Full Name
Hong Kong
Area
1,098 sq km
424 sq miles
Population
6,890,000
Time Zone
GMT/UTC +8 ()
Daylight Saving Start
not in use
Daylight Saving End
not in use
Currency
Hong Kong Dollar ($)
Electricity
220V 50HzHz

Hollywood Road and Upper Lascar Row (also known as "Cat Street"), are must-see stops on every visitor's itinerary. Crammed with antique shops and an open-air curio market, these quaint locales are ideal places for picking up eclectic souvenirs and gifts. Everything from Ming dynasty furniture and lotus lamps to Mao badges and ancient snuff bottles is on sale here. Bargain hunters will also enjoy the stalls on Ladder Street, just a few metres downhill - and bargaining over price is all part of the game.

Nearby Man Mo Temple is a picturesque tribute to the God of Literature (Man) and the God of War (Mo). The temple is located about halfway along the road and a stop in its quiet, incense-shrouded interior makes a pleasant break. You can see giant incense coils hanging overhead.

At the western end of the road is Hollywood Road Park, where a photo display shows the original old settlement close to this area

The site of sleepy fishing villages, is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, it is part of the Islands District.

History
Artifacts unearthed on the island show human activities dated back to the Neolithic Age and the Bronze Age. For instance, rock carvings at Shek Pik are thought to date back to the Bronze Age, while a stone circle at Fan Lau is probably from the Neolithic Age. Both sites are located on the southwestern coast of the island.

In 1276, the Southern Song Dynasty court fled to Guangdong by boat, fleeing Mongol invaders, and leaving the emperor Gong Di behind. Any hope of resistance centred on two young princes, Gong Di's brothers. The older boy, Zhao Shi, aged nine was declared emperor, and, in 1277, the imperial court sought refuge first in Silvermine Bay (Mui Wo) on Lantau Island and later in today's Kowloon City (see Sung Wong Toi). The older brother became ill and died, and was succeeded by the younger, Zhao Bing, aged seven. He died in 1279, and the Song Dynasty ended. These emperors are also believed to have held court in the Tung Chung valley, which takes its name from a local hero who gave up his life for the emperor.

Like Cheung Chau, Lantau was once the base for pirates and smugglers, and was one of the bases of Cheung Po Tsai in the 15th century.

Lantau Island, together with Tuen Mun were among the first European trading settlements in the Pearl River area, established by Portuguese traders in the 1510s. The Portuguese abandoned these settlements around 1517, following defeat against Chinese troops (see Fernao Pires de Andrade). Later, the island became an important trading post for the British, long before they showed an interest for Hong Kong Island.

Silver was mined at Mui Wo until the 19th century.

A major change affected the island in July 1998, with the start of operations of Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok.

Geographical characteristics
Lantau Island consists of mainly mountainous terrain. With an area of approx. 142 km², it is the largest island in Hong Kong, and is almost twice the size of Hong Kong Island. Lantau Peak (934 m) is the highest point of the island. It is the second highest in Hong Kong, after Tai Mo Shan, and is almost double the height of Victoria Peak. Lantau Island is often referred to as "the lungs of Hong Kong", because of its abundance of indigenous forest and relative scarcity of high-rise residential developments which characterise Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

Population
Lantau Island has a very low density population, with 45,000 people living there, compared to 1.4 million on Hong Kong Island. Settlements are scattered all over the island and each has its own distinctive characteristic. The completion of the Hong Kong International Airport in 1998 has irrevocably changed northern Lantau. The once quiet village of Tung Chung is now a mass of high-rise housing estates next to the airport.

Tung Chung is one of the new towns developed in recent years and its population is expected to increase from 20,000 to 130,000 (Source: The Hong Kong Economic Times, 08/08/2001).

Discovery Bay is a low-density residential development located on the north-eastern coast of Lantau. It has a current population of around 16,000 residents from over 30 different countries - gaining it a reputation as an expatriate enclave. The first phase went on sale in 1982.

Tourist Attractions
Tian Tan Buddha at Po Lin MonasteryMajor tourist attractions include the Po Lin Monastery on Ngong Ping Plateau, where the Tian Tan Buddha (or "Giant Buddha"), an 85-foot-high bronze Buddha statue, various monastery buildings and a vegetarian restaurant can be found. Walkers can ascend from Tung Chung to the monastery in two hours.

Tai O is a fishing village located on the west of Lantau Island and more than three centuries old. It is also known as the "Venice of Hong Kong". It is also a hot tourist spot for tourists visiting Hong Kong, despite damage by a fire in July 2000, thanks to its several hundred stilt houses. Tai O retains most of its historical setting such as waterways, stilt houses and fishing boats and it is famous for its fishing village scenery. Traditional Chinese food like salted fish and shrimp paste can be found there.

Tung Chung Fort was built in 1817 to thwart the opium trade and defend the coast from pirates. There are 6 old cannons and the enclosures are made of granite. During World War II, the Japanese army occupied the fort. In 1979, it was listed as one of the historical monuments and was refurbished in 1988.

The Trappist Haven Monastery at Tai Shui Hang, home to a number of Roman Catholic monks, sits on the east coast of Lantau Island, approximately halfway between the towns of Mui Wo and Discovery Bay. The Lantau Trappist congregation was established in Beijing in the 19th century.

Hong Kong Disneyland is being constructed on the northeastern part of the island, approximately two kilometres from Discovery Bay and is expected to be completed and opened in 2005 or 2006, on a massive land reclamation project in Penny's Bay. The US$1.8 billion project is planned to include a Disney theme park, two hotels and retail, dining and entertainment facilities stretching over 126 hectares (310 acres); as well as its own rail network linking from Yam O.

Over 50 percent of Lantau consists of national parks, including a large number of well-marked trails. The best known of these is the 70-kilometer, 12-section Lantau Trail. The national parks feature campsites and youth hostels. Lantau's best-known and longest beach is Cheung Sha and its most famous hike is to Sunset Peak, the third highest elevation in Hong Kong.

Following a major makeover costing HK$20 million, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong is offering visitors an unprecedented hands-on multimedia experience at its celebrity waxworks museum. The world-famous attraction now features more than 100 incredible wax likenesses of stars, world leaders and sports heroes displayed in five totally interactive themed settings that are spread over three floors within the completely refurbished Peak Tower complex. It's an amazing experience like no other!

Visitors to the new-look Madame Tussauds Hong Kong can not only meet their favourite idols but also join them in doing whatever has made them famous ?all to the accompaniment of appropriate background sounds. You can putt with Tiger Woods, shoot hoops with Yao Ming, dance on stage with Aaron Kwok and even step into a Rembrandt painting!

Guests can stroll through the attraction stopping to mingle with the stars and celebrities in the themed areas of Hong Kong Glamour, Music Icons, Historical and National Heroes, The Champions and World Premiere. You are allowed to pose with any of the wax models and even have your picture taken professionally.

Those more inclined to the international stage can stand alongside President Hu Jintao as he steps from his plane to the rapturous applause of the welcoming committee, or obtain an official seal of approval from George W Bush as they address the nation from the presidential podium.

If you ever wondered how these models are made, you can watch the fascinating wax figure-making process being demonstrated. There's also a souvenir shop featuring a full range of exciting souvenirs and gifts.