HONG KONG (Asia)

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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 British 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 is on the south east coast of China. (it is 1,200 mls S of Beijing, 114 mls S of Guangzhou (Canton). Airport 21 mls NW of central Kowloon). Hong Kong can almost be regarded as two cities. On Hong Kong Island, the densely packed skyscrapers rise from the water's edge up the hillside and overlook the harbour and the broad flat peninsula of Kowloon on the other side. North of Kowloon lie the largely rural and mountainous New Territories (which comprise 70% of Hong Kong's land area) and, beyond this area, the border with the rest of China.

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.

The area caters for all types and all nationalities. Ideal for shopaholics and those wanting a gateway to the rest of China. The accommodation here is mainly large international-style hotels with high categories and prices to match. It is essentially aimed at business clientele. Few hotels have a true garden setting although most are fully double glazed and soundproofed against noise and bustle.