Day 10. Nan Lian Gardens, Hong Kong

On By Little Miss TravellerIn Asia, Bangkok & Hong Kong May 2016, Hong Kong, Hong Kong May 2016

After a leisurely hotel breakfast we took the MTR to Diamond Hill, Kowloon so that we could visit the Nan Lian Gardens, a haven of tranquility set amidst a myriad of towering apartment blocks.

Rush hour stop sign on the Hong Kong MTR
Rush hour on the MTR, staff hold signs informing passengers not to board

The gardens which only opened to the public in 2006 are designed in the Tang style and cover 3.5 hectares.  The idea of the gardens was to promote the history and culture of China.  Admission is free and the gardens are an absolute delight.  We admired the lotus pond and pavilion then looked in the Chinese Timber Architecture Gallery which displays some interesting scale models of existing Tang structures.  Adjacent to the gardens lies the Chi Lin Nunnery which is a large Buddhist temple complex featuring elegant wooden architecture.

Nan Lian Gardens, Hong Kong
Nan Lian Gardens

Returning to the MTR station we paused for morning coffee in the Hollywood Plaza shopping mall then spent some time browsing the shops in this modern, large mall.

Golden Pavilion, Nan Lian Gardens, Hong Kong
Nan Lian Gardens

Moving on, we rode the MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui to visit Kowloon Park, a pleasant urban park with centrepiece fountain.  Some window shopping followed along the bustling Nathan Road and a visit to the Hong Kong China Outlet Mall on Canton Road.  This was a real disappointment, over-priced stock in a drab shopping mall so we didn’t linger very long.  Fortunately it was only a short walk off route, so we retraced our steps and visited the much smarter malls of Gateway and Harbour City which were more to our liking.  After a productive shopping trip we took the Star Ferry across to Central, the first time during the week that we’d crossed in daylight.  Thankfully, it wasn’t too busy so we were able to sit by the window and take some photos of beautiful Victoria Harbour.

Star Ferry, Hong Kong
View from on board the Star Ferry

More shopping followed in the IFC Mall before returning back to our hotel in North Point by tram, laden with our packages.  After a cup of tea and some more of the local bakery’s delicious coconut buns we were ready for our final evening in Hong Kong.

A quick MTR ride to Tsim Sha Tsui, a stroll alongside the majestic Peninsula Hotel, then across to the promenade to watch the Symphony of Lights music and laser show which takes place nightly at 8.00 pm.  The evening’s commentary and music was in Chinese but some evenings it’s in English with Western choreography.  It didn’t really matter that we had chosen to attend on a ‘Chinese’ night except that we couldn’t follow the commentary.  I tried to take some photos but it was very difficult as the lasers change constantly.  The Light Show draws huge crowds but there are ample vantage points to view the spectacle, we were sitting on some steps where we had an uninterrupted view.

Star Ferry docked, Hong Kong
The iconic Star Ferry

After the show had finished we had a quick look in ‘SOGO’ the largest Japanese style department store in Hong Kong with branches in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay before finding somewhere to enjoy our final evening meal of the holiday.

Symphony of Lights, Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong
The Symphony of Lights, Victoria Harbour

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32 thoughts on “Day 10. Nan Lian Gardens, Hong Kong”

  6. We also visited the garden and the nunnery ( no photos allowed). We stopped by a temple on our way back to our hotel. The MTR is great for visiting HK. It is not surprising we did similar things.. We also watch the Symphony of Lights. I keep very good memory of our travel to HK.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oh you have made my day! Thank you for such a lovely comment. I started writing my blog in diary format so that I could look back on my trips and remember how I had spent my time. I never believed other people would find it so useful and enjoy reading it too – it makes me so happy. Have a brilliant time in Hong Kong and don’t hesitate to contact me if you need more advice.

      Liked by 1 person

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