Repeat after us: Hong Kong isn’t just high-rise. The rest of it is country parks and… water. That’s why this month’s column is dedicated to all things liquid.
Starting with eating fish, which in 2017 also means preserving it. The goal of this month’s Kin Hong Seafood Festival, a local initiative, is to promote awareness of seafood sustainability.
A range of restaurants around town are getting involved – including Sai Ying Pun’s Fish School; the Upper House’s Café Gray Deluxe; and Wooloomooloo.
For something more rough and ready, pull up a plastic chair and a bottle of Tsingtao at one of the waterfront restaurants in east Kowloon’s Lei Yue Mun or, if you’re feeling flush, sail to Po Toi Island and chomp fresh abalone and prawns to your heart’s content at Ming Kee Restaurant – or at least until the return ferry.
There’s a new inflatable waterpark in Tai Po, the very seriously named CORE. From the website it looks a little like a blow-up Mayan temple, full of trampolines, water slides and icebergs to jump around on. (Somebody in our office even suggested it as a team bonding exercise. Howl.)
Hong Kong’s diving isn’t the best in Asia – but in how many other places can you swap your suit for a wetsuit and be snorkelled up within an hour of leaving the office? Mandarin Divers runs courses around Sai Kung’s Clearwater Bay, and further north among Sai Kung East Country Park’s many islets. Autumn is when the visibility is decent, and you’ll spot juvenile sweetlips (fish, naturally). Or, there’s always that not-really-very-last-minute junk trip before autumn arrives…
Further afield
2 Oct-13 Nov: Taiwan Cycling Festival
This festival’s various activities include a tour on Taichung’s bike paths, a mountainous challenge in Hualien County and an event in which teams circle the whole island. taiwanbike.tw
19-22 Oct: Salmon Festival, Yangyang, South Korea
Salmon spawn at a river in Yangyang, on the northeastern coast of South Korea. This bounty is celebrated at this festival, when attendees paddle in and catch one with their hands. visitkorea.or.kr
21, 22 Oct: Tokyo Vegefood Festa
Find out just how good vegan food can taste. Stalls set up in Harajuku specialise in raw food, organic vegetables, fair trade products and more – all without animal products. tokyo-vegefest.com
28, 29 Oct: Bangalore Literature Festival, Bengaluru, India
This event welcomes about 150 speakers, including some of India’s most prominent authors. Kids’ activities and evening cultural shows are part of the festival. bangaloreliteraturefestival.org
