Hong Kong From the Air

A fifteen-minute helicopter ride can cover the Hong Kong that most people are familiar with—a little longer puts the entire place into some kind of perspective. Most sightseeing flights lift off from Hong Kong Island, heading up and over Victoria Peak to the central part of the island, where the terrain is all rugged trails and steep mountains. A whiz around the south side reveals some stunning beaches—in particular the tiny Mediterranean-style village of Shek O—before going around and back down the main harbor channel from the eastern end, with the man-made marvels of Hong Kong Island lined up on the left and the natural mountain marvels of Kowloon to the right. (Another option is to take-off and land from atop a helipad on a skyscraper in Kowloon.)

Most people are amazed at how green Hong Kong becomes just minutes from the urban area. Longer helicopter rides head due north, toward the New Territories, where densely clustered housing estates give way to sandy beaches that are flanked by azure ocean and sweeping mountain ranges. A wonderful finale can be landing somewhere for a picnic lunch before taking a boat ride back to your hotel.