Hong Kong Travel Guide, China

Oriental Hong Kong

Hong Kong is the gateway to China East Asia and Southeast Asia.  This popular tourist destination is considered one of the world’s financial centers.  This harbor city houses a colorful culture of east meets west especially after being under British influence since 1842.  It’s always a great time visit Hong Kong and experience this unique blend of cultures at play.    

Urban Jungle

You will find Hong Kong in the south of China and is next to Macau in the East, the city of Shenzhen in the North and the rest of the area is surrounded by the South China Sea.  The area is composed of a group of islands: Hong Kong Island, Lantau Island, Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories.  Hong Kong is the second largest island and the most populated.  

Although Hong Kong seems incredibly urbanized, a lot of green efforts are currently being promoted in the city to preserve its environment particularly its natural landmark Victoria Harbor.

    

The weather in Hong Kong can be unpredictable but the general climate of the area is subtropical.  This city enjoys hot and humid summers while the winters are sunny and cloudy.

One Country Two Systems

The government of Hong Kong can be described as “one country two systems’ which is in compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration by the People’s Republic of China.  This means the city enjoys an autonomous form of government except when decisions on foreign affairs have to be made.  

Hong Kong is lead by an elected Chief Executive and its laws are made by a Legislative Council of sixty members. The laws of the city are implemented by the Hong Kong Civil Service.  

The Residents of Hong Kong

The people of Hong Kong are usually called Hongkongers and 95% of them are of Chinese descent.  The language of the island is Cantonese which originated from the neighboring Guangdong province of the North.  This language is spoken by 95% of the population while English is spoken by 38%.  The region considers English as their second language.

East Meets West

The perfect description of Hong Kong’s culture is ‘east meets west’ which is also apparent in the city’s customs economic infrastructure and education.  Although the British reign over the city ended in 1997, there are still lingering effects of its influence which are noticeable around the city.  Only in Hong Kong can you find an authentic Chinese restaurant selling dim sum at one end of the street and at another a record store selling the latest English tunes.

Hong Kong is also known for playing a big part in the entertainment industry especially in the genre of martial arts which were popular in the 60’s and 70’s.  Hong Kong is particularly known for its popular exports like Bruce Lee Jackie Chan and Chow Yun Fat.  Popular Hollywood directors like John Woo Wong Kar-wai and Tsui Hark all hailed from Hong Kong.  Some well known films produced in Hong Kong are Shaolin Soccer, Rumble in the Bronx and Chunking Express.

The government of Hong Kong also supports the preservation and promotion of the city’s culture through its museums like the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

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