Aqua Restaurant Group in Hong Kong to launch Luxury Chinese Junk

Aqua Restaurant Group, creators and operators of some of Hong Kong’s most cutting edge restaurants including the highly acclaimed Aqua, Hutong, Ayuthaiya, Shui Hu Ju, Water Margin and WasabiSabi have launched what promises to be one of the most exclusive ever built traditional Chinese junks.

aqua luna is a 28-metre traditional three sail Chinese junk conceived, designed and painstakingly hand built for the Aqua Restaurant Group over a period of 18 months in the Hong Kong shipyard of an 80 year old master craftsman, supervised by an equally experienced 73 year old ship-building veteran, using traditional Chinese boat building methods which have now all but died out in Hong Kong.

aqua luna was first conceived out of the Aqua Group’s fierce commitment to Hong Kong at a time when many in the restaurant business were heading north into China. The group named the project “We Love Hong Kong” and its aim was to create a landmark project that would recapture the colour and re-ignite the pioneering spirit of Hong Kong.

As a result, they decided to take the very icon that has, for decades, been associated with Hong Kong – that of a red sailed junk – and create their own ultra exclusive one, reviving one of the great traditions of Hong Kong.

aqua luna’s name in Cantonese, pronounced “Cheung Po Tsai” is named after the famous Cheung Chau Island pirate who used to terrorise the waters of the South China Sea at the turn of the century.

Patrons who happily throng Aqua and Hutong every night are already familiar with the spectacular harbour views offered by these two remarkable restaurants’ from their penthouse location at One Peking, itself an architectural landmark in Kowloon. The Aqua Group now aims to complement - and possibly even exceed - this unforgettable experience with an equally enthralling view of Hong Kong’s harbour and its night skyline literally from the ground up.

Offering 1500 square feet of functional indoor and al fresco space, split across two wooden decks, the junk can accommodate up to 80 guests at a time and is available for private charter at a minimum cost of HK$32,000 based on an approximate per head spend of HK$500.

Additionally, daily aqua luna sailings, beginning in May 2006, will offer patrons of the Aqua Restaurant Group the opportunity to enjoy the quintessential Hong Kong experience.

The 45 minute service will commence daily at 1:35pm plying Hong Kong’s harbour front before landing guests at the foot of the group’s two signature restaurants, the acclaimed Aqua and Hutong. The final evening sailing will dock for the night at Central at 11:30pm. Passengers may board and disembark at Queen’s Pier, Central as well as at Pier 4, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Eight daily sailings will be offered seven days a week. Priced at HK$150 per person during the day and at HK$180 per person in the evenings, the sailings will fill a much needed high-end niche servicing both Hong Kong and Kowloon via Victoria Harbour.

See other recent news regarding: Hong Kong