| Hong Kong | |
| BorisVM | [img]http://www.bbc.co.uk/50/destinations/hong_kong_50/images/1.jpg[/img]
Best time to go: Autumn - mid-September to mid-December when humidity is lower. Humidity is high in spring (March to May) and temperatures are cooler in winter (mid-December to February)
150 years of British rule has left Hong Kong with a fascinating fusion of Eastern culture and Western modernism. The name conjures up images of vibrant colours and energetic activity, but It is easy to forget that three quarters of Hong Kong is actually rural.
Most visitors actually don’t stray far from Hong Kong Island, which is only 78 square km and makes up less than 10% of Hong Kong’s land area.
The Island is undoubtedly the throbbing heart of Hong Kong home to 'Central', the main business centre, notable for its spectacular skyline of glittering steel and glass high rise buildings. Victoria Peak is the highest point on the island, and the famous Peak Tram will take you to the summit for spectacular views.
Half an hour’s bus ride from Central will bring you to the south side of the island, with beaches, seafood restaurants and markets.
From Central, it is a seven minute ferry ride to the Kowloon Peninsula on the mainland. Here you will find Tsim Sha Tsui’s Golden Mile, a shoppers paradise offering everything from hi-tech electronic gadgetry to designer fakes.
Hong Kong is an assault of sights sounds and smells. It is difficult to imagine a city with more pulsing with life. You will find markets and street hawkers in between monolithic skyscrapers, and don’t be surprised if you come across a Taoist shrine tucked away amongst state of the art office complexes.
Superstitions die hard in Hong Kong, and it is this juxtaposition of East and West that makes Hong Kong so memorable.
http://www.hkta.org/ |