The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China is much more than a harbour city. This SAR with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands is mostly a rural landscape. Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7 million people are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of wilderness that will reward the more intrepid tourist.

Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with at least one season to match your comfort zone. Boasting one of the world’s best airports, it is the ideal stopover for those who wish to travel deeper into the Orient.

Orientation

Hong Kong Island is the island that gives this SAR its name. Although it is not the largest part of the territory, it is the place that many tourists regard as the main event. The parade of buildings that make the Hong Kong skyline has been likened to a glittering bar chart that is made apparent by the presence of the waters of Victoria Harbour. To get the best views of Hong Kong, leave the island and head for the Kowloon waterfront.

The great majority of Hong Kong Island's urban development is densely packed on reclaimed land along the northern shore.

The southern side of the island has developed into an upmarket residential area with many large houses and expensive apartments with views across the South China sea. The islands best beaches, such as Repulse bay, are found here and visitors can enjoy a more relaxed pace of life than on the bustling harbour side of the island.

Kowloon is the peninsula to the north of Hong Kong Island. With over 2.1 million people living in an area of less than 47 square kilometres, Kowloon is one of the most densely populated places on the planet, and has a matching array of places to shop, eat and sleep. Tsim Sha Tsui the tip of the peninsula, is Kowloon's main tourist drag and has a mix of backpacker and high-end hotels. Further north, Mong Kok has a huge choice of shops and markets in an area of less than a square kilometre. "Kowloon side", as it is often known, managed to escape some of the British colonial influences that characterise the "Hong Kong Island" side.

The New Territories so named when the British took more land from China in 1898, lie north of Kowloon. Mountainous country parks overlook New Towns that have a clinical form of modernity that has attracted many to move here from mainland China. Public transport and taxis make this area surprisingly accessible if you dare to get out and explore this offbeat place.

The Outlying Islands are a generic label for the islands, islets and rocks in the south of the territory. Lantau is by far the largest of them and therefore often considered its own district. Most people arrive here, as Hong Kong International Airport is located on a small island just north of Lantau. Lantau hosts some of the territory's most idyllic beaches as well as major attractions such as Disneyland and the Ngong Ping cable car. Other islands include Lamma, well known for its seafood, and Cheung Chau, a small island that used to be a pirates' den, but now houses mostly windsurfers and sunbathing day trippers.

People

The majority of Hong Kong's population are Han Chinese (95%), mostly of Cantonese ancestry, though there are also sizeable numbers of other Chinese groups such as Chiuchao (Teochews), Shanghainese and Hakkas. A significant number of Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese live here too, and many have families that have lived in Hong Kong for several generations. The largest groups of recent, non-Chinese, immigrants are Filipinos, Indonesians and Thais,.

Climate

There are four distinct seasons in Hong Kong. Hong Kong can be a little chilly in the winter (10°C) and hot and humid in the summer (33°C). The best times of year to visit are thus, spring (March-May), when the average temperature is around 25°C and autumn (September-December). Christmas in Hong Kong can be a delight with a fair chance of mild sunny weather that will appeal to those coming from colder northern climates.

Get in Hong Kong

Hong Kong International Airport (IATA: HKG) which is also known as Chek Lap Kok is the main port for visitors to Hong Kong by air. Designed by architect Sir Norman Foster, this modern and efficient building opened in July 1998 and has since been named "World's Best Airport" by Skytrax in annual ratings five times.

Visa

Visa for Hong Kong: If you are participating in a professional internship program, you will need to obtain a training visa.

Language

For most Hong Kong people Cantonese is their mother tongue. It is more or less the same as the Cantonese spoken in Guangzhou, but the Hong Kong version tends to incorporate some English words and slang, which may sound strange to other Cantonese speakers.

As a second language, English is less well spoken compared to the likes of Malaysia, India and the Philippines, although still used much more widely than in Thailand, mainland China, Korea and Japan. Education in English begins in kindergarten, and fluency in English is often a pre-requisite for securing a good job. As a result, English is spoken fluently by most professionals and business people. In contrast, English proficiency tends to be more limited among the average working class person, particularly outside the main tourist areas. In addition, while many people are able to understand written English pretty well, they may not necessarily be comfortable speaking it. Nevertheless, most adult locals under the age of 40, including many shopkeepers and taxi drivers, know enough English for basic communication.

Despite the crisis, Hong Kong’s economic strengths, including a sound banking system, virtually no public debt, a strong legal system, ample foreign exchange reserves, and an able and rigorously enforced anti-corruption regime, enable it to quickly respond to changing circumstances.

The government promotes measures designed to improve its attractiveness as a commercial and trading center and is continually refining its financial architecture. The government is deepening its economic interaction with the Pearl River Delta in an effort to maintain Hong Kong's position as a gateway to China