Flickr, Emma Fok

The island on which Hong Kong is located has mountainous terrain, and its highest point is Victoria Peak. At the top of the mountain there is an observation deck that is a must-visit stop on almost every city tour, because it offers wonderful panoramic views. In addition, there are shops, cafes, restaurants, and even the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum here.

The easiest way to get to Hong Kong's highest point is by the funicular tram specially provided for this purpose. The tram itself is an attraction, because it was first launched in 1888 to connect the mountain settlements with the city's main residential areas. The idea was proposed by Alexander Findlay Smith, a Scotsman who assumed that such an innovation would speed up the settlement of the 'outlying' districts. Originally, the tram ran on steam power, and later, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was converted to electricity.

During the ascent, you will be able to leisurely take in Hong Kong and its surroundings. The tram will take you past historic districts, green plantings, residential buildings, harbors, and business towers. It is an excellent excursion that costs little, but allows you to see the city and feel the different shades of Hong Kong's atmosphere.

Flickr, Memnochsp

Victoria Peak (Eng. Victoria Peak, Chinese: 太平山) is the highest point on Hong Kong Island. The mountain is located in the western part of the island and was named after Queen Victoria. It is also known as Mount Austin. The island's residents usually call the mountain simply 'the Peak'. Victoria Peak is an elevation with several summits (the greatest height is 554 m above sea level). There are buildings, parks, cafes, and observation decks on the mountain, popular with tourists because they offer picturesque views of Hong Kong. You can reach the top in various ways — on foot, by road, and by the funicular, which is especially popular with tourists.

Flickr, claustral

Victoria Peak is the most popular place in Hong Kong, and this popularity is entirely justified. A stunning panoramic view of the skyscrapers and bays opens from a dizzying height of more than 500 meters above sea level. Moreover, this panorama is circular, since Victoria Peak is located right in the center of the city.

The best view, for which more than 6 million tourists climb the Peak every year, opens from the tower at the top of Victoria Peak, and it is called exactly that: Peak Tower. From afar, resembling a bowl or a traditional Chinese wok, the tower is in fact a large shopping and entertainment center. On the tower's eight floors are boutiques and shops, souvenir stores and cafes; the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and the museum of the history of the funicular, which has been bringing visitors to the Peak since 1888, are also here. Several restaurants that are extremely popular in Hong Kong are also located in the Peak Tower and, in addition to excellent cuisine, offer visitors an unforgettable view from the window.

The main purpose of visiting Victoria Peak for most tourists is the tower's observation deck — the Sky Terrace. Standing at the very highest point of Victoria Peak, you will see all the splendor of Hong Kong's 8 thousand skyscrapers and 200 islands spread out before you. This sight takes your breath away and remains in your memory forever.

Flickr, Quantum Stalker

At Hong Kong's highest and most famous spot, on the top floor of Peak Tower, is the world-famous observation deck - 'Sky terrace 428'. More precisely, it would be fair to say that it is the panoramic view from this deck that is known around the world as the most popular image of Hong Kong.

The scene that opens from the Sky Terrace is truly unforgettable — beneath your feet lie 8 thousand soaring skyscrapers and almost two hundred picturesque islands against the backdrop of a bottomless blue sky, an endless blue sea, and emerald mountains. They say that if you have been to Hong Kong but have not seen it from the Sky Terrace, you have not truly seen it.

428 meters above sea level - that is exactly what the mysterious numbers in the name 'Sky terrace 428' mean. The observation deck is located on the roof of Peak Tower - the shopping and entertainment center crowning the mountain. Peak Tower in its current form, resembling a traditional Chinese wok, was built in 1997 to replace the old building. Thanks to the unusual shape of the wide bowl, the architects created a space on the roof that can hold thousands of people at once.

The observation deck is open until late at night, so you can and should admire not only the bustling daytime life of Hong Kong, but also the mesmerizing spectacle of millions of shining and shimmering lights of the nighttime metropolis. Besides, there are so many entertainments, museums, restaurants, and shops at the top of Victoria Peak that you can easily devote an entire day to visiting them: first take in the daytime panorama, and after a long walk, imprint brilliant nighttime Hong Kong in your memory.

m.ztopics.com

Madame Tussauds Museum in Hong Kong (Chinese: 香港杜莎夫人臘像館, simplified Chinese: 香港杜莎夫人蜡像馆) is the Hong Kong branch of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. The museum contains more than one hundred wax figures. The museum was opened in 2000 in the 'Peak Tower' shopping center, on Victoria Peak. The first of the two Madame Tussauds museums in Asia. As of March 2007, the museum featured the following wax figures of famous people:

wolfgang.tuchong.com

Victoria Peak is the most picturesque and impressive place in Hong Kong; you will surely want to ride the funicular, visit the 'Sky terrace 428' observation deck in Peak Tower, and stroll through the museums and galleries located high above the city.

After a walk full of impressions and fresh mountain air, you will need a hearty meal, and the best choice will be the restaurant 'Pearl on The Peak' - the 'Pearl on the Peak'. Here you can prolong the pleasure of contemplating Hong Kong's delightful panorama and complement it with true gastronomic enjoyment.

The cuisine in the restaurant is excellent: you are offered a wide selection of exquisite fish and seafood dishes, an excellent grill menu, and a huge assortment of wines from different countries of the world. The interior of the restaurant is designed in a modern European style, small tables are surrounded by cozy white armchairs, which are so pleasant to lean back in after dinner and look at the city shining with lights through the glass walls.

The pleasant impressions are complemented by perfectly chosen lounge-style music and impeccable service. The restaurant 'Pearl on The Peak' will be an ideal choice both for lunch during a sightseeing walk and for a romantic dinner or a business meeting.

Flickr, Simon Hung - PSHK

It is hard to imagine a person who would not be interested in visiting the restaurant 'Bubba Gump Shrimp Co'. First, the restaurant is located in the most impressive place in Hong Kong - on Victoria Peak, and its windows offer an unforgettable view of the city from a bird's-eye height. What could be more wonderful than eating a delicious dinner and drinking good wine during an unhurried conversation while contemplating one of the world's most impressive panoramic views?

Second, the best seafood and fish dishes are served here. Most of the restaurant chefs' culinary delights are prepared from the freshest selected shrimp. Shrimp cocktail salads, appetizers, and hot dishes prepared in dozens of different ways will satisfy even the most demanding gourmets.

Third, if you have seen the film 'Forrest Gump', you will surely not be able to pass by the restaurant 'Bubba Gump Shrimp Co'. Aren't you interested in seeing the embodiment of the main characters' dream? The restaurant is decorated in a traditional American style, its interior is thought out down to the smallest details and, of course, very much here reminds you of the film.

The restaurant hall is decorated with scenes from the movie, the characters' costumes, and details familiar to all Forrest Gump fans. Weighty flip signs stand on the tables: if the sign on your table is blue and says “Run, Forrest, run,” the staff knows that you have everything you need. But as soon as you flip the sign to the red side, a waiter immediately comes running, ready to fulfill your every whim.

Flickr, knj_hirota

Setting off on a journey to Hong Kong's highest point — Victoria Peak, you will most likely use the special tram line. The ascent, one and a half kilometers long at an angle of about 30 degrees, will not take much time.

At the top, you can visit cafes and restaurants, enjoy the views of Hong Kong and the coastal scenery. Here too is the gallery dedicated to the very tram that brought you up. The history of this tram line goes back more than 120 years, beginning in 1888, when the first modest tram carried its first passengers to Victoria Peak, still using steam power.

Since then, much has changed: the funicular has become electric, Victoria Peak has turned into a tourist attraction, Hong Kong has become one of the world's largest metropolises, but the spirit of the era has been preserved here.

The Tram History Gallery was opened in September 2007; it represents a kind of timeline — from the end of the 19th century to the present day. More than two hundred exhibits are divided into 15 themed sections. The collection was assembled over many years; there are exhibits from all over the world here, and some items are more than one hundred years old. A precise copy of the very first tram car model is particularly interesting.