Travel to Hong Kong

A special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong is one of the world's most prominent tourist destinations, situated on the eastern region of the Pearl River Delta, with Guangdong province in the north and the South China Sea in the east. Once a typical small fishing village and then a British colony, it was handed over to China in 1997 and has now become truly a vibrant, mesmerizing destination, with an array of interesting man made attractions, amazing territories of science, and ritzy shopping malls. Despite its modernity, the destination still retains its traditional charm and beauty.

The special administrative region is made up of four different sections such as the Island, Kowloon Peninsula, New Territories, and the Outlying Islands. Once a rocky area, the Island is an elegant mix of colonial buildings, traditional temples, and modern skyscrapers. Further, this area is regarded as the commercial as well as financial center of Hong Kong. Kowloon is regarded as a mecca of tourism, and the area is packed with an array hotels, markets, and shopping malls. One of the most popular areas in the destination is the Nathan Road, a smart as well as fashionable shopping street. Covering an area of about 770 square kilometers and located between Mainland China and Kowloon, New Territories is primarily home to some natural attractions of the region, with wildlife reserves, magnificent bays, and mountainous woodlands. When comes to the Outlying Islands, they consist of more than 250 outlying islands.

Hot tourist spots in the destination, among many others, are the Peak, Disneyland, the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas with more than 400 steps, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Lei Cheng UK Branch Museum, the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, SoHo themed dining areas, Hollywood Road, and the Central Mid-Levels Escalator. With these scores of attractions, it is not a wonder why the destination is visited by holidaymakers from across the world per year. Apart from being a top tourist destination in South East Asia, the city is also a significant center for banking and trading and boasts of one of the most liberal economies on the plane. Perhaps for these reasons, many international, giant business corporations have chosen Hong Kong as their center to perform core business activities.

With a growing number of long-haul budget airlines in the scenario, touring to Hong Kong has never been so easier. Once air travel was only opted by the rich including top executives and people belonging to upper class society. But, with the introduction of the concept, budget airline travel, anyone, regardless of society or people, can dream of a relaxing air travel. Now you needn't have to give pain to your body by traveling in a shaky bus or chaotic trains. Just, approach any of the numerous budget airlines in the scenario and book for a comfortable air journey. Also known as low cost airlines or no frills airlines, budget airlines are flight carriers that render flight services for relatively low fares. One of the unique things regarding budget airlines is that many of the service providers offer low cost budget travel without sacrificing the quality of services.

Discussed further in this article are some of the tips in order to get most out of your travel to Hong Kong. A great way to enjoy the benefits of budget travel is to make bookings in advance. Earlier the bookings made, much cheaper would be the airfare. Likewise, there are some service providers offering special deals for students and business travelers. Hence, it must be checked prior to the airfare booking. Further, majority of the airline firms offer incredible deals during certain festive occasions such as Christmas and New York. But, it is strictly advised to make bookings in advance in order to travel during these seasons.

Similarly, you could save much when you make airline bookings online. Many of the airline service providers have their own websites with pricing details as well as special offers they offer. This in turn enables customers to make bookings easily after checking the airfare and discounts. A plethora of budget airline service providers are in the scenario. Majority of these airlines provide almost all first class services that a standard airline offers, including superb entertainment and dining facilities, and comfortable soft cabins. There are also some budget airlines that provide complimentary meals. Additionally, some service providers render special services for elderly passengers, children traveling alone, and pregnant women.

Hong Kong is one of the world's most thrilling destinations. A special administrative region of People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong has the Pearl River Delta to the east, Guangdong Province to the north, and the South China Sea to the west and south. A typical trading village until the 19th century, Hong Kong became a crown colony of the Britain in 1842, which was later handed over to the People's Republic of China in 1997. Hong Kong is now an exciting destination, with a thriving blend of ancient eastern traditions and western modernism. Hong Kong enjoys a liberal system and has its own monetary system, legal system, and customs and immigration policies.

The city of Hong Kong consists of three sections: Hong Kong Island, which is regarded as the heart of the city; Kowloon, which has to its credit attractions such as the Tsim Sha Tsui and the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple; and the New Territories and Outlying Islands such as Lantau Island, Lamma Island, and Cheung Chau Island. Discussed further in this article are some of the hot spots in Hong Kong Island. Once a flat lying area that was considered worthless, Hong Kong Island has now become a busy financial as well as commercial center of this special administrative region. Situated to the south of the mainland China, this is the area of the original settlement of the British, and still continues to be a prominent hub of business as well as commerce. The greatest of the attraction in the island is undoubtedly the bustle of thousands of people of living and working here. The island has been categorized into central district, southern district, and western district.

The central area of the island is regarded as the economic, political, and historical center of Hong Kong, and boasts of such attractions as the Bank of China Tower - a 360 meters tall structure designed by the world-famous architect, I M Pei; Jardine House, alternatively known as the 'House of a Thousand Orifices;' Exchange Square, a shiny tower which houses the Hong Kong Stock Exchange; Li Yuen Street, packed with a range of shops and stalls selling items such as fabrics and fashion accessories; and Queen's Road Central. When comes to the southern area of the island, the area is filled with a variety of mesmerizing attractions. Of which, one of the most prominent is Aberdeen, a harbor town that provides great options to enjoy amazing sea life.

Another prominent attraction in the area is Tin Hau Temple, built in 1851 and which is located at the site from where the town of Aberdeen at its best. Also, a must-visit attraction in the area is Ocean Park. Spread across an area of about 170 acres of land, Ocean Park comprises two sections such as low land site and headland site, both of which are connected by a 1.5 kilometers cable-car bridge. Among the highlights of the park are Atoll Reef, the world's largest aquarium, an amusement park with a variety of interesting slides, Film Fantasia, and the Ancient World, which is an adventure trail.

Situated to the west of Central area, the Western District, as the name suggests, is more or less influenced by the western culture. Most prominent among the attractions in this area is the Central Market, which consists of such attractions as the CRC Department Store, where you can shop items such as Chinese artifacts as well as clothing. Highlights of the region also cover Hillside Escalator - the longest outdoor escalator in the world; Hollywood Road - a street which is famed for its antique as well as furniture shops; Fung Ping Shan Museum, located within the grounds of the University of Hong Kong and which has on display ancient Chinese art and craft; and Morrison Street - a historical red brick building built in Edwardian style.

No visit to the island is complete without taking a tour to Victoria Peak, also known as the Peak. This area is perhaps the most eye-catching landmark of the city. During the first five to six years of the history of Hong Kong, no one traveled up here. With the opening of the Peak Tramway in 1888, the area became popular and came to be known as the Peak. The Peak Tramway is still operational and takes people up and down the hillside. The Peak is also one of the most significant residential areas in Hong Kong.

Above all, the attractions within the area of the Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, such as Admiralty, formerly a British naval station; Hung Shing Temple, which is named after an official of the Tang Dynasty; Pak Tai Temple, an impressive triple hall shrine built in 1863; and Hopewell Centre - a 66 storey building. In fact, Hong Kong Island is home to majority of the attractions in the city. Perhaps for this reason, tourists in increasing number flock to this region. Therefore, the island has accommodation choices to cater to every preference and budget.