Discovering Hong Kong: A City of Contrasts

Discovering Hong Kong: A City of Contrasts

• Hong Kong is located on the southern coast of China and consists of three main areas: The New Territories, The Kowloon Peninsula, and Hong Kong Island.
• The city is one of the most densely populated places on earth, with dramatic cityscapes that cling to hillsides and the edges of a spectacular harbor.
• Hong Kong embodies the Chinese concept of balance, yin and yang, with neighborhoods that blend Chinese and colonial traditions with soaring skylines that look boldly towards the future.
• The city has over 600 places of worship, from small neighborhood temples to hilltop complexes like the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, and is filled with the scent of incense.
• Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise, with opulent malls like Pacific Place and bustling markets like Temple Street and Ladies Street, offering tax-free shopping experiences.
• Tsim Sha Tsui, an area at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, offers classic neighborhoods and the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, overlooking Victoria Harbor, which is home to premier arts institutions like the Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre.
• Central is Hong Kong's main business district, with futuristic architecture and malls, while Victoria Peak offers the best views in the city and features Madam Tussauds.
• The city offers plenty of green spaces, including Victoria Garden, Hong Kong Garden, Po Lin Street Bird Garden, and Kowloon's Walled City Park, featuring statues of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.
• Over forty percent of Hong Kong's territory has been designated as national park, with quiet beaches, sparsely populated islands, and wild places just a short ride away thanks to the excellent public transport system.
• Lantau Island is the largest of Hong Kong's 250 islands and features the Po Lin Monastery, Tian Tan Buddha, and the Wisdom Path trail, dedicated to the Buddhist scripture, the Heart Sutra.
• Tai O is a fishing village on Lantau's western coast, with ramshackle stilt houses and dried seafood highly prized by cooks from all over Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong is a city of contrasts, with fashionable bars in Soho and popular dining districts like Lan Kwai Fong, as well as night markets and the cool harbor to relax by after a day of exploring.