Hong Kong Special Events AMERICAN CLUB TAI TAM On the south eastern shore of Hong Kong Island lies the American Club, Hong Kong Country Clubhouse, an ideal venue for formal conferences, parties, barbeques and other private functions. The Club offers a full complement of sporting facilities. The Bay Room overlooks the breathtaking vista of Tai Tam Bay, a poolside oasis and terrace overlooking the South China Sea provide your quests with a superb hospitality under the blue sky or a canopy of stars. The lawn is an idyllic site for outdoor parties and gatherings. Capacity 180 people Sit down dinner 200 people for buffet/BBQ GOLD COAST YACHT CLUB Located in picturesque Castle Peak Bay, the Gold Coast Yacht Club is Hong Kong’s largest resort, spanning 100 acres. This distinctive haven draws its inspiration from California and Spanish colonial architecture, creating a warm, welcoming ambience and a relaxed environment ideal for events of all kinds. Experienced staff and a wealth of services and expertise assures that your function will be of the highest standard. Capacity 200 people banquet style HONG KONG JOCKY CLUB – HAPPY VALLEY A day at the races is an essential Hong Kong experience and there is no better way to enjoy it than in a private box. Unlike most races courses, Happy Valley is in the heart of the city and is ideal for entertaining small gatherings. Guests can enjoy drinks and international buffet as well as a bird’s eye view of the racing action. Capacity 350 banquet style HONG KONG JOCKY CLUB – SHA TIM The Sha Tin Racecourse with its dramatic views of the Ma On Shan mountains, is a superb venue for entertaining. On racedays, small gatherings can enjoy drinks and international buffet while viewing the races from a private box. A full range of entertainment options are available for private functions on non-racedays. Capacity 390 banquet style HONG KONG PARKVIEW Hong Kong Parkview is set in lush rolling hills of a country park. Just 15 minutes from Central, Parkview is a unique multidimensional complex offering complete business and resort facilities. Guests can choose from numerous meeting options and banquets for up to 200 people. Four international standard restaurants offer superb Asian and Western food. A magnificent outdoor pool, squash and tennis courts, gymnasium, theatre and more make Parkview a superior venue for meetings, banquets or social gathering. Capacity 200 banquet style AMERICAN CLUB CENTRAL The sophisticated town club is one of the city’s most prestigious venues for receptions and gatherings. It is know for excellent cuisines, a cogenial atmosphere and it’s magnificent views. The 47th floor Pacific Suite is ideal for events ranging from small parties to banquet for 250 guests. Capacity 180 banquet style Hong Kong – Team Building Programs CANTONESE OPERA All the world’s a stage and here is where your team can star in a mind-boggling feast of costume, color and exotic music. Cantonese opera, an exciting Chinese theatrical art, can help bring your achievers together in a spirit of fun and fellowship. First, they learn the ropes from professional actors, make-up artists and musicians. Then your top achievers will tread the boards themselves in a unique production of a classic play, Breaking the Red Lantern. Once they have crossed cultures and seen new possibilities in themselves, your team will be ready to tackle any goal. Where Function room or auditorium with a stage in a variety of hotels and Civic venues Duration A program of lesions in Cantonese Opera rehearsals and the final performance of the play takes 4 hours Group Size Ideally 15-30 people, so all are involved in the final production Enhancements A 30 minute videotape of the performance can be arranged. The tape which includes background music, will be made by a professional camera and lighting crew and will be a cherished momento of this unforgettable experience. DRAGON BOAT RACE Drums pound. Oars rip through the water. A well-trained crew works at fever pitch. The goal: bring a dragon boat across the finish line first. Dragon Boat has its roots in Chinese mythology, but it’s a fast-paced, exciting international sport. Each race lasts a few minutes, so split seconds matter and teamwork is everything. Your achievers will practice rowing in a team and then take off as arms and oars vanish in a blur of speed. The power of team work at its best Where Deep Water Bay or Aberdeen Duration 2-3 Hours Group Size Each Dragon Boat accommodates a maximum of 22 people Enhancements You might want to celebrate the race Chinese Sstyle with a roast Pig and rice dumplings, traditional Dragon Boat Festival dishes. LION DANCE Lion Dancing has been a part of the Chinese culture for thousands of years. A fascinating spectacular of costume, color, music and movement, the Lion Dance is seen as an important ritual which is essential for an auspicious start to any venture. It exorcises evil spirits and bring good fortune to all spectators. It also takes agility, co-ordination and stamina – great team builders. Incentive winners, divided into two teams, assume the various roles: the two halves of the lion, the “Happy Buddha” who leads the dance and the orchestra. There follows a short, intensive period of instruction, after which team members design and paint the traditional banners for their lions. The two teams compete on a variety of levels, learning new moves, skills and testing their powers of teamwork to the limit. Where Ballroom of hotels or private clubs Duration 2-3 Hours Group Size 20-30 people Enhancement End the competition with a grand banquet THE HUMAN ELEMENT – CITY IN MOTION People are the key to Hong Kong’s success. They drive this amazing non-stop commercial engine. But who are they ? What makes Hong Kong people tick ? Your achievers will find out, becoming photojournalists in the process. The tools : a camera, a roll of film and a map. Your winnders will divide into teams and explore a district on foot or on public transport, taking pictures that tell the real story of Hong Kong’s people. At a gala dinner, awards are presented to the Best Photo and Best Story, more importantly, your achievers will have worked together to gain new insights and communicate them – skills which they can apply daily in their working lives. Where Various districts in Hong Kong Duration 2-3 Hours Group Size 2-10 people per team Enhancements Why not donate the winning team’s cash prize to one of Hong Kong’s Charity organizations. TAI CHI Every morning at sunrise, thousands of Hong Kongers head for the tranquil parks, beaches and rolling hills to practice the ancient art of Tai Chi or Chinese shadow boxing. Your achievers will join in this fascinating slow-motion ballet, learning selected movements by following a master. As well as a little gentle exercise, this rewarding program offers your winners practical insights into one of China’s most enigmatic and enduring custom. And after they have worked up an appetite they will head for the Flagstaff Museum of Tea Ware and a Chinese Restaurant for refreshing tea and delicious dim sum. Where Open space and parks are recommended such as Hong Kong Park Duration A morning of Tai Chi and refreshments lasts 4 hours Group Size Flexible Enhancements Along with a delicious cup of tea, participants will enjoy learning about Chinese tea-drinking rituals and traditions QIGONG – ETERNAL FORCE OF LIFE Qi is the life force. It flows through everything, say the Chinese and you can control it. Qigong is an ancient form of exercise allowing one to direct the flow of the life force, restoring health and improving fitness. Your winners will learn from a master the basics of channeling qi, doing breathing exercises that cleanse the body and improve circulation pf blood and Qi. Qigong is a relaxing, invigorating discipline that will give your achievers a new way of using their energy resources. Where Various open spaces or indoor function rooms Duration 45 minutes – 1 hour Group Size 20-30 per instructor Enhancement After the Qigong session, you might want to treat your winners to a Dim Sum and Chinese tea. Tea, according to Chinese medicine, is another aid to good health. THE ART OF TAI CHI SWORDSMANSHIP Balance, focus, Strength. Qualities needed by both ancient warriors and modern business people. The martial art of kung fu is famous worldwide, thanks to Hong Kong son Bruce Lee, but few Westerners are aware of the more peaceful art of tai chi swordplay. Used in ancient times to improve mental reactions and health, tai chi swordplay involves slow movements performed while holding a metre-long wooden sword. The goal is to achieve a supreme level of balance and to harness and focus one’s energies. First, a master teaches your top achievers the basic movements. Then, 10 person competitive teams or battle units are formed to compete and display their new found swordsmanship. A fitting reward for your best warriors ! Where Open space or hotel ballroom Duration 45 minutes – 1 hour Group Size Flexible HERB HARVESTING For millennia the Chinese have studied the curative qualities of plants, passing on the knowledge from generation to generation. Traditional Chinese medicine shops offer herbs in the hundreds, for almost any imaginable medical condition. These cures speak volumes about the Chinese philosophy of food and health. Your winners will follow an experienced herbalist to tiny Cheung Chau island, to find and pick a variety of fresh herbs. The herbalist will demonstrate how to brew the collected herbs into tea, after which your winners can taste the teas and gain some health benefits in addition to their insights into age-old medicine practices. Where Ferries leave for Cheung Chau from the Outlying Island Ferry Pier in Central Duration 2 hours not including the trip to Cheung Chau Island which takes one hour Each way. Charter ferry is also available Group Size 5 per instructor. Larger groups can be divided into 2 routes and further Divided into teams Enhancements Winners can incorporate Tai Chi and or Qigong as a warmup exercise before the walks for a more rewarding and authentic experience of Chinese medicine and health arts REFLEXOLOGY – FOOT MASSAGE Do you appreciate your feet ? Traditional Chinese medicine regards them as the most important part of your body. They contain areas that reflect all our major organs. Apply pressure to the right parts and you can diagnose and help prevent diseases. Participants in this fascinating program will be briefed on Chinese foot massage and will view a demonstration. They will then undergo treatment themselves. Your winners will be surprised how wonderful they feel afterwards. Relexed and invigorated, they will never look at their feet the same way again ! Where Hotel function room or private clubs Duration Approximately 2 hours Group Size Flexible Enhancements Larger groups can be divided in teams with some doing Qigong and or acupoint massage ACUPOINT MASSAGE – VITAL AND TO THE POINT Where did acupuncture come from ? Did someone notice that soldiers wounded by arrows recovered from ailments in other parts of their bodies ? Did semi-devine sages first map the body’s meridians? Whatever its origins in legend, centuries of trial and error have evolved into a refined and detailed clinical methodology. The Chinese believe that adding pressure to certain points on the body can enhance the circulation of Qi and blood. In Hong Kong, acupoint massage is often used as a remedy for many kinds ofpain. Your winners have a chance to partake an ancient cure to enhance their well being in the modern world Where Hotel function room or private club Duration 20-30 minutes Group Size Flexible TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE Yin and Yang. Negative and Positive. Masculine and Feminine. Allof life involves the balancing of opposing forces, according to the Chinese. When the balance is disturbed in our bodies, our health suffers. To correct the balance, a herbalist will often prescribe a variety of roots, barks, twigs, seeds, flowers and other natural substances. This program provides a fascinating insight into Chinese medicine, which has been used with success for millennia. A knowledgeable guide will take your winners to a Chinese medicine shop to explore the means of diagnosis and treatment. They will also visit the Nam Pak Hong (literally the South-North Trading Center) well known in the city’s wholesale ginseng and medicinal-herb trade. Where Western District Duration 1 hour Group Size Flexible Enhancement Enjoy a tonic lunch prepared with various herbal ingredients after the tour THE ART OF TEA DRINKING The art of tea drinking is quintessentially Chinese. Tea is drunk for health and is poured as an offering to friends. It accompanies an everyday dim sum breakfast and is given to the bride before marriage. The best way for your winners to learn about the many facets of this Chinese practice is to visit specialty tea shops where they can learn the technique of tea brewing and sample choice portions. Where Tea houses Duration 30-45 minutes Group Size Flexible Enchancements Lecture on tea traditions