The sky was overcast and the view hazy while I was in downtown Hong Kong on my first morning in town, but that didn't keep me from hitting all the spots on my itinerary.
The Bank of China Tower opened in 1990 and is one of the most recognizable parts of the skyline. The building is a bunch of Xs, both in the beams you see on the facade and the design as viewed from the top.
The 70-story building itself is nice to look at, but you can also go inside and visit an observation deck partway up one of the towers, on the 43rd floor.
You can see that my view wasn't that great thanks to the weather, but on a nicer day there would be a lot more worth seeing, including Victoria Peak and across the water to Kowloon. You do only get to see about 180 degrees through the windows, though, which means there is a lot more left to be seen.
Notably visible from above is the Government House. As you can see it looks like there's a bit of work being done. This building was finished about 1855, and served as the official home for 25 British governors of Hong Kong. It's difficult to get a good view of this building as it isn't really accessible - not only is the building itself not open to the public, it's surrounded by trees on three sides and the other side has a tall fence; you can only view the front through the entry gate and that doesn't afford much of a view. Occasionally the gardens are open for public viewing.
The Bank of China Tower main entrance is on the water side, though you can get there from the back side as well (it's a bit confusing, though). Your bags will be x-rayed, and you need ID for the visitor's pass that will get you to the elevators that take you to the 43rd floor. Admission is free. You can visit 8 AM to 8 PM weekdays, to 2 PM on Saturdays; the building is closed on Sundays.
Beggars can't be choosers, and the view is nice on a clear day, but unless you love towers or are in the vicinity (as I was) you might want to skip this one.
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