Hong Kong
New Territories
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Sha Tin) - This is not a particularly old temple, but kids will be impressed with thousands of statues of the Buddha. Each Buddha is unique, all in different poses and brilliantly colored. The temple complex has the second biggest Buddha in Hong Kong and beautiful red pagodas.
Hong Kong Railway Museum (Tai Po) - If someone in your family has the train bug, take a jaunt to this small museum in the old Tai PO Market railway station. The station, built in 1913, is no longer used and houses the museum, as well as old train cars and train models.
Pedaling around Tai Mei Tuk (Tai Po) – At Tai Mei Tuk Rd. (and Ting Kok Rd.), rent bicyles and go for a lovely ride around the Plover Cove Reservoir. Surreys (four wheelers) are great fun if you have little kids.
Bring a picnic and make a day of it. There are two picnic areas: one by the parking lot at Ting Kok Rd., the other at the bottom of the hill from Plover Dam.
Sai Kung Country Park - The Sai Kung Country Park (Kai Sung East and Kai Sung West) in the eastern part of the New Territories has some of the most beautiful scenery in Hong Kong, from acres of grassy hillsides to subtropical forests to deserted sandy beaches. Stop into Sai Kung Country Park Visitor Centre for information about trails - there are family walks and natural trails. The Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail is one of the most popular.
Visit the Sheun Yiu Folk Museum. Sheung Yiu village was settled about 150 years ago by Hakkas. Today this walled village is now an open air museum where kids can wander through gates and courtyards and see inside houses for glimpses of life in a traditional rural Chinese village. Looking for a long expanse of sandy beach, not too crowded? Head for Tai Long Wan Beach on the eastern side of the Sai Kung peninsula. Dragon boat races – During the Dragon Boat Festival, come to Sai Kung to see the dragon boat races.Ching Chung Koon Temple (Tuen Mun) - It's a schlepp to get out to this temple at the western section of the New Territories, but this is one of Hong Kong's most famous Taoist temples, with lily ponds and Chinese gates on the grounds. Don't miss the beautiful jade seal that is more than a thousand year's old.
