Hong Kong Island, China Live Cam

The green oval below the webcam is Happy Valley racecourse, cut into the hills behind Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island. The Canal Road flyover runs down the right of the picture towards the harbour tunnel.

The valley was a malarial swamp until the British drained it and laid out a track in 1846, on one of the few flat pieces of ground on the island. Meetings are run on Wednesday evenings under lights, with the city built up to the fence on every side.

The hill behind is Jardine's Lookout and the towers on the left are Causeway Bay. Betting on those races is handled by a club that is among the largest single taxpayers in Hong Kong and funds a great deal of its charitable work.