Hong Kong is quite unique for China. Administered under a framework of one nation, two systems, it is a city that retains a separate economic and political system from the rest of the country.

Partly because of its long-term status as a colony before 1997 and partly because of its significance as a financial center, visitors will find a stay here to be an intriguing way to begin getting to know the Chinese culture.

At the same time, the entry requirements for Hong Kong for visitors are different than they are for China.

Hong Kong provides a culture that keeps you moving. There are very few benches or seating arrangements to be found in the public areas of the city. Even the cafés and restaurants want a fast turnover of tables, so rest is infrequent and rare. Bring a comfortable pair of shoes.

Be sure to reserve time to enjoy the views that are offered at Victoria Peak. There is a shopping area and an observation platform at Peak Tower that provides a stunning view of the city. The Trick Eye Museum is another place you won’t want to miss. Filled with 3-D artwork, you’re invited to interact with the exhibits during your stay.

You can also find many locations in Hong Kong that celebrate the regions traditional heritage. From stilt houses to the Tian Tan Buddha and other various temples, you can immerse yourself as deeply as you wish.

Hong Kong may be an international city with a diverse culture, but it also provides a very personal, intimate experience for visitors. It really is the perfect holiday destination.

Best sights in Hong Kong.

Below you find some recommendations to the best sights and attractions in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Museum of Art

Located at 10 Salisbury Rd Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, the Hong Kong Museum of Art is open to anyone who wants to take a glimpse of Hong Kong’s culture and history through its large collection of over 14,000 items ranging from calligraphy, paintings, Hong Kong treasure, art objects, antiques, and lithographs. Website

Hong Kong Space Museum

See what’s in store for you in the future at Hong Kong Space Museum. The complex offers hundreds of displays ranging from telecommunications, robotics, energy, computers, and physics with hands on experience that will keep you interested. Website

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Sha Tin)

Located at New Territories, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery features Buddha in different poses and colors.

Victoria Peak

Soaring 1810 feet above sea level, the Victoria Peak is premier destination for tourists who want to take a birds eye view of downtown Hong Kong, Kowloon, and Victoria Harbour. Go another step higher and take a 10-minute hike to the actual Victoria Peak.

Ocean Park

Visit Ocean Park. This is one Hong Kong attractions where you and your kids will have a great fun. The park is one big oceanarium containing Lowlands Gardens where pandas live, goldfish pagoda and butterfly house are located, Marine Land where atoll reef and shark aquariums are found, and Headlands amusement park where you can go and take a ride with cable cars and roller coasters. Website

The Central district

If you love to shop, you better go to the central Hong Kong district where big shopping malls and several Western designer and signature boutiques are located.

Lamma Island

For a different Hong Kong experience, try Lamma Island. It hosts several outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. And if you love to taste fresh Hong Kong seafood in great dining ambiance, Lamma Island is still the preferred place to go.

New Year’s Parade

The New Year’s parade in Hong Kong is an event not to be missed! The city is dressed up with bright decorations and colorful lights for its biggest celebration of the year, and thousands pour into Hong Kong to take part in the festivities.

Winding along Hong Kong’s picturesque waterfront, the New Year’s parade is filled with colorful, lavishly decorated floats. Representatives from Hong Kong and countries all over the world sing, dance and play music. The songs of marching bands fill the air along the parade’s route as performers in bright costumes prance along the streets.

The forthcoming year (2006) is the Year of the Dog. No matter which zodiac animal is being celebrated for the coming year, there are always plenty of lions and dragons in the parade. Energetic dancers wearing giant lion heads leap in the air as long dragons held aloft by more than twenty people snake past the enthralled parade watchers.

The New Year’s parade is the biggest event of Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year celebration. Close to 300,000 people attend the parade and millions more watch it on television. In recent years the parade has taken place in the evening, featuring vivid, dazzling light displays.

The Lunar New Year is one of Hong Kong’s most important and well-loved holidays. Each year one of twelve different animals is celebrated, according to the Chinese zodiac. Many of the city’s towering skyscrapers are decked out in glittering lights for the holiday. Throughout the three-day celebration, dancers in colorful costumes perform lion and dragon dances in the streets, malls and hotel lobbies. Traditionally, people exchange small, red envelopes filled with money as gifts. Flower markets show up all over the city during the holiday, selling plants and flowers with special significance, and stores and restaurants display flowers meant to bring immortality and good luck.

The New Year celebration usually begins anywhere from January 21 to February 19, depending on the year. While the holiday officially lasts fifteen days, in Hong Kong it is celebrated for three days, with the New Year’s parade taking place on the first day. January 29, 2006 is the first day of the forthcoming new year.

The day after the New Year’s parade a brilliant display of fireworks lights up
Hong Kong’s famous Victoria Harbour. The fireworks can be viewed from the waterfront or from boats cruising the harbour. On the third day of the celebration a large horse race takes place at the Sha Tin racetrack. This lively race is a favorite for gamblers and horseracing enthusiasts.