Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, and Stanley. Note that the southern part of Hong Kong is quite different from Victoria or Wanchai and has a more relaxed holiday atmosphere.

The harbor of Aberdeen was once famous for the Chinese junks, floating restaurants, and houseboats where fishermen lived. (However, today most fishermen have moved to apartment buildings on land.) One of the most interesting activities at Aberdeen is renting a sampan and zigzagging among the fishing boats, watching fishermen at work and children at play.

Repulse Bay is Hong Kong Island's most popular beach. It is easily accessible by bus or taxi from Central, Admiralty, or Wanchai; alternative approaches are via the Aberdeen Tunnel or Wong Nai Chung Gap. Above the beach, reconstructed Repulse Bay is a picturesque example of early 20th-century colonial architecture.

On the approach to Repulse Bay, there is the striking oddity of a square hole in the large apartment building on the mountain opposite the small, well-looked-after beach. According to local lore, the hole has been left for a reason. Because the Chinese believe that a dragon (who in Chinese mythology is basically a benevolent creature, but easily irritated) lives in every mountain and requires an unrestricted view of the sea to maintain its benevolence, the hole was left so that the dragon can still look out to the sea.

Repulse Bay was named after a pirate ship that used to cruise the area in the 19th century. It is a charming place with a clean yellow sand beach (complete with showers and changing rooms), a lovely Mediterranean-style pink club house, and a nice view of the sea and the small islands in the bay.

Stanley Market is one of Hong Kong's best-loved attractions. In its traffic-free lanes, cottages and shops have been converted into well-stocked boutiques selling a wide range of relatively inexpensive clothing, including factory overruns of locally made designer items. Porcelain, rattan ware, and other hand-crafted items are also readily available at competitive prices.

Stanley's sightseeing attractions include the interesting 18th-century Tin Hau Temple, clusters of charming cottages, palatial country homes on the village slopes, and several old colonial buildings such as the Old Stanley Police Station, one of the oldest surviving police stations in Hong Kong. This landmark was built in 1859, but in recent years it was converted into a restaurant. The area's pleasant beaches--set in sheltered, sandy coves--are summertime attractions. One of them is a favorite destination for Hong Kong's wind surfers. All year round, the village offers a wonderfully appetizing range of restaurants and snack bars.