Swisshorn Watches thought it would be a good idea to do some sort of over the top public relations stunt to help introduce their brand into the Asian market. So with the help of the Hang Fang Gold Technology Group, they built a massive palace entirely out of gold.

The Swisshorn Gold Palace in Hong Kong is 650 square meters of the stuff. Everything, including the desk, the bed, the couch, the carpet and, yes, even the toilet is gold. The project took five years to complete at the cost of $50 million. Other features include an entrance lobby, dining room, living space, bedroom and a bathroom.

The space is inspired by the legend of Emperor Han Wu, who promised his wife Ah-Jiao a palace of gold. That being said, for some reason it was designed with a "European architectural feel."

The palace is open daily, and admission is a mere $3. With about 2,500 visitors expected every day, they should recoup their costs in no time.

Related Stories:
· Swisshorn Gold Palace [Official Site]
· A Legend of Gold [DeZona]
· A Golden Throne in Hong Kong [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> Dan Gould 2008-08-15T11:30:10-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/7/12422/77860

Here's a kick-ass museum plan: A real estate tycoon is bowing to pressure from Bruce Lee fans and seeks to turn the martial arts star's last home into a memorial instead of selling it.

If Yu Panglin's rezoning proposal is approved, the two-story townhouse in Kowloon could become a 30,000-square-foot museum, including training centers and, of course, a movie theater to show Lee's greatest hits like "Fist of Fury" and "Enter the Dragon." Yu reportedly fielded offers of as much as $13 million for the house, but says he will help raise the capital to build and run the museum before donating it to the city.

Don't want to wait? The American-based Bruce Lee Foundation, which has been raising money for a permanent Lee museum, is sponsoring a Bruce Lee Festival in Seattle July 18-20 with the Seattle Art Museum, including a memorial service at his nearby tomb.

Related Stories:
· Tycoon to Turn Bruce Lee's Last Home into a Museum [AP, via Yahoo]
· Bruce Lee 35th Anniversary Celebration [Official Site]
· Hong Kong Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: hanneorla]]]> egw 2008-07-07T14:00:12-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/7/3/73249/17283

Hong Kong might not mix that so perfectly with American culture, if the problems at the local Disneyland are anything to go by. But apparently the people of Hong Kong are more excited about all things Spanish.

Places like the Ole Restaurant doing big business these days. One of the reasons is that Spanish wine is relatively cheap in Hong Kong, but we're sure there's a bit more to it than that.

Flamenco dancing is also a hit, with lots of color and energy. We figure just put Mickey into a flamenco costume and Hong Kong Disneyland could find its way back into the public's good books.

Related Stories:
· Ole! Hong Kong Embraces Spanish Culture [Reuters]
· Unhappy Birthday to Hong Kong Disneyland [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Adam Blicharski]]]> amandak 2008-07-03T09:30:10-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/5/8/20200/44053

In the eternal struggle to make Hong Kong's Disneyland pay its way, the park has just opened the Hong Kong version of the classic It's A Small World ride.

Small World's been having a tricky year, with alterations planned for the original in California, possibly to accommodate fatter passengers. In Hong Kong, they're hoping that the world-peace style message of the ride will bring in a few more customers.

The Hong Kong version has a couple of unique features--those new Disney dolls are there--but the most significant is that four new languages have been added to that never-ending, high-pitched singing. Now you get Cantonese, Putonghua, Tagalog and Korean versions as well. We'll see if that brings the crowds in.

Related Stories:
· Hong Kong Disneyland Launches Classic Attraction [The Star]
· Disneyland's Small World Ride to Get Some Changes [Jaunted]
· Year of Mickey Mouse in a Mao Suit [Jaunted]

[Photo: jimmiehomeschoolmom]]]> amandak 2008-05-09T09:30:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/4/10/81626/8206

It really is flavor of the month to shut down your airline, and it doesn't seem to matter which part of the world you're in. The newest victim is Oasis Hong Kong, a long-haul low cost carrier which, until yesterday, was serving routes like Hong Kong to Vancouver and Hong Kong to London.

Not anymore. Wednesday morning's arrival in London was announced as the last flight and stranded passengers are getting deals on Cathay to return to HK. There hasn't been any official reason given, but plenty are now speculating that long-haul and low-cost are simply incompatible concepts. We hope they're wrong.

Related Stories:
· Oasis Goes Bust [Business Traveller]
· Discount Carriers Go the Distance [Jaunted]
· Skybus Shuts Down [Jaunted]

[Photo: hyakuhei]]]> amandak 2008-04-10T09:30:08-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/3/18/232045/363

Hong Kong is probably best known for quick food and kung fu--not getting dusty and swigging from Nalgene bottles. But with 40 percent of the area protected as parks, hikes in the lush hills outside the city are popular for locals and tourists alike and offer stunning views of the island that shouldn't be missed.

The Dragon's Back trail is one of the better-known among Hong Kongers. This trek along a spine of hills high above the city affords a surreal break from the bustling metropolis below with vistas of outlying islands and the quiet village of Shek O.

The trailhead is accessible via local transport, and you can make this walk as short as you like. If you want to make a proper journey of it, though, it'll take you a good part of a day.

Walking, obviously, is free. You can pick up a trail map from any tourism office, or buy a guidebook from a local book shop. But if you're inclined to go with a professional guide, Walk Hong Kong is a licensed tour operator that can take you along various trails in the region with rates running from $60 to $100 depending on the route.

Related Stories:
· Experience Hong Kong: Hiking [Fodors]
· Walk Hong Kong [Official Site]
· Hiking coverage [Jaunted]
· Hong Kong coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Mat Booth]]]> benh 2008-03-19T12:15:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/3/18/71636/4719

Hong Kong jewelry company Hang Fung's golden toilet is certainly not the first toilet to become a tourist attraction: New Zealanders even make a contest out of interesting public bathrooms. And we've examined a few of the most beautiful around the world. But Hang Fung's golden toilet is certainly the most valuable toilet you'll ever come across, as it's made out of solid 24-carat gold.

Tourists--especially those visiting from gold-loving mainland China--adore the shiny loo, which is part of Hang Fung's Hall of Gold exhibit featuring a total of six tons of gold artifacts. But with the price of gold creeping ever upwards, Hang Fung is considering melting part of the toilet down if gold prices reach $1,000 per ounce. That'd give them a whole stack of cash they want to use to expand their stores in China.

So it's another "here today, might be gone tomorrow" attraction. Drop by as soon as you can for a gawk at the Hang Fung golden toilet. But remember, like the sign in the photo says, no photos. Yeah, right.

Related Stories:
· Golden Toilet Leaves Hong Kong Jeweler Flush With Cash [Yahoo]
· When You Need To Go in New Zealand [Jaunted]
· The World's Most Beautiful Toilets [Jaunted]

[Photo: AFP]]]> amandak 2008-03-18T09:30:01-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/