HONG KONG COUNTRY OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION Electric, eclectic, energizing, nonstop, traditional, cosmopolitan, international; there are so many words to describe Hong Kong, one simply has to visit to experience it all. Hong Kong was a British colony from the mid-19th century until 1997 when China resumed sovereignty. The city now operates as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) under China’s ‘one country – two rule system.’ A haven for consumerists, Hong Kong offers some of the best shopping anywhere in the world. The infrastructure is modern and developed which makes getting around easy. On top of that, because of the city’s long history with the western world, English is spoken everywhere making Hong Kong a relatively easy destination to visit compared to other parts of China. 2 ABOUT HONG KONG LANDSCAPE Hong Kong is located at the delta of the Pearl River on China’s Southeast coast. The city is made up of Hong Kong island, and several areas on the mainland peninsula known as Kowloon and the New Territories. In total, the land area is over 1100 km2. CLIMATE Hong Kong enjoys a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and relatively mild winters. It is most likely to rain during the summer months (June, July, August) and this is, therefore, the low travel season. The most popular seasons to visit are Spring with mild temperatures and only occasional rain and autumn which is usually sunny and dry. PEOPLE There are approximately 7.3 million people living in Hong Kong, 95% of whom are of Chinese descent (Mainly Canton people). The remaining 5% is a mix of mainly other Asian populations who have migrated to Hong Kong over the decades including Indians, Nepalese and Vietnamese. RELIGION While difficult to measure due to lack of official data, most observers agree that roughly 50% - 80% of the population practice some form of Buddhism while another 30% or so practice Taoism. There is some overlap however with many Hong Kong people practicing certain aspects of several religions including Chinese folk religions. HISTORY Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain after the first opium war in 1841 and remained under British control until 1997 when it was returned to China. As part of the handover, Hong Kong became China's first special administrative region and has maintained its own leadership until today (while still officially under Beijing’s control). TIME ZONES Hong Kong operates on Greenwich meantime +8 hours. Hong Kong does not observe daylight savings time. COUNTRY CODE Hong Kong’s country code is + 852 MOBILE PHONES Hong Kong has local operators for both CDMA and GSM networks so most roamers will be able to get a signal easily. It is also relatively straight forward to buy a local SIM card if your phone is capable to handle it. Please be aware of roaming charges according to your plan. INTERNET Many hotels have wireless (Wi-Fi) internet access available in the lobby or business centre. There are many internet cafes in every major city. Be careful to not save your password or sensitive information on public computer terminals. 3 ELECTRICITY Hong Kong has an electricity supply of 220 volts. For the most part, there are two types of electrical sockets (outlets) used in Hong Kong: ‘three round pins arranged in a triangle’ and ‘two parallel flat pins with a ground pin’. Three-pin plug adaptors are usually provided by hotels if you do not have your own; just ask the reception. In all countries protect sensitive electronic equipment like laptops from power fluctuations by using a surge-protector. 4 CITY HIGHLIGHTS HONG KONG ISLAND Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The Central area on the island is the historical, political and economic centre of Hong Kong. The northern coast of the island forms the southern shore of the Victoria Harbour, which is largely responsible for the development of Hong Kong due to its deep waters favoured by large trade ships. The island is home to many of the most famous sights in Hong Kong, such as "The Peak", Ocean Park, many historical sites and large shopping centres. The mountain ranges across the island are also famous for hiking. The northern part of Hong Kong Island together with Kowloon forms the core urban area of Hong Kong. The island is often referred to locally as "Hong Kong side" or "Island side". This style was formerly applied to many locations (e.g. 'China-side' or even 'Kowloon Walled City-side') but is now only heard in this form and 'Kowloon side', suggesting the two sides of the harbour. KOWLOON Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, the mountain range including Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. Kowloon is located north of Hong Kong Island and south of the mainland part of the New Territories. NEW TERRITORIES New Territories (abbreviated to NT) is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up over 80% of Hong Kong's territory. According to The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, the territories comprise the mainland area north of the Boundary Street of Kowloon Peninsula and south of the Sham Chun River which is the border between Hong Kong and Mainland China, as well as over 200 outlying Islands including Lantau Island, Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, and Peng Chau in the territory of Hong Kong. LANTAU ISLAND Lantau Island is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong. A small north-eastern portion of the island is located in the Tsuen Wan District. Originally the site of fishing villages, the island has been developed in recent years with the construction of Tung Chung New Town on its north-western coast and the completion of several major infrastructure projects, including Lantau Link (1997), Hong Kong International Airport (1998), Hong Kong Disneyland (2005) and Ngong Ping 360 (2006). 5 VEHICLES Vehicles in Hong Kong are comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles. Please note that seatbelts are compulsory by law. EATING & DRINKING Food is an important element of Hong Kong’s culture and much has been written about the subject. Meals in Hong Kong are meant to be shared and normally dishes are served in various styles and brought out to the table family style. Each individual place setting will consist of a bowl of rice, a pair of chopsticks or cutlery, a flat bottomed soup spoon and a saucer. You may server yourself from the communal dishes in the centre of the table or in some restaurants the staff will serve it for you SHOPPING Shopping in Hong Kong ranges from an exciting time bargaining for copied goods in the markets to shopping in high street shops in SoHo. In terms of shopping, Hong Kong is perhaps most well-known for the abundance of counterfeit goods and reproduced antiques. It is essential to remember that the authenticity and value of goods are always questionable. If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is. Join in the fun at the local markets by bargaining with the vendors. This type of transaction is typical in the market setting and great way for travellers to feel like a local. Tour guides are able to share tips and trick for finding good deals with visitors, like teaching them how to check prices of the same items in the neighbourhood before reaching a deal, especially for more expensive items. If you are being followed by street vendors and do not wish to make a purchase, often the best course of action is to say “no” firmly and politely and continue on your way. Do not hesitate or linger, as this will encourage the seller to try and engage you further. If you choose to ship items home, we highly recommend that you buy shipping insurance and check the policy details. As shops are not responsible for damages incurred en route, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Trails of Indochina and the guide cannot accept responsibility for any misrepresented or faulty goods. We do not take responsibility for following up on merchandise that you choose to ship home. Our guides only make suggestions, not guarantees. 6 CULTURAL ETIQUETTE Always ask before taking photos of local people. If someone says no, please respect their wishes. Keeping an arm’s length of personal space is the norm. Touching during conversations is limited; this is especially the case for the opposite sex. When visiting pagodas and temples, your knees and shoulders must be covered. Public displays of affection between men and women may embarrass your host. On the other hand, it’s perfectly normal for a pair of men or a pair of women to link arms or hold hands. Beckoning someone with the palm upwards is considered rude. The correct way to call someone over is to extend your hand with the palm downward and flap your fingers towards your wrist. To ask for the bill in a restaurant or shop, extend one hand in front of you with the palm raised and pretend to write on your palm with the other hand SAFETY TIPS In general, Hong Kong is extremely safe for travellers, although petty theft does happen once in a while.