Hongkong is one of the dynamic cities on Earth, a
living fusion of East and West. Visiting Hongkong, everyone will be swept up in
its energy, dazzled by its multifaceted, multinational character and awed by
pace of life. Prosperous, vigorous and upbeat, Hongkong has entered a new era,
capitalizing on its position at the heart of Asia and gateway to China.
Hongkong's English name is
derived from two Chinese characters, "heung and gong",
which translate as "fragrant harbour". Originally, this
was the name of a small settlement near Aberdeen, the
main fishing a commercial port on pre-colonial Hongkong
Islands.
The explanation for
Kowloon's name is even more romantic. In Chinese, the
peninsula's name is Gau Lung, meaning "nine dragons"
which was though to have been coined by Emperor Ping,
one of the two boy emperors of the doomed Soong Dynasty.
He is said to have counted eight mountains in the area,
and decided to name it Eight Dragons (in accordance to
the belief that each mountain is inhabited by a dragon).
A quick-witted courtier noted that as emperors were also
believed to dragons, the place should be really called
"Nine Dragons"
Hongkong is situated on
the southeast coastline of China, facing the South China
Sea. To its north is the province of Guangdong whose
capital Guangzhou is 135 km from Hongkong. Beijing is
about 2,000km further north. Hongkong is located just
south of the Tropic of Cancer at about the same latitude
as the Bahamas, Hawaii and Mexico City. The climate is
sub-tropical with distinct seasons.
HONGKONG'S MAIN AREAS
OF INTEREST
HONGKONG ISLAND
Central
Seat of
government, transport hub, financial and banking
centre and exclusive shopping district
Western
Hongkong's most
traditional Chinatown area
Admiralty
Admiralty is a
convenient business location as well as prime
shopping, entertainment and dining district.
Here you can find shopping malls, department
stores, restaurants and a cinema complex all
conveniently
Wanchai
Once famous for
carousing sailors, this colorful district still
offers exciting nightlife, as well as arts
cenres, office plazas and restaurants serving a
diverse range of international cuisine
Causeway Bay
A popular
shopping, dining and nightlife area
Aberdeen
On the island's
south side, Aberdeen is an ancient fishing port
with a long maritime history
South Side
The beaches of
Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay, and the villages
of Stanley and Shek O are among this scenic
treasures
KOWLOON SIDE
Tsim Sha Tsui
East
With its many
hotels, shops and museums, this district is an
ideal base for visitors. The opening of the East
Tsim Sha Tsui KCR in 2004 created additional
convenience
Tsim Sha Tsui
One of Hongkong's
major entertainment areas, featuring a blaze of
neon and shopping along Nathan Road
Yau Ma Tei and
Mongkok
Bustling and
fascinating areas full of specialty shops and
street markets
NEW TERRITORIES
The New
Territories features rural retreats, traditional
villages, suburbs, country park hiking trails
and many historical and cultural attractions
OUTLYING ISLANDS
Visitors can
easily reach popular outlying islands, including
rural Lantau Island, almost twice as large as
Hongkong Island, charming and tiny Cheung Chau,
picturesque Peng Chau and tranquil Lamma Island
- famed for its seafood restaurants
