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In The Mood for Love

Hong Kong has played the setting to many a romantic film – be the star of your own love story in this atmospheric metropolis

Love is in the air this month as Saint Valentine's Day coincides with the 2014 Chinese Lantern Festival –the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations. Many in Hong Kong call the 14th of February (Friday) a “Double Valentine’s” as the Lantern Festival is also regarded as Chinese Valentine's Day. How to celebrate such an auspicious event? We sift through the myriad possibilities for the perfect romantic weekend:

A walk to remember

Peak Tower

The leafy parks, sparkling waterfronts, and calming beaches of Hong Kong each have their own charm, perfect for dreamy wandering under the stars. Hong Kong Park, a green oasis in the middle of the city, is a natural escape with eight hectares of gardens, waterfalls, ponds, and cliffs to enjoy. The picturesque clock tower and Flagstaff House are favourite spots for wedding photos, while the restaurant overlooking the lake is a great spot to dine on Thai and Japanese fare. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next couple queuing up at the Cotton Tree Drive Marriage Registry located on the park’s grounds! Hong Kong Park, 19, Cotton Tree Drive, Central.

Another Valentine’s favourite – with its best restaurants usually fully booked on February 14 – is Victoria Peak due to its scenic mountaintop setting. A pleasant stroll on The Peak Circle Walk, a path that takes you 360 degrees around The Peak, will give you breath-taking views of Hong Kong from all angles. It takes about an hour to come full circle, starting from Lugard Road. The nearby Peak Tower this month, meanwhile, features a giant heart stand at Sky Terrace 428, the highest viewing terrace in Hong Kong.

Away from the crowds, a local favourite is the Seaview Promenade walk between Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay. The meander, which only takes around 20 minutes, is a comforting and relaxed way to spend quality time with someone special. You can pair this walk with supper at Hong Kong’s quintessential Valentine dinner spot – The Verandah, a grand yet charming colonial-style restaurant overlooking the bay. 109 Repulse Bay Road, Repulse Bay.

Love and blessings

Hearts in Wu Kai Sha

Pray for a husband or exchange vows at Hong Kong’s famous love shrines: The Wishing Tree next to the Tin Hau Temple (Tai Po, New Territories), and Lover’s Rock – a magical pillar on Bowen Road (Mid-Levels, Central). The phallic monolith, painted red and draped with paper-prayers, is visited by couples and singles alike looking for good fortune in the realm of the heart. The stone is reached by walking 18 minutes from the Stubbs Road intersection down the Bowen Road Fitness Trail – a popular flat jogging path with fantastic views of the Admiralty and Wan Chai skylines.

A fair trip away from the city, meanwhile, is Wu Kai Sha beach in Ma On Shan – home to a giant heart formed out of pebbles. Said to be the hard work of a retired elderly gentleman, the heart has gained fame and is another popular background for wedding photographs.

Butterflies in the stomach

Sky Lounge

It has been said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach – and that wooing a woman involves wining and dining her. And you can never run out of a good date venue in Hong Kong, thanks to its endless list of restaurants. The granddaddy of all dinner dates is Amigo in Happy Valley, a French/Continental restaurant described as “one of the poshest and oldest” in town. Operating from its Spanish-style mansion since the 1960s, the restaurant is the go-to place for old-age romancing. Amigo Mansion, 79A Wong Nei Chong Rd, Happy Valley.

Hong Kong’s yuppies meanwhile, of a mind to impress girls on first dates, book tables at rooftop or skyscraper bars and restaurants for sky-high swooning. Some of the more trendy ones include Domani, Aqua, and Hutong (see Dining Guide, pp24-26) or Club@28, Hooray, and Sky Lounge (see Bar Tab, p28). More casual dates, on the other hand, find themselves a cosy home at the 1960s-style Starbucks concept store with its nostalgic retro interior. Shop M2, Mezzanine Floor, Baskerville House, 13 Duddell Street, Central.

Need for speed

Of love and pandas

Single and ready to mingle? You’ll find millions in the same boat here – so head to one of the city’s many speed dating events happening around Valentine’s Day. One of the biggest this year is Hong Kong’s “HK Love Hub Speed Dating” from February 14-16 – Hong Kong’s first-ever international speed dating event hosted by Ocean Park in collaboration with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK). Open to both locals and tourists, the event’s slogan “connecting soul mates from around the world” emphasises its multicultural nature; 288 singles are being recruited globally until February 7. Register at www.hklovehub.com Ocean Park Hong Kong, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Island.

So many dates, so little time. Get yourself in the mood, and let the sparks fly!