By an odd but fitting coincidence, Cyberport - the development so synonymous with IT and all things hi-tech, wired and connected - is built on a site associated with the cutting-edge communications technology of an earlier age. In the 1870s, telegraph cables connecting Hong Kong to the rest of the world came ashore here, and the reclaimed land that Cyberport now occupies was once better known as Telegraph Bay.
Interesting reminders of earlier times can be found around the area, which is still one of Hong Kong Island's most desirable residential districts, with sea breezes and wide views across the water to Lamma and Lantau.
On the hill overlooking Cyberport, Bethanie is a historic building that can be visited by the public. It was built in 1875 by the Missions Etrangeres de Paris, a French missionary society, as a country retreat for their priests who needed to recover from the pressures of proselytising deep in the mainland. A press was also established there, printing religious texts in many languages.
After a century of use, Bethanie fell into disrepair, and it wasn't until 2003 that it was given over to the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, which undertook Unesco award-winning renovations. In particular, the original pitched roof has been innovatively reinstated using glass panels.
The building now houses the academy's school of film and television, plus a museum that explains its long history. Admission is HK$25, while there are hourly guided tours. English-speaking guides take tours at noon and 4pm from Monday to Saturday and at 4pm on Sundays.
Next door, two octagonal cowsheds built in 1886 were the original premises of what became the Dairy Farm company - a successful venture to provide fresh milk to the growing European population of Hong Kong. Now, they are a performance venue known as the Wellcome Theatre that also hosts exhibitions. Other old farm buildings nearby are now used by the rookie chefs of the Chinese Cuisine Training Institute.