Although a "Special Administrative Region" of China since 1997, Hong Kong remains a frenetic, jumbled, commerce-crazy city. With its awe-inspiring skyscrapers backed by the towering mass of Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Island is home to the main financial district, called Central, a prime shopping area. Directly to the E is Wanchai, famous for its bars, restaurants and raunchy nightlife, although in recent years, the area has become rather more respectable. 1 ml farther E is the cross-harbour tunnel and the densely populated Causeway Bay area with shopping, many restaurants, some interesting Chinese temples, a Chinese market and the 150-yr-old Noon Day Gun. Across the harbour, on the tip of the Kowloon peninsula, are Tsimshatsui and Tsimshatsui East - ¾ sq ml of energetic tourist activity with hundreds of bars, restaurants, entertainment places and shops as well as many hotels, some right on the waterfront with magnificent views of Hong Kong Island's skyline. Beyond the teeming city areas, the New Territories and Outlying Islands (both easily accessible by public transport) offer a more relaxed atmosphere, making them a pleasant destination for a day trip.

All types and all nationalities. Shopaholics and those wanting a gateway to the rest of China.

Mainly large, international-style hotels with high categories and prices to match. Essentially aimed at business clientele. Most hotels are fully double glazed and soundproofed against noise and bustle.

A number of beaches exist, scattered around Hong Kong, the most accessible (and popular) being at Repulse Bay and Stanley on the S coast of Hong Kong Island; Stanley is a favourite with windsurfers. Some quiet, isolated beaches can be found on the Outlying Islands and in the New Territories.

Shopaholics' El Dorado. Nathan Road, sometimes called "the Golden Mile", runs for several miles through Tsimshatsui and Kowloon and boasts department stores, extensive shopping centres and factory outlets as well as small, specialist shops; the area sells just about every consumer durable imaginable. On Hong Kong Island, Central district specialises in more upmarket shopping malls and smart, expensive outlets; "Chinatown"-type shopping in the old Sheung Wan district with street hawkers and stalls selling dried seafood, Chinese herbs and traditional trinkets; Hollywood Rd for antiques. Wanchai and Causeway Bay also offer myriad shopping opportunities. Numerous markets, particularly in Kowloon, including Yuen Po Street songbird market, flower market, goldfish market and Temple Street night market.

Daytime: if you grow tired of shopping, there are museums (local history, science, space, horse racing, teddy bears and more); harbour cruise or junk-boat tour; Aberdeen Harbour by sampan to see the "floating city" (people living on fishing junks); Stanley Market with its 19th-century colonial architecture and 18th-century Tin Hau Temple; ultramodern architecture on Hong Kong Island such as the 70-storey Bank of China Tower, 76-storey Central Plaza and neon-lit Center building; Victoria Peak by foot or funicular, for glorious views and walks; several 18-hole golf courses, tennis, squash, badminton and swimming pools; ice-skating rinks; horse riding; horse racing at Happy Valley (Sept to June); fishing; sailing and charter boats; water-skiing and windsurfing; Ocean Park oceanarium and theme park. Many festivals throughout the year. Nightlife: thriving cultural life with a performing arts centre, concerts, Chinese opera and ballet; multiplex cinemas; unlimited bars and nightspots to suit all tastes, from live music and nightclubs to hostess bars. Premier areas include neon-lit Nathan Road in Tsimshatsui; Wanchai, which still boasts some of the sleazier options; Lan Kwai Fong and the hip SoHo area, S of Hollywood Rd, both in Central.

Around 9,000 eateries, from luxury a la carte restaurants to traditional dim sum, covering the world cuisine-wise. Also cafes, delis, sandwich bars, the usual fast-food outlets and traditional Chinese tea (yum cha) rooms. Stanley Market for alfresco eating along the harbour front; Aberdeen Harbour for floating restaurants; trendy eateries around Staunton St in Central's SoHo area. Farther afield, Lamma Island is known for its seafood restaurants. Most restaurants add a service charge of 10 to 15% to the bill.

Hong Kong is an easy place to get around by public transport, barring the traffic jams. The MTR (Mass Transit Railway) or underground is efficient and easy to use, linking both sides of the harbour and serving most destinations of tourist interest. The Star Ferry is a bargain alternative with stunning views of the Hong Kong skyline. An extensive - if overcrowded - bus system plies the whole area; both buses and Light Rail Transit trains are good for getting around the New Territories. Buses and trains from the airport to Central and Tsimshatsui districts. A quaint tram route on the N of the Island; ½-ml-long Central/Mid-Levels Escalator up the hillside in the SoHo area. Taxis are metered; they are red in central districts, green in the New Territories. Some hotels have chauffeured limousines. Cycling and self-drive aren't recommended in the centre; you need your wits about you simply walking around!

Half day: day and evening cruises; planned walks throughout the territory. Full day: Repulse Bay, Stanley or Cheung Chau Island for beach life and water sports; Lantau Island visiting Po Lin monastery and the Big Buddha; the New Territories including Shatin, Che Kung Temple and Tsang Tai Uk walled village; Mai Po marsh for bird-watching; the former Portuguese colony of Macao (passports required). Trips into China (check visa requirements before departure from the UK) include Shanghai; Xian and the Terracotta Warriors; Pearl River Delta; Guangzhou (Canton).

On the SE coast of China. 1,200 mls S of Beijing. 114 mls SE of Guangzhou (Canton). Airport 21 mls W of central Kowloon, on Lantau Island.

Covering an area of 424 sq mls and comprising 4 regions: Hong Kong Island and Kowloon (the 2 "city" areas), the New Territories and the Outlying Islands (235 in all). Set in mainly rugged, mountainous terrain, with densely packed urban areas crammed along the waterfront and into the hillsides on Hong Kong Island, and on the broad, flat peninsula of Kowloon, to the N across Victoria Harbour. N of Kowloon lie the largely rural and mountainous New Territories (comprising 70% of Hong Kong's land area) and, beyond this, the border with the rest of China.

Website: www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/

Airport : Hong Kong
Airport Code: HKG
Flight time from ther U.K.: 13 hrs