Once upon a time Hong Kong was mainly a business destination for Indians. But as the world gets smaller, it has turned into a great place both for a holiday — and to conduct high-powered business deals. In fact, the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s keen to project the city as a family destination. The board’s India representative Sunil Puri points out that new attractions like Disneyland and Ocean Park, have turned it into a kid-friendly city. The numbers back his argument. A decade ago about 90,000 Indians visited Hong Kong annually. That climbed to 3,20,000 in 2007. And the numbers are rising dramatically. Puri believes one reason why it’s popular is that it’s hassle-free in terms of visas — Indians don’t need a visa if they are staying less than two weeks. Also, there are more flights now. There are 48 direct flights per week from Delhi and Mumbai to Hong Kong. And more will be starting from Chennai and Bangalore soon. So, what should you be doing in the bustling city on the edge of the Chinese mainland? Here are five must-do suggestions.

Victoria Harbour Cruises

Approach Hong Kong from the sea and you get a spectacular view of the glittering new skyscrapers. So, it’s a great idea to book into one of the harbour cruises that’ll take you round the island. There are morning, afternoon, evening and sunset cruises and each follows a different route and has a different itinerary (most cruises are for anywhere between one and two hours).

However, if you want a longer experience, go for the half-day cruise. Many cruises offer entertainment like live bands, cocktails and food. You can travel on boats like the 1920s-style Shining Star ferry. Or, you could try one of the Chinese sampans.

Hot ticket!

Rs 900 to Rs 1,400 per head for a cruise.

Ocean Park

Want to see dolphins and sea lions performing for the crowds? Or would you rather experience the ultimate high of plunging down from a point as high as a 20-storey building? These are just some of the thrills in store at Ocean Park, situated on the southern side of Hong Kong. Watch out for the marine theatre, the largest in the world, where you get a glimpse of all types of marine life from sharks to penguins.

If that’s not enough, how about trying the hair-raising rides at the amusement park spread out over 870,000sq m? And, if you like heights hop on to the Ocean Park Tower (72m high) and catch a panoramic view of the park as the tower rotates from the ground to the top. Or try the cable car that will take you on an eight-minute ride.

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Adults Rs 1,000: Children (ages three-11) Rs 500; free entry for seniors and children under three.

Disneyland

Spread across 310 acres, Disneyland is one of Hong Kong’s new attractions. Located on the northern tip of Lantau Island the park offers all the usual Disney attractions. It has four themed parts including Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland each of which offer different magical journeys. Besides, you can also dig into delicacies from the four corners of the world.

And there’s something for Broadway music lovers with shows like Festival of the Lion King and The Golden Mickeys being staged. And in case you want to check into any of the resorts, there’s the five-star Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and the four-star Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, located within the park.

Hot ticket!

Hong Kong Disneyland tickets cost between Rs 2,800 and Rs 3,100. Rs 2,100 to Rs 2,400 for senior citizens aged 65 or above; free entry for children under three.

Ngong Ping

The thrill starts with the skyrail ride that takes you to Ngong Ping village located on top of a mountain plateau on Lantau Island. Spread across 1.5 hectares adjacent to Lantau’s Big Buddha, the village is designed to reflect local culture and spirituality.

There are plenty of activities here. You can visit the Tea House where you get to watch traditional Chinese tea ceremonies. The journey gets a spiritual tone with the Walking with Buddha experience where you trace the path of Buddha’s enlightenment via a multimedia presentation.

Then, there’s the Monkey’s Tale Theatre animated presentation. Held in an open courtyard you can watch the story of three monkeys on a voyage of greed, gluttony and friendship.

Hot ticket!

Rs 100 to Rs 200 for adults and children for entry tickets.

Macau Magic

If you’ve done all there is to do in Hong Kong and want a change, Macau is just 55 minutes away. There are ferries that take you across to Macau every 15 minutes. And Macau is worth seeing for its new giant casinos and its Portuguese-influenced culture.

The Venetian, for instance, is a giant Las Vegas-style casino and hotel and it has helped to transform Macau’s economy. The newest addition is the huge children’s corner where kids can try out the Golconda Ride or watch movies on a giant screen. And the food plazas are a must-visit for food lovers. Free visas are available on arrival for Indians.

Hot ticket!

Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 (to and fro) per ticket for the ferry rides between Hong Kong and Macau.