Hong Kong Overview
Hong Kong Dining
Hong Kong Shopping
Hong Kong Entertainment
Hong Kong Transportation
Hong Kong Highlights
Hong Kong Attractions
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Travel Tools
Hong Kong Overview
Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is absolutely a shining pearl in the orient. Seething and busy, it is a renowned free port and financial center as well as a shopping paradise in the world. It embodies the confluences and contradictions between the eastern and western elements and its identity as a cosmopolitan centre is reflected in its cuisine, cinema, music and traditions. We have enough reasons to believe that Hong Kong vacations will greatly stimulate every nerve in your body!
Area Code: 852
Location: located on China's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders Guangdong province in the north and faces the South China Sea in the east, west and south
Climate: monsoon-influenced sub-tropical climate, temperate for nearly half the year, with cool, dry winters and hot, humid summers.
Area: 1,104 sq. km
Population: 6,985,200
dining
Hong Kong is a wonderful place that you can taste nearly every cuisine in the world, from Asian to French and American to Russian, with prices ranging from a few dollars to a few hundred. Hong Kong cuisine has developed a blend of eating habits incorporating Chinese, notably Cantonese, and western cuisines. Its cultural blend, proximity to mainland China and reputation for quality have made Hong Kong a Gourmet Paradise.
Chinese
Hong Kong is best known for Chinese menu, specially Cantonese style of cuisine. Cantonese people give very much attention to the freshness of their food. This cooking is lighter to some extent than most regional Chinese cuisine.
Preparation methods usually involve stir-frying in shallow water or oil in a wok. Flavors and nutrition of the food is preserved as cooking time is short. Much oil is not consumed for steaming vegetable and fish. Ingredients like ginger, garlic, onion, vinegar, and sugar are used for preparing sauces.
Western
Western style of food is particulary popular in the young generation of Hong Kong. Number of restaurants prepare mouth-watering Western cuisine. Fast food joints are abundant in Hong Kong. Brands like McDonald's and Burger King are present in every corner of Hongkong. These joints are specially patronised by office-goers, who can get a quick and filling diet at lunchtime here.
Dim Sum
Dim Sum is the most famous in the long list of dishes in a Hongkong meal. Impressively shaped, bite-size portions of dumplings with lightly seasoned fillings of meat and sea fish, fluffy buns with various fillings and glutinous rice - all deliciously steamed - just ignite the tastebuds.
Hong Kong-style Milk Tea
Hong Kong-style milk tea is in a class of its own, different from other forms of milk tea you're likely to encounter. It is a beverage originating from Hong Kong. It consists of black tea sweetened with evaporated milk, and is usually part of an afternoon meal in Hong Kong tea culture.
Hot Pot
Hot Pot is best savored with a pot of tea. Served in little bamboo steamers or pretty plates, dim sum is light in content. It is a favorite dish of the Chinese. There are few better ways to pass time than eating some bites of Hot Pot accompaniments and drinking the soup.
The best place to experience Chinese cuisine is the Dai Pai Dong, which is a type of open-air food stall once very popular in Hong Kong. Central, especially Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo, has a huge range of international restaurants and Tsim Sha Tsui is good for Asian food, especially cheap Indian restaurants in Chungking Mansions. Some of the best mid-range restaurants for local cuisine are in CausewayBay and Wan Chai. The best fresh seafood is on Lamma, Cheung Chau and Sai Kung. If you want to have a quiet, leisurely lunch, try to avoid 1230-1400 when office-workers pile out and invade every cheap eatery around, although there are great bargains in otherwise expensive restaurants, with fixed menus at a fraction of the usual cost.
shopping
Central (Hong Kong Island)
The stores along Central's steep Hollywood Road include antiques, sports equipment, and large department stores. Nearby Stanley Street is a great place for cameras and other electronics. The alleys between Li Yuen Street East and Li Yuen Street West are packed with great little clothing stores. Luxury outlets for brands such as Versace, Prada, Gucci and Armani line Central's main streets.
Causeway Bay (Hong Kong Island)
East of Central, CausewayBay is home to several fantastic shopping malls, including Times Square and the Japanese import, Sogo. A good spot to purchase cosmetics and electronics.
Stanley (Hong Kong Island)
Stanley, located in the south of Hong KongIsland, is home to a lovely bay and a large open-air market, chock full of bargains on clothing, toys, luggage, souvenirs, and arts and crafts. A good place to shop for silk garments and traditional-style Chinese fashions.
Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon)
Pure commerce: Over 700 shops line Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, spilling into adjacent lanes and alleys. Compared to the sleek skyscrapers and ultramodern malls across VictoriaHarbor, it's not particularly pretty, but pretty is not the point. You'll likely be accosted by hawkers offering fake watches and Indian tailor-made suits (Britain's long stewardship of the region resulted in, among other things, a sizeable Indian population settling in Kowloon). Be wary of cameras, sunglasses and cheaper electrical goods here - they're often imitations and a number of tourists have complained of rip-off artists in the area. With a pinch of caution, however, it's another colorful thread in Hong Kong's tapestry. When the shopping buzz wears off, there are some good restaurants and bars in the area, including some good and affordable Indian food. If you're up for even more shopping, the nearby HarborCityShopping Center offers a large selection of clothing and electronics for decent prices. Curio Ally south of Haiping Road sells Chinese knick-knacks and Tsim Sha Tsui's Austin Avenue remains one of the best places for affordable fashions. Narrow Midun Road in Kowloon hosts several reasonable tailor shops and leather stores. Find imported goods from around Asia, including Indian cloth and Japanese clothing, on Jianafen Road.
Mong Kok (Kowloon)
A fascinating area of cramped Chinese markets, visit Fa Yuen Street and Tong Choi Street for inexpensive clothing and second-hand electronics. The Jade market on Kansu Street also makes for a popular stop - just be wary of fakes. In the evening, nearby Temple Street, not far from the Jordan Street MTR stop, comes alive with CD, VCD and DVD stalls and open-air restaurants. Known as the Night Market, you can purchase all sorts of the usual things: clothing, sunglasses, watches, jewelry... though you should be on your guard against fakes and bargain like mad.
entertainment
Nightlife
Hong Kong is as vigorous in the night as it is in the day. After a long, hard day's work, residents venture into the bright psychedelic colored streets for a piece of the action in one of the many night-spots available. Western-style bars and discos are plenty with some attracting a mainly western clientele, while others a mix of locals and expatriates. Options range from British pubs and American bars to high-tech Japanese karaoke clubs and late-night Chinese dance clubs.
There are three districts in Hong Kong that are famous for their entertainment spots. The first is Central where most expatriates and trendy locals go to after work, especially in the areas of Lan Kwai Fong. The second is Wan Chai, which includes nearby CausewayBay with its many bars and discos that open till dawn. The third is Tsim Tsa Tsui in Kowloon where there is a distinct difference between bars exclusively for locals and those that appeal more to tourists.
Karaoke and Live Music
The karaoke craze swept through Hong Kong like a storm, receiving ebullient response from both residents and tourists. Many bars and even restaurants have private rooms where groups get together to sing songs. Computerized video jukeboxes allow music videos to be screened on television and words to the songs are displayed at the bottom of the screen. These words are highlighted to prompt the singer. Some karaoke bars employ hostesses to sing together with the customers, who are usually rowdy groups of Asian businessmen. It is relatively expensive to enjoy a night out at one of these establishments.
Live music bands are also very popular in Hong Kong. The region has a mix of venues where you can tap into the sounds of yesterday and today. Sentimental piano tunes and euphonious lounge singers grace the city's hotels, Filipino bands jam the latest pop hits and local favorites, and Canto-pop performances by idols like Andy Lau and Faye Wong are among the few faddish highlights of live music in Hong Kong.
Nightclubs, pubs and bars
Clubs, pubs, and bars are abundant in Hong Kong. Central is considered the city's premier entertainment district and the center of after-hours fun on Hong KongIsland. These late night bars and dance clubs are the city's most hip and trendiest hang-outs where DJs spin the latest mixes. Some bars have a cover charge, which includes a complimentary drink, while others are generally walk-in clubs with no basic charges. When going into clubs, be sure to check for the age limits and restrictions of the establishment. With the myriad of clubs and bars available, it is always wise to pick one that suit your age and style. Some clubs are frequented by the younger generation while some are solely for the grand and exquisite elite.
transportation
Trains
Hong Kong's main rail systems include the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) East Rail, and the Light Rail (LR).
The MTR is, by far, the most efficient, fastest, cleanest, and smoothest rail transport. Running along Hong KongIsland's north side, it travels beneath the harbor where branches serve Kowloon and LantauIsland. Trains run from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily, with the maximum fare of up to HK$13 for a single adult journey. For inquiries, call 2881 8888.
KCR is a commuter railway that stretches from Hung Hom in Kowloon to the boundary with mainland China at Lo Wu. All, but the express trains to Guangzhou, end at Lo Wu. A visa and special ticket is required to travel to Lo Wu station and into Shenzhen. The KCR runs every 3 to 10 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 12:20 a.m., and the maximum fare is HK$33. For KCR inquiries, call 2602 7799.
The LR runs daily from 5:40 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. between the NewTerritories towns of Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. Fares range from HK$4 to HK$5.80. For inquiries, call 2468 7788.
Buses
Buses are ample in Hong Kong. The final destinations of both double-decker and regular buses are marked in English and Chinese on the front top panel. Operation times are from 6 a.m. to midnight, and fares are considerably low from HK$1.20 to HK$45. It is advisable to prepare the exact fare to make it easier for bus attendants, as well as not to hold the queue when boarding the bus. Bus drivers are typically not fluent in English, and it is better to find your routes from hotel staff or someone who speaks your language before attempting to take the bus.
Hong Kong's bus companies are as follows: New World First Bus (2136 8888), and Citybus (2873 0818) on Hong KongIsland, Kowloon, and the NewTerritories, and Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) in Kowloon (2745 4466). Visitors can get bus route maps from HKTA Information and Gift Centres.
Taxis
Taxis are plentiful throughout Hong Kong apart from remote areas, and can be hailed on the street (except on roads with double yellow lines) or summoned by phone. All are metered, relatively cheap, air-conditioned and clean. Taxis are easily hailed in the street, although they cannot pick up or drop off passengers in restricted areas marked with double yellow lines. At peak periods, you might opt for a hotel taxi-queue.
Taxis come in different colours to indicate their area of service:
1. Red taxis operate in most of Hong Kong, except for Tung Chung Road and the south side of LantauIsland;
2. Green taxis serve the rural areas of the NewTerritories; and
3. Blue taxis operate on LantauIsland.
4. All taxis can go to and from the Hong KongInternationalAirport.
Airport
Hong KongInternationalAirport at Chek Lap Kok on LantauIsland is one of the world’s best and most modern airports offering a comprehensive range of facilities and services to the traveling public. It is the main entry point to Hong Kong, Asia’s world city, as well as being the travelers’ gateway to China and to the rest of Asia.
The airport sits on a small island offshore Lantau, about 34km from Central. It is convenient to get to the airport using the Tsing Ma Bridge, the world's longest single-span suspension bridge, or by the Airport Express train, MTR, Airbus, regular city buses, and taxis.
Boat
Visitors have the choice of various destinations when traveling by boat between China and Hong Kong. Among them include Guangzhou, Xiamen, Shantou, and Shanghai. Also, different types of sea transportation are accessible to visitors. There is an overnight steamer between Hong Kong and Guangzhou that takes eight hours, a daytime catamaran service taking just over three hours, and ferries to Shantou, Xiamen, and Shanghai with varied traveling hours.
highlights
Hong Kong Tour
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