Exciting, mysterious, glamorous – these words have described Hong Kong for over a century. With its vibrant atmosphere and bustle day and night, Hong Kong is an intoxicating place. There is no doubt that Hong Kong is crowded – it has one of the world’s greatest population densities. But it is also efficient, with inexpensive public transport and taxis, and, for such a crowded place, it is safe, and has plenty of green peaceful places to escape to, away from the skyscrapers and traffic fumes. The shopping never ends – there’s always another inviting spot just down the street. For visitors, Hong Kong is easy to get around with English being spoken in the main tourist areas and the food continually surpasses its excellent reputation.
Wan Chai at night
Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications
A new era
On 1 July 1997 the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. Today Hong Kong remains a capitalist enclave with its laws and rights intact, and China has promised that Hong Kong will continue in this fashion for at least 50 years. Beijing’s declared policy of maintaining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability makes sense. Hong Kong has long been China’s handiest window on the West, and the city is unrivalled in its commercial know-how and managerial expertise.
There have been changes, of course, many of them due to economic progress, new construction and other factors that influence cities all over the world. Establishments are no longer preceded by the word ‘Royal’, Queen Elizabeth has vanished from the coinage, and the Union flag has been replaced by that of China and the new Hong Kong flag with its bauhinia flower. You’re far more likely to hear Mandarin on Hong Kong’s streets than English now. Meanwhile, it has become much easier for mainlanders to get travel permits to the SAR, and with the increasing affluence of many across the border there has been a surge in the number of Chinese tourists over the last few years. Chinese tourists in fact make up the biggest group by nationality and industry forecasts for 2020 are for over 50 million visitors from mainland China. And in terms of expats, there are now more Americans working in Hong Kong than Brits.
Fragrant Harbour
Hong Kong’s name is derived from the Cantonese phrase for ‘Fragrant Harbour’ – Heung Gong. The evocative name probably derives from the trade in locally-grown incense wood, which once thrived in what is now Aberdeen. Another theory ascribes the name to the bauhinia, an aromatic flower which is native to the region and is now the logo of the Hong Kong administration.
People and customs
With a population of over 7.3 million and a total area of just over 1,100 sq km (425 sq miles), housing is one of Hong Kong’s perennial nightmares. To alleviate the problem, the government has become the city’s major landlord with the construction of massive residential blocks. Though they have every modern facility, new flats average an internal floor area per person of only around 11 sq m (120 sq ft). Whole cities have been created in the New Territories, although the unimaginative architecture of these towns has been widely criticised.
Making offerings at Wong Tai Sin temple
Ming Tang-Evans/Apa Publications
Of Hong Kong’s population, 92 percent are of Chinese descent. The majority are Cantonese, born in Hong Kong, or from South China, but there are immigrants from all over China. The Chinese people are often described as hardworking and pragmatic, attributes that have contributed immensely to Hong Kong’s success.
Old customs are still followed: fate and luck are taken very seriously, and astrologers and fortune-tellers do a steady business. Before a skyscraper can be built, a feng shui investigation must take place to ensure that the site and the building will promote health, harmony and prosperity. Gambling is a passion, whether it be cards, mahjong, the lottery or the horses. Hong Kong has two major racecourses as well as an intensive off-course betting system for punters, and at the weekend the ferries to Macau are crowded with people on their way to the many casinos located there.
What to see
Sightseeing in Hong Kong starts at sea level with the enthralling water traffic – a mix of freighters, ferries, tugs, junks and yachts. Views of the city and the harbour are panoramic. From the heights of Victoria Peak, or from skyscrapers and hotels, the views are especially exciting at night when the horizon comes alive in a blaze of lights.
The business and financial centre, and the soaring architecture, are on Hong Kong Island. Across Victoria Harbour, connected by the Star Ferry and MTR underground railway, is the Kowloon peninsula with its hotels, nightlife, and almost non-stop shopping. Beyond, in the New Territories, are a mixture of high-rise towns, the world’s second-busiest container port, ancient walled villages, country parks and farms. Hong Kong’s other, less developed islands, Lantau, Lamma and Cheung Chau, provide getaways. You can also take a ferry to Macau to find an entirely different kind of city, a rare blend of Chinese and Iberian culture.
It’s anyone’s guess what may happen in the future, but for now Hong Kong bristles with energy and ambition, and for the visitor, this beautiful city is an exhilarating experience.