13 minute read
Travel Photographer of the Year: the Winners return
o n g K o n g i s a p h o t o g r a - “The trip to The Peak was also memorable,” ”Hpher’s dream,” says Geraint Rowland. “It’s got impressive architecture and the busy streets teem with life, day and 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 night.” The Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year to a comprehensive dim sum banquet, which winner was blown away by the territory. As part provided the opportunity to enjoy new flavours of their dual-destination photo commission (see and textures while taking in the view of the Hong p146), the four winners of the UK’s biggest travel Kong skyline.” photography competition were first guided around “We hiked to Suicide Cliff,” remembers Geraint. Hong Kong and its many islands. They soon discov- “It’s a treacherous climb that provides panoramic ered there were plenty of opportunities to point views over Central. And be sure to experience their lenses, whether the neon skyscapers, the old Central by tram, an alternative way to explore that neighbourhoods from which the city evolved or one offers alternative photo opportunities: go upstairs of the 260 outlying islands, whose slower pace of and sit at the front. But you don’t have to travel too life, unusual wildlife and natural landscapes offer a far from the Central to be among nature where you contrast to that famous urban bustle. can find both solitude and adventure.”
“There’s so much going on in the streets,” But the surprises weren’t just limited to the enthuses fellow winner Paul Wynn. “Colourful taxis, topography. The winners got the chance to see trams, traffic jams, wall art, plenty of local life too. “We bamboo scaffolding…” “Although it’s such a “The locals arrived on ‘race night’ and our hotel room looked out vibrant, alive city,” remarks welcomed us and directly over the flood-lit winner Paul-Vlad Epure, gave us multiple race course,” recalls Paul “its people are calm and very Wy n n . “ O n c e i n s i d e we laid back, making their way recommendations of were surprised to find that gently through the streets attractions to visit” i t w a s O k t o b e r f e s t . We of this concrete jungle. The mingled with the crowd of nights were also something expats carr ying steins and to remember, as the city lights up into a multitude wearing decorative costumes. But eventually we of Tetris colours.” reached where the locals had congregated – stud-
Advertisement
“The streets at night were full of contract ying the form, making notes and placing bets, between light and darkness, and easy to get lost seemingly oblivious to the Oktoberfest happenin,” explains winner Thomas Kast. “The city is ing around them.” quite large. Often I had to rely on the GPS and my “The locals welcomed us everywhere we went,” gut. My gut, mostly – which sometimes worked, remembers Paul-Vlad. “Most of them smiled but mostly didn’t. That said, it’s the less-trodden while we were taking candid street photos. Many parts of Hong Kong that turned out to be the most of them asked if we could share the photos with interesting. And if not for getting lost, I wouldn’t them and we got multiple recommendations of be able to discover those.” attractions to visit.”
“I’ve visited Hong Kong before but not been to “There is so much on offer in Hong Kong,” its islands,” Paul Wynn tells us. “I was surprised by marvels Geraint, before providing some suggesthe rural, recreational nature of the area around the tions for photographers coming to the territory. Sai Kung District. The trip there, to Yim Tin Tsai “For some nature and coastal photos, take a ferry Island in a small boat, was a delight and Stanley, to one of the many beautiful islands nearby. You’ll our guide, did a wonderful job showing us around need to take a wide-angle lens to capture the high a deserted island and explaining its history. modern buildings in the financial district.” ⊲
THE PHOTOGRAPHERS
Thomas Kast (TK) Geraint Rowland (GR) Paul Wynn (PW) Paul-Vlad Epure (P-VE)
NEED TO KNOW
Getting there
Hong Kong is served by direct flights, with a number of airlines departing the UK including Virgin Atlantic (virginatlantic.com), British Airways (ba.com) from Heathrow and Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com).
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 (JanuaryFebruary) 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.
’d assumed that Macao was full of casi-“Inos,” 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...
“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 Por tuguese 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 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.”
NEED TO KNOW
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 (turbojet. com.hk) or CotaiJet (cotaijet.com.mo); 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 thunderstorms and 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.
Nestled in nature (clockwise from left) The Great Bear Rainforest is home to black, grizzly and the spirit bear, one of the rarest animals in the world; Halfmoon Bay is a small community along the Sunshine Coast perfect for exploring by canoe or kayak; the gorge of Wokkpash Creek in Stone Mountain Provincial Park in the northern Rocky Mountains; hikers in Cathedral Provincial Park should look out for mule deer, mountain goat, California bighorn sheep and black bear
Wild coast, snowy peaks, thundering rivers, vast rainforests: when it comes to big nature, there are few places in Canada that compare with British Columbia (BC). From the craggy Rockies to the Great Bear Rainforest and the Gulf Islands, it’s a land made for adventure...
ON THE OCEAN
At more than 25,000km, BC’s Pacific coastline has something for everyone: chilled out beach towns, deserted shorelines, dramatic cliffs and remote islands rich in First Nations culture. From Vancouver, take a road-trip along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, the snaking coast road that runs all the way to Squamish and Whistler, or head along the Sunshine Coast to visit the laid-back coastal communities of Gibsons, Roberts Creek, Sechelt and Powell River.
Across the Strait of Georgia, Vancouver Island is home to British Columbia’s capital city, Victoria, where you can enjoy whale-watching tours and kayaking expeditions. Catch a wave in Tofino, BC’s surf central, before venturing north to visit the island’s isolated seaside villages.
Visit the Southern Gulf Islands for kayaking, beaches and coast hikes, or spot wildlife on the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast and Prince Rupert on the north-west coast, a playground for eagles, otters, orcas, sea lions, dolphins, grey whales and humpbacks. For an indigenous perspective, paddle a traditional canoe with Takaya Tours, or go on a storytelling hike with Talking Tree Tours at Squamish. You’ll never see the ocean the same way again.
IN THE RAINFOREST
Encompassing 64,000 sq km of northern BC, the Great Bear Rainforest forms part of the planet’s largest area of coastal temperate rainforest. It’s a biodiversity hotspot, with cedar trees that are more than a millennia old. Unsurprisingly, it’s a wildlife watchers’ paradise, and one of the few places where you can see wild grizzlies and black bears in their native habitat.
For the ultimate experience, book a few nights at a backcountry lodge such as the Great Bear Lodge or Khutzeymateen, where naturalists lead guided hikes into the forest to watch wild bears foraging for berries in spring or fishing for salmon in summer. Very occasionally, a spirit bear (otherwise known as a Kermode bear) may make an appearance: identifiable by its milk-white coat, this rare bear (actually a sub-species of the black bear) was sacred to First Nations people, who called it moksgmÕol, or ‘white bear’.
But the Great Bear Rainforest isn’t BC’s only tract of ancient forest: around 70% of BC remains under tree cover, making it one of Canada’s most forested provinces. Walk through the wild woods of Vancouver Island, hike through fragrant pine forests in the Rocky Mountains or get lost in the Ancient Forest near Prince George; in many ways, BC’s trees are its greatest treasure.
HIGH IN THE MOUNTAINS
Wherever you go in BC, mountains are a constant companion. BC has ten major mountain ranges, more than any other province – from the coastal peaks around Squamish and Whistler to the southern Selkirk Mountains and the distant northern ranges of the St Elias Mountains and the Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark.
None, however, are mightier than the Rockies, the majestic mountain chain that marks British Columbia’s eastern border and forms part of North America’s largest alpine system. Home to national parks including Yoho, Mount Revelstoke, Kootenay and Glacier, the Canadian Rockies offer a wealth of alpine experiences: skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and sledding in winter and hiking, mountain-biking, zip-lining, rock climbing and via ferrata in summer. They’re also ideal for a wild swim – either in a glacial lake or crystal-clear mountain river for the purists, or for the less hardy, a geothermally heated pool such as Radium Hot Springs or Fairmont Hot Springs. Mountain towns such as Fernie, Golden, Nelson and Rossland make ideal bases, with numerous outdoor activity companies and gear suppliers, as well as loads of local trails.
Many mountain towns date back to the Gold Rush, and they’re full of heritage buildings (not to mention some of BC’s best craft breweries). There’s wildlife aplenty to spot, too – mountain goats and bighorn sheep skipping along the cliffs, marmots and ground squirrels skittering around in the undergrowth, elk and moose munching their way through the woods and eagles wheeling above the valleys. No mountain experience would be complete without visiting some of British Columbia’s great glaciers. More than 400 glaciers can be seen in Glacier National Park alone. Head out for a hike here to find an uninterrupted view of the ancient ice sheets glistening under the sun – a sight you won’t quickly forget.
GO WITH THE EXPERTS
Start planning your perfect visit to British Columbia with the help of the experts from Bon Voyage. With over 40 years of experience, you can trust Bon Voyage to create you a high quality, high value trip that draws on the advice and firsthand experiences of its team of travel experts.
