Hong Kong perches on the edge of mainland China occupying an
anomalous position as a territory straddling two worlds. Since the
handover in 1997 Hong Kong has become a ‘Special
Administrative Region of China’ and no longer a subject of
colonial sovereignty. Past and present fuse to create a capitalist
utopia embedded within the world’s largest Communist
country.
Hong Kong offers a dense concentration of shops and
shopping malls with a cross-pollinated cosmopolitan culture that
embraces Nepalese and British cuisines with equal enthusiasm. It is
the perfect gateway for travellers to Southeast Asia and China,
providing a smooth transition from west to east. As one of the key
economies of the Pacific Rim, Hong Kong Island showcases a gleaming
landscape of skyscrapers and boasts a highly developed transport
infrastructure that makes commuting around it a dream.
Hong Kong consists of four sections, Kowloon, Hong
Kong Island, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. Kowloon
and the New Territories form part of the Chinese mainland to
the north of Victoria Harbour. Hong Kong Island, containing
the central business hub, lies on the southern side of the
harbour facing Kowloon. The Outlying Islands comprise a
composite of 234 islands.