Reporting on China I: Hong Kong, Macao
Having returned from my two-and-a-half week trip to China, I’m going to report on my experiences in Hong Kong and the mainland in the coming weeks.
My first destination during this trip to Asia was Hong Kong. The former British colony which was returned to the People’s Republic of China in 1997 is boasting to be “Asia’s world city”.
There’s no point denying it, Hong Kong has the atmosphere of a world city. When flying into Hong Kong’s state-of-the-art Chek Lap Kok Airport on Lantau Island, you might be lucky enough the see the famous skyscrapers along Victoria Harbour sticking out of the typically Southeast-Asian landscape of mountainous islands and peninsulas covered with lush tropical vegetation. The airport itself is top-notch. The terminals are spacious, extremely clean and perfectly organized. The huge windows offering a nice view on Lantau Island invite you to grab a cup of coffee at Pacific Coffee Company and sit down for a while to enjoy the view. Immigration Inspection is fast and usually you’ll find your luggage waiting for you on the baggage claim belts before you make it there. The fast and convenient Airport Express train connects the airport with Kowloon and Hong Kong Station on Hong Kong Island. For just HK$ 100 it takes you right into the center of the city. When headed for the airport, you can check in at the Airport Express Stations in the city. Thereby you save time, get rid of your luggage before you get on the train and can enjoy a hassle-free ride to the airport.
Obviously Hong Kong’s number one attraction is the spectacular skyline on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island along Victoria Harbour. Every night at 8 pm there is a free light, laser and music show called “Symphony of Lights” which you can enjoy the best when standing at the vantage point right next to the Star Ferry pier on the Kowloon side of the harbor.
The lights on all major high-rises such as the Bank of China Tower, the International Financial Center, the HSBC headquarters, the Standard-Chartered Bank tower and many more start to flash in bright neon colors and green laser rays zig-zag the sky. The lights and lasers are synchronized with the Chinese pop music playing. Getting on a dinner cruise during the “Symphony of Lights” is a great opportunity to see the light show on the Kowloon side as well and to dine with a unique view.
Hotels in Hong Kong offer some of the best accommodation you can find. All major hotel chains are present in Hong Kong and since most hotels are located in the higher levels of high rises, you’ll most likely have a good view. I stayed at two different hotels during my stay: The Cosmopolitan Hotel located right next to the Happy Valley Race Course on Hong Kong Island and the Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees Hotel on the area of the former Hong Kong City Airport in Kowloon. In regard to the view and location, the Cosmopolitan was better as Hong Kong Island has most landmark buildings, huge shopping malls such as the Times Square Shopping Centre and due to the fact that only the narrow strip of land between the mountain slopes and the water is developed, you’re never far from the next MTR (subway) station. The surrounding of the Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees was less impressive since the area has been rather run-down as it used to be right beneath the entry lane of the former airport. However, many culturally-interesting spots and traditional neighborhoods with delicious and inexpensive food can be found in Kowloon. Due to the proximity of the former airport, most old buildings in Kowloon are below 20 stories, but the area is extremely densely populated and full of life. Especially the Mong Kok area featuring excellent shopping opportunities, night markets and a lot of night life places is worth a visit.
Mong Kok is perfect to try some local snacks and beverages. Desserts made from fresh fruits such as mango pudding, mango pan cakes and the infamous Asian bubble tea are a must.
Despite the international atmosphere and the British legacy from the colonial era, you might face difficulties when eating at local restaurants. Few of them have an English menu and surprisingly, many waiters and waitresses don’t understand English. Despite the potential language problems, I can only recommend you to try the Hong Kong cuisine. There are few places in the world where there is such a great variety of wonderful seafood dishes. I was lucky enough to have a local friend who showed me around, helped me ordering and advised me on what to eat. Thus, my stay in Hong Kong was an extraordinary culinary experience.
A world-famous landmark of Hong Kong is the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak. The tram which has been in service since 1888 climbs the steep slope of the mountain range on Hong Kong Island and reaches the top after approximately 15 minutes. The view from the Peak Tower is spectacular. This perspective completes your experience of Hong Kong’s unparalleled skyline. Especially during the hot and humid summer months, visiting the Peak - where the air is less humid and chillier than at the waterfront – is a great escape from the heat. For this reason and of course because of the view, some of the most expensive apartments on the planet can be found right here at Victoria Peak.
On the southern shore of Hong Kong island there are tiny fishing villages, satellite towns and nice subtropical beaches. The most famous one can be found at Repulse Bay.
For those who are staying long enough to make a half-day excursion to one of the outer islands, I’d recommend to visit the Great Buddha at Ngong Ping on Lantau Island and the Po Lin monastery. A cable car connects the Buddha site and the monastery to the nearest MTR station. By building the cable car, the shrewd monks turned a remote monastery into a major tourist destination. Dozens of souvenir stores line the trails to the Great Buddha.
Another possible destination for an excursion would be the former Portuguese colony Macao. High speed ferries from Hong Kong to Macao operate 24 hours a day. Going there during daytime, you can explore the tiny roads of the ancient Macao which reminded me of the historic inner city of Lisbon. Going to Macao at night you can visit some of the countless casinos and nightclubs of the island. Macao has already surpassed Las Vegas in terms of gambling revenue.
When wandering the busy streets of Hong Kong, soaking up the atmosphere, enjoying the sights and discovering this global business center that has a great deal of authentic cultural experiences to offer, many visitors from abroad headed to mainland China who spend a stopover in Hong Kong and started learning some Mandarin on the flight might find it confusing that the language spoken in Hong Kong is not Mandarin (the simplified standard Chinese dialect) but the traditional and hence more complicated Cantonese. In fact, many Hong Kong Chinese have difficulties in communicating when traveling to mainland China.
Comparing Hong Kong with other places I’ve visited, not only in Asia but around the world, I have the impression that Hong Kong’s economy is the freest, least regulated in the developed world. Private investments and initiatives are shaping Hong Kong’s future. It will be interesting to see how Hong Kong’s role changes in the course of the coming years facing massive competition by Shanghai. Hong Kong still has one of the busiest ports in the world after Singapore, but competition from the mainland is increasing.
