By Rory Boland
Hong Kong/Macau Travel Expert, about.com
With dictatorships falling, borders opening and flights becoming more frequent, there has never been a better time to visit Asia. The region is booming. Vietnam and Laos look set to be joined by Myanmar on the tourist trail, as the country’s dictators continue to mellow out, while the Chinese can’t build airports fast enough for the influx of visitors into the Middle Kingdom.
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Meanwhile, Bangkok was named the most
visited city in the world last year, beating competition from Paris and
NYC. Kuala Lumpur also made the top 10.
Hong Kong’s role
So
where does that leave Hong Kong? There was a time; when China had a
border closed tighter than Fort Knox and the likes of South Korea and
the Philippines were more interested in coups than cocktails. Hong Kong
was the only place to park yourself. You could at least stare at Mao’s
China from the hills.
Today the city has a dozen rivals to the title of Best Asian city. But it also has strong claims to the crown.
East meets west
I’ve heard East meets West
applied to a hatful of cities but I’ve only ever felt it’s true in Hong
Kong. And it is this dual identity that I feel still gives Hong Kong the
edge.
This is where Chinese tradition meets British character.
While colonial history in other Asian cities is relegated to grand hotel
architecture or a word or two in the local dialect, in Hong Kong it’s
part of the city’s fabric; woven the culture, the spirit and parts of
the cuisine.
Respect for freedom of speech and freedom of the
press have been enshrined here longer than anywhere else in Asia. But
it’s not just on the law books. It is part of the city’s character –
just witness the protests when these rights were put under threat.
At
the same time Hong Kong is also utterly Chinese. While Mao threw
Chinese culture under a bus during the cultural revolution, Hong
Kongers, many of whom had fled from the mainland, fostered their
culture. Temples blossomed, tai chi and
feng shui matured here and there is no better place in the world to
enjoy a full blooded Chinese festival. It’s an East meets West culture
that is manifested in so many ways. Take Happy Valley,
Hong Kong’s famous racecourse and the best night on the ponies in Asia.
Set up by the British when they first arrived, the rules and the racing
are inherently British but the energetic gambling is distinctly
Chinese.
Blockbuster attractions
Of
course Hong Kong isn’t short of blockbuster attractions, five star
hotels and famous name restaurants to compete with regional rivals.
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The city was recently lauded as the best place in the world to pick up Michelin starred food for cheap. And by cheap we mean less than HK$10 at Tim Ho Wan.
The
skyline has regularly been voted the best in the world and one look at
this dazzling forest of skyscrapers on the banks of Victoria Harbour
will confirm the plaudit.
And while shopping is no longer the
bargain it once was, this is a city still obsessed with a bargain. More
markets, malls and shops per square inch than anywhere else on the
planet.
First time in Asia
As a first
timer there are few better places to find your feet in Asia. Hong Kong
lets you choose just how deep you want to dive into the local culture.
You
can stick to Central, where everything is in English, eat a burger and
chips in a local restaurant and enjoy a pint at a British styled pub in Lan Kwai Fong.
Or, you can have the best Dim Sum in the world, see an 18th century ancestral hall in the New Territories and take part in lion dance festival where no one speaks English.
There is nowhere else in the region where you can so easily dip into two cultures.
