The Golden Mickeys, a Broadway-style performance, is one of many attractions offered by Hong Kong Disneyland.

Christmas is still three weeks away but Hong Kong is already prepared to welcome the celebration of the Christmas and New Year holidays with numerous programs, especially for tourists.

As Hong Kong has long been known as a shopping haven, stores are giving discounts for visitors at the city’s malls to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays. I was surprised during my visit to Hong Kong in November — even by showing my passport I was entitled to a 10 percent discount at the IFC mall in the Central area.

But Hong Kong is not only about shopping. Even if we travel alone on a tight schedule, there is always a chance to squeeze in a quick visit to one of Hong Kong’s famous places.

One of the nearest tourist sites to downtown is the Peak, where visitors can see a view of Hong Kong’s skyscrapers, including the landmark IFC Tower 2 and the International Commerce Centre (ICC) Tower in Kowloon.

On the basement of the Sky Terrace at the Peak, we can also visit the Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. On the day of my visit, the museum management put the wax figure of Bruce Lee in the front section so visitors could take picture of the martial arts icon.

Don’t forget to take the Peak Tram. The 120-year-old tram reminds us of Hong Kong’s old days back in 1880s. The 10-minute journey seemed too fast to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the railway.

Another journey back to the past is taking the Duk Ling. The Chinese junk — which was originally developed during the Han Dynasty — was seen in Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life when Angelina Jolie, as Lara Croft, opened the orb after stealing it from the IFC tower in her journey to find Pandora’s Box.

The junk — which has become the icon for Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) — was originally used by Chinese fishermen for fishing. Now, the Duk Ling is used by visitors to enjoy watching Hong Kong’s skyscrapers while crossing Victoria Bay from Wanchai to Tsim Sha Tsui.

What makes Hong Kong more interesting is that it has prepared for Christmas and New Year six weeks before the season began. The feel of Christmas was very obvious when I visited  Disneyland,  located on Lantau Island.

The theme park has been visited by about 20 million guests since it first opened its doors five years ago. Besides enjoying the rides available in its three areas — Fantasyland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland — I lined up with thousands of other visitors to get a glimpse of a parade.

The parade featured famous Disney characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald, Pluto, Woody and Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story franchise, Ariel and Belle, Cinderella and Snow White — passing the Main Street while man-made snow showered visitors and we also listened to Christmas songs.

The Golden Mickeys, a Broadway-style performance, is also another attraction for visitors. Staged at the Disney’s Storybook Theatre, the performance showcased famous Disney movie characters including Quasimodo from the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tarzan, Lilo and Stitch and many more.

A day at the Disneyland is not complete without watching the fireworks from in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle, which begins at 7 p.m. on working days or 8 p.m. at weekends.

With numerous attractions already offered to visitors, Disneyland is planning to open  Toy Story Land late next year, said Peter J.H. Lowe, vice president for Hotel Operations, Food and Beverage and Business Solutions and Event Operations.

There is also another attraction in Tsim Sha Tsui area. Strolling along the Avenue of Stars we can take picture in front of the bronze statue of Bruce Lee while checking handprints of famous actors such as Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Andy Lau.

From the avenue, we can see the Symphony of Lights at 8 p.m. in which skyscrapers in the Central Business District orchestrate lighting accompanied with music, giving a nice panorama from the other side.

An architectural walk is also another option to enjoy Hong Kong on foot. Walking along old buildings and areas in Central, we can see the dynamic change of Hong Kong especially in its role as an economic hub in the region.

With all those attractions, Hong Kong is ready to welcome visitors.

HKTB public relations manager, Mayee Tang, said Hong Kong was looking for double-digit growth in tourism, especially for a higher number of visitors from mainland China.

“Tourism has been a key pillar of the Hong Kong economy...but even with competition from other regions, Hong Kong remains an ever green destination. We have been popular for 20 years,” she said.

According to Tang, HKTB has stepped up investment in emerging market such as Russia, Middle East and India aside from its key markets of China, Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, the US and Canada.

An increasing number of tourists from Middle East and other Muslim countries has been anticipated by the HKTB by preparing a list of halal restaurants serving Indian, Indonesian and Chinese food. I tried one place, the Islamic Center Canteen in Wanchai, which is famous for its halal dim sum.

Tang said that restaurants serving halal food have obtained a halal logo and halal certificate from the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong.

Even if you travel alone, those interesting places can be reached with public transportation, especially the MTR, by purchasing the Octopus card that can be used not only for the subway but also for buses, trams and ferries.

If you haven’t decided on your yearend holiday destination, perhaps Hong Kong is your choice.

— Photos by JP/Primastuti Handayani

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