Hong Kong City

Introduction
On-the-boil Hong Kong will bowl you over. Hong Kong has the big city specials like smog, odour, 14 million elbows and an insane love of clatter. But it's also efficient, hushed and peaceful: the transport network is excellent, the shopping centres are sublime, and the temples and quiet corners of parks are contemplative oases.

The best thing about being in Hong Kong is getting flummoxed and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi-Asian and Western elements. It's about savouring new tastes, weaving through a human gridlock and humming some dumb Cantopop tune while slurping your noodles.

Hong Kong is divided into four main areas - Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. Kowloon and the New Territories are on a peninsula of the Chinese mainland, on the northern side of Victoria Harbour; Hong Kong Island is on the southern side of the harbour facing Kowloon; the Outlying Islands simply refers to any of the other 234 islands. The New Territories has a 20km (12mi) land border with China proper. The city itself is centred around Victoria Harbour. The main business district is Central, on Hong Kong Island. East of Central lies the Admiralty commercial district; Wan Chai, known for restaurants and clubs; then Causeway Bay, a major shopping area. Towering above it all is the Peak, Hong Kong's premier scenic outlook and residential district, which happily has plenty of public green space. In Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui (on the southern tip), Jordan and Yau Ma Tei are busy hotel and shopping areas, while Mong Kok is a bustling residential and shopping area.

Destination Facts
President: Hu Jintao
Chief Executive: Donald Tsang
Time zone: GMT +8 (Hong Kong Standard Time).
Area: 1098
Coordinates: 22.3798961639 latitude and 114.230117798 longitude
Population: 7094000
Area codes: 852

Getting There
Weatherwise, October, November and most of December are the best months to visit Hong Kong; the skies are clear and the sun shines. The June to August heat/rain combo might push your endurance but there's a lot of sunshine and, after all, it's summer. Hotels tend to offer substantial discounts outside the high seasons of March-April and October-November. Travel can be difficult during Chinese New Year in late January/early February.

Getting there and away
Most international travellers arrive and depart via Hong Kong International Airport (www.hongkongairport.com). More than 60 airlines operate between Hong Kong and about 140 destinations worldwide. Competition keeps fares relatively low, and it's a great place to find discounted tickets. Travellers to and from mainland China can use ferry, road or rail links to Guangdong and points beyond. Hong Kong can be reached from Macau via ferry or helicopter.

Getting around
The Airport Express line of the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) is the fastest, easiest and consequently the most expensive public route to/from Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, off the northern coast of Lantau. A gaggle of much cheaper buses connect the airport with Lantau, the New Territories, Kowloon and even Hong Kong Island. Hong Kong's public transport system is the envy of cities the world over. It's fast, easy to navigate, relatively inexpensive and ridiculously easy with the Octopus card payment system. From the moment you arrive you'll be wondering why more cities can't operate transport like Hong Kong. There are old harbour ferries and narrow trams, ultra modern trains and the world's longest escalator. If you can't get from A to B with style in Hong Kong, you're not trying.

Weather
Many prefer to visit Hong Kong during November and December when there are pleasant breezes, plenty of sunshine and comfortable temperatures. January and February are OK times to visit, but the temperature can drop to below 10 ° C (50 ° F). Warmer temperatures make March and April pleasant months to go, but in May the air becomes uncomfortably sticky and humid. Typhoons hit Hong Kong most years between about May and September, though the city is so well prepared it would need to be a very big storm to disrupt your travel too much.

Places of Interest
An ultramodern city with plenty of ancient soul. Hong Kong has enough towering urbanity, electric streetscapes, enigmatic temples, commercial fervour and cultural idiosyncrasies to utterly swamp the senses of a visitor, and enough spontaneous, unexpected possibilities to make a complete mockery of any attempt at a strictly organised itinerary.

Hong Kong has the big city specials like smog, odour, 14 million elbows and an insane love of clatter. But it's also efficient, hushed and peaceful: the transport network is excellent, the shopping centres are sublime, and the temples and quiet corners of parks are contemplative oases. The best thing about being in Hong Kong is getting flummoxed and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi-Asian and Western elements. It's about savouring new tastes, weaving through a human gridlock and humming some dumb Cantopop tune while slurping your noodles.

Events
Hong Kong's combined use of the Western calendar and the Chinese lunar calendar can make trying to determine the exact date of festivals a bit tricky. Chinese New Year takes place in late January/early February, and many people get four days off for the event. Expect a massive fireworks display over Victoria Harbour. The Tin Hau Festival is a Taoist festival falling around late April/early May. Junks are decorated and sail in long rows to Tin Hau temples to pray for clear skies and good fishing. The Dragon Boat Festival is held in June, with dragon boat races taking place in Hong Kong and Outlying Islands. The colourful Mid-Autumn Festival takes place in September or October. It marks an uprising against the Mongols in the 14th century when plans for a revolution were passed around in little round 'moon' cakes, which are still eaten on this day. The Festival of Asian Arts is a major international event and usually occurs in October or November. The Hong Kong Tourism Board website (www.discoverhongkong.com) should have accurate dates.