Victoira Peak
The
Chinese name for Victoria Peak is Tai Ping Shan (Mountain of Great Peace),
but it's simply the Peak to English-speaking residents and is the most
enduring tourist attraction of Hong Kong. The top of the peak is 1,805
ft above sea level, and on a clear day the panorama is breathtaking, offering
a view of Hong Kong's islands stretching all the way up to the mainland
shores. Besides being the most prestigious address to have in Hong Kong,
the Peak offers highly hospitable parkland to visitors. It is a popular
picnic spot, filled with beautiful walking paths that circle the peak.
A lookout pavilion just below the summit was once part of a former governor's
residence. The original gardens and country walks remain and are open
to the public.
The Peak
Galleria shopping mall and the Peak Tower next door have a wide selection
of restaurants and boutiques selling souvenirs, clothes, and gifts. The
Peak Tower has several attractions for children: The Peak Explorer is
a virtual-reality ride through outer space, while the Rise of the Dragon
takes you on a railcar through a series of animated scenes from Hong Kong's
history, including a frighteningly accurate rendition of the 1907 typhoon
that devastated the territory. There is also a Ripley's Believe It or
Not Museum.