Peak Tower

Hong Kong is rightly famed all over the world for the stunning views from Victoria Peak - a sight that never fails to make visitors catch their breath as they behold the almost unbelievable panorama virtually stretching as far as their eyes can see. Neatly bisecting the near and far land masses is Victoria Harbour, its waters constantly being traversed by all manner of craft ranging from stately passenger liners and plodding freighters to sprightly Star Ferries and darting jetfoils.

And now this fabulous sight has been even further enhanced by one of Hong Kong's most imaginative and futuristic buildings, the seven-storey Peak Tower, an all-in-one viewing, dining and    entertainment centre.

Designed by British architect Terry Farrell to take the fullest advantage of the sights, it devotes 20 per cent of its total space to viewing terraces that seem to be suspended in space above the stupendous visual feast dramatically occupying almost the whole skyline.

When finally sated by the view, visitors can now enjoy the many superb attractions offered by the Peak Tower, which was opened in 1997. Among the entertainments is the 'Peak Explorer' with moveable seats in a spaceship setting that creates hair-raising virtual adventures, plus Ripley's amazing 'Believe It Or Not Odditorium', displaying more than 500 weird and wonderful exhibits. Still another attraction is Madame Tussaud's Hong Kong, displaying more than 90 highly life-like figures of the famous and infamous, including muscleman Arnold Schwarzenegger, pop icon Michael Jackson, and movie superstars Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh.

The Peak Tower also has a wide range of restaurants and food outlets plus novelty shops where visitors can get a souvenir to remind them of their exciting experience.

As befits such a world-class tourist attraction, The Peak is served by a modern funicular railway (called, incidentally, the Peak Tram) whose sturdy carriages seem to assume near-perpendicular angles as they giddily whisk passengers up the 552-metre (1,817 foot) ascent. The less adventurous might prefer to take a taxi up the twisting road through the Mid-Levels or a No 15 bus from Central.