Hong Kong Travel Guide
Hong Kong is a major tourist destination in South East Asia - especially for the rich Chinese. However visitors to Hong Kong do come from far and wide. Although shrouded in controversy over its loyalties, Hong Kong is an important hub, globally speaking. The harbour city is divided into many contrasting districts. Around a seven million people make up the population of Hong Kong - a majority of whom are Chinese. However, there are people from other nationalities here too, making Hong Kong a cosmopolitan city. Spring or autumn would be the best time to visit Hong Kong, that is, either from January to March or between October and December.
Hong Kong has a comprehensive, well-developed public transit system. The fastest and most convenient way to travel is by using the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), which moves underground as well as above it. The city trams (double-decker) present a cheaper alternative for travel but buses are more of a versatile option - especially down south. The ferry (with the Star Ferry an attraction by itself) and clean, efficient taxis constitute major parts of the transport system. Renting a car is not common in Hong Kong, and not advisable due to the heavy traffic.
Hong Kong’s breathtaking skyline is counted among the best in the world. Visitors would also be stunned by the view of the Hong Kong Island from Victoria Peak. Horse racing is also extremely popular and worth a watch. Tourists can also visit the several traditional heritage locations spread around the territory. The Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas is an amazing temple which makes visitors feel they have been transported into a new world - it has a pagoda to climb and monkeys are usually spotted here. The Po Lin Monastery, Tien Tan Buddha Statue and Che Kung Temple are also worth a day’s trip. Apart from these sites, there are museums and parks - plus theme parks including the Hong Kong Disneyland. There are also loads of beaches in Hong Kong to unwind.
Hong Kong is quite a major shopping destination - prices are more reasonable than most places in the world and shoppers in Hong Kong are not charged sales tax or value added tax. The choice and variety in shopping is tremendous in Hong Kong, with its great number of shopping malls and street markets. Haggling is also a profitable option and visitors are likely to get discounts on most products.
Before you leave Hong Kong, you should definitely samples some Hot Milk Tea along with traditional dim sum - there are restaurants which are dedicated completely to dim sum. With so much to do and watch, it is hardly surprising that Hong Kong is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.