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

31.07.2023 - 15:05 / wanderlust.co.uk

”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 treatedto 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