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With Cruise Holiday getting more and more popular, many are starting to step on board for such an affordable luxury travel experience. Hong Kong, as located at the heart of Southeast Asia, together with the well-known Victoria Harbour and the coming Kai Tak Harbour, is surely a "must see" to foreign tourists. Knowing the need for tourists, Vigor Travel offers on shore excursions services. From local sight-seeing tours, accommodation advices to limousine reservations, we provide one-step solution for your needs. |
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Reason for choosing us:
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Suggested Sightseeing Tours & Excursions 1. Classical Full Day Tour of Hong Kong Island (with Lunch)2. Half day tour of Hong Kong Island 3. A historical tour of the New Territories 4. Full day tour of Lantau Island (with Lunch) 5. Exploring Lamma Island 6. Colonial Hong Kong - A walking experience of Hong Kong's colonial history 7. A walking experience of Central district 8. An Enchanting experience of Hong Kong by night 9. Eco tour of the New Territories 10. An Excursion to Macau 11. Visit to the Museum of History 12. Hiking the Dragon's Back |
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Planning and management of Special Events
| Duration | ： | 4.5 Hours |
| Tour Code | ： | HKI-CT |
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The British Hong Kong period began in the 19th century when the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw China as the world's largest untapped market. The British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory under Queen Victoria in 1840, three years after she became queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The territory that would later be known as Hong Kong was gained from the last dynasty of Imperial China Our journey into Hong Kong's Colonial history commence by coach to the Central District on Hong Kong Island, historically known as part of Victoria City on the North shore of the island. The area, with its proximity to Victoria Harbour, has served as the centre of trade and financial activities from the earliest day of British colonial era in 1841, and continues to flourish and serve as the administrative centre after the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997. Upon arrival, we precede on foot to have a view of the Legislative Council Building formerly the home of the Supreme Court until 1985, when it was renamed. The building was designed by Sir Aston Webb and Ingress Bell, the British architect responsible for the eastern façade of Buckingham Palace and the Cromwell Road frontage of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The structure was built on reclaimed land, and opened on 15 January 1912. The two-storey granite building is neo-classical in style supported by Ionic columns. It is surmounted by a blind-folded statue of Justice, represented by the Themis - the Greek Goddess of Justice and Law. This statue is a replica of the one erected on the Old Bailey of London. Across the road stands the Cenotaph, constructed in 1923 and located between Statue Square and the City Hall, commemorates the dead in the First and Second World War that served in Hong Kong in the armed forces. It is an almost exact replica of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London (designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and unveiled in 1920), except that this one in Hong Kong has eight Chinese characters on it. We continue our tour to the site of the Former French Mission Building - a declared monument currently housing the Court of Final Appeal. The present three-storey building was built in 1917, probably based on a previous structure on the site known as "Beaconsfield" constructed in granite and red bricks in Neo-Classical style from the Edwardian period. The original structure on this site dates back to 1842 where the first Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Henry Pottinger resided from 1843 to 1846. The building then had several owners, and was acquired by the Missions Étrangères de Paris in 1915. In 1917, they renovated it and added a chapel in the north-west corner, topped by a cupola. It was finally sold back to the Hong Kong Government in 1953. Next we visit St. John's Cathedral, the second oldest building in Hong Kong and the oldest Anglican Church in the Far East, opening for service on Sunday, 11th March, 1849. It was declared a monument in 1996 The cathedral's architectural style is a plain, unadorned adaptation of 13th century English and Decorated Gothic, which was the popular revivalist style for churches at the time. Along the north wall is a memorial tablet to Captain W.T. Bate RN, who died fighting in Canton. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong from 1941 to 1945, the Cathedral was converted into a club for the Japanese. The Bell Tower of the Cathedral is decorated with a large "VR" on the west face, in commemoration of the institution's founding during the reign of Queen Victoria. The north and south faces of the tower are decorated with the coats-of-arms of two former Governors of Hong Kong, Sir John Davis and George Bonham. The first pew on the south side of the interior bears the Royal Arm, as it was formerly reserved for the Governor or any member of the Royal Family visiting Hong Kong before the Handover in 1997. Afterward we continue on foot to the former Flagstaff House one of the oldest British-style architecture remaining in Hong Kong located within the Hong Kong Park. It has been a longtime residence of the Commander of the British forces in Hong Kong during colonial times. The west and east wings were shelled during the Japanese invasion and it suffered bomb damage. The Japanese repaired it and the Commandant took the building as his residence during the occupation. After the war, Flagstaff House was again the Commander's residence until 1978, when the Commander moved to another location. Today Flagstaff House houses the Museum of Tea Ware. After a most interesting insight on Hong Kong's Colonial history we rejoin our coach for our return transfer |
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