City Statistics
Location
Special Administrative Region (SAR), People’s Republic of China.
Dialing code
852
Population
6,898,686 (metropolitan area).
Time zone
GMT + 8.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; square three-pin plugs are common, although round three-pin and two-pin plugs are also in use.
Average January temperatures
17°C (63°F).
Average July temperatures
29°C (84°F).
Annual rainfall
2,214mm (88.5 inches).
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Overview
This former British imperial enclave (situated at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta, on the southwestern coast of China) has undergone a sustained period of reflection and change since the hand-over from British colonial to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Hong Kong has also become more Chinese than ever before, with many expats departed and a Beijing-facing government presiding over the Filipinos, Indians, Malays, Indonesians, Nepalese and other minorities that make up the city's rich ethnic patchwork.
With the political reasons for its creation fast receding into history, Hong Kong's geographical oddity comes into focus. The few square kilometers of territory conceded to the British now top the UN list for urban population density.
Hong Kong Island itself is the core of the old imperial possession, with Kowloon just across the harbor forming the other half of the main conurbation. Further north are the New Territories, leased from China in 1898, which form a slightly more rural hinterland. And around this main focus are the large islands of Lamma and Lantau and the smaller Outlying Islands that complete the patchwork.
This assortment of pinnacles and paddies sits in range of the South China Sea's typhoon alley. In winter and early spring, the climate can be mild and fresh but, in May, the ever-present humidity rises kyrockets and summer is both hot and frequently wet. Typhoons hit during summer and early autumn and, even without them, heavy rainstorms fall intermittently.
A large proportion of visitors to the city come from mainland China, though Hong Kong is looking over its shoulder at resurgent neighbour Macau, whose unprecedented tourism makeover presents a vibrant challenge to Hong Kong's regional supremacy.
In the proverbial scale of Cantonese values, money comes first. Hong Kong has a more determined sense of its separate identity than ever before, although it remains a strongly commercial city, dedicated to wealth generation.
Away from the business of making money, and its traditional fine dining, great shopping and world-class hotels, Hong Kong has its unsung natural beauties, in the shape of looming mountains, secluded islets, white beaches, hiking trails and island landscapes.
The Special Administrative Region (SAR) government branded the entire city as ‘Asia's World City' in 2003. Visitors can judge how true that is but, unquestionably, Hong Kong remains unique.
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Tourist Information
Walking Tours
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (tel: 2807 6543; website: www.discoverhongkong.com/), offers ‘Heritage and Architectural Walks’ in Hong Kong Island Kowloon, and varied other theme walks/hikes for the outlying islands. Guides and a rental audio commentary system are available. The walks take from two to four hours. Other operators such as Gray Line Tours (tel: 2368 7111; website: www.grayline.com.hk/) or Splendid Tours and Travel (tel: 2316 2151; website: www.splendidtours.com/) also run HKTB-approved tours. Details of these are available on the Hong Kong tourism board’s website, categorized by theme.
Bus Tours
Numerous themed bus tours are listed on the Hong Kong Tourism Board website (see above), including Hong Kong unique experiences, touring by night, touring visiting outlying islands, and culture and heritage tours. Tours vary in duration, departure point and cost - for details, visitors should contact the HKTB’s Visitor Hotline (tel: 2508 1234) or the Tour Reservation Hotline (tel: 2368 7112) or visit www.discoverhongkong.com/.
Boat Tours
Boat tours of Hong Kong’s waters are provided by several companies. Hong Kong Watertours (tel: 2155 2088; website: www.chinaetravel.com/) provides a variety of harbor and island tours, while Star Ferry (tel: 2118 6241; website: www.starferry.com.hk/) provides daytime and evening ferry tours. The Star Ferry tours sail from the Star Ferry terminals on either side of the harbour. For a nostalgic sailing on a converted junk boat, the Aqua Luna (tel: 2116 8821; website: www.aqualuna.com.hk/) offers a semblance of Hong Kong past.
Other Tours
Helicopter trips are available for those wanting to discover the city skyline from above. Contact Heli Hong Kong (tel: 2108 9898; website: www.helihongkong.com/) for further information.
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