The
area that compromises Hong Kong can be geographically and
administratively divided up into three main sections; namely Hong
Kong Island, Kowloon
and the New Territories. On top of this, there are some pretty
islands dotted around the coast of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon in the
South China Sea.
Hong Kong Island is usually the starting
point and the most important district for travelers.This is really the
heart and soul of the city in almost every sense of the word;
shopping, business, culture and politics all prosper here and it is
this skyline that has graced the pages of limitless glossy magazines
and postcards over the years.
The island is subdivided into several
districts: Central, the business and financial center
of Hong Kong where the Bank of China building dominates; Admiralty to
the east of Central
where you will find Hong
Kong Park; Victoria
Peak, affording panoramic views of the island; Wan Chai home to
the Hong
Kong Convention & Exhibition Center; Causeway
Bay with a varied selection of shops and Sheung Wan and Soho,
(home to the Man
Mo Temple) where the streets are filled with antique shops and
bars and restaurants.
Kowloon, a short ride away on the Star
Ferry, is the area on the southern tip of the Chinese mainland. This
is a large area, also popular with travelers who come here for the
hustle and bustle of the shops and a variety of sights. This is a much
bigger area than Hong Kong Island and can also be subdivided into
different sections.
Tsim Sha Tsui in the southeast of Kowloon
is the busiest and liveliest, home to limitless shopping malls and
traders selling a variety of knock off goods along Nathan Road.
Culturally and ethnically this district is rich, with a large Muslim
and Indian population.
The Hong Kong Cultural Center is situated
along the waterfront here and the promenade along the sea offers great
views over to the island (as does as stay at the Peninsula
Hotel, arguably Hong Kong's finest!). Mong
Kok is the district to the north of here, with some good markets
including Temple
Market and Ladies
Market.
Many Hong Kong residents, particularly
the ex-pats have set up around the New Territories. The beaches here
are pretty good and there is more open space than elsewhere in the
area, although few sights and attractions as such and for the traveler
this is a little far out to be convenient for a long stay.
Apart from the bustle and hustle of the
metropolis, the outlying Islands offer a greener side to Hong Kong. Lamma
Island offers both the beauty of the sea and the rural lifestyle
of Hong Kong in the pretty fishing villages and Lantau
Island is famous for its Discovery Bay and the fact that it is
soon to be home to Asian Disney land!!
