Hong Kong City guide

Welcome to Hong Kong - a place where deeply rooted Chinese traditions are blended with Western influences to create a truly unique living experience.

Traditional temples, colonial buildings, and modern skyscrapers offer a glimpse into each era responsible for shaping the Hong Kong of today: an international business hub with an eclectic mix of foreign nationals from more than 50 countries around the world.

Location

Hong Kong sits on China's south coast, just below the Tropic of Cancer. With seven million people settled on a 426 square mile (1,104 sq km) plot of land, Hong Kong qualifies as one of the most densely populated areas in the world.

Aside from claiming some of the world's tallest buildings, the region also boasts a wide variety of outdoor activities as 40 percent of the land is divided into 23 country parks.

Geography

Hong Kong is comprised of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and over 260 outlying islands.

North of the Island, across Victoria Harbor, is the Kowloon Peninsula. Traditionally, Kowloon has always been known as the entertainment district of Hong Kong. Streets are lined with shops, markets, the best hotels, and several forms of entertainment. There are also a number of historical and cultural museums portraying the Hong Kong of yesterday.

The New Territories, set in the northernmost reaches of Hong Kong, share a border with Mainland China, and cover 306 square miles (796 sq km). The New Territories are characterized by a diverse terrain of sandy beaches, wildlife reserves and mountain peaks, which have towns and country farms nestled in valley lowlands throughout.

More than 260 islands dot the surrounding waters of the South China Sea. Lantau Island is a throne to the world's largest seated outdoor Buddha. The 202-ton, bronze statue sits atop the island's Ngong Ping plateau and can be seen for miles around.

To the east is Discovery Bay, a popular home to expats who want to enjoy a more peaceful and laid back environment.

Lamma Island is another popular destination with good hiking, beaches, and fresh seafood being the major attractions.

Located in between these two islands are two more islands worth noting: Cheung Chau and Peng Chau.

History

Hong Kong was not always the lively metropolis it is today. With its ideal location on the South China Sea, Hong Kong attracted the attention of fishermen and pearl hunters from Mainland China, and later, Western traders looking for silks, silver, tea, and spices.

The British traded opium for Chinese commodities but when the Qing Empire banned the drug trade, the First Opium War took place.At the close of the First Opium War in 1841, Hong Kong Island was surrendered to the British. In 1860, with the end of the Second Opium War, the colony was enlarged to include the Kowloon Peninsula; and in 1898 the New Territories and more than 200 islands were handed over to Britain on a 99-year lease.

Aside from four years of Japanese occupation during World War II, Hong Kong remained a British colony until it was officially turned over to the People's Republic of China (PRC) on 1 July 1997.

With the hand over of '97, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China that operates under the "one country, two systems" policy. This means that, although Hong Kong is officially run by the PRC, it maintains its own political, social, and economic systems; therefore, English continues to be an official language and many treaties, freedoms, and international relationships have remained in place.

Getting around

For the millions of people with several tasks at hand, there is need for a transportation system capable of meeting immeasurable expectations. Hong Kong is well prepared with one of the most advanced, comprehensible transportation systems in the world. The truth is that most people don't even feel the need to buy a car.

Complete with the MTRC, buses, ferries, taxis, and trams, there are several options for reaching any destination in a timely manner. Hong Kong's railway system, known as the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC), includes 131.5 miles (211.6 km) of rail and 150 stations.

Double-decker buses, minibuses, taxis, and the Hong Kong Island trams are frequent and easy to use. Ferries provide transportation across Victoria Harbor and to many of the outlying islands. Daily travel is made convenient by the Octopus Card, a card with a built-in microchip that manages fares electronically. The Octopus card can be used with almost all forms of public transportation, as well as at public pay phones, vending machines, photo booths, grocery stores, convenience stores, and fast-food restaurants.

Things to do

Shopping, eating, and outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, rock climbing, and several water sports, are favorite pastimes for residents and tourists alike.

Ocean Park and Disneyland Hong Kong are two largely visited theme parks of the area.

Locals also enjoy playing mahjong as well as Chinese chess, checkers, and card games. Arcades and karaoke clubs are popular hangouts for the younger generations.

Economy

With endless choices for entertainment, the tourism industry has thrived in recent years and, in turn, plays a key role in sustaining Hong Kong's economy.

This is part of the transformation of the last few decades where Hong Kong has shifted from relying on manufacturing centers to the service-based industries, which also includes the internationally appealing corporate and finance sectors.

Trade is, as it always has been, another major contributor to the growing economy.

With these components in place, Hong Kong has made a steady recovery from the East Asian financial crisis of 1997 and the economy continues to grow stronger.

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