Travel Photo of the Year winners return: Capturing Hong Kong and Macao

Meet Wanderlust's Photo of the Year winners 2019

”Hong Kong is a photographer’s dream,” says Geraint Rowland. “It’s got impressive architecture and the busy streets teem with life, day and night.” The Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year winner was blown away by the territory. As part of their dual-destination photo commission, the four winners of the UK’s biggest travel photography competition were first guided around Hong Kong and its many islands. They soon discovered there were plenty of opportunities to point their lenses, whether the neon skyscrapers, the old neighbourhoods from which the city evolved or one of the 260 outlying islands, whose slower pace of life, unusual wildlife and natural landscapes offer a contrast to that famous urban bustle.

“There’s so much going on in the streets,” enthuses fellow winner Paul Wynn. “Colourful taxis, trams, traffic jams, wall art, bamboo scaffolding…”

“Although it’s such a vibrant, alive city,” remarks winner Paul-Vlad Epure, “its people are calm and very laid back, making their way gently through the streets of this concrete jungle. The nights were also something to remember, as the city lights up into a multitude of Tetris colours.”

“The streets at night were full of contrast between light and darkness, and easy to get lost in,” explains winner Thomas Kast. “The city is quite large. Often I had to rely on the GPS and my gut. My gut, mostly – which sometimes worked, but mostly didn’t. That said, it’s the less-trodden parts of Hong Kong that turned out to be the most interesting. And if not for getting lost, I wouldn’t be able to discover those.”

“I’ve visited Hong Kong before but not been to its islands,” Paul Wynn tells us. “I was surprised by the rural, recreational nature of the area around the Sai Kung District. The trip there, to Yim Tin Tsai Island in a small boat, was a delight and Stanley, our guide, did a wonderful job showing us around a deserted island and explaining its history.

“The trip to The Peak was also memorable,” Paul continues. “It’s been 15 years since I was last there. It was a delight, then, to return on a wonderfully clear day. Again, Stanley did us proud. In Lu Feng’s restaurant we were treated to a comprehensive dim sum banquet, which provided the opportunity to enjoy new flavours and textures while taking in the view of the Hong Kong skyline.”

“We hiked to Suicide Cliff,” remembers Geraint. “It’s a treacherous climb that provides panoramic views over Central. And be sure to experience Central by tram, an alternative way to explore that offers alternative photo opportunities: go upstairs and sit at the front. But you don’t have to travel too far from the Central to be among nature where you can find both solitude and adventure.”

But the surprises weren’t just limited to the topography. The winners got the chance to see plenty of local life too. “We arrived on ‘race night’ and our hotel room looked out directly over the flood-lit race course,” recalls Paul Wynn. “Once inside we were surprised to find that it was Oktoberfest. We mingled with the crowd of expats carrying steins and wearing decorative costumes. But eventually we reached where the locals had congregated – studying the form, making notes and placing bets, seemingly oblivious to the Oktoberfest happening around them.”

“The locals welcomed us everywhere we went,” remembers Paul-Vlad. “Most of them smiled while we were taking candid street photos. Many of them asked if we could share the photos with them and we got multiple recommendations of attractions to visit.”

“There is so much on offer in Hong Kong,” marvels Geraint, before providing some suggestions for photographers coming to the territory. “For some nature and coastal photos, take a ferry to one of the many beautiful islands nearby. You’ll need to take a wide-angle lens to capture the high modern buildings in the financial district.”

“I’d assumed that Macao was full of casinos,” reflects Paul Wynn, “But in reality there is so much more to see. The place is small, easy to walk around and feels very safe and welcoming.” Indeed, our four prize winners discovered that this peninsula and its islands hide a wealth of history, culture, food and nature perfect for exploration. However, after making the hop from Hong Kong, the team also experienced some challenges...

“We travelled during the monsoon,” explains Thomas Kast. “But as the weather improved, the colours returned to their proper place.”

“It’s a unique and contrasting region,” suggests Geraint Rowland. “A mix of huge hotels and casinos side-by-side with old Portuguese churches and cemeteries.” Each of the photographers got to experience the many sides of Macao, from the plentiful pockets of green spaces, the narow streets and its UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of, which includes the ruins of the 17th-century St Paul’s Church to the ancient A-Ma Temple, built in 1488 – long before the Portuguese first dropped anchor here. 

“Our first morning provided an introduction to both the Portuguese and Chinese aspects of Macao,” recalls Paul Wynn. “We were introduced to the colonial architecture of St Lazarus’ Church and the traditional layout of a Chinese Garden at Lou Lim Ieoc. The majority of the people who were using the garden were elderly. Some were practising tai chi, others were playing musical instruments, some were taking in the sights and sounds from a wheelchair. Others found a place to sit and read a book. The common denominator was a sense of ease and peace – nobody was rushing, people had time to stop, greet and talk. A sense of community was all around.”

“You could feel the Portuguese influence,” agrees Paul-Vlad. "You could see it in the buildings, architecture and especially the food. But it’s mixed well with the Asian culture. The casinos are something to photograph – and maybe experience too. I loved photographing the  narrow streets with view towards Casino Lisboa.”

One aspect of the local experience caught Thomas’ eye, as he went off-track to one of the local markets. “For me it turned out to be the most interesting part of the whole trip, and a gold-mine for a photographer. After shooting the market for several days, I’d accumulated enough material to publish a photo art album.”

Each of the photographers took the opportunity to try the local culture. “The diverse food on offer is an interesting fusion of Cantonese and Portuguese cuisines,” Geraint tells us. “Fresh seafood is in abundance, and if you have a sweet tooth, make sure you try the delicious pastéis de nata – egg tarts dusted with cinnamon. One is never enough.”

“We had amazing sausages at Antonio’s Michelin-starred restaurant,” remembers Paul-Vlad.“The live music, sabrage and laughter complimented the narrow streets and Portuguese feel of the neighbourhood.”

“We also visited Coloane,” adds Paul Wynn of the nearby island, far removed from the bustle of the Peninsula, “We wandered around the painted houses in the sleepy streets and the Chapel of St Francis Xavier. The whole area oozed tranquillity and calm, no more so than when we sat on the waterfront sampling Lord Stow’s egg tarts.”

Essential travel information

Hong Kong

Getting there

Hong Kong is served by direct flights, with a number of airlines departing the UK including Virgin Atlantic, British Airways from Heathrow and Cathay Pacific.

Getting around

Ferries are important transport modes between Hong Kong’s harbours and numerous islands. The iconic Star Ferry links Kowloon with Hong Kong Island. Other services link Central with Cheung Chau, Lantau and Lamma Islands, and west to Macao. Ferries from Wong Shek and Ma Liu Shui serve islands in the New Territories.

The Mass Transit Railway, Kowloon-Canton Railway and Light Rail cover much of northern Hong Kong and Lantau Island, Kowloon and up towards the Chinese border. Trams trundle along HK Island’s north shore, while the Peak Tram ascends to the eponymous viewpoint.

When to go

Summer (May-Sept) brings high humidity and thunderstorms, with temps reaching 31°C+. It is also typhoon season. Spring (March-April) and autumn (October-November) are the most comfortable times to visit. Winter (January-February) is often cool and overcast, although temps rarely drop below 10°C.

Pretty much every month is festival month. Most important is the Chinese New Year in late January/early February, with parades and a riot of fireworks.

Macao

Getting there

There are no non-stop flights from the UK to Macao. Fly to Hong
Kong, then transfer to Macao via the Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal, either TurboJet or CotaiJet; the crossing to Macao takes an hour.

Getting around

Macao is only 9.3sq km, so it’s possible to visit the main sights on foot. The licensed metered taxis are inexpensive, although luggage will cost extra; Uber is increasingly popular. 

The Light Rail Transit, a long-awaited metro system opened in 2019, with extensions underway. Macao’s public buses are crowded but cheap; bus stop info is often only in Chinese or Portuguese.

Most hotels run complimentary shuttle buses to the airport, ferry terminals and mainland border. 

When to go

Spring (Mar-May) and autumn (Sept–Nov) are the best times to visit, with the temperature comfortable (22°C) without being too hot and sticky.

Summer season runs May-September; expect heavy humidity
with thunderstormsand rainstorms. Rain is heaviest in May. 

Winter season is December-February; it can get cold (10°C), but is good for festivities – Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year and the Fringe Festival.

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