Hong Kong is situated in East Asia. Formerly a colony of the United Kingdoms, Hong Kong is now under the jurisdiction of China, though the law system set down during the British colonial rule is still being followed. Hong Kong is comprised of more than 260 islands, Hong Kong Island itself, the Kowloon Peninsular and the New Territories. Hong Kong’s International Airport is also awarded The World’s Best Airport for 2007.

Most hotels and many restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. Check for hidden extras before you tip; some mid-range hotels charge $3.00 to $5.00 for each local call when they are actually free throughout the territory and some restaurants consistently get the bill wrong.

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 around May to September, though the city is so well prepared it would need to be a very big storm to disrupt your travel too much.

Visas are required by most foreigners entering mainland China although, at this stage, visas are not required by Western nationals visiting Hong Kong and Macau. Visas are available from Chinese embassies and consulates in most countries.

Hong Kong is not a particularly tip-conscious place and there is no obligation to tip, say, taxi drivers; just round the fare up. It's almost mandatory to tip hotel staff at least $10.00 though, and if you make use of the porters at the airport, about $2.00 a suitcase is expected. The porters who put your bags on a push cart at the Hong Kong or Kowloon Airport Express station do not expect a gratuity, however. It's all part of the service.

Most hotels and many restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. Check for hidden extras before you tip; some mid-range hotels charge $3.00 to $5.00 for each local call when they are actually free throughout the territory and some restaurants consistently get the bill wrong.

Jardine House
A short distance southeast of Star Ferry pier, this 52-storey silver monolith punctured with 1750 porthole-like windows was Hong Kong's first true 'skyscraper' when it opened at the Connaught Centre in 1973. Hong Kong Chinese like giving nicknames to things (and people) and the centre has been dubbed the 'House of 1000 Arseholes'.

Miu Fat Monastery
Tel: 852 2461 8567
Miu Fat Monastery in Lam Tei, due north of Tuen Mun town centre, is one of the most well- kept and attractive Buddhist complexes in the territory. Guarding the entrance to the main temple are two stone lions and two stone elephants, and there are attractive gardens outside to the south. The adjacent 3-storey Ten Thousand Buddhist Pagoda features a Main Worship Hall at the top floor where thousands of beautiful Buddhist images and paintings are found.

Victoria Peak
Tel: 852 2522 0922
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 deliriously beautiful in every direction, with the vista of the business district, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon especially grand. If you can spare the time, make a nighttime trip as well – and let the Hong Kong city nightlights arrayed below take your breath away.
Web: www.thepeak.com.hk

Hong Kong Museum of History
Tel: 852 2724 9042
This museum takes visitors through the area's history, from 6000 years ago to the fast-talking present. The country’s landform, flora and fauna are covered before the human stories get a look in with replicas of village dwellings, traditional Chinese costumes and a realistic re-creation of an entire street block from 1881.
Web: www.hk.history.museum

Hong Kong Space Museum
Tel: 852 2721 0226
Just east of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre is the Hong Kong Space Museum, a peculiar looking building shaped like a golf ball. The museum is divided into three parts: the Hall of Space Science, the Hall of Astronomy and the ever-popular Space Theatre, one of the largest planetariums in the world.
Web: www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Space/index.htm

Kowloon Walled City Park
Tel: 852 2716 9962
The walls that enclose this beautiful park were once the perimeter of a notorious village, part of China throughout British rule. The enclave was known for its sordid proclivities until the Hong Kong government acquired the area, evicted the residents and replaced them with pavilions, ponds, turtles, goldfish and exquisite flora.
Web: www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ls_park.php

Man Mo Temple
Tel: 852 2540 0350
This temple is one of the oldest and most famous in Hong Kong. Man Mo, literally 'Civil and Military', is dedicated to the two deities of aforementioned attributes. Inside the temple are two antique chairs shaped like houses, used to carry the two gods at festival time. The smell of incense coils suspended from the roof permeates the air.

Hong Kong Museum of Art
Tel: 852 2721 0116
The Museum of Art does a good job with classical Chinese art, showcasing paintings and lithographs of old Hong Kong, and a Xubaizhi collection of painting and calligraphy. Another hall shows creditable international exhibitions, but the gallery is a little short of contemporary art - visit the smaller galleries around for recent Chinese art.
Web: www.lcsd.gov.hk/hkma

Yung Kee Restaurant
Tel: 852 2522 1624
This long-standing institution is probably the most famous Cantonese restaurant in Central. The roast goose here has been the talk of the town since 1942 (they farm their own geese for quality control), and its dim sum is excellent.
Web: www.yungkee.com.hk

Tsui Wah Restaurant
Tel: 852 2525 6338
Anyone who spends any length of time in Hong Kong ends up slurping noodles at the territory's favourite late-night eatery at least once. Added bonus: it's something of a pulling place for every persuasion.

Lucy's
Tel: 852 2813 9055
This easy-going, cool oasis within the hustle and bustle of the market doesn't overwhelm with choice but with quality food. The menu changes frequently as and when fresh produce and inspiration strikes, but the offerings are an honest fusion rather than fancy flimflammery. There's a good selection of wines by the glass.

Cafe Deco
Tel: 852 2849 5111
Located on Victoria Peak, most punters would be content with the views, live jazz and stylish Art Deco furnishings. But the eclectic menu - offering everything from the simple but fresh (oysters, sushi) to more complex bistro and Indian dishes - is way above average. Don't miss the extraordinary weekend brunch.

M at the Fringe
Tel: 852 2877 4000
This palace of creative gastronomy is one of the best restaurants in Hong Kong so it's no surprise that no one seems to have a bad thing to say about Michelle's. The menu changes constantly and everything is excellent, be it crab soufflé or slow-baked salted lamb. Save some room for dessert, if you have that kind of self-restraint. Reservations are a must.
Web: www.m-restaurantgroup.com

Staunton's Wine Bar & Cafe
Tel: 852 2973 6611
Staunton's, at the corner of Shelley St, is swish, cool and on the ball with decent wine, a central escalator-cruising scene and a lovely terrace. If you're hungry, there's light fare downstairs and the fabulously remodelled Scirocco restaurant above.
Web: www.stauntonsgroup.com

Hari's
Tel: 852 2369 3111
Tacky or classy? You decide, after a couple of speciality martinis - there are over a dozen to challenge you, including wasabi and garlic. The generous nightly happy hours will give you a chance to try these eclectic cocktails. There's also live music nightly.

Club 71
Tel: 852 2858 7071
When Club 64, the counter-culture nerve centre of Lan Kwai Fong, was forced to close after rent spiralled, some of the owners relocated to this quiet alley in burgeoning Noho. Named after the huge protest march on 1 July 2003, Club 71 is once again one of the best drinking spots for nonposeurs.

Feather Boa
Tel: 852 2857 2586
Feather Boa is a plush lounge hidden behind gold drapes. Part camp lounge, part bordello, it is an intimate space popular with the stylish set. It was once an antiques shop - thus the odd furnishings. There's no sign outside, so look for the curtained glass doors. Once inside, get stuck into one of their infamous mango daiquiris.

Brecht's Circle
Tel: 852 2576 4785
This is a very small and fairly unusual club-like bar. It's an arty kind of place given more to intimate, cerebral conversation than serious raging. The decor has gratefully been upgraded to this century. Shazam!

Shanghai Tang
Tel: 852 2525 7333
Started by flamboyant Hong Kong businessman David Tang, Shanghai Tang sparked something of a fashion wave in Hong Kong with its updated versions of traditional yet neon-coloured Chinese garments. You can get outfits custom tailored here, and can also pick up various accessories and gifts.
Web: www.shanghaitang.com

Arch Angel Antiques
Tel: 852 2851 6848
Though the specialities are antique porcelain and tomb ware, Arch Angel packs a lot more into its three floors: there's everything from mah jong sets to terracotta horses to palatial furniture. It also operates as an art gallery, across the road. You'll feel as comfortable here buying a small gift as a feature ornament for the salon.

Temple St Night Market
Temple St (named after the Tin Hau Temple at its centre) is the liveliest night market in Hong Kong, and the place to go for cheap clothes, dai pai dong (street food), watches, pirated CDs, fake labels, footwear, cookware and everyday items. It's definitely a place to bargain and is at its best late in the evening, when it's clogged with stalls and people.

Empire Hotel Hong Kong
Tel: 852 2866 9111
Recent renovations to this hotel have made enough of a difference to the interior style of the place to make you completely forget about the smudged grey tile-work of the exterior. Facilities are great and staff are super-efficient, generally speaking excellent English (which is not always a given in this area).

Garden View International House
Tel: 852 2877 3737
Hovering on the border of Central and the Mid-Levels, the YWCA-run Garden View (130 rooms) overlooks the Zoological & Botanical Gardens. It's the only place in the area that falls outside the luxury category. Accommodation here is plain but comfortable (there's good air-conditioning), and there's an outdoor swimming pool.
Web: www.ywca.org.hk

Peninsula Hong Kong
Tel: 852 2920 2888
The Peninsula Hong Kong (known more informally as the Pen) is a fabulous grey-stone edifice that has enjoyed a glorified reputation since it first opened its doors in 1928. Its classical architecture, rather like that of a grand old mansion, is a refreshing departure from the skyscraping modernity around it.
Web: www.peninsula.com

Hong Kong is extremely safe for visitors, both male and female. As you go further north in Kowloon and into the New Territories, the crime rate increases, but criminals would still rather target locals than visitors. However, it's unwise to flash valuables and you should remain alert at all times.

Women should also be wary of agencies seeking models and film extras; these agencies can be fronts for prostitution. Despite the 1991 removal of criminal penalties for homosexual acts between those over 18 years of age, people remain fairly conservative about homosexuality, and circumspection on the street is advisable.

You'll need to be cashed up to play on one of Hong Kong's five golf courses - if you're not, try cycling, hiking or swimming. If you like fishing, there are plenty of people who'll take you out on a boat, or you can dip your rod in one of the city's reservoirs.

Cycling
There are plenty of bike paths in the New Territories, and it's easy to rent a bike, especially around Tolo Harbour. The bike paths can get crowded on weekends.

Hiking
Hong Kong is an excellent place for hiking: try Country Parks, Lantau Island and the MacLehose Trail in the New Territories. Hiking is a bit of a craze in Hong Kong so try and plan your trip away from the crowded weekends.

Swiming
There are good beaches everywhere except Kowloon and the north side of Hong Kong Island - the best ones are on the Outlying Islands. Make sure you swim at a patrolled beach, where you can be sure that the shark nets are checked daily and someone will save you if you get into trouble.

If the pursuit of wealth is the engine that drives Hong Kong, its fuel is food. Noodles are slurped, succulent seafood savoured, dishes at banquets praised for their presentation, freshness and texture as well as taste, and many chefs enjoy celebrity status.

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.

Shopping in Hong Kong goes way beyond buying stuff you need: it's a social activity, a favourite recreation, an after-hours release. Clothing, jewellery and electronics are the city's strong suits - all of them can be made to order, whether it's an Armani-copy ensemble, a pair of earrings or a PC.

Hong Kong is the consummate entertainer, offering every kind of after-dark diversion, from upmarket pursuits like opera and theatre to a drinking scene that includes Wan Chai's hostess bars, and the alleyway crawlspaces of Lan Kwai Fong to numerous ego-shattering karaoke places.

With the exception of screechingly lovely high-end joints, Hong Kong's hotels tend to impress only with their numbing sameness or, at the bottom end, with their resemblance to musty cupboards. With over 35,000 rooms and occupancy usually under 90%, you should find a suitable place here.

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. Lantern Festival takes place in September or October. Lanterns are lit in homes, restaurants and temples. 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

In just 23 minutes the Airport Express train connects Hong Kong International Airport with Hong Kong station in Central, stopping in Kowloon along the way. It's possibly the most convenient airport transport on earth, with the train leaving fro inside the arrivals hall. On the way back you can check your bags in at the train stations in Central and Kowloon many hours before heading out to the airport, and go sightseeing with just your hand luggage.

There's also a 35 minutes Cityflyer airbus, and cheaper public buses: A21, best for Kowloon, and A11, for Hong Kong Island. Hotel shuttle buses and taxis are another more expensive option. Hong Kong's public transport system is a tourist attraction in its own right: 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.

Riding
Public transport is cheap, fast, widely used and generally efficient. The bus system is extensive and bewildering but you will need it to explore the south side of Hong Kong Island and the New Territories.

Rail
The north side of Hong Kong Island and most of Kowloon are well-served by Hong Kong's ultra -modern Mass Transit Railway (MTR). Three tunnels link Hong Kong with Kowloon. The Kowloon- Guangzhou (Canton) Railway (KCR) runs from Kowloon to the Chinese border at Lo Wu and is a quick way to get to the New Territories. Light Rail Transit (fast, modern, air-con trams) run in the New Territories, connecting the New Town of Tuen Mun with Yuen Long.

Hong Kong Island's double-decker trams aren't fast, but if you're not in a hurry, they're a cheap and fantastically fun way of experiencing 'old' Hong Kong. Try to get a seat at the front window upstairs for a first-class view. Services operate at regular intervals throughout the day and night.

Water
Hong Kong's ferries are usually faster and cheaper than buses and trams. They are also fun, and the harbour views are stunning when the weather cooperates. Hoverferries are about twice as fast as conventional boats.

Road
Metered taxis are red with silver tops (and green with white tops in the New Territories). They're inexpensive compared to other big-city cabs, but the MTR can often be better value and quicker. They don't pick up or put down at bus stops.

Car
Cycling in Kowloon or Central would be suicidal, but in quiet areas of the islands or the New Territories a bike can be quite a nice way of getting around in a recreational way. Most bike hire kiosks run out of bikes early on the weekend if the weather is nice.

Walking
No visitor to Hong Kong should miss the longest escalator in the world, the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System. It consists of three moving walkways and 20 elevated walkways that can be reversed; they run down in the morning and up the rest of the day and evening to handle commuter traffic flow.

GMT/UTC +8

Metric

Area Sqkm 1,098 sq km

Local Area Code: 852

6,890,000

Han Chinese (93%), plus 55 ethnic minorities

Cantonese (official)
Mandarin (official)
China's language is officially Mandarin, as spoken in Beijing. The Chinese call it Putonghua. About 70% of the population speak Mandarin, but that's just the tip of the linguistic iceberg. The country is awash with dialects, and dialects within dialects - and few of them are mutually intelligible. Of the seven major strains, Cantonese is the one most likely to be spoken in your local Chinese takeaway. It's the lingua franca of Guangdong, southern Guangxi, Hong Kong and (to an extent) Macau.

Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Christianity

Hong Kong Dollar ($)

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