Fact Sheets & Video - Hong Kong

Hong Kong is vibrant and dynamic - so much so that some visitors find it takes a few days to adjust to the whirlwind pace. It overloads your senses with bright neon lights, harbour fumes, fishy odours and bustling streets full of traffic and pedestrian activity. It's a city that never sleeps, and would never want to.

With so much to offer, it's no wonder there's plenty of things to do for free.

First up is a free guided architecture tour of the city's CBD. The Hong Kong Island Walk takes around three hours and covers 15 key sights including Exchange Square, Jardine House and the HSBC Tower. This building, as you'll learn, cost more than a billion dollars to build, and is an impressive structure to visit.

Head across the harbour and you'll come to an area called Kowloon. This place is more like our Chinatowns in Australia, but a thousand times bigger. Here you'll find the best free show in town. Kowloon Park is the perfect open air venue for the Sunday Kung Fu Corner, and an ideal place for the whole family to spend an afternoon together. This weekly event features a variety of traditional kung fu demonstrations and cultural performances such as ceremonial drumming and lion and dragon dances.

Wednesdays is the best day to visit museums because that's the day many of them have free entry. f you'd rather escape the hectic city pace try heading to the nearest temple, like Sik Sik Yuen. This collection of temples are free to visit and feature beautiful gardens to walk in. Despite being in the middle of the city, they act as a retreat from the pace that surrounds them. It's by far one of the most relaxing and peaceful ways to see free Hong Kong.

But what's a tour around Hong Kong without a ride on an authentic Chinese junk boat? The Duk Long ride sets sail along Hong Kong's scenic harbour for a 360 degree view of the city's impressive skyline. After having sailed the harbour for more than 25 years, in the 1980s the vessel was lovingly restored to her original classic form. Today, the Duk Long is the last authentic sailing junk in Hong Kong - and you can experience it all for free!

The facts

Jetset has packages including return flights with Cathay Pacific, four nights accommodation at the Harbour Plaza Metropolis and transfers. Prices from the east coast start at $1296.

Jetset

Tel: 13 63 83

To pick up your list of free activities and events contact the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Hong Kong Tourism Board

Tel: 02 9283 3083

Toll free: 1800 251 071