After renovation, the Ngong Ping Nature Centre at Ngong Ping Village on Lantau Island has reopened.
The Centre houses three interactive exhibits about Lantau’s culture, history and biodiversity; information about local hiking trails and offers a “free guided-tour service of famous scenic spots and native trees around Ngong Ping.”
The Centre also now rents maps and hiking poles.
Ngong Ping Nature Centre
Ngong Ping Village
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm daily including Public Holidays
The winners of the 10th Hong Kong Underwater Photo Competition 2021 – for photos taken in the year up to 30 September 2021 – have been announced and the winner in the Macro & Close-Up category is Fran Cheung for her image “Single-eyed Hairy Shrimp” (above) taken off Yin Tsz Ngam. While Henry Li is the Champion of the Standard and Wide Angle Category.
First Runner-up:
Poon Yiu Nam David – I Believe I Can Fly, taken off East Dam
Second Runner-up:
Henry Li
First Runner-up:
Yu Wing Chung
Second Runner-up:
Ho Tsz Hung Daniel
Exhibition of winning entries will be held as follows:
Date: 28 November – 2 December 2021
Time: 10am to 7pm
Venue: Venue A, Level 7, Fortune Metropolis, Hung Hom
Date: 2-6 January, 2022
Time: 10am to 7pm
Venue: Atrium C, L2, MOSTown, Ma On Shan
There is also a virtual exhibition of the winning entries at www.golocal360.co/HKUPVC2021/index.htm which is online until 27 November, 2022.
A booklet about this year’s competition and the winners can be downloaded here
The Wanch team announced on their website and Facebook page today that the popular live music venue will reopen in early 2022. The new location will be just along the street from its previous incarnation at 90-92 Jaffe Road in what was previously Uptown 90. That’s opposite Joe Bananas.
Here is the post:
“Hi Everyone,
It has been challenging times since the pandemic hit worldwide in 2020. Times have been difficult for individuals, businesses, and the arts. It was a difficult decision to suspend operation of The Wanch back in August 2020, but a necessary one. At that time we made a promise to Hong Kong and the music community to reopen The Wanch when the time was right.
Well that time has come as on Dec. 1st we take possession of the venue that will become the new home of The Wanch at 90-92 Jaffe Rd, 1st Floor Henan Building (Formerly Uptown 90). Renovation starts the same day and we are targeting to open the doors with our first show sometime in Feb. 2022.
We will keep you all updated on the progress of the renovation with weekly pictures & videos on our website, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. We look forward to rocking Hong Kong once again and joining all the other music venues that have been keeping live music alive. We look forward to being part of Hong Kong’s music scene & community once again.
Take care & watch for our updates.”
Many of Hong Kong’s musical legends created marvellous memories in the old location. Let’s hope the new Wanch inspires a new generation to create and inspire the beauty and sensuous pleasure that is ‘live music’.
The Wanch
1/F Henan Building (Formerly Uptown 90)
90-92 Jaffe Road
Wanchai
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced that Anglers’ Beach in Tsuen Wan will be temporarily closed from 29 November to 31 March 31, 2023, for renovation works.
All facilities at the beach will be closed.
Image: HKTB
Local cyclists will get a chance to ride on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge for the first time when the Cyclothon makes a comeback in January 2022.
Organised by the HK Tourism Board (HKTB) the Cyclothon returns after its hiatus with a brand new route and a virtual reality racing experience.
The new route has riders start from the Hong Kong Port – the starting point of the bridge in the SAR – and travel through the Scenic Hill Tunnel and along the highway between Airport Channel and western waters and onto the Hong Kong section of the bridge. Riders will then return to the Hong Kong Port.
Registration, which opens on Saturday, is limited to 3,000 participants – who are required to be fully vaccinated and get a negative test result within 48 hours before the event.
Mason Hung, general manager of event and product development at the HK Tourism Board said riders should not wear uniforms or display slogans carrying political meanings, adding anyone who fails to comply will be referred to law enforcement.
There will also be a ‘virtual cyclothon‘ – if you have an android tablet – where from 3-16 January cyclists from around the world can join the virtual race featuring an animated event route mimicking the unique 26 km Cyclothon route.
Don’t have an android tablet then head to Sports Expo in Mongkok or AME E-sports Stadium in TST to enjoy the 45-minute ride.
Cyclothon
Date: 16 January, 2022
Venue: Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
Tickets: $750, $500
More info: registration www.discoverhongkong.com/cyclothon
From 1 November usage of the ‘LeaveHomeSafe‘ mobile app will be strictly enforced for employees and members of the public when entering government buildings.
Scanning of the venue QR code will be required for entry.
What exactly constitutes a ‘government building’ is not defined in the announcement.
The more important question is if the government are willing to mandate usage of the LeaveHomeSafe app to enter. Why won’t they take the commonsense step and only allow entry to vaccinated people?
A requirement that is in place in several countries across the world. This would quickly boost the vaccination levels in the SAR.
An updated list of 40 designated Hong Kong quarantine hotels for the period 1 December 2021 – 28 February 2022 (sixth cycle) has been released.
The list of designated hotels in the sixth cycle features 11,500 rooms and related details such as room rates have been uploaded to www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/designated-hotel.html, or download the pdf here.
New hotels for this cycle are: iclub Fortress Hill Hotel; O’Hotel; Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West (Tower 1); Lanson Place Causeway Bay; Holiday Inn Golden Mile.
Rates for many hotels have risen sharply for this sixth cycle!
There is an excellent google docs form here about the various hotels including room prices, contact details, restrictions.
A facebook group exists Transfer HK Quarantine Hotel Reservations to connect those who have a reservation and can’t use it with those looking for a room.
Central and Western District
1. Best Western Plus Hotel Hong Kong
2. CM+ Hotels & Serviced Apartments
3. Grand City Hotel
4. JEN Hong Kong by Shangri-La
5. Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong
6. One-Eight-One Hotel & Serviced Residences
7. Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View
8. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental
9. Courtyard by Marriott Hong Kong
10. Ovolo Central
Hong Kong Eastern District
1. iclub Fortress Hill Hotel
2. Ramada Hong Kong Grand View
Islands District
1. Four Points by Sheraton Hong Kong Tung Chung
2. Regal Airport Hotel
Kowloon City District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Hung Hom Gillies Avenue South
2. iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel
3. Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
4. Metropark Hotel Kowloon Hong Kong
5. Regal Oriental Hotel
6. O’Hotel
Kwai Tsing District
1. Dorsett Tsuen Wan
Hong Kong Southern District
1. Nina Hotel Island South (Formerly L’hotel Island South)
2. Ovolo Southside
Tsuen Wan District
1. Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West (Tower 1)
2. Silka Far East Hotel Hong Kong
Wan Chai District
1. Best Western Hotel Causeway Bay
2. Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong
3. Hotel Indigo Hong Kong Island
4. Mira Moon Hotel
5. Lanson Place Causeway Bay
6. Eco Tree Hotel Causeway Bay
7. Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Causeway Bay
8. Empire Prestige Causeway Bay
9. Empire Hotel Causeway Bay
Wong Tai Sin District
1. Pentahotel Hong Kong
Kowloon Yau Tsim Mong District
1. Bridal Tea House Hotel Yau Ma Tei Wing Sing Lane
2. Dorsett Mongkok Hong Kong
3. Ramada Hong Kong Grand
4. Silka Seaview Hotel Hong Kong
5. Holiday Inn Golden Mile
Perhaps the most legendary of Bond‘s cars the DB5 is now on display at The Peninsula Hotel until 29 October and it can be yours for £2.75 million.
The DB5 on display is an Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger part of a limited production of 25 which are authentic reproductions of the DB5 seen on the screen. This includes functioning modifications such as the revolving number plates, retractable bulletproof rear shield, pop-out machine guns and more, which were made famous in Goldfinger.
