices to illustrate the recent planning and development in Hong Kong.

Descriptions: Besides the urban area with modern sky scrapers and extensive transport networks, Hong Kong also reserves many natural landscape and local culture in the rural areas.  Lantau Island, the largest island of Hong Kong, has been a hotspot for local tourists with its mountainous terrain and vibrant culture with local fishing villages.  Since the operation of Hong Kong International Airport in North Lantau in 1990s, Lantau Island has experienced rapid changes. This tour will show you how a leisure attraction for local tourists evolves into a world class tourist hotspot, while local people strive to preserve their local culture and natural environment.

We will pass through the Tsing Ma Bridge at the beginning of the tour, which is a major transport network connecting the airport and the urban area.  We will then take the Ngong Ping Cable Car to Tian Tan Buddha Statue.  From the Cable Car, we can see the natural landscape of the North Lantau and the development of Tung Chung New Town.  The cable car will stop at Ngong Ping Village, a new developed tourist attraction which provides retail and dinning services.  Adjacent to the Ngong Ping Village are the Tian Tan Buddha Statue and Po Lin Monastery.  As an important symbol of Buddhism, the Tian Tan Buddha Statue attracts tourists from different countries to experience the Buddhism Culture every year. In this area, we can see how a cultural centre develops into an international tourist attraction with modern tourist infrastructure. After visiting a world class tourist attraction, we will then go to Tai O, a local fishing village. The place shows a rare example of a Chinese stilt-house community.  We can also experience the traditional life style and see the traditional buildings of local villages from the local guided tour operated by local villagers.