culture and heritage

It may be possible to revitalise Hong Kong villages so they still have rural character and are great places to live – and visit.

Pak Sha O, a village in the wilds of the Sai Kung Peninsula, seems almost suspended in time.

At Ping Shan, there's a cluster of venerable buildings including two of the grandest ancestral halls and the only ancient pagoda in Hong Kong.

Pak Sha O, a village in the wilds of the Sai Kung Peninsula, seems almost suspended in time. As you approach on foot – there's no road access - trees hide it from view. Pass through these, and you see white-painted, two storey houses, mostly arrayed in terraces on gently sloping land.

Explore - quietly!, and you'll find grassy gardens, stony ruins adjoining sturdy buildings, renovation work underway. Though it's like a folk museum, there are homes equipped with all mod cons.

There are many Second World War relics in Hong Kong, several of which are well worth visiting.