Trip to Hong Kong, tour guide
The streets of Hong Kong are a commercial, tourist and financial heartbeat. Here everything is luxury, pleasure and shopping, for something it is the mecca of consumerism. However, it is an exciting and essential place if you visit mainland China. Luxury hotels, exclusive shops, you will get a sense of a mixture of cultures, Chinese and British Westernism.
Hong Kong is located on the southeast coast of China. It is an old British colony that is divided into four: the island of Hong Kong (to the south), the Kowloon peninsula, the New Territories (to the north) and the outer islands. None of them is the same as the other, since the cosmopolitan and the rural are mixed, the frantic and the relaxed.
Hong Kong is a land of contrasts. Dirty streets and shacks coexist with the huge skyscrapers. The same street vendors can see you the most modern mobile and at the same time a piece of chicken. The experience you can live here is something unique and vibrant. The sensuality of Hong Kong is irresistible.
VISITS IN HONG KONG
- Victoria Peak
From this place you have the best views of the island of Hong Kong. It is located at 552 meters high and is accessed from the Peak Tram, a funicular tram that is taken on Garden Street, and in just seven minutes it takes you to the top. This tram has been operating since 1888. I recommend you get on a clear day to have a much better view.
- Wan Chai
In its day it was one of the five residential districts that the British granted to the Chinese. It is ideal for the night, as it has many British pubs and other entertainment venues. During the day you can take a walk through the streets to realize that the day and night in Hong Kong are totally different.
- Central Plaza
Located in Wan Chai, this skyscraper is 78 stories high and 374 meters high, still one of the tallest buildings in Asia, and the second in Hong Kong. It was built in 1992, and has an excellent viewpoint on the 45th floor. It was the tallest concrete building in the world for a few years. It contains 57 office floors, five floors of mechanical plant and six floors at the top of the tower.
- Central District
It is the heart of Hong Kong, administrative, financial and business center. Here you will see luxury hotels, exclusive shops and large shopping centers. It was in this neighborhood, formerly called Victoria, where the English lived. They say that is where the price of the most expensive square meter in the world is located. It is worth taking a walk through its shopping streets.
- Hong Kong Park
In the middle of the commercial bustle of the Central District we have this oasis of peace of ten hectares. It is curious to see this landscape surrounded by skyscrapers, a park built in 1991 full of artificial lakes, waterfalls and trees of all kinds, as well as exotic plants, birds and flowers. Inside you can visit the Museum of Tea Articles, the oldest colonial building that remains standing.
- Bank of China Tower
It is the skyscraper I like most in Hong Kong, a symbol of the new Chinese economic power. It was built between 1985 and 1990 and is 300 meters high, all decorated in blue glass. It has a kind of knife shape, whose sloping roofs allow it to be illuminated almost completely with natural light. It has 70 floors and was the tallest building in Asia from 1989 to 1992.
- Star Ferry
It is essential to make a route on this ship, since in a few minutes, and at a very cheap price for what is styled here, it crosses Kowloon Bay. The panoramic views from the Hong Kong and Kowloon boat are worth it. You can make the round trip day and night, with all the skyscrapers illuminated. It is a true past.
- Man Mo Temple
It is the oldest and most famous Taoist temple in Hong Kong. It is located in the Sheung Wan district, a traditional neighborhood, and is dedicated to Man, god of literature, and Mo, god of war. Upon entering a cloud of incense will catch you. The mysticism that is breathed is unique, ideal to escape a little of the stress and bustle of the city.
EXCURSIONS
We can go to the coastal town of Stanley , full of traditional clothing and food markets, stopping at the beaches of Saint Stephen and Stanley Main Beach. We can also go to the Kowloon Peninsula by ferry, to visit the Space Museum and the Art Museum. Very close is the train station that takes us to Canton, what do we fancy ?.
Other options are Lantau Island , where you can see the largest Buddha statue in the world and the Po Lin Monastery. If you want something more exotic and something far away we have Macao, an hour by ferry. And if you like nature we have the island of Lamma, with beaches, bars and restaurants.
WEATHER
If you have to take into account the weather to travel to Hong Kong you must avoid the typhoon season at all costs, which corresponds to summer in the northern hemisphere. Spring is usually wet and the nights are somewhat cool. Summer is much more humid and hot, with temperatures always above 30 degrees. In autumn the days are clear and sunny and temperatures are falling. Winter is calm, and temperatures rarely fall below ten degrees.
SHOPPING IN HONG KONG
The currency with which it is purchased is the Hong Kong dollar. Shopping in Hong Kong is amazing. The stores have very good prices, since there are no taxes and things are cheaper. Hence, many people stop to buy jewelry, especially in downtown and Causeway Bay, and if you have room in the suitcase some electronics, with televisions, video cameras, MP3 and very cheap digital cameras. And if you continue to see it expensive, it never hurts to bring a souvenir in the form of handicrafts or clothing from the markets.
GASTRONOMY
The cuisine in Hong Kong has an interesting Chinese and western mix. You can eat all budgets, from street stalls to restaurants of all kinds. Street stalls often sell fish balls or put chai ko, plus roasted chestnuts. Of the most typical dishes we have the dim sum, the Pekingese duck, in addition to the beef noodles and the soy curd.
NIGHT LIFE
The nightlife in Hong Kong starts somewhat late. You can go karaoke to have a few beers, dine in a good restaurant or go to discos in the Kowloon area. Much more lively is Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui, full of bars and clubs. In Wan Chai there are many bars, but alternately. The bars usually close at 02.00 in the morning, and the discos a little later.
TRANSPORTATION
Walking is a good way to get around Hong Kong. However, its transport system is cheap, fast and efficient. There is even an underground railway that goes from Hong Kong to Kowloon, and even a train that reaches the Chinese border or to Canton. In Hong Kong there is also the tram, or double-decker buses that run through areas where trains do not arrive. Taxis are good for short distances, although there are very few taxi drivers who speak English. For a longer transport we recommend the Star Ferry, which goes from Hong Kong to Kowloon in eight minutes.
HOW TO GET
The best way to get to Hong Kong is through its airport, located on the island of Lantau. From the airport there is a high-speed train that takes you to the central train station in about 25 minutes. This train also passes through Kowloon, so it is the best way to get to the city. The price of the ticket is one hundred Hong Kong dollars, that is, about 9.25 euros.
ACCOMMODATIONS IN HONG KONG
In the following link we offer you the best relation and variety of accommodation in the city: hotels in Hong Kong .
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