by Andre Sanchez

A Hong Kong vacation offers you more than great shopping and marvelous restaurants, and it is certainly far divorced from the traditional China that you would find on the mainland.

Hong Kong comprises Hong Kong Island, the part that everyone associates as being Hong Kong, Kowloon, the most densely populated part of the territory, and over 200 islands, some large and some small, that combine to form what is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Asia. A major reason for this is the combination of the highly commercial modern Western, and the more traditional Oriental, civilizations.

If you want nightlife, Hong Kong boasts a marvelous mix of bars, night clubs, casinos and theatres – if it exists, Hong Kong has it, and if it doesn’t exist, it will shortly! If you prefer shopping, the northern part of the island offers a highly sophisticated cosmopolitan city, combining the world’s most famous stores with the traditional markets of old China.

A Hong Kong vacation will also offer you a dining experience that you will never forget. Try the famous ‘Seafood Street’ in the New Territories area of Northern Hong Kong, or if you prefer, there is a seemingly unlimited selection of traditional Chinese restaurants. However, the food is not limited to seafood and Chinese, and there is a variety of cuisine from all over the world. You name it, it is here.

If it’s more sightseeing that you are after, you should get the tram up to Victoria Peak. Victoria is the capital of Hong Kong, and the peak gives a great view over Victoria Harbor. The peak has what is called the ‘Believe It Or Not Museum’, which holds a raft of bizarre and almost unbelievable artifacts and machines. If you prefer something more modern, the Bank of China Tower stands at 369 metres and is one of the tallest buildings in the world. This blue glass structure is based on the growth patterns of the bamboo plant, and has been built to withstand the typhoon winds prevalent in this part of the world.

If you want a rest from the hustle and bustle for something a bit quieter for a while, catch the ferry from central Pier over to Cheung Chau island. During the week this is a fairly quiet traditional fishing area, but at the weekend it gets really busy with tourists. No cars are allowed, so it’s about as quiet as Hong Kong gets.

If you’ve brought the kids along you must take them to Disneyland. It’s a must for any family Hong Kong vacation, and was only opened in 2005. Although the smallest of the Disney resorts, Hong Kong Disneyland has the full range of Disney features to offer and is continually expanding. The children deserve it after trailing around the bustling city with you. After all, when you consider it, there is not a lot for children to become excited about in Hong Kong other than Disneyland.

It’s not really necessary to hire a car to get around Hong Kong because the transport system is pretty good. There are cabs, buses, trains, a subway system, minibuses and ferries. Rickshaws have unfortunately lost popularity, but can be found at the Star Ferry on Hong Kong Island for a quick run or some photographs for the album. Hong Kong is best visited on foot initially, then once you get used to where things are on the map, use public transport to travel between areas. In fact public transport is one of the main advantages of a Hong Kong vacation – you can see as much as possible without having to drive.

Kowloon is the commercial center of Hong Kong, and contains Victoria Harbor which is one of the major shipping ports of the world. Everything that you find at home with ‘made in Hong Kong’ stamped on it will have passed through Victoria Harbor, named after Queen Victoria, the longest ever reigning monarch of the UK. If you want to see a traditional fishing harbor, then visit Peng Chau, which displays the traditional life of the Hong Kong fishermen amidst the hustle bustle of a modern commercial city.

The major excitement of a Hong Kong vacation, especially if you have never had the opportunity of traveling to the orient is visiting China. Because Hong Kong is China. It is perhaps not as mysterious as Beijing, due its westernization while under British colonial rule, but it is China.

So take the plunge. Book up for a Hong Kong vacation and find out what real Chinese cuisine and hospitality is like. You will be pleasantly surprised, and will definitely decide to go there again. It’s not all as you see on Jackie Chan films!

A Hong Kong Vacation Offers you a Lot More than Shopping was originally published at http://www.globallifenow.com