Park Island, Ma Wan, Hong Kong

Ma Wan village, traditional houses Ma Wan, in the early days....

Rumor has it that the first sale of Phase 6 of Park Island has taken place at $15,000 per square foot. I don't have any confirmation at this stage, just gossip from estate agents. Stay tuned and I will report out when I have more definitive information.

I don't know too much about this school, other than that the location of the school on Park Island would seem like an ideal place to send your children if you like the idea of children being in a quiter part of Hong Kong with cleaner air. If you lived on Ma Wan you could literally walk your kids to school, and I guess even take them home for lunch time! What I thought was interesting about this Park Island school though, is that each morning there are a number of children whose parents live on Park Island for the clean environment, who send their kids to schools over at Tsing Yi or on Hong Kong Island because they consider those schools better or more prestigious. And yet at the same time, there a number of bus-loads of children who live outside of Park Island, who arrive each morning at Park Island because their parents prefer them to go to the Kei Wai Primary School! Apparently Kei Wai Primary School has a reputation for "a more open and relaxed style of learning", wh

Did anyone see what appeared to be a movie being filmed last night on the far end of the main Ma Wan beach? There was some kind of professional filming going on down there, with around 10 people with lighting, actors, makeup, costumes, etc.

I keep forgetting how damn cold HK can get in winter! A number of times I have looked outside and concluded its not really that cold, only to really regret not wearing more once I am outside. I think the temperature on Ma Wan must get a few degrees colder then more dense and built up places such as on HK island. I do like the big hot pool in the Blue Blue club this time of year. What they do well, is that they make it really quite hot. I can really only last around 15 mins in there max, which is exactly how I like it, rather than a luke-warm pool, which is not quite hot enough for a decent soak. I also use the sauna occasionally, but I must say, I enjoy the hotpool more. Finally, I have discovered I quite like sake in winter. I buy a bottle for the Park and Shop in the Park Island piazza, and then place it into some almost boiling water to heat it. Sipping on that in the evening, while watching a good movie - that's what winter's all about :)

See here for a list and review of some of the Park Island restaurants listed on Open Rice: http://www.openrice.com/english/restaurant/sr1.htm?district_id=3022

A lethal pandemic quickly spreads as the medical community races to find a vaccine and people struggle to survive in the thriller “Contagion". Part the movie is based in Hong Kong. Here is a movie screenshot of Park Island, Ma Wan, and the Tsing Ma bridge. Park Island, Ma Wan, Hong Kong Let's hope we never get another SARS in Hong Kong!

I mentioned an earlier post that I saw groups agents being walked around the Park Island estate, and speculated that they were being trained up for the launch of the new Phase 6 villas on Park Island. The Hong Kong Standard reported today that Sun Hun Kai received approval to launch Phase 6, so I expect that will indeed happen very soon now. See: http://thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=1&art_id=119108&sid=35205947&con_type=1 The report mentions that SHKP is set to launch phase six of Park Island in Ma Wan soon, and that presale consent has been received. The phase 6 development will be just 65 three and four bedroom units. Sizes are between 1200 and 2200 square feet. All villlas have ocean views and ground floor units have large grass gardens and private pools. In terms of pricing it seems they will be between HKD $16,000 to $22,000 per square foot, depending on level and direction they face. No word yet on whether they will be offered with private parking, al

Every so often, usually the Chinese New Year, there is a massive and spectacular fireworks display that take place from platforms in the HK harbour between Hong Kong island and Kowloon. I had wondered whether one could see the fireworks. Apparently you can (although I think you would need to have a clear sky). Below is a picture apparently taken from block 17 of Park Island. It must have been with a powerful camera lense. I will try to see how good one can see fireworks from Ma Wan next time there is a big fireworks display in Hong Kong, and where the best viewing spot is.   Fireworks in Hong Kong viewed from Ma Wan  

Park Island Estate Agents get their briefing on the Phase 6 Villas Hong Kong Property agents I snapped these photos. It looks like agents are being geared up to promote Park Island ready for the Phase 6 villas launch.

Dear Ma Wan blog readers - Some of you will have read my recent suggestion to the Hong Kong Transport Department requesting a pedestrian crossing or traffic lights between the Ma Wan village and the Primary School on Park Island to address the risk of speeding buses possibly hitting children crossing the road. That post is here: http://parkislandhongkong.blogspot.com/2011/12/request-to-hong-kong-transport.html I received a response from the Hong Kong Transport Department which I posted here: http://parkislandhongkong.blogspot.com/2011/12/response-from-hong-kong-transport.html I also received a response from a Paul Turner, a Senior Inspector of the Hong Kong Police, (which I have set out below). I feel Paul's response is a little more sensitive, better worded, and more proactive than the first response received from the Hong Kong Transport Department. Paul - I appreciate your response and attention to the issues raised. I will leave it to anyone who wants to, to post a constr

The advert below caught my eye recently. Cafe Roma has happy hour beers 6pm to 8pm each day, and on Fridays 2 for 1 pizzas. So its quite a popular place to expats to be on a Friday after work apparently! There is also a deal on Wednesday where you get a free bottle of wine if you spend $200. I am planning to check that one out soon too!

It's a beautiful day on Park Island (apart from a slight hangover...)  The sun rises over Ma Wan, 1st January 2012  Have a great 2012!!!!!!!!!! - The Park Island Blogger