honeymoon travel holidays

HONG KONG - BUZZLING FAR EAST

Crowded tenements beside shops bursting with gold and jewellery…

Futuristic office towers dwarfing the little green Star Ferries. It’s the contrasts which immediately strike the eye in Hong Kong. The liveliest, most fascinating and spectacular of all Asian cities, a city break in Hong Kong will be an experience to remember!

Life here is lived at a frenetic pace which you’ll notice as soon as you arrive. It has the big city specials like smog, smells, 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. A holiday in Hong Kong has masses to entertain even the most energetic visitor.

Despite its British colonial past, Hong Kong has always stuck to its roots, and the culture beneath the glitz is pure Chinese. Mind you, that didn’t stop locals from feeling apprehensive about being reunited with the motherland when the British handed the colony back to China in 1997. However, it seems their unease has largely evaporated and it is comforting to know that the road and underground signs are still in English as well as Chinese, and wherever you are in the city there’s an underground (MTR) station nearby – it’s fast, cheap and simple to use.

Hong Kong is divided into four main areas – Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. The city itself is centred on 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. In Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan and Yau Ma Tei you’ll find busy hotel and shopping areas, while Mong Kok is a bustling residential and shopping area. Hong Kong Island is the glitzy big brother of Kowloon – a tightly packed, towering paean to market capitalism that hasn’t been dented one jot by Chinese rule. The bustle of people living and working is the biggest attraction on the island, but you might want to head around to Aberdeen, on the southern side of the island, where 6000 people live or work on junks anchored in the harbour – a fascinating sight. Sampan tours of Aberdeen Harbour are definitely worth the expense, and you must sample Chinese food on one of the many floating restaurants.

The most popular beach is Repulse Bay, also on the southern side of the island, but it gets extremely crowded on weekends. Stanley, with its laid-back atmosphere, is another good spot for escaping Hong Kong’s hustle and bustle, although it is the hustle and bustle that brings people here in the first place – if you want real solitude, you’ve come to the wrong place. City attractions include the Central Market, which you’ll have no trouble finding (just sniff the air), the old Man Mo Temple and the Zoological & Botanic Gardens. Hong Kong Island is steep, so if you are heading away from the harbour, do as the locals do and ride the 800m (870 yards) outdoor escalator.

Kowloon Tsim Sha Tsui, at the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, is the territory’s tourist ghetto. It consists of 1sq km of shops, restaurants, pubs, topless bars and camera stores. However, Kowloon is also home to the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Space Museum, the famous Peninsula Hotel and the Museum of History. More than enough to keep you occupied whilst on holiday in Hong Kong! The Promenade, in East Tsim Sha Tsui, is a great place for a stroll, and has wonderful views of Victoria Harbour, particularly at night. Don’t miss the liveliest night market in the territory, on

If you’re in Hong Kong, you’d be mad to miss a trip to the top of Victoria Peak, 552m (1810ft) above sea level. The views are giddyingly beautiful in every direction, with the vista of the business district, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon especially grand. In true Hong Kong style the main viewing deck is on the roof of a large shopping mall. Join the throng of snap-happy tourists – you won’t be disappointed. If you have time, it’s worth making the trip to the top both in daylight (ideal to get your bearings) and at night, when the mass of lights around the harbour will take your breath away and make you wish you had a better camera. The actual peak is a ten-minute walk west and up.