 | Hong Kong
Click here for a few suggestions from our
extensive portfolio of hotels.
 Hong Kong is a happy marriage of paradoxes, a city with an uncanny gift for modern commerce yet one set firmly in a world of ancient traditions, where a businessman talks to London on his mobile ‘phone while lighting incense at a shrine to his ancestors, and where stockbrokers impatiently scan monitors for the latest price of gold while faxing their geomancers for advice on furniture alignment.
Hong Kong Island is separated from Kowloon and the New Territories by spectacular Victoria Harbour, and the green and white Star Ferry that criss-crosses it is the best harbour ride in the world. It’s one of the ‘must-do’ things in Hong Kong, along with the tram ride to the Peak for stunning views over the city, beautiful during the day when ships lie anchored in the harbour and teak hulled junks drift slowly down river; magical at sunset and after dark when the skyline turns into a sea of twinkling lights.
For a great overview of the city take the 4½ hour HKTA Lifestyle Tour, or the Panorama Tour which offers a flight over the port, a luncheon cruise along the island’s south side, and a guided tour of Stanley. And visit during a Festival if possible - The Dragon Boat Festival, Food Festival, Shopping Festival, or Full Moon festival in autumn – all are accessible and fun. It’s a city of contrasts: marble-and-glass office blocks shadowing sampans in the harbour, the hustle and bustle of the business district with the rural hinterland of the New Territories, and the 235 tranquil offshore islands that dot the surrounding South China Sea, three of which offer safe, sheltered bathing, good walking trails and great food.
Visit the parks in the morning to see the locals practicing their Tai Chi. Then perhaps make your way to Ocean Park for wild rides and animal shows for the whole family. Only an hour away by hydrofoil lies Macau – a former enclave on the western side of the Pearl River which is made up of a promontory and two islands. Historical Macau is renowned for its churches, temples, casino, old forts, cobbled lanes and charming atmosphere.
 It was in Hong Kong that the phrase Shop Till you Drop was coined: not surprising considering it’s duty free status and competitive prices. Local designers like Walter Ma and Shanghai Tang are well catered for in chic boutiques. Nathan Road has cameras, computer games, designer spectacles and much more (but be careful of the fakes). If you want to see the Chinese seriously shop, then head for the 450 stalls of the Jade Market in Yau Ma Tai and watch the hand signals between buyer and seller, (take an expert with you if you want to buy). Or visit the Bird Market on Kowloon and listen to the buyers and sellers barter over the songbirds in their teak cages. And although I’ve never actually heard anyone say ‘some snakebite for my sciatica, please’ a browse through the traditional medicine shops is fun.
Choosing a restaurant in which to eat will probably be the hardest decision you have to make in Hong Kong. The world’s finest cuisine’s are on offer in this gastronomic paradise, European, American, Asian and Pacific fusion, whether you eat in one of the grand hotels, the trendy area of SoHo in Central District, or the older establishments in Aberdeen Harbour.
And at sundown, head for some of the world’s best nightspots in the 24-hour party area of Lan Kwai Fong: the bars, restaurants, and nightclubs here are mind-blowing.
If all this eating, drinking, shopping and touring has left you exhausted, then fall into the most elegant meeting place in Hong Kong, the Peninsula Hotel, for afternoon tea in The Lobby, or cocktails in The Bar. There’s no better place in all Hong Kong in which to unwind.
Click here for a few suggestions from our
extensive portfolio of hotels. |
|
