In a nutshell

With this journey we immerse ourselves in the streets of New Kowloon, where the frenetic pace of Hong Kong gives way to a more relaxed atmosphere. After visiting a Buddhist monastery, we will be in the right frame of mind to enjoy the smells, colours and all the curiosities of three of the most interesting markets in the small city-state, to discover the local traditions and rituals.

Main stops

New Kowloon
Museum of Chi Lin Nunnery
Flower Market
Jade Market
Wet Market

The programme

Stepping ashore we are welcomed by a comfortable coach that takes us to Chi Lin Nunnery, a Buddhist monastic complex, opened as a museum, which includes not only the monastery, but also temple rooms dedicated to the Buddha, Chinese gardens and even a vegetarian restaurant and hostel to accommodate visitors.
Countless statues in gold, stone, clay and wood are on display in the temple halls. The entire construction is based on traditional Chinese architecture dating from the Tang Dynasty that uses special interlocking systems and not nails to fasten the wooden beams.
Changing scene, our next stop is the colourful Flower Market in the heart of Hong Kong. A small oasis of scents in the midst of dense high-rise buildings of the city, where as well as plants and flowers we find a wide range of useful accessories such as baskets, plant stands, and dried flower arrangements.
Here we come upon the famous Good Luck Plants such as the Lucky Bamboo and other original flower arrangements that are so much part of ancient Chinese tradition.
We continue our tour visiting another famous market, the Jade Market. In Hong Kong, jade is considered a symbol of wealth. The various and artistic accessories made with this stone are worn both for celebrations and in ceremonies to ward off evil spirits.
The market offers different qualities of this valuable stone, in its various colours and in different shapes, each of which has a different meaning, as deer (wealth), tiger (good luck), dragon (power).
We can hardly return to the ship without having popped into one final market among the many in this bustling and extraordinary city. In the wet market, a lively place frequented daily by locals and tourists, we can find items of all kinds.

Good to know

Space is limited, so be sure to book early.
It is best not to buy expensive jade stones without the presence and advice of a trusted expert.