Introduction:
Hong Kong has the big city specials like smog, odour, 14 million
elbows and an insane love of clatter. But it's also efficient,
hushed and peaceful: the transport network is excellent, the
shopping centres are sublime, and the temples and quiet corners
of parks are contemplative oases.
The best thing about being in Hong Kong is getting flummoxed
and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese
city with multi-Asian and Western elements. It's about savouring
new tastes, weaving through a human gridlock and humming some
dumb Cantopop tune while slurping your noodles.
From the vantage point of Victoria Peak, overlooking the world's
busiest deepwater port, you can see a city geared not only
to making money but feeling good about it. At night, it's
like looking down into a volcano.
Despite its British colonial past, Hong Kong has always stuck
to its roots, and the culture beneath the glitz is pure Chinese.
Mind you, that didn't stop locals from feeling apprehensive
about being reunited with the motherland when the British
handed the colony back to China in 1997; however, it seems
their unease has largely evaporated.
When to Visit Hong Kong:
Weatherwise, October, November and most of December are the
best months to visit Hong Kong; the skies are clear and the
sun shines. The June to August heat/rain combo might push
your endurance but there's a lot of sunshine and, after all,
it's summer. Hotels tends to offer substantial discounts outside
the high seasons of March-April and October-November. Travel
can be difficult during Chinese New Year in late January/early
February.
Attraction in Hong Kong:
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is the glitzy big brother of Kowloon - a
tightly packed, towering paean to market capitalism that hasn't
been dented one jot by Chinese rule. The bustle of people
living and working is the biggest attraction on the island,
although many visitors head around to Aberdeen, on the southern
side of the island, where 6000 people live or work on junks
anchored in the harbour. Sampan tours of the Aberdeen Harbour
are definitely worth the expense. The other major draw is
the floating restaurants.
The most popular beach is Repulse Bay, also on the southern
side of the island, but it gets extremely crowded on weekends.
Stanley, with its laid-back atmosphere, is another good spot
for escaping Hong Kong's hustle and bustle, although it is
the hustle and bustle that brings people here in the first
place - if you want real solitude, you've come to the wrong
place. City attractions include the Central Market, which
visitors will have no trouble finding (just sniff the air),
the old Man Mo Temple and the Zoological & Botanic Gardens.
Hong Kong Island is steep, so if your'e heading away from
the harbour, do as the locals do and ride the 800m (870 yards)
outdoor escalator.
Kowloon
Tsim Sha Tsui, at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, is the
territory's tourist ghetto. It consists of one sq km of shops,
restaurants, pubs, topless bars and camera stores. However,
Kowloon is also home to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the
Space Museum, the famous Peninsula Hotel and the Museum of
History.
The Promenade, in East Tsim Sha Tsui, is a great place for
a stroll, and has wonderful views of Victoria Harbour, particularly
at night. The liveliest night market in the territory is on
Temple St in Yau Ma Tei.
Victoria Peak
If you're in Hong Kong, you'd be mad to miss a trip to the
top of Victoria Peak, 552m (1810ft) above sea level. The views
are giddyingly beautiful in every direction, with the vista
of the business district, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon especially
grand. In true Hong Kong style the main viewing deck is on
the roof of a large shopping mall.
Join the throng of snap-happy tourists - you won't be disappointed.
If you have time, it's worth making the trip to the top both
in daylight (ideal to get your bearings) and at night, when
the mass of lights around the harbour will take your breath
away and make you wish you had a better camera. The actual
peak is a ten-minute walk west and up.
New Territories
Although a third of Hong Kong's population lives in new towns
constructed in the New Territories, the area has some scenic
escapes, including the Sai Kung Peninsula, in the east, which
is an unspoilt playground for hikers, campers, swimmers and
boaters.
Bird-watchers head to the Mai Po Marsh; cyclists and walkers
head to Plover Cove Reservoir; hiking enthusiasts set out
on the 100km-long (62mi-long) MacLehose Trail which spans
the New Territories from Tuen Mun in the west to Pak Tam Chung
in the east.
Outlying Islands
There are 234 outlying islands, many of them little more than
uninhabited rocks. However, Cheung Chau (2.5 sq km/1 sq mi)
has 22,000 residents and is fast developing into a mini Honolulu,
although there is no motorised traffic.
 Lantau,
the largest of the islands (142 sq km/55 sq mi) has a population
of 45,000, a 933m (3060ft) peak, and a 70km (43mi) walking
trail, but has avoided many of the development excesses of
other islands. It is home to several important monasteries,
including Po Lin Monastery with its enormous bronze Buddha.
Thanks to the newish airport development, Lantau is now connected
by bridge to the mainland. Other islands worth visiting include
Lamma, Peng Chau, Poi Toi and the uninhabited Tung Lung Chau.
Shenzhen SEZ
While there are surely better places in China to find yourself,
a daytrip up to the Shenzhen SEZ (Special Economic Zone) might
be just the kind of culture shock you're after.
Regarded as an ugly, business-oriented and souless kit town
(sound inviting yet?), Shenzhen is also increasingly geared
towards travellers from Hong Kong. Shenzhen City, just across
an always-crowded border point from Lo Wu in Hong Kong, is
hardly a great place to discover the beauty and culture that
China is famous for. But it is perhaps the perfect place to
see China's emerging embrace of the free market in action;
HK shoppers often find the bargains in Shenzhen that simply
don't exist anymore in Hong Kong. Wander the streets, grab
a real Guangzhou meal, fob off the pimps, check out the market
stalls and bargain hard.
Reaching Hong Kong:
Air travellers will be treated to Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong's
giant greenhouse of an airport; it's one of the world's ritziest.
By land, the only way into Hong Kong is from mainland China:
you can choose between bus and train. Water is perhaps the
most picturesque way to arrive in Hong Kong; there are boats
that take you between Hong Kong and destinations in Guangdong
and Guangxi Provinces, as well as Macau.
 Hong Kong is the major gateway to China and much of East Asia.
International air service is excellent and fares are relatively
cheap. Departure tax is usually included in the airfare. In
June 1998 Hong Kong opened its new international airport -
Chek Lap Kok - on Lantau Island, ending an era of steep descents
and daredevil landings at Kai Tak in Kowloon.
By land, the only way into Hong Kong is through mainland China.
Since the handover, transport options have increased dramatically,
connecting places as close as Shenzhen and as far as Beijing.
Although the Hong Kong SAR is now an integral part of China,
visas are still required to cross the border with the mainland.
Trains run between Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Canton), Shanghai
and Beijing (about 30 hours). Big-spenders can take the Trans-Siberian
Railway from Europe to Beijing and on to Hong Kong.
Several transport companies in Hong Kong offer bus services
to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other destinations in Guangdong
Province. Buses depart from eight major locations: one on
Hong Kong Island, and the rest in Kowloon and the New Territories.
There are boats that take you to destinations in Guangdong
and Guangxi Provinces, as well as Macau. Departure tax is
almost always included in the ticket. |
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