Hong Kong is one of the richest cities in the world with excellent hotels, shopping centres, restaurants and delicious food. It is the combination of East and West world with great infrastructure. It attracts millions of tourists each year.
One of the famous creations in Hong Kong is the Symphony of Lights show. It gathers thousands of people at the harbour every night. It has attracted over 4 million visitors and locals so far. The Symphony of Lights is a synchronised decorative light and multimedia display, featuring 44 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour accompanied by music.
It starts at 8 pm every evening and lasts for 14 minutes. The show of lights turns the city into the most energetic, bright and happy city. A lot of people enjoy this lights show at Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront despite the complaints from environmentalists to end it.
Guinness World Records has named the Symphony of Lights the world's largest permanent light and sound show.
You can also enjoy the bright city from the Peak at night. The Peak is another must see attraction in Hong Kong. It is an absolutely incredible place to have a view of the entire city from the top of the mountain.
You can get to the Peak by bus or on the Peak Tram. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the Peak by bus since it goes through the road built around the mountain. And it takes only few minutes if you take the Peak Tram to go up or come down from the Peak. You will be amazed being on the climbing Peak Tram pulled by steel cables thinking that it might fall down while carrying people.
If you are planning to travel to Hong Kong, it is best to stay at the hotel with the view to famous Victoria Harbour. It will cost you more than the hotel room with ordinary view, but, believe me, it is worth paying an extra $200 per night to enjoy the Symphony of Lights in the evenings and the ferries in the mornings from your hotel room window.
Prices in Hong Kong are more a suggestion than a fixed price. Sellers usually start up with a very high price at the market. And it doesn't worth paying first price they ask for the clothes like pin cushioned baby clothing with a special hole on pants.
I bought a summer dress for $200 HKD at the market. I bargained for ridiculous price, for $ 6 Hong Kong dollars (which is only 80 Australian cents). I was nervous to bargain thinking if it was acceptable to do that in their culture. Later, I found out that it was possible to negotiate at least 30% of the price not only at market, but also in small shops.
Stanley Market is a great place for day trip and buying clothes, accessories at competitive price if you bargain. It takes only a half an hour to get to Stanley Market by bus. You will love the narrow road being on the bus and amazed how the other bus coming against you doesn't crash into you or into the mountain.
Stanley famed for its small yet vibrant tourist and craft market. It is geared towards the international tourist, and primarily western tourist when it comes to finding a place to eat. Along the sea wall all the restaurants are “Western” and you have to go into the nooks of the market to find a local place.
Hong Kong also has many designer brand shops. Chinese people, especially young generation love wearing clothes from world famous designers.
Tsim Sha Tsui is well known for designer brand shops. Louis Vuitton stores are located not far from each other and next to Burberry, Chanel, Dior, Gucci stores. Across the harbour from Central to Admiralty the shopping is just as expensive.
I was surprised seeing long queues lined up outside the Louis Vuitton stores visiting Hong Kong during recession in November, 2009. Seeing people spending a lot of money for brand clothes, bags and shoes, I thought that financial crisis didn't affect Hong Kong at all.
And if you are a Westerner, you will be offered designer clothes, watches from Rolex for very low price on the streets from Southeastern people. Why? Because they are not originals!
Hong Kong has unlimited variety of delicious Cantonese as well as European, Southeast Asian, Japanese, Malaysian food. You will spent around $100 US to eat in a good restaurant or around $20 US at the food court for two people.
You should not leave Hong Kong without trying Cantonese beef. It is the most tender beef. I ever tried, marinated in soy sauce then cooked with ginger, tomato, cornstarch, greens. Every restaurant brings oolong tea first before bringing the food. I would call the Cantonese beef with oolong tea the food of the heaven.
If you don't like Chinese cuisine and prefer western fast food, McDonald's, Burger King, KFC easily found. Hong Kong has something for everybody.
