A now-protected wetlands, the Mai Po Marsh is one of the world’s greatest sites of wild birds, fish, and insect populations. And fortunately for those sensitive to heat and humidity, summer isn’t the only good time to visit. From October to May the annual migration floods the marsh with hundreds of interesting species.

Part of the Ramsar site, Mai Po is an important part of the East Asian Flyway for migratory birds. Within these 1,500 hectares (3,675 acres) managed by the World Wildlife Fund can be found nearly 500 distinct species of bird. During the winter months the wetlands are home to over 50,000 migratory birds.

There are Purple Herons and Arctic Warblers, Brown Flycatchers and Great Egrets. Marsh Sandpipers abound and there are still some of the world’s only remaining Black-faced Spoonbills and Spoon-billed Sandpipers. One of the hardest to spot is the Ruff, but Asian Dowitchers are plentiful.

The wetlands also attract some of the many interesting indigenous insect species, such as the colorful dragonflies and butterflies native to Hong Kong. There are also other wildlife, such as otters and leopard cats.

The area itself is of some interest as well, comprising mudflats, mangroves, shrimp ponds and reed beds.

Visitors should be prepared for the conditions. That can mean unexpected rain. But it can also mean man-made changes that occur without notice. Attempts to control the number and location of species result in frequent changes. Areas are often alternately drained and flooded by the local authorities managing the wetlands.

As a result, guidebooks or blogs or other sources that report a good location for spotting certain species may or may not be accurate at the time of your visit. But don’t despair, there will be many others just as delightful.

A permit to visit the park is mandatory and costs around $100 HK ($13 US) for a one-day visitor pass. Visitors must be five years old or older. For more information visit http://www.wwf.org.hk/eng/maipo/

It’s wise to plan in advance as permits can often take several weeks to obtain. Booking three months in advance is best. It’s unwise to attempt to visit Mai Po without a permit. Authorities are very strict and don’t accept excuses from those caught in the area without one.

The WWF organizes regular three-hour tours on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Those arriving for the first time are well advised to take advantage of their expertise. A swampland is no good place to get lost. Maps are provided for those who want to go it on their own. The tour currently costs around $70 HK ($9 US) and for a few dollars more you can rent binoculars.

Finding the Mai Po Marsh is easy. It’s located on the northwest coast of the New Territories, neighboring the Deep Bay. Visitors can take the MTR subway to Nam Chong, change to the West Rail to Kam Tin, then take a taxi to Mai Po.

Discovered while excavating for the present Lei Cheng Uk estate, the tomb has undergone extensive study and renovation since its opening to the public in 1957.

The tomb shows ample evidence of the influence of the Eastern Han Dynasty, including an inscription of Panyu on the tomb bricks. Panyu was a province of the period encompassing what is now Hong Kong. The design and other calligraphy establishes its age and history.

Now enclosed and visible through a large glass panel, the tomb contains four chambers in the shape of a cross. The design has no Christian religious significance, since Christianity was unknown in China at the time (Han Dynasty: 25AD-220AD).

Artifacts from the burial site, such as food storage, pottery and cooking vessels show the Chinese emphasis on food goes back millennia. Two of the recovered objects were bronze utensils and all are authentic. Also discovered were bronze bells, washing basins and mirrors, but oddly no human skeletal remains.

Next to the tomb is a large exhibit hall with photos, videos and other displays showing the history of the tomb and the excavation and conservation efforts.

A 3D digital animation video provides visitors with a detailed, 360 degree look inside the tomb. (There’s also a life-sized replica of the tomb at the Hong Kong Museum of History.) Since you can no longer enter the actual tomb, the video provides a ‘next-best’ view of the domed vault at the center and the four barrel-vaulted chambers.

Visitors will get a thorough explanation, through audio and text, of the efforts undertaken to preserve and understand the tomb. You can read all about how the inscriptions were deciphered and the means by which the artifacts were dated.

Next to the museum, you can stroll through the Han Garden. Completed in 1993, the Chinese garden follows the style of the Han Dynasty and adds to the re-creation of the atmosphere of the period. The garden includes pavilions, fishponds, terraces and rock sculptures typical of the times.

The tomb and grounds were once at the shore, but owing to modern land reclamations they are now over a mile inland. Don’t expect an Egyptian-style or ancient Scottish-style burial site, though. The tomb is surrounded by modern streets and buildings and covered with a modern protective canopy.

Getting to the museum and tomb site is easy. Simply take the West Rail to the Nam Cheong Station. Board bus No. 36A toward Lei Muk Shu and exit at Trade Square. Or, take the excellent MTR subway train to Cheung Sha Wan Station (A3) and walk along Tonkin Street to 41 Tonkin.

Lantau Island houses much more than the exquisite Po Lin monastery and famed giant Buddha statue. A short bike ride from the monastery is Mui Wo. For those who prefer a less strenuous form of transportation there’s also a convenient bus from the main depot at Po Lin.

Mui Wo is on Silvermine Bay, named after the 19th century silver mines that provided wealth for some and hope for others. The Silvermine Cave where most of the digging took place is now sealed off for safety reasons, but the area still offers much to see. The peaceful coastal waters and many trails aside lush greenery make the side trip well worth the effort.

Located on the southwest corner of Lantau Island is Fan Lau, a fort built in 1729 to protect shipping on the Pearl River. Once among the most notorious areas – hotbed of smugglers of guns, drugs and people – the fort now provides arrivals with a more peaceful visit. The ruins provide an interesting look back to a – happily – bygone era.

West of Lantau Island is Tai O, known as ‘Hong Kong’s Venice’. Housing several temples, including Guandi, Yanghou and Hongshenye, this tiny fishing village offers visitors excellent shrimp paste and fish.

After a small meal, explore some of the waterways and pedestrian bridges that make this island facing the South China Sea so spectacular. Among the many interesting sights are the pang uk, houses built on stilts over the waterways.

The occupants of those houses are the descendants of an ancient people, the Tanka. Immigrants to the Hong Kong area during the Han Dynasty, the Tanka have been fishing and navigating these waters for hundreds of generations. Visitors can pay one of the local boat owners a small fee and take a trip out in hopes of catching sight of one of the renowned Chinese white dolphins.

The village also houses a small museum for visitors, but the streets themselves offer the best source of information about the area. Residents can tell polite visitors anything they want to know about its ancient history or contemporary situation.

For those truly looking for something out of the way, try a visit to Peng Chau. Along the quiet green hills, hikers can take a journey back through time only a short ferry ride away from bustling, ultra-modern Hong Kong.

Here you can enjoy a visit to the small Tin Hau temple, built in 1792. Walk around the less than one square kilometer island and take a hike up to Finger Hill, then take the ferry back to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s nearby island neighbors are welcoming and ready to proudly display their ancient heritage.

An introductory exhibit shows the history of the harbor and surroundings as far back as 400 million years, showing it’s geological formation and the development of local plant and animal life. In a room the size of a commercial airplane hangar, visitors can see and read about the tigers and black bears that used to occupy the area. The exhibit is accompanied by Natural History-style Neolithic exhibits of early Chinese mankind.

Fast forward to the more ‘recent’ 2,000 BC and the beginnings of Hong Kong civilization. Here we find dozens of examples of pottery, jewelry and other man-made objects from China’s early civilized period.

Museum-goers will get a sense of the life of the average Chinese by boarding a fishing ship in one exhibit. Surrounded by statues and puppets the life of a fishing family in Hong Kong harbor is vividly recreated. Exhibits explaining life in the Ming and Qing dynasties demonstrate why there was a mass migration to Hong Kong during those centuries.

A third of the museum is devoted to Hong Kong’s British colonial period, beginning about 200 years ago. Portrayed by a harbor and street scene that tourists can walk in and around, you’ll see the cargo on the wharf as it appeared generations before Hong Kong entered it’s modern phase. Realism is maximized by recreations of the docks, a period tea shop and others. The floor even vibrates with the hum of a steamer engine.

Visitors can see genuine photographs of Hong Kong streets as they were 100 years ago. You’ll see reminders of the Opium Wars along with Sun Yat-Sen’s activities that led to the establishment of the Chinese Republic.

Further down the hall is a large exhibit showing the Japanese occupation during WWII, complete with an air raid shelter and booming sound effects.

Film clips from the 1960s show the beginnings of Hong Kong’s leap into the jet age. A series of exhibits catalogs some of the tragic disasters that have tested the spirit of these indomitable people.

Zoom ahead to the latest ultra-modern skyscraper. Photos and model displays show visitors the Hong Kong they can see out the windows. Some of the most innovative buildings along some of the world’s busiest streets remind visitors of New York times ten.

Now housed in a stylish, modern building, the museum was formed in 1962 and split from the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 1975. Small by British Museum or Smithsonian standards, at 17,500 square meters, the museum will nonetheless entrance visitors for hours.

The museum is easy to reach by the subway system. Take the MTR to Tsim Sha Tsui. Take exit B2 and walk along Cameron Road. Or take the Star Ferry from Central district then board the bus. The museum is located at 100 Chatham Road South, next door to the Science Museum.

Similar to other Disney parks, there are four themed areas – Main Street, USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. The park as a whole is smaller than others, but the company has long term expansion plans and already offers much more than a visitor can do in one day. With the recent addition of Autopia, Stitch Encounter and UFO Cool Zone that’s more true than ever.

Park visitors can see all the sights familiar from Disneyland in Anaheim or Paris. Along with the rides favorite Disney characters wander the park in costume and provide photo opportunities for the kids. Of course, since it’s Hong Kong, don’t be surprised if you hear Mickey speaking Mandarin!

Main Street in Hong Kong Disneyland is a perfect duplicate of the one in California and guests can ride the Omnibus, the Paddy Wagon or cruise along in one of the Main Street taxis. Inside the theater there’s film on the building of the park.

Adventureland offers many of the same attractions as Anaheim with a Jungle River Cruise and rafts to Tarzan Island. Be sure not to miss the Festival of the Lion King at Theater in the Wild.

Tourists will want to catch the Mickey’s PhilharMagic and see Maestro Mickey in his 3D adventure. Younger kids will want to take a spin on the Cinderella Carousel, based on the famous Disney movie. Old and young kids alike will enjoy boarding the Winnie the Pooh Hunny Pot and taking a journey through the Hundred Acre Wood.

Just as at other Disney parks, Tomorrowland offers the familiar Space Mountain rollercoaster and the Buzz Lightyear Journey to Infinity and Beyond. Board the Orbitron to pilot your personal flying saucer. Drive an electric car through the alien landscape in Autopia.

Visit Space Traffic Control and watch the fluffy blue alien Stitch (of Stitch & Lilo fame) deal with his arch-nemesis Gantu. Stitch is depending on the guests to help him escape. Visitors can even get a free lesson in speaking Hawaiian to go with the Mandarin they pick up while there.

There’s a daily Disney on Parade with all the well-known and beloved Disney characters marching through Fantasyland and down Main Street.

In true Hong Kong style, the music and dance of Disney in the Stars is accompanied by spectacular fireworks. Hum your favorite Disney tunes while watching the colorful display of choreographed explosions.

Ultimately, the company expects to be able to handle up to 10 million visitors per year. Come be one of them, but as with any Disney park be prepared for the crowds. Ever since it opened, it has been extremely popular.

Once a British military base, the park offers over 13 hectares (33 acres) of greenery, sculpture, swimming pools and quiet gardens and buildings. There’s even a large piazza for concerts gracing the park. Visitors to Hong Kong could easily spend a weekend vacation in Kowloon and still not see it all.

For those who want to relax in an active way, the park provides several athletic facilities. For younger kids there are two playgrounds with supplied equipment and the bruise-proof floor helps parents’ minds rest easy. Kids will love The Discovery Playground, reconstructed from some of the old British fort components, including cannon.

Older ‘kids’ of all ages can enjoy soccer, handball or take a ride along one of the many bike paths. The Sports Centre features regular events and anyone can have a game of squash or basketball.

For those who like their physical activity a little more serene there are still dozens of choices. A simple walk down the lane among the greenery is an option in many parts of the park. Birdwatching is an often enjoyed activity along the way. Bird Lake hosts a variety of species and the aviary holds nearly forty local waterfowl types.

Tai Chi is a common activity in Kowloon Park, often with advanced masters leading a group of regulars and drop-ins from the local stock exchange who want to relieve a little stress. Guests are welcome to join in.

For purely mental exercise there are numerous tables in Banyan Court with chess games always in progress. Visitors can watch quietly or test their skill against one of the elder experts who frequent the park.

Just walking along to see the sights is a pleasant combination of physical and mental exercise. The many sculpture in Sculpture Park provide a mini-outdoor museum. The multi-colored bird sculpture spiraling around the fountain is a particular favorite of the locals. One of the more unusual offerings is the large totem pole, a gift from Canada.

Any of the Chinese gardens will delight fans of botanical gardens. Woven throughout the park, they offer a variety of local plant and flower species. Set off among them are several ponds, including the delightful turtle pond holding several who happily while away the day in the cool shade and clear water.

If you feel like emulating the turtles, there’s a public swimming pool in Kowloon Park that’s open to locals and tourists alike. A swim is often a good way to get information about Hong Kong that isn’t in the tour guides from a friendly resident.

But visitors don’t need to feel pressured to do anything. Just sitting in one of the many quiet nooks, reading or merely soaking in the surroundings is a commonly enjoyed pastime in Kowloon Park.

There’s enough to see and do in and around the monastery to consume a vacation day or more, so plan ahead.

The trip there is an adventure in itself. Take the MTR (the excellent Hong Kong subway system) to Tung Chung. Outside at the bus terminal, board the No. 23. The ride can take an hour or longer and winding your way up the mountainside provides a pair of delights. Riders get to see some of the superb countryside and seaside near Hong Kong and at the same time experience the harrowing joy of a typical Chinese rollercoaster bus ride.

Founded in 1924 as a sanctuary for Buddhist monks, the Po Lin Monastery offers superb sights both inside and out. The view from the top looking out over the sea and mountainside is breathtaking.

You’ll be free to look around at the exterior, which provides a superior example of the architecture and art of the period and style. The monastery is festooned with small statues and inscriptions. The surrounding grounds make it easy to imagine the tranquility that motivated the monks to make it their home.

You can experience a small taste of that lifestyle for yourself by purchasing a meal ticket and enjoying the vegetarian lunch prepared by the monks in the dining hall.

Inside the temple, it isn’t necessary to remove your shoes, nor to wear long pants as required by Buddhist temples elsewhere. Simply acquire an incense stick and offer three bows to the ancestors who watch over the monks and their sacred building. Place your incense sticks in the holder and then enjoy the many colorful and intricate carvings and decorations.

Visitors can even stay overnight and see the rising sun the next morning. The view of the light spilling onto Fong Wong Shan Mountain, twice the height of Victoria Peak, has inspired the monks for decades in their peaceful retreat.

From the temple gate, look out toward the top of Muyushan Mountain. You’ll be able to clearly make out a large copper statue of the seated Sakyamuni, reaching 26 meters (85 feet) high. Sakyamuni was the sage of the Sakyas, a Buddhist-Lamaist (Tibet) god and the historical Buddha.

Here known as Tian Tan or The Big Buddha, the statue was constructed over a steel frame and completed in 1993 after a 10-year construction effort. It sits atop the plateau, reached by climbing 268 steps.

Stand at the base and take in the setting first. Around the pedestal is a three-story exhibition hall containing a large bell. Rung 108 times per day, it is said to relieve the 108 vexations. As you listen to the chimes, you can take in the many finely carved Buddhist figures.

Then walk up and glance around to take in the view the Buddha has, from an island twice the size of Hong Kong itself. You’ll begin to feel, perhaps, as the monks do about Lantau Island and the Po Lin Monastery.