[Tulip]

I live on HK island and recently my son has been asking me to take him to Park Island. I still have to figure out why!
Now, this might sound a bit silly but I have no idea how to get there. Please advise! Also, could those of you who live on PI tell me what are the interesting things to do there for a 9yr old? Thanks!

[Claire ex-ax]

Ferry from Central Ferry Pier No. 2. It has a big sign on it that says "Park Island" which makes it hard to miss.

There's a public (government-gazetted) beach there and a deserted fishing village which will, at some time in the future, will be razed for a theme park, according to government plans. The leisure facilities of the residential estate are for the use of residents only but I believe you can enjoy the Park'n'Shop and the few restaurants there. There is a building site, or two, but it porobably won't hold a child's interest beyond a few minutes.

[sunniefaith]

There's a Ma Wan Park. Not sure how interesting will that be for a child. I've not been there myself. But have to warn you that Park Island is small. Not as big as Discovery Bay.

[mjk]

I also wonder why PI seems to become so popular with locals and mainland tourists over the weekends. They now even put up signs to stop them from walking into the residential area.

Anyway... as ex-ax said, first of all there is a beach, but there are hundred better ones in HK. No need need to go there.

Then there is Ma Wan Park, which is what you could call a themed park. Basically a hill with a lockout point on top. See here for more info: www.mawanpark.com
They say it "combines nature, learning, arts and love, with an emphasis on outdoor interactive learning".
I have been there once and can understand that kids may find it interesting, but I don't want to know what its like with hundreds of tourists all over the place.

They are also currently building "Noah's Arch", a huge wooden boat right next to Tsing Ma bridge. No idea what this is supposed to be once it is done. I heard possibly a museum.

The old village is more or less deserted, but fore me the most interesting part of Ma Wan at the moment. There is still quite a large fishing village with floating houses at the "back" of Ma Wan.

[sunniefaith]

It's all because of the silly TVB drama that everyone's coming to Park Island and pushing the rent up! On some weekends, it can get very crowded.

[pumi23]

Originally Posted by mjk

I also wonder why PI seems to become so popular with locals and mainland tourists over the weekends. They now even put up signs to stop them from walking into the residential area.

They are also currently building "Noah's Arch", a huge wooden boat right next to Tsing Ma bridge. No idea what this is supposed to be once it is done. I heard possibly a museum.

yeah, that really starts to annoy me. too many people here during the weekend. cannot have a nice quite lunch or dinner with my hubby here anymore. and soooo many dogs

"noahs' arch" is going to be a shopping mall. what else? we are in hong kong...

[chanrosemary]

Originally Posted by Tulip

I live on HK island and recently my son has been asking me to take him to Park Island. I still have to figure out why!
Now, this might sound a bit silly but I have no idea how to get there. Please advise! Also, could those of you who live on PI tell me what are the interesting things to do there for a 9yr old? Thanks!

PI Transport: Park Island Transport Company Ltd.

[Tulip]

Thank you all for your prompt replies. I suspect my son wants to go there for the ferry ride!
I'll take him next week, during his school holidays. Hopefully, it won't be too crowded on a week day.

[pumi23]

during week days its empty, quiet and peaceful

[mjk]

Originally Posted by pumi23

"noahs' arch" is going to be a shopping mall. what else? we are in hong kong...

Out of couriosity I have done a bit of research over lunch:

In 2004, Andrew Yuen Man-Fai and Pastor Boaz Li Chi-Kwong of evangelical Christian media organisation Media Evangelism climbed Mt Ararat in eastern Turkey and found what they claimed were the remnants of Noah’s Ark. Excited and inspired by their discovery – which they documented on blurry video that was unfortunately corrupted by a “mysterious force” – they returned to Hong Kong determined to build a replica of the famous life-raft.

Built to scale on government-owned land at Ma Wan Park according to the dimensions mentioned in the Bible, the ark is one-and-a-half football fields long, 22.5 metres wide, and four storeys tall. It will house a museum to educate and enlighten the public, a 3D movie theatre, 200 hotel rooms, and several restaurants. In and around the edifice, there’ll also be both live and model animals, including, curiously, some two-headed turtles that, according to Yuen, exhibit the genius of God’s intelligent design.

The Ark is expected to open to the public by Easter 2009. There are also plans for a smaller, floating replica (estimated cost: up to $40 million) that will ferry passengers direct from Central to Ma Wan.