Honk Kong: Victoria Peak
Victoria Peak, the highest mountain on Hong Kong island and one of the most popular places for tourists to visit. On a clear day, you have a 360 degree, unobstructed view of the island. One can overlook the bustling Victoria harbour or the Kowloon penisula all from a magnificent bird's eye view. The night view is proported to be so fascinating that one should not miss going up to it. As luck would have it (mine had been too good thus far), the rain and fog descended onto Hong Kong Island during the time I was there. As you can guess, I opted not to try the night view.
There is also a beautiful 3600 meter (around 2.5 miles) walk around the peak. This path is refered to as the Hong Kong Trail and/or the Morning Trail. The path is paved, but travels up and down along the contours of the peak rim. There is all sorts of plants, flowers, and some incredibly beautiful butterflies along the way. At various points, if the weather is clear, you can see all the key districts around the island. Though the fog obscured most of the panaramic views, it added a feeling of peace and serenity while I walked. It was a wonderful contrast to the intensity of the lower levels. I only encountered a few people and had ample opportunity to marvel at all the different, non-native, plants that had been introduced as part of the paths creation. I only wish I'd had an opportunity to take pictures of some of the butterflies I saw. There was this georgous black one with gigantic translucent wings and a hairy catepillar type body.
Links of interest:
Honk Kong Tourist Association
Regit's Vitoria Peak
New Splendid Spots in Honk Kong: Victoria Peak