The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China, formerly a British colony, is a unique harbor city. Hong Kong is well known for its dual nature – its essential Chinese-ness as well its British side that comes from years of occupation by the U.K. In the 19th century, Hong Kong was a trading port in and now is a globally recognized financial and business hub. Today, the city has reverted to Chinese control but has a fair amount of autonomy as far as legal matters, police, customs, immigration and monetary issues are concerned.

Hong Kong’s subtropical climate, blending of east and west, dozens of things to see and do, and great shopping make it a pleasant place for a holiday. It’s also a good starting point for venturing deeper into the East.

Hong Kong consists of several districts – Hong Kong Island, where the British originally settled; the highly populated peninsula Kowloon (which means nine dragons), named after the eight hills that were once visible from here and the boy emperor who named them; the New Territories, which were leased by the British from the Chinese for a hundred years in 1898; and the Outlying Islands, consisting of 234 more islands, some much bigger than Hong Kong Island.
Hong Kong does not require a visa from most nationalities for a stay of less of than six months. You can visit this place at any time of the year, but the best time would be when the weather is especially mild, from September to February.

There are several hotels at the city centre – in Wan Chai, Central, and Causeway Bay on the main island and in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. You can easily access the shopping and sightseeing areas from these hotels. If you’re not here on business, you might want to try one of the resorts in the New Territories.
English is widely spoken here, so communication is not a problem for travelers who are fluent in this language. It’s safe, even at night, and has good systems of public transportation.