Not to miss

Hong Kong Museum of History

This museum takes visitors through the area's history, from 6000 years ago to the fast-talking present. Landform, flora and fauna are covered before the human stories get a look in with replicas of village dwellings, traditional Chinese costumes and a realistic re-creation of an entire street block from 1881.

Hong Kong's newest museum, which opened its permanent exhibition in 2001, focuses on the territory's archaeology, natural history, ethnography and local history. It is well worth a visit not only to learn more about the subject but to understand how Hong Kong presents its history to itself and the world.

'The Hong Kong Story' takes visitors on a fascinating walk through the territory's past via eight galleries, starting with the natural environment and prehistoric Hong Kong - about 6000 years ago, give or take a lunar year - and ending with the territory's return to China in 1997. Along the way you'll encounter replicas of village dwellings; traditional Chinese costumes and beds; a re-creation of an entire arcaded street in Central from 1881, including an old Chinese medicine shop; a tram from 1913; and film footage of WWII, including recent interviews with Chinese and foreigners taken prisoner by the Japanese.

Victoria Peak

If you're in Hong Kong, you'd be mad to miss a trip to the top of Victoria Peak, 552m (1810ft) above sea level. The views are giddyingly beautiful in every direction, with the vista of the business district, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon especially grand. In true Hong Kong style the main viewing deck is on the roof of a large shopping mall.

Join the throng of snap-happy tourists - you won't be disappointed. If you have time, it's worth making the trip to the top both in daylight (ideal to get your bearings) and at night, when the mass of lights around the harbour will take your breath away and make you wish you had a better camera. The actual peak is a 10-minute walk west and up.

Man Mo Temple

This temple is one of the oldest and most famous in Hong Kong. The Man Mo, literally 'Civil and Military', is dedicated to the two deities of aforementioned attributes. Inside the temple are two antique chairs shaped like houses, used to carry the two gods at festival time. The smell of incense coils suspended from the roof permeates the air.

The civil deity is a Chinese statesman of the 3rd century BC called Man Cheung, who is worshipped as the god of literature and is represented holding a writing brush. The military deity is Kwan Yu (or Kwan Tai), a Han-dynasty soldier born in the 2nd century AD and now venerated as the red-cheeked god of war; he is holding a sword. Kwan Yu's popularity in Hong Kong probably has more to do with his additional status as the patron god of restaurants, pawnshops, the police force and secret societies such as the Triads.