The nunnery features beautiful gardens and grounds, with lotus ponds, sculpted bushes and bonsai trees, as well as statues of the Goddess of Mercy, God of Medicine and others. Just across the street, connected to the nunnery by a bridge is Nan Lian Garden, a garden styled like the famous gardens in Suzhou, with ponds, a waterfall, a hexagonal pavilion and a variety of trees and shrubs sure to delight any visitor. A vegetarian restaurant and teahouse are open to the public.

Government House

Built between 1851 and 1855, this beautiful colonial residence was home to 25 British governors of Hong Kong prior to the handover in 1997. On the slopes of the Mid-Levels on Upper Albert Road, this since renovated structure is now home and office to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. The house is open to the public one day a year, usually in March when the gardens are in bloom; come prepared to queue.

Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees

Whenever there was a festival throughout history, villagers would journey to Lam Tsuen in Tai Po to throw joss paper onto two trees and make wishes. They believed that the higher the branch the joss paper landed on, the greater the chance that the wish would come true. Over time, these two trees became known as “wishing trees,” which continue to attract local villagers and tourists alike during festivals.

Man Mo Temple

The Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road in Central is dedicated to the worship of two emperors who lived during the Chin and Yuan dynasties. These emperors were known as the civil god “Man,” and the martial god “Mo.” Historically, it was a place where the community got together to resolve any conflicts. Today, the little urban temple is popular with photographers, who find that the large incense coils make interesting subjects.

Po Lin Monastery and Tian Tan Giant Buddha

See entry under Hong Kong’s Top 10.

St. John’s Cathedral

Nestled in between the skyscrapers of Central’s financial district, the historic St John’s Cathedral, built in 1849, has witnessed the evolution of the city around it while remaining largely unchanged. To this day, the 13th-century Early English and Decorated Gothic-style structure continues to serve a large Anglican congregation. In the grounds is the grave of Reginald Douglas Maxwell, a British soldier with the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, who was killed fighting the Japanese during the Battle for Hong Kong in December 1941.

Wong Tai Sin Temple

Wong Tai Sin Temple, first brought to Hong Kong in 1915 before being moved to its current location on the southern side of Lion Rock, is one of the most famous shrines in Hong Kong. It is a popular temple among worshipers of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. The halls of the temple grounds are dedicated to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy and to Confucius. Within the temple complex, there is also a Good Wish Garden, an artificial waterfall and a replica of the famous Nine Dragons relief (of the Beijing Imperial Palace), as well as various pavilions. It is well known that worshipers come to Wong Tai Sin for fortune-telling. The fortune tellers are all housed in a complex below the main temple, and some of them speak English.