Handed back to China in 1997 after over 150 years as a British colony, Hong Kong continues to retain much of its appeal despite its reclassification as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
In reality, remarkably little has changed. Businesses, shops, bars and restaurants continue to flourish, and a melting pot of Eastern and Western influences ensure that Hong Kong remains one of the most sought after city-break destinations in the world.
The mention of Hong Kong instantly conjures up a vision of its harbour-front skyline at night, spectacularly lit by thousands of lights and neon signs. The waterfront is certainly the focal point of Hong Kong and no visit is complete without a night-time ride across the harbour on The Star Ferry, or a visit to Victoria Peak to take in one of the worlds most iconic views.
However, there’s so much more to discover, and a two or three night stopover is likely to be crammed from dawn ‘til dusk (or much later) with seeing and experiencing as much as is possible. Most visitors will confine their first visit to the Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island; both offer fantastic shopping streets and malls, night markets, cutting-edge bars and nightclubs, and a bewildering choice of dining options. However, we also recommend escaping the city to the outlying island of Lantau or into the picturesque New Territories that lie close to mainland China.
A modern, efficient and very cheap network of public transport makes getting around Hong Kong very easy indeed. Most nationalities do not even require a visa to visit, making those stop-over plans even more effortless.