An impressive island full of densely forested steep slopes, and a lot of skyscrapers surrounded by the sea, the island of Hong Kong has a dynamic and fluid face, given by men as they challenged nature and built huge buildings.
In the middle of the first Opium War in 1841, when the island was not yet so developed, Britain forced China to give up the island and in 1898 they leased it from China for 99 years, as well as the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories, thus the colony of Hong Kong became one of the largest financial centers worldwide. When the contract expired in 1997, the territory was returned to the government of China, however, its trade, growth, and prosperity were still maintained.
The island of Hong Kong has a magical and wonderful landscape, a combination of the past and the present. The old part of the island is still very well preserved and has its original atmosphere. Among the magical architectural, you will see the Bank of China Tower and its angular shape, which offended the followers of Feng Shui.
On the island, there are shops in Wing Lok Street, which still sell the traditional remedies and bird nests for soup, also in the temple of Man Mo, large incense with a particular fragrance hang from the ceiling, a fragrance that will accompany you, attached to your clothes for some days. Down the streets of the peak, there is a variety of street markets where you can find everything you are looking for: vegetables, fish, batteries and of course traditional fast food, among other things.
The main attraction that you should visit in the old part of the city is the statue square, which dates back to colonial times. There are two buildings that are also an important part of the place, The Legislative Council Building that has been there for many years, and the HSBC building designed by Norman Foster.
If you want to admire the landscape, you can not miss the view from the Peak, just when the sun sets and the city lights up; it is a wonderful spectacle. You can see the new territories and Kowloon very closely, emanating an incomparable beauty, although there may be a bit of hazy fog thanks to the contamination of the continent.
To get to the Peak, you can take the Peak tram to the top, or to take the full experience you can climb the Mid-Level Escalator, which is the longest moving stairway in the world. In the morning it rolls down from the Peak, and in the afternoon it retreats back up. The temperatures and humidity in this place soar, so people find it useful to move in this way.
If you want to know the New Territories, you can choose one of the best trips in the world: board the two-story Star Ferry. You will arrive quickly and it will leave you impressed, besides, you will only spend a couple of dollars.
A tradition of Hong Kong is horse racing, so if you’re out and about in the city on a Wednesday night, you’re likely to see a race meeting at the Happy Valley racecourse, and it’s always crowded. To enter, you can buy a tourist ticket that includes food in one of the private boxes of the stands, or you can choose to admire the show from the shore next to the corridors.
To get to Hong Kong there are many international flights from different parts of the world. You must confirm if you have the necessary visa to enter since the rules are a bit different from the rest of China. You can stay at the island’s most famous place, Mandarin Oriental or Statue Square, near the Star Ferry. It has the best views of Victoria Harbor and it was recently remodeled.
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