I have been reconnecting with Hong Kong the past two weeks. My last visit here was just before the Covid Chaos in 2019. I am reminded, once again, what an incredible place this is.
There are some things that can be quite maddening here, but the wonderful things outnumber the frustrating by a large margin. There is one word I feel really hits the mark when thinking about Hong Kong: Character.
There is no question, if you want a place that stands out as unique in Asia, Hong Kong fits the bill. From mountains and nature to urban hustle, a smattering of cultures and languages, food like no other place, deep local traditions, Hong Kong has all of this.
Recent History
The British first occupied Hong Kong in 1841 during the First Opium War between Britain and the Qing Dynasty. The Qing wanted to stop the importation of opium leading to widespread addiction in China. Opium primarily entered China from British controlled India.
Hong Kong Island was later ceded to Britain after the war by the Treaty of Nanjing. It was then made into a Crown Colony. Some years later Britain decided to expand the territory under its control by taking over Kowloon following the Second Opium War. The colony later expanded further with a 99-year lease of the New Territories to the British in 1898. With the end of the New Territories lease creeping up and China refusing to renew the lease, the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed between China and Britain. The declaration stated that control of the colony would be completely handed back over to China in 1997.
As one can imagine, over 150 years of British control left a mark on Hong Kong culturally, economically, linguistically and politically.
To see signs of this influence one need look no further than signs, literally. Streets all over Hong Kong continue to display the names given to them during British control along with the Chinese transliterated name.
Unlike the China mainland and Taiwan, transportation also follows British practices with cars driving on the left side of the road and drivers sitting on the right-hand side of the car. Be careful not to get in on the wrong side of taxis and look carefully at the signage painted on the roads at intersections reminding pedestrians which way to look before crossing the road.
Kowloon Walled City
Following the ceding of Kowloon to the British there remained a small area, technically under Chinese control, within the boundaries of Kowloon. Originally established as a Chinese fort, the Kowloon Walled City remained largely ungoverned by China.
When Hong Kong was first ceded to the British there were fewer than 1000 people based in the Kowloon Walled City an area roughly 2.6 hectares or 6.4 acres. The Chinese were allowed to station government officials there if they did not interfere in British governing of all surrounding areas. The population of the Kowloon Walled City increased dramatically following the brief Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during World War II. Going from fewer than 1000 people to approximately 35,000 people by the late 1980’s. At its peak, the city had a population density of roughly 1,255,000 people per square kilometer or 3,250,000 people per square mile. It was the most densely populated place in the world.
The area was primarily controlled by local triads and had very high rates of prostitution, gambling and drug abuse. Many unlicensed doctors and dentists also practiced in the city.
The Sino-British Joint Declaration also included provisions for the demolition of Kowloon Walled City. Not an easy task considering that residents would need to be relocated elsewhere in Hong Kong prior to this happening.
Demolition of the city was completed in April of 1994.
These tidbits of history, along with many others, combined to make Hong Kong a truly unique place in the heart of Asia.
Maintaining Its Own Identity
Through these and other events Hong Kong continues to hold on to their own identity. Old traditions, culture and food maintain their place alongside influence from the British and others.
A walk down any street in the city, one will discover an abundance of local eateries displaying roasted geese and Char Siu pork hanging in the windows. Open-air markets selling vegetables, fruit, meat and seafood are scattered throughout the area. National holidays put on full-display Hong Kong style celebrations. Islands are graced by massive Buddhist statues, and temples or shrines maintain their niches scattered throughout.
Hong Kong has also maintained its personal identity linguistically. Cantonese remains the most spoken language. Its neighbor to the north, Guangdong, is also a widely Cantonese speaking area, but like all other areas of China, Mandaring has long been required for educational and official purposes there. Whereas Hong Kong is only now engaging in required Mandarin education since the handover back to Chinese governance in 1997.
Personally, I have long used Mandarin in communicating with Hong Kong Locals since the 90’s when I first started making trips here. I can undisputedly state that local peoples’ ability with Mandarin has improved a lot.
Accommodation and Cost in Hong Kong
According to a Hong Kong government report, LCQ22, the average domestic accommodation in Hong Kong is 172 square feet or 16 square meters. To put this into some perspective, my previous apartments in Shanghai and Shandong were 148 sqm (1593 square feet) and 220 sqm (2368 square feet) respectively.
Places in Hong Kong are small, and they are pricey. According to a 2019 CBRE report, Hong Kong has the highest average property price in the world. For these reasons, it can be challenging to book a suitable hotel when visiting Hong Kong. It is a good idea to start looking early and book well in advance of any trip to Hong Kong. Keep in mind that regardless of how early you may book accommodation, unless you plan on paying an exorbitant rate, you will likely find yourself in a space much smaller than you would find in other Asian countries.
Hong Kong Eats
To put it simply, Hong Kong cuisine is awesome!!
Eat local as much as you can. Trust me. Sure, the excursion to Schragels Bagels to reset your palate is well worth it (Schragels is excellent btw). But when traveling to Hong Kong eating local is the way to go.
Roasted goose, Char Siu (叉燒), Wontons, Dim Sum, noodle soups, rice porridge, oh these are so good in Hong Kong. One just needs to wander the streets and look for roasted geese and pork hanging in the window. Or you might even find yourself near a 冰室 (Translation Ice Room) serving ranges of great eats at great prices. You don’t want to miss out on this, truly.
Pricing on dining, coffee and drinking options can vary significantly depending on personal choices. As previously mentioned, I recommend sampling the local cuisines and shops as much as possible. Meals in many of the local shops run at reasonable rates of 20 to 100 HKD ($2.50 to $12.00 USD) whereas higher end locations will often start at around 200 to 500 HKD ($25.00 to $65.00 USD).
Getting Around
Travelers from many countries do not require a visa to enter Hong Kong, just have your passport and a ticket and you’re good to go.
Upon arrival avoid as much as possible taxi drivers soliciting you for rides at the airport. (This is generally true all over Asia.) Instead, head directly to the Airport Express train, buy a ticket and hop on. The train has stops in Tsing Yi, Kowloon and Central. Hop off at whichever location is closest to your hotel then jump on the MTR to get you within walking distance. When exploring the city, you can generally use the MTR and ferries to get pretty much anywhere.
In addition to exploring the general areas of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, day trips to Macau, Zhuhai and Shenzhen are also worthwhile. Keep in mind, if traveling to Shenzhen or Zhuhai a visa is likely required for entry as these are located within the China Mainland. Visas for a day trip to Zhuhai or Shenzhen can be obtained at ports of entry to either of these locations.
Entry Level Asian Travel Destination
For first time Asian travelers Hong Kong is a perfect place. Flights to or from Hong Kong are plentiful, entry is quick and easy and English assistance is readily available.
The treasures available to visitors of Hong Kong will broaden perspectives and will create memories that will shine brightly in your journey through life.
So, what are you waiting for? Get that passport, book that ticket and get out to Hong Kong.
在過去的兩周裏，我一直在與香港重新建立聯繫。我上一次來訪這裏是在2019年疫情混亂前。我再次被提醒這是一個多麽不可思議的地方。
這裏有一些事情可能令人非常抓狂，但美妙的事遠遠超過令人沮喪的事情。在思考香港時，有一個詞我覺得非常適合描述這裏：性格。
毫無疑問，如果你想要一個在亞洲獨樹一幟的地方，香港符合要求。從山巒和自然風光到城市喧囂，從各種文化和語言到與衆不同的美食，深厚的當地傳統，香港應有盡有。
近期歷史
英國於1841年在英國和清朝第一次鴉片戰爭期間首次占領香港。清朝想要阻止鴉片的進口，導致鴉片在中國廣泛上癮。鴉片主要從英國控制的印度進入中國。
香港島後來在戰後通過《南京條約》割讓給英國。然後它被變成皇家殖民地。幾年後英國決定在第二次鴉片戰爭后接管九龍，以廣大其控制下的領土。該殖民地後來進一步廣大，於1898年中國將新界租給英國，爲期99年。
隨著新界租約的到期，中國拒絕續租，中英簽署了《中英聯合聲明》。 該宣言指出，該殖民地的控制權將於1997年完全移交給中國。
可想而知，英國150多年的統治在文化，經濟，語言和政治上都給香港留下了印記。
要看到這種影響的跡象，只需要看看路牌。香港各地的街道繼續顯示英國控制期間給它們的名字以及中文音譯的名字。
不同於大陸和台灣，交通也遵循英國的做法，汽車在道路左側行駛，司機坐在汽車右側。注意不要在計程車的錯誤一側上車，並仔細查看十字路口道路上繪製的標志，提醒行人在過馬路前要看哪個方向。
九龍城寨在九龍割讓給英國之後，在九龍邊界内仍有一小塊區域，實際上，還在中國的控制之下。九龍城寨最初作爲中國堡壘建立的，但基本上不受中國管轄。當香港首次割讓給英國時，九龍城寨的人口不到1000人，面積約為2.6 公頃或6.4英畝。中國被允許在那裏駐紮官員，只要他們不干涉英國對周邊地區的統治。九龍城寨的人口在二戰期間日本短暫占領香港後急劇增加。到1980年代後期，從不到1000人增加到大約35,000人。在鼎盛時期，該市的人口密度約爲每平方公里1,255,000人或每平方英里3,250,000人。它是世界上人口最稠密的地方。該地區主要由當地三合會控制，賣淫，賭博和吸毒率非常高。許多無證醫生和牙醫也在該市執業。《中英聯合聲明》也包括拆除九龍城寨的條款。考慮到在此之前居民需要搬遷到香港其他地方，這不是一件容易的事。1994年4月，該市拆除工作完成。這些歷史花絮，加上許多其他花絮，使香港成爲亞洲中心真正獨特的地方。
保持自己的身份
體驗這些及其他的經驗，香港還能保持自己的身份。古老的傳統，文化和食物與英國和其他的影響保持著自己的地位。
走在城市任何的街道上，都會發現許多當地的餐館櫥窗掛著烤鵝和叉燒。出售蔬菜，水果，肉類和海鮮的露天市場遍佈整個地區。國家節日期間，香港風情佳節展現。島嶼上有巨大的佛像，寺廟或神社保持著散落在各處的神龕。
香港也在語言上保持了自己的身份。粵語仍然是最常用的語言。它的北鄰也是一個廣東話區，但與中國其他地區一樣，長期以來，那裏的教育和官方目的都需要用普通話。而香港自1997年回歸中國以來，才開始必要的普通話教育。
就我個人而言，自從90年代第一次開始在這旅行以來，我一直使用普通話與香港當地人交流。我可以無可爭辯地說，當地人的普通話能力有了很大的提高。
香港的住宿和費用
根據香港政府報告LCQ22，香港的平均住宅面積172平方英尺或16平方米。從另一角度來看，我之前在上海和山東的公寓分別爲148平方米(1593平方英尺) 和220平方米(2368平方英尺)。
香港的房間小，而且價格昂貴。根據CBRE2019年的一份報告，香港是世界上平均房價最貴的地方。由於這些原因，在訪問香港時預訂合適的酒店可能具有挑戰性。儘早開始尋找並提前預訂任何香港之旅是個好主意。要記住，無論你多早預訂住宿，除非你打算支付高昂的房價，否則你可能會發現自己所處的空間比亞洲其他國家小很多。
香港美食
簡單地說香港美食很棒！
盡可能多地吃當地的美食。相信我。當然，前往 Schragel’s Bagels 重置你的味覺是非常值得的(順便説一句，Schragel’s 百吉餅非常出色)。但是，當去香港旅行時，盡量多吃當地的美食。
烤鵝，叉燒，餛飩，港式點心，湯麵，粥品，哦，這些在香港都很好吃！只需要在街上閒逛，尋找掛在櫥窗裡烤鵝和豬肉。或者可能會發現自己在冰室附近以優惠價格提供各種美味佳餚。你真的不要錯過這些。
餐飲，咖啡和飲品的定價可能會因爲個人選擇有很大差異。如前所述，我建議盡可能多地品嘗當地美食和商店。許多當地商店的餐點價格合理，為20至100港元 (2.50至12.00美金)，而高端餐廳的起價通常約爲200至500港元(25.00至65.00美金)。
入境和周邊介紹
來自許多國家的旅客無需簽證即可進入香港，只需攜帶護照和機票即可。
抵達後，盡可能避免計程車司機在機場招攬您（這在亞洲各地普遍存在）。相反，直接往機場快線列車，買票上車。列車在青衣，九龍和中環停靠。在離酒店最近的車站下車，然後可以上港鐵，步行即可到達。在探索城區時，你通常可以使用地鐵和渡輪前往幾乎任何地方。
除了探索香港島，九龍和新界一般地區外，前往澳門，珠海和深圳一日游也值得一遊。要記住，如果前往深圳或珠海，可能需要簽證才能入境，因爲它們位於中國大陸境内。前往珠海或深圳一日游的簽證可以在這兩個地點入境口岸獲得。
入門級亞洲旅游目的地
對於第一次來的亞洲旅游客來説，香港是一個完美的地方。往返香港的航班很多，入境快捷方便，英語協助也隨時有。
香港游客可獲贈的珍品將擴展視野，並創造美好的回憶，在你人生旅途中熠熠生輝。
那麽，你還在等什麽？拿到那本護照，訂好那張機票，然後去香港。
