HONG KONG
Getting off the beaten track
Mirror, Express, Star
HUNTING OUT THE NATURAL HIGHS OF HONG KONG
The sunshine glittered off the jade waters as we chugged gently out of the busy harbour.
Surrounding us were dozens of traditional fishing boats, like the one I was on. Surrounding them was a horizon full of hills, soaring out of the sea and carpeted in lush forests.
Our destination was Sharp Island in the distance, a tiny coral-encircled gem that could’ve been Thailand, Vietnam, or any remote region of Southeast Asia. Surprisingly, I was in Hong Kong.
I say that surprisingly because when you think of Hong Kong, you think of the typical Asian megacity. Dense urban living. High-rises and hustle. Manic traffic and neon nightscapes. All of which are true of Hong Kong, and fantastic to experience, but what most people don’t realise is that you can also get off the beaten track within minutes and find pristine nature and beaches.
RIO vs CAPE TOWN
Which is the world's best?
Mirror, Express, Star
CAPE TOWN V RIO, THE ULTIMATE HEAD TO HEAD
Days shaped by sand, surf and salt air. Nights by bars, beats and grills. All played out in a city somehow woven between soaring mountains and sun-swept shores.
Sounds good, no? Well this is both Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro and South Africa’s Cape Town. Then chuck in vibrant waterfront neighbourhoods, primeval hiking trails, world-class food and drink, plus a melting pot of cultures and you’ve got what it takes to be the greatest city in the world. Which is what both have boldly claimed.
But they both can’t be right, so which takes the crown? I’ve lived in samba-soaked Rio, and recently spent a month exploring the city straddling Africa’s southern tip, so may just be qualified enough to have a say in the debate that’s enraged Brazilians and South Africans online. The neutral voice of reason ’n’ all that.