Maritime meander
Sampans and 'walla-wallas', or water taxis, have long since disappeared from Victoria Harbour, but this small-scale water traffic is alive and well in Aberdeen. The town's waterfront is very much a working harbour, and is still home to a large fishing fleet. Perhaps combined with a shopping trip to Horizon Plaza, a tour of Aberdeen Harbour allows you to spend time hopping from boat to boat without going as far as the outlying islands.
Reach the waterfront by taking the pedestrian underpass from Aberdeen's main bus station. The local district board has made efforts to reconnect with the neighbourhood's rich maritime heritage. There are good reasons for doing so. It's likely that the sheltered Aberdeen anchorage was the true source of the name Hong Kong, or Fragrant Harbour. Long before colonial times, British ships used to stop at this bustling 'incense harbour' to take on supplies on their way to Canton, now Guangdong.
Roaming sampans will take you on sightseeing tours of the harbour - there are seven stations they will call at on both sides of the waterway.
Negotiate your own price. And, of course, there are the shuttle boats that will take you out to the Jumbo and Tai Pak floating restaurants. But the humble sampan is also used as public transport by people who want to cross from Aberdeen to the neighbouring island of Ap Lei Chau. The sailing costs only HK$1.80, and you shouldn't be surprised that some of these quaint wooden sampans now take Octopus cards.
Board your sampan from landing steps opposite the underpass. As the craft picks its way through the much larger vessels at anchor, you may see the itinerant 'fruit boat' which delivers fresh fruit and vegetables to fishing families.
Turning right as you exit the sampan pier on Ap Lei Chau takes you straight into the newish Wind Tower Park. It's well designed, with natural materials represented in pebble walks and wooden decking, but its main attraction is its promenade which runs alongside one of the busiest parts of the harbour. You're given a close-up look at the fishing fleet.
The park's centrepiece is an innovative wind tower built in the shape of a traditional fishing boat. It is studded with solar-powered LED lights which change colour according to wind speed. You can climb up onto it and use it as a vantage point to look out over the typhoon shelter. The park has an open-sided exhibition gallery of Hong Kong's traditional fishing and boat-building industries, with old photographs and implements.
At the back of the park, you can visit the poetically named Shui Yuet Kung, Palace of Water and Moon. This ancient temple to the goddess Kwun Yam is still cared for by local fishermen. Walking the other way from the jetty brings you to the island's larger Hung Shing temple. Two tall poles decorated with dragon designs stand on its forecourt. They were erected many years ago to counteract bad fung shui from the hillside cemetery across the harbour.
Hidden behind the towers of Marina Habitat is Ap Lei Chau Main Street, the old town of the little island. It's a rather scruffy neighbourhood, but the old-fashioned shops reflect its former reliance on traditional industries - you'll find marine suppliers, Chinese herbalists, tea shops and seafood restaurants.
Try Fat Kee (G/F, 57-63 Ap Lei Chau Main Street, tel 25808528), a cheerful seafood restaurant which focuses on squid, clams, crab and other Cantonese standards.
Japanese barbecue restaurant The Primitive (G/F, 132 Ap Lei Chau Main Street, tel 28702800) serves up small dishes of skewered and grilled items: fish, beef, scallops, eel, sausage and dumplings among them. Vegetarian choices include aubergine and mushroom skewers, all served with dipping sauces. For international cuisine, Top Deck (off Sham Wan Pier Drive, tel 25523331) is well known for its weekend Champagne buffet and 9,000 sqft alfresco dining space. Situated on top of the Jumbo floating restaurant, it can be reached by free shuttle boat from Aberdeen Promenade or Sham Wan Pier Drive.
