Travel to Hong Kong

A special administrative region of China, Hong Kong has been long regarded as the gateway to the nation. Hong Kong is a sprawling cityscape providing a feast of attractions to visitors touring the city in the form of a variety of museums, theme parks, and natural attractions, among many others. However, its magnificent attractions are the not only thing that draw people from across the world here. The city also provides excellent options for business and educational activities. Many travelers including Americans and Europeans can savor the first taste of Asia by landing at the international airport in Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong.

Traveling to Hong Kong has never been so easier, with a plethora of budget airlines in the scenario. Earlier, air travel was just confined to upper class people including top class executives as well as business magnets. But, with the birth of the budget airlines, anyone could dream of a comfortable air journey. In other words, budget airlines have now become a convenient alternative over shaky buses, inept trains, and traffic-jammed highways. Budget airlines, otherwise known as no frills airlines, low cost carriers, or low cost airlines, are airlines or flight carriers providing flight services for exceptionally low rates. Sometimes you can travel with a budget airline for more than 50% discount.

The concept of no-frills airlines originally originated during the beginning of 1990s in the US, which later spread to Europe and gradually to Asian destinations. Now the budget airlines are popular throughout the world, and many of the leading as well as reputable airlines in the industry render low cost airline services and that too without sacrificing the quality of the services. In budget airlines, the pricing of air fares vary depending upon the duration of time between booking and departure. Mostly, the earlier you make bookings for airfare, much cheaper would be the airfare. Likewise, in order to fill the unsold seat in the plane, some airlines would slash the price prior to a few days before its departure.

A specialty of most of the budget airlines is that they cater to almost all types of travelers. For instance, some airlines operate budget flights according to the convenience of the business travelers. There are certain airlines providing incredible deals on air fares for students as well as leisurely travelers. In most cases, budget airline fares are flexible, although, in some instances, these airlines may charge a nominal fee to make changes in flight reservations.

A number of airlines are in the industry to render you the best in budget travel. With these excellent airlines providing bespoke services. A budget airline provides almost the same superb services that a standard airline offers, such as excellent dining options, superb entertainment facilities, and comfortable as well as soft cabins. Additionally, some of the budget airlines render special services for passengers such as elderly travelers, children traveling alone or not accompanied by their parents, pregnant as well as passengers flying with infants, and passengers who have visual, speech, or hearing impurity. With the introduction of the internet, it has become quite easy to find a budget airline. Many of the airlines have their own websites with facilities for online ticket booking. This in turn is very convenient. It is not only beneficial for hassle-free bookings but also enable you to know whether they provide any kind of discount or deals for traveling within a stipulated period or during a particular season such as Christmas or New Year.

All you have to do is to just log into their website and inform them regarding the destination you are going to travel and date of departure. All of the rest they will take care. In addition, airfare bookings online is economical, as it enables you to save pennies on issuing tickets. The airlines, in most cases, sent confirmation through a simple document containing flight details as well as booking reference. When you make payments and bookings online, it allows you to easily take a print out of this document as soon as the booking process is completed. In short, with just a click of a mouse you can make bookings for a comfortable air journey.

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.

Kowloon is one of the four main areas of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, others being Hong Kong Island, which is regarded as the financial center of the city; the New Territories, which is considered the farm belt of the city; and the Outlying Islands, which holds attractions such as the Lamma Island and the Lantau Island. Literally meaning 'nine dragons,' the bustling urban area of Kowloon consists of three sections such as Kowloon Peninsula, New Kowloon, and Victoria Harbor. The best known part of the Kowloon is the tip of Peninsula facing the Hong Kong Island.

Kowloon is located to the south of Hong Kong Island in Northern Hong Kong, and includes five of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, among which most prominent are Kowloon City and Yau Tsim Mong. Others are Kwun Tong, Sham Shui Po, and Wong Tai Sin. Primarily a residential area, Kowloon City is developed on the site of the old age Kowloon Walled City built during the period of the Song Dynasty. Al though a smaller district in terms of land area, Yau Tsim Mong is one of the busiest business areas in Hong Kong. The name of this district has been derived from the three significant areas of Hong Kong such as Yaumati, Mong Kok, and Tsim Sha Tsui.

When comes to attractions, Kowloon provides a great number of options for visitors touring the destination. Of which some of them are:

Kowloon Park - which has to its credit an incredible array of attractions such as indoor heated over sized swimming pool, leisure pool connected by a number of waterfalls, an expansive Chinese Garden, a Children's playground, and above all, an open air sculpture museum which exhibits works done by local as well as overseas sculptors.

Yuen Po Street Bird Garden - This is a must-visit destination for bird lovers. The focal point of this garden is a variety of songbirds in exquisitely crafted bamboo cages. The bird garden is open daily from 7 hrs to 21 hrs.

Kowloon Walled City Park - This is one of the newest parks in Hong Kong. The park is designed in a classical style Chinese garden, which is well manicured and consists of man made hills, bonsai, and beautiful ponds and streams. Highlights also include beautiful paths, flower gardens, playground, and pavilions.

Nathan Road - Also referred to as the 'Golden Mile of Kowloon,' Nathan Road is a busy area brimming with upscale hotels, shops, and food stalls. One of the most prominent areas in the road is the Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard, which is home to more than 50 shops.

Jade Market - As the name indicates, Jade Market is a great area to shop jade items. But, it is recommended to take a specialist with you for shopping jade items.

Mong Kok - For shopping electronic items such as CDs and mobile phone accessories at bargain prices, no other destinations would be better than Mong Kok.

Wong Tai Sin Temple - A visit to Kowloon would be incomplete without taking a tour to this temple, which is reminiscent of a hermit who was well-known for his healing powers. A Chinese pharmacy can also be found within the temple. Nearby areas of the temple is filled with fortune tellers.

Other not to miss attractions in Kowloon are Tsim Sha Tsui, an area that is much famed for high class fashion stores; Kowloon Tong, a station within the local train network and whose prime attraction is an elegant as well as stylish mall with more than 200 shops; Night Market, which becomes exuberant as the sun goes down and consists of a number of open air eateries serving sumptuous cuisines; and Ladies' Market, a popular area exclusively for shopping ladies' clothing and cosmetics. Above all, stupendous is the nightlife of Kowloon, with an array of bars and restaurants.

In fact, Kowloon is one of the most magnificent destinations in Hong Kong. Hence, the area boasts of a number of accommodation choices to satisfy every level of travelers from budget conscious to well-heeled. Dining options available here are truly incredible, with a variety of cuisines including Japanese, Italian, and Cantonese delicacies.