The Asia Art Archive (AAA) is a collection of resources intended to showcase and develop contemporary art in Asia. The space allows access for research and hosts many exhibitions and public programs.

There’s nothing old about the enormous Buddha that presides over the mountains of Lantau (it was completed in 1993), but the glass-bottomed cable cars that sweep visitors to its feet make the trip memorable. The 3.5-mile cable-car ride starts near the airport and immediately heads up to the mountains of Lantau, before gliding along the plateau, toward its final destination: the Po Lin monastery. The architect wanted it to be like a pilgrim’s journey to a Tibetan monastery, with the building appearing on the horizon and then gradually drawing closer. Inevitably, being Hong Kong, it is a commercially oriented operation, with shopping opportunities galore at the destination.

For all that, this is the next best thing to a helicopter ride, offering a unique perspective of the largest island, Lantau, and the Big Buddha statue, claimed to be the largest seated outdoor bronze statue of the religious icon.

Indagare Tip: Get tickets ahead of time on the Ngong Ping 360’s Web site to skip the sometimes long lines.

Originally used as a slaughterhouse from 1908-1999, this emerging cultural destination is made up of five red-brick buildings that have been turned into artist’s studios and performance spaces for live music fashion shows, movies and art seminars. It's a long way from the artist villages of Beijing or Shanghai, but makes an interesting stop for lovers of contemporary art.

Striking architecture in Central includes Norman Foster’s Hong Kong Shanghai Bank building, I.M. Pei’s Bank of China building and Cesar Pelli’s International Finance Center (IFC). The latter is a major social hub and has many good dining options (try Isola or Agnes B’s Le Pain Grillé) and many stores, including ex-pat supermarket City Super, a good place to know about if the kids are maxed out on Chinese food.

Small pieces of old Hong Kong are also hidden in Central, including the Hong Kong side entrance to the Star Ferry, which can be reached from Statue Square pedestrian underpass; the former French Mission and now Hong Kong’s Court of final appeal; the wonderful St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, which is the only property “owned directly” in Hong Kong and not on a lease; and the former ‘ice house,’ which housed giant blocks of ice and is now the Foreign Correspondent’s Club (FCC).

This working nunnery, located just beyond Mongkok, is a surprising and serene pocket in Hong Kong. The immaculately landscaped gardens are wonderful for a leisurly stroll. Don’t miss the collection of bonsai trees.

Just as first-time visitors to New York City must be amazed by the Central Park Zoo, so are Hong Kong novices thrilled by this bird sanctuary, literally in the middle of Central’s gleaming skyscrapers. Some 100 species are represented, and the elevated walkways lead straight through the treetops (a delight for young visitors).

More than forty percent of Hong Kong is made up of nature parks, including this one designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark. Eight distinct geographic areas across the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region showcase Hong Kong’s oldest and youngest rocks, ranging from 400 million to 65 million years old.

High flyers hop aboard a helicopter for private tours over High Island Reservoir, before continuing on to Devil’s Fist on Bluff Island and the steep shale rock cliffs and finely layered mudstones of Ping Chau Island, once a hideout for opium and gun smugglers. For a closer look, join a walking tour of the Park, taking in the Qing Dynasty Tin Hau Temple to the Sea Goddess where modern fishermen still make offerings before heading off on the South China Sea.

Golfers love playing the city’s only public course, located on an outlying island in the spectacularly beautiful bay in the Sai Kung district. Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau is reached by a short and scenic ferry ride from Sai Kung town, which itself is an hour by cab, or public transport, from downtown. On a clear day it’s a walk that matches any in the city: the greens on the two Gary Player–designed courses are surrounded by clean blue ocean, and corralled by one of the highest mountains in Hong Kong.

Kau Sai Chau has its own 19th hole, in the shape of a clubhouse with a bar lounge and coffee shop, with the option of heading back into Sai Kung town to dine at the seafood restaurant on the waterfront, or have a drink at its many pubs. Kau Sai Chau is open daily from 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m. There are no restrictions on weekday visitors, but on weekends and public holidays golfers must be accompanied by a Hong Kong identity-card holder. All players must have a valid golf handicap card. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Seeing a race here is an absolute must-do to capture the real essence of Hong Kong. The twice-weekly races—Wednesday night at Happy Valley and weekends at outlying Sha Tin—show the city in all its money-mad, gambling-crazy colors. The turnover from horse racing is staggering: every year billions are wagered, and the amount spent on one race can easily surpass the entire day’s course revenues in the U.S. and the U.K.

The races are attended enthusiastically by all levels of society from the tai-pans (big bosses) of the major companies, who entertain clients with Champagne and gourmet food in private boxes; to the manual workers on the terraces, who drink beer and eat fried chicken wings. Happy Valley, hemmed in by skyscrapers, is the most atmospheric course and offers quick post-race access to restaurants, bars and nightclubs. A private-box package that includes food and drink can be booked through the Jockey Club: the minimum wager is just $1.25.

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.

Check to see what exhibitions are on at the city's main art museum. They are hit or miss but some are strong enough to warrant a trip here. Don’t miss the collection of the Min Chiu Society objects…these objects, mostly the property of the Hong Kong collectors, are fabulous examples of the range of Chinese artifacts. The museum is located in walking distance to where the Star Ferry from Central docks in Kowloon.

Whether you are interested in jewelry, custom tailoring or art and antiques, Indagare can set you up with a longtime resident who knows the best addresses, ateliers and galleries so you can make the most of your shopping time in Hong Kong. Indagare members can contact the bookings team to arrange.

One of the best ways to experience Hong Kong is through the city’s vibrant food scene. Indagare can customize walks (or drives for those less mobile) that feature the region's culinary history. Walks that highlight Hong Kong's culture, art and architecture are also available. Tours are customized around your interests and can include one or several Hong Kong neighborhoods.

Our longtime resident guides can dispel the notion that Hong Kong is a concrete jungle with marvelous day tours of the unspoiled bays and rugged islands of the Sai Kung region. Our local outfitter has a superfast boat, previously used by the police to nab smugglers, and zooms people from Sai Kung town pier into a world of turquoise ocean, rugged rock formations and fragile coral. Once there, the pace slows dramatically, and guests have the option of snorkeling, kayaking—or simply chilling. In the cooler winter months, opt instead to hike along the little-used mountain trails and coastal paths of spectacularly scenic Sai Kung. For tourists who are time-pressed, we can organize a helicopter ride back to downtown.

Indagare members can explore Hong Kong with a local historian and author who has specialized tours that concentrate on particular areas or historical themes. One author’s three-hour Central walk, for example, focuses on the development of the Central District from the early 1840s to the present day and includes visits to St. John’s Cathedral, Government House and the Central Police Station on Hollywood Road. We can also tailor-make tours around your interests. Indagare members can contact the bookings team to arrange.

Originally a Chinese military fort and once an enclave for criminals during Britain’s occupation of Hong Kong, the Kowloon Walled City is now a preserved park. With some Qing-dynasty era architecture still visible as well as pavilions, paths and lots of green space, this tranquil park is a pleasant area to wander around and see the remains of a once thriving city-within-a-city.

The Liang Yi Museum exhibits an excellent collection of antique Chinese furniture and European antiques. The four-story museum located in the old Sheung Wan neighborhood harmoniously blends east and west, showing its well-curated collections in rotating exhibitions.

Located between Kowloon Tong and Tai Wei, this forested trail leading to a granite peak is famously shaped like a lion. The rock provides incredible views of Hong Kong Island and connects with MacLehose Trail.

Incense coils adorn the entrance of the Man Mo Temple, the city’s oldest Taoist temple. It’s a great jumping-off point to explore Sheung Wan, a neighborhood that contains Chinese medicine, tea and food stores, as well as small outdoor markets.

Unique aspects of this area include Chinese medicine and food markets concentrated on Bonham Strand East and West and Wing Lok Street where ginseng and bird’s nest abound. Neighborhood temples are tucked away throughout the area including Tai Ping Shan and Hollywood Road, and outdoor fresh food markets are active in many of the alleys from early in the mornings until afternoon. “Old things” and antiques are for sale at every price level on Hollywood Road and Wyndham Street. Sheung Wan is the home of the world’s longest, steepest outdoor escalator, which allows people who live in the area to “escalate” to work, and it is also home to SOHO (South of Hollywood Road), one of the Hong Kong’s trendiest eating and bar areas.

The Maritime is a good museum to include on a first visit to gain an understanding of the Chinese involvement in shipping, tracing the industry from hulled bamboo rafts through the amazing development of Hong Kong as the world’s most active port. There are lots of interactive exhibitions and displays at the museum, making it a fun place to explore with kids in tow.

This contemporary art center hosts exhibitions and events committed to fostering the creative energies and cutting-edge styles of Hong Kong artists. Para Site is one of the oldest and most active independent art institutions in Asia.

These former barracks for policemen and their wives (PMQ stands for "police married quarters") have been transformed and rejuvenated into an artists' hub. Full of contemporary art and design, the seven floors of open-air hallways are wrapped around a central atrium and courtyard—one-time apartments have been converted into studio shops, galleries, cafés and pop-up boutiques. The project is a platform for innovation, playing host to a number of creative lifestyle experiences (think everything from music and fashion shows to lectures and workshops) to the more arcane (such as dough sculpting). The boutiques are a welcome alternative to Hong Kong's high-end power shopping and an afternoon stroll around the complex, taking in outdoor sculptures and stopping for a drink or snack, is a nice way to soak in the young, creative Hong Kong of today.

One of the last Chinese traditional sailboats to be handcrafted according to the original designs and in traditional materials, this 92-foot high, wooden junk is recognizable by its crimson sails. Complete with a full bar, it is among the best spots from which to take in the Hong Kong sunset aboard the 6:30 pm sail (or hop on an hour later to catch the Symphony of Lights). Daily 45-minute sailings run between 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm from Public Pier 1 at Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

Three times a week, a traditional junk, the Duk Ling (think about it), does circuits of the harbor, allowing passengers to experience how the fishermen of old navigated the harbor and Pearl River Delta. The junk can also be chartered for private cruises.

Shek O is a lovely beach about a 20-minute cab ride and a world away from bustling downtown Hong Kong. The beach is a long, fat crescent of sand wedged between lush hills and a clear, calm sea. (The city is completely out of sight.) Though you shouldn't expect seclusion – on weekends the beach is popular with families, expats and groups having barbecues – it does remarkably retain a mellow aura. The vibe is low-key, slightly scruffy and urban chic. A few very casual beach bars and grills (with picnic tables and plastic chairs) line the back of the beach and serve beer, coconuts and cheap, delicious skewers of grilled pork, pineapple and shrimp. Neighboring Shek O Village is tiny and charming, a surprising hodgepodge of a colorful Brazilian beach town and a small European fishing village, with a few great seafood restaurants. The beach and village make a pleasant afternoon stop for lunch and a swim after a morning hiking the nearby Dragon’s Back.

Spring Workshop is a non-profit cultural initiative designed to inspire thought and discussion on the many facets of art. The organization holds exhibitions, provides curatorial residencies and sponsors events that foster up-and-coming creative artists in Hong Kong.

The Star ferries run back and forth between Central and Kowloon, zigzagging through the ridiculously crowded shipping lanes of Victoria Harbour. At dusk, a ride on one of the ferries is particularly magical, and at under a dollar, it’s the most affordable sightseeing tour in the city.