My short visit to Hong Kong, barely three days, was a unique experience. This richest region of China is a fast-moving and ever-changing metropolis with abundant vitality and diversity.

Being a hub for finance and trade it attracts a lot of expatriates from around the world. On official visit, I didn’t really get the opportunity to explore the city, which I would have loved to, but whatever I saw was quite exhilarating.



My Initial Impressions

The gateway to any country is the airport, and the infrastructure and look of the airport speaks a lot about the country. And on arriving at the Chek Lap Kok airport, you immediately realise how far advanced and sophisticated Hong Kong is. The giant airport is rated as one of the best in the world, and the passenger terminal is designed with the maximum convenience, with range of shops and restaurants to choose from while in transit. In fact to add to the convenience, Airport Express is the rail service or MTR (mass transit railway) to take passengers from the airport to the urban areas and vice-versa. Impressive, isn’t it!!! When you compare this to the Mumbai airport, one will be quite ashamed.

The airport is situated on Lantau Island, which is the largest island in Hong Kong. The number of 30 to 50 storey high-rise housing estates and condominiums in this region are quite a sight, as the buildings comprise really small tiny apartments.

Hong Kong is quite populated, around 6.81 million people, and the only way to expand is vertically. We reach Kowloon, around 40 minutes drive from the airport and my hotel was magnificently located on the Kowloon waterfront overlooking the Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong island (HK is actually made of 236 islands). That was a marvelous sight. The other side of the harbour comprises tall business buildings with huge neon signs of electronic companies and banks like Philips, Hitachi, Panasonic, Bank of China etc, symbolising the modern architecture of the Hong Kong Island.

Kowloon is largely commercialised, so there isn’t much greenery around, at one point I did feel claustrophobic, just surrounded by plenty of skyscrapers and no green areas, but I guess I was in the wrong part of the city.

Symphony of Lights



Hong Kong is renowned for its technicolor night skies, so I wasn’t surprised to know that the world’s largest permanent light show takes place here. The spectacular light and sound show called ‘Symphony of Lights’, which takes place every evening at around 8 pm. Nearly 33 skyscrapers, on both sides of the harbour, are fitted with laser lights, synchronised to create dramatic effects.

The 20-minute display is accompanied by music and the show generally follows five themes - awakening, energy, heritage, partnership and celebration – which reflects the heritage and culture of Hong Kong. We were taken to the presidential suite of the hotel, which is the best viewing spot of the hotel, and watching this display from the amazing rooftop of the suite was just the icing on the cake.

Pub-Hopping

Hong Kong has a very active nightlife. After going for dinner at Indochine Restaurant, the only place where I could eat some delicious Veg food, me and a couple of my journalist friends decided to go check out the party scene in Hong Kong.Lan Kwai Fong in Central, is the entertainment hub for expats in Hong Kong. It’s a crazy location if you want to party till you drop. Several pubs, clubs and restaurants dot the small streets of Lan Kwai Fong, giving you an option to go pub-hopping. It is so vibrant and full of life that people actually move out on the streets with beer bottles, socialising and indulging in a perfect night out. All my tiredness and lack of sleep just vanished as I partied till the wee hours of the morning. Believe me, the vibes at this place were so positive and refreshing, something which Mumbai doesn’t give. The atmosphere is very friendly and without any ostentatious display.

Shopping


Besides, the night life, shopping is another must do in Hong Kong. On a short trip, I didn’t really get a chance to visit any of the malls, but I did manage to go to the flea market - Ladies market - situated in Mong kok. It is a night market open well past midnight. Ladies Market, actually reminded me of Manish market in Mumbai; crowded, great deal of bargaining, and decent stuff.

But language is a major barrier here, as all the sellers can understand are numbers, sometimes I even had to use the calculator to bargain at a good price. Another popular and the busiest night market is Temple street in Kowloon, which sells cheap merchandise and food items.

The next morning we had to rise early to go to The Peak, which is at top of the mountain in Central region. One can take a bus or a tram to reach the top, although going by tram is a better option, just for the experience. It’s a bit steep, so when the tram goes up the slope, it feels as if the tall buildings are tilted and falling behind you…had a few butterflies in my mistake during that ride. It’s around 15 minutes journey to the top.

The Peak Tower offers viewing terraces and other attractions, including dining and shopping. From the top one can get a panoramic view of the city on one side and the sea and cliffs on the other. Next to the tower is a hiking trail, it can get really windy out there.

Another thing I wanted to mention is the transport system. Its highly developed and sophisticated – both public and private. In private transport I could only spot the really expensive cars like Mercedes Benz, Skoda, BMW, Bentley and so on. As far as public transport is concerned, I am falling short of words.

It’s well-planned and not really crowded, because of the different modes of transport available. They have the a/c taxis, double-decker buses, MTRs, ferry, tramway systems, phew…that’s enough to reduce the time one would spend in travelling within the city.

All in all, Hong Kong can be visited once to feel the vibrant fusion of Eastern and Western cultures.