Westernized Asian City: Wonderful Experiences Abound
Written: May 23 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Friendly Folks, Exotic Sites, Clean and Modern City
Cons: Expensive, Far from the USA
The Bottom Line: Hong Kong is a wonderful city. Great Place to Visit!
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| dbhoutx's Full Review: Hong Kong |
Hong Kong is a wonderful city filled with friendly people lots to see and do. Of course, the sub-tropical location makes this city hot and humid most of the year. For those of us from Houston, its like being at home. For those from other climates, remember to pack lightweight cotton clothes so you will be comfortable.
Ok, what makes this city such an interesting place? There are several factors that combine to make this a unique city and a great place to visit. How many places do you know where you can find an inviting westernized city in a communist country where coming and going is as easy as getting on or off an airplane? One must keep in mind that since the turn over of Hong Kong from British rule back to Chinese rule, Hong Kong is now once again part of communist Red China.
Overview of the city
Hong Kong is a large city consisting of two primary areas Kowloon Peninsula and Hong Kong Island (which is a few minutes by ferry from Kowloon) where most of the people live and work. There are several other islands and an area called New Territories, which borders the Shenzen Special Economic Zone of China. In the primary areas one will find many tall buildings used for living and business purposes. Because space is at a premium, like some other large business centers around the world, prices per square foot of land are very high.
One thing I learned while on a city tour last week is that the cost of burials are so high, the city has an opportunity for the economically challenged to rent graveyard space for seven years. After seven years it is believed the soul has traveled on to where it needs to go. The human remains can them be cremated and the ashes placed at a temple. For those with money, the burial plot can cost tens of thousands of US dollars.
The city has a mass transit system that allows folks to easily get from point A to point B. There are ferries, buses (air conditioned and not), and even a underground train system. Using these services is relatively inexpensive also. Of course if you wish to have a private car, taxis are available at a reasonable cost. Just keep in mind that you should probably have an address in Chinese when you hop into a taxi as many of the drivers do not speak English.
The city has about 6.8 million folks living there. There are also tons of visitors from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. I am sure there are visitors from elsewhere also. These folks are all squished into an area that is smaller in size than many other large cities around the world. In fact, one common thought is that if everyone came out of all the buildings at once, there would not be enough space for everyone.
What makes Hong Kong Special
Hong Kong is a special place as it is a very modern city nestled into one of the oldest countries in the world. China is not where you would expect to find major modern cities. Of course, the British influence over a century had a lot to do with the growth in Hong Kong. This is a city where you can get what you need pretty much when you need it. At the same time, there is a lot of beautiful scenery in and around the city. A high standard of living can be found here.
As a modern westernized city it is easy to find a good place to eat. Hotels offer accommodations on the line of what we expect to find in North America or Western Europe. The service provided at many of the hotels, including the New World Renaissance Hotel Kowloon (see that review http://worldtravels.epinions.com/content_23402417796 ), is top notch. The restaurants in the city crank out great food of all flavors. At the hotel we visited they had French, Continental, American, and Chinese food all available under one room and all true to their origin.
As I said there are great sites. Victoria Peak and Victoria Harbor are both beautiful places to go and just watch the day go by. From the peak you can see for miles. As you ascend the roads to the peak you can see where the rich folks live. Most of the condos in that are very small and very pricey. The harbor is full of activity. The skyline is beautiful especially when it is lighted at night.
If you travel to the New Territories, you can find lots of green space. The hills add to the beauty. These areas are left green so the local folks have a place to go walk and retreat from the big city. There are areas with specified pathways where people can go trek along the hills as they watch the beautiful scenery.
As I mentioned before there are all kinds of foods available. While looking for a place to eat, we looked at the directory of those places in Ocean Center Mall, and found a ton of different tastes catered to in one place. Walk from there back to the hotel and even more food can be found. Along the small streets in the Kowloon area one can find many places where ducks and chickens are hanging ready to be heated up and eaten. This can be a little disconcerting to those who are not into seeing their food before it is plated and served. However, these are the places you seem to see the locals go eat.
In addition to the small shops selling food, one can always find McDonalds and other American chains such as Pizza Hut, TCBY, and others. 7-11s are a dime a dozen in Hong Kong. Of course, if you need a soda or a beer (Chinese beer is good) 7-11 is a quick in and out place to grab that drink. Surprisingly these shops seem to do a brisk business. There are also Ruby Tuesday, Planet Hollywood, and other mainstays of the American culture to be found in Hong Kong. Of course with roughly 7 million folks in Hong Kong at any given time there are a lot of people with a need to eat. We were good and left the American food for our return to America. (Of course since we got home we have only eaten Italian food.)
I can't forget the people. Everyone we came across was friendly and polite. Many of the folks were helpful with our baby. We usually had the stroller with us, which helped to keep Victoria from crying all the time. Unlike most places in the USA, ramps are not common and stairs abound everywhere. As such, we had to get up and down stairs. Some times the locals would see us going up or down stairs and offer to help out.
Final Thoughts
Although staying in Hong Kong is very expensive, it is a great city. That said I would not plan to spend more than a week or two there. For long-term visits, there are other places with even more to do and see. Of course in the future I believe Disney will have a park there so you may be able to get lost in the magic kingdom while on extended stays in Hong Kong.
The city is beautiful and is filled with wonderful people. Of course you do need to watch out for pick-pockets and others who are less than wonderful. These people exist everywhere you go. We had no problems ourselves.
Getting around is not too hard. There are many places to go, things to see and do. Set out and have fun. Check out the site www.hkta.com and learn more about current activities. The tourism folks offer a lot to tourists. Be sure to get the discount shopping card so you can save some money while out buying souvenirs.
Have a safe and fun trip. Hong Kong is definitely worth the trip, even if it takes 24 hours to get from your house to the hotel.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
dbhoutx
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Member: David
Location: Houston, Texas
Reviews written: 324
Trusted by: 223 members
About Me:
David loves outdoor activities, travel, breeding Registered Texas Longhorns.
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