Hong Kong

Map of Hong Kong

History

In January 1841, as a result of the defeat of the Qing Dynasty of China in the First Opium War, Hong Kong became a British colony, under the Convention of Chuen Pi. After the defeat of China in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula was ceded to Britain in 1860. In 1898, the New Territories — a rural area north of Boundary Street in Kowloon district — were leased to Britain for 99 years. After the communists took control of mainland China in 1949, many of the Chinese businessmen fled to Hong Kong due to persecution by the communist government. Unlike the restrictive policies imposed by the communists in mainland China, the British government took a rather "hands off" approach in Hong Kong, which led to a high degree of economic freedom. Under such conditions, businesses flourished in Hong Kong and its economy grew rapidly. In 1990, Hong Kong's GDP per capita surpassed that of Britain, the first time a colony's GDP per capita surpassed that of its colonial master. In 1984, the Chinese and British Governments signed the Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong, giving Hong Kong back to China on 1 July 1997. Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the Peoples Republic of China. Under the slogan "One Country, Two Systems", Hong Kong remains a capitalist economy without various restrictions that apply in mainland China such as news censorship and foreign exchange controls. In accordance with the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law was enacted to serve in effect as a mini-constitution for the Hong Kong SAR. In theory, Hong Kong enjoys "a high degree of autonomy" in most matters except foreign and defence affairs. In practice, it is more complex than that: on the one hand, Beijing exerts much influence, on the other, there are groups pushing for a more democratic regime and universal suffrage. In many respects, little has changed since the Handover to China in 1997. An unelected Chief Executive has replaced the Colonial Governor – Beijing’s man has replaced London’s man. What was once a British colony now looks like a Chinese colony. Although “part of China”, Hong Kong operates like a tiny country with its own currency, laws, international dialling code, police force, border controls and the like.

Climate

There are four distinct seasons in Hong Kong. Hong Kong can be a little chilly in the winter (10°C) and hot and humid in the summer. The best times of year to visit are thus late spring (March-April), when the average temperature is around 25°C and autumn between (September-December). Christmas in Hong Kong can be a delight with a fair chance of mild sunny weather that will appeal to those used to northern climates. Hotels experience peak occupancy in the months of April and October. Typhoons usually occur between June and September and can bring a halt to local business activities for a day or less. The weather in winter is usually caused by the winter monsoon which brings dry cold winds from the north. In winter the air can be cold but the sun can still burn. Expect winter temperatures to rise to 20°C on sunny days and fall to under 10°C at night. Chinese New Year is notorious for cold wet weather and, since many businesses close and non-Chinese tourists will not see Hong Kong at its best. Should you find yourself in Hong Kong at Chinese New Year, you can make the best of the weather by going hiking if it is dry.

Festivals

• Chinese (Lunar) New Year (農曆新年)

Although this may seem like an ideal time to go to Hong Kong, many shops and restaurants close down during the Chinese New Year. However, unlike Christmas in Europe where you can hardly find shops open on this big day, you can still get food and daily products easily during the Lunar New Year period. The week or two leading up to the Chinese New Year as well as the period just after the third day up to the fifteenth day are good times to soak up the festive mood and listen to Chinese New Year songs being played in the shops.

• Spring Lantern Festival (元宵節)

If you go to Victoria Park of Hong Kong Island, you will be able to experience this tradition Chinese festival. A number of beautiful lanterns can be found in the park at this time.

• Ching Ming Festival (清明節)

This festival in Spring is also known as grave sweeping day. To show respect to the deceased, family members go to the grave of their ancestors to sweep away leaves and remove weeds around the grave area. Paper offerings are also burned, such as fake money.

• Cheung Chau Bun Festival (長洲太平清醮)

This is takes place on the tiny island of Cheung Chau. In the past the festival has involved competitions with people climbing Bun Towers to snatch buns. After the unfortunate collapse of a bun tower in 1978, due to an overload of people, the competition was abandoned. It was resumed again in 2005 with better safety measures.

• Tuen Ng Festival (端午節)

This is a festival in memory of a national hero from the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. Dragon boat races are typically held during this festival and glutinous rice dumplings, usually with pork fillings, are eaten by many.

• Hungry Ghost Festival (中元節)

This festival runs throughout the seventh month of the Chinese calendar. It is believed that the gates of hell open during this period and hungry ghosts are allowed to roam freely into our world. Though not a public holiday, this is the time where one can see many people perform various rites to appease the wandering ghosts, such as offering food and burning joss paper. One can also see traditional performances such as Chinese opera which are held to appease these ghosts.

• Mid Autumn Festival / Moon Festival (中秋節)

This festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month. Moon cakes which contain lotus seed paste and duck egg yolks are a popular delicacy. Many western people will find the traditional mooncake hard to appreciate, so you might like to try the ice-cream version as well. The festival is also known as the lantern festival and various parts of Hong Kong will be festooned with decorative lanterns which set the night scene ablaze with colour.

• Chung Yeung Festival (重陽節)

Is a day also known as Autumn Remembrance, which is similar to Ching Ming in spring, where families visit the graves of their ancestors to perform cleansing rites and pay their respects. As the weather cools down during this part of the year, hiking is a good activity to do during this holiday.

• Halloween

Halloween has grown rapidly in popularity and many people dress up to party till late. Trick or treat is not common but most restaurants and shopping centres are decorated and have special programmes. It is not a public holiday.

• Christmas (聖誕節)

Christmas is celebrated Hong Kong style. The city is adorned using traditional western Christmas decorations, including real or artificial Christmas trees in Central and shopping centres and plenty of opportunities for children to meet Santa in shopping centres. Most shops and restaurants remain throughout Christmas. You should expect large crowds out shopping for the Christmas sales.

• New Year's Eve (元旦除夕)

New Year's Eve in Hong Kong is something to check out if you are seeking a carnival experience. Hundreds of thousands of people out on the streets to celebrate the New Year is truly an unforgettable time. There are all-night services on the MTR, night-buses, and of course, many taxis. Fireworks go off on the harbour front, which a lot of people attend to watch on both sides of the harbour: Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon side) and Central (Hong Kong Island). The young adults and older adults decide to party with the rest of Hong Kong at the hot-spots such as Causeway Bay, Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui. Many people dress up and attend private parties and others flock to the streets to enjoy the atmosphere. Police patrol around popular areas to make sure the city is a safe party-zone. Hong Kong people are not great drinkers and most of them stay dry for the night. Drinking alcohol on the street is uncommon. So visitors who drink should moderate their behaviour or risk being screened out by the police as the only drunks in the crowd.

Books

Non-guidebooks about Hong Kong or by Hong Kong writers. In English: Myself a Mandarin: memoirs of a colonial magistrate, by Austin Coates. Each chapter is an entertaining episode of an English man's time as a colonial magistrate in the New Territories. East and West: China, Power, and the Future of Asia. A memoirs of Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong. Published in 1998, Patten provides his account of Hong Kong in the final years before the Handover. Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood, by Martin Booth. A well-written book that offers an insight into colonial life in Hong Kong through the eyes of a young English boy. The World of Suzie Wong: a classic novel published in 1957, later adapted to film in 1961. Set in Hong Kong, it is the fictional story of a young expat's life. We Deserve Better: an account of the "decline" of Hong Kong's "governance, spirit and ambition in the years following the Handover", by Hemlock. Winter Stars: a collection of poems born between the Alps and the Tyrrhenian, by Beatrice Lao.

When to visit

Weather For those who are seeking warm, dry and sunny weather, the ideal time is October to December. Those who are wanting to escape the humidity of tropical climates will appreciate the cooler months of January and February. The humidity is typically high in the spring and worse in the summer, when high temperatures (usual maximum of 33-34°C) are often recorded. Events During Chinese New Year, whilst there are some extra celebratory events such as a lion dances, fireworks, and parades, many shops and restaurants are closed for three days to 5 days. Official public holidays last 3 days. Culture lovers will be able to feast on a multitude of cultural activities from February to April. The Hong Kong Arts Festival, a month-long festival of international performances, is held in February and March. The Man Literary Festival, a two-week English language festival with international writers as guests, is held in March. The Hong Kong International film festival, a three-week event, is held in late March to early April. Rugby fans, and those wishing to party, should come during the weekend of the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens. There is a second round of cultural activities in the autumn lasting till the end of the year. Christmas is also a nice time to visit as many shops and shopping centres are nicely decorated and the festive mood is apparent across the city.

Crime

As large international cities go, Hong Kong is one of the safest in terms of crime and personal safety. Unless you are travelling from Japan, the chances are that your home-town is more crime-ridden than Hong Kong. Nevertheless, Hong Kong does have its share of petty crime, that can be avoided with some street smarts. Hong Kong cinema has often portrayed the triads (三合會) as machine gun wielding gangsters who shoot anything that gets in their way and just kill for thrill. This reputation is very much undeserved and while the triads are still very much active and powerful, even running a couple of businesses, they generally would not target the average person on the street. Just avoid the triads by using some commonsense, such as not engaging in illegal betting or borrowing money from loan sharks, and they will not bother you. Do not do business with people pushing their cards to you on the streets (so called street hawkers, mainly legal and illegal immigrants near Nathan Road, Kowloon). They may advertise tailor services and consumer electronics and the prices are 20-100% higher than in reliable chain stores and department stores. Usually you are asked to pay half beforehand, and when you come to claim your product, they say it's sold out and offer another model for much higher price. It can be very hard to get your money back from them as they might even hold your credit card as a 'hostage' and refuse to give it back unless you agree to take the more expensive item. Don't buy electronic items from brands you'd never heard of because they might be overpriced low quality chinese products without any warranty anywhere else. Best advice is to avoid street hawkers completely (don't even reply to them or you will attract only more!), and if already in trouble, contact the nearest police officer immediately. There appears to be scams around the Avenue of Stars, Tsim Sha Tsui, where a group of people target (Japanese) tourists. They will ask you to put banknotes into their bags for magic performance, and of course after the performance you will find yourself getting back forged banknotes. Unlike places such as Thailand, monks in China are not always held in high regard and you should be suspicious of requests for money. In fact, Chinese Buddhist monks are fed by volunteers working in the temples and usually do not beg for food so if you see any monks begging for food, they are likely to be fake. Use your common sense at all times. Watch your purse and wallet at all times. When in restaurants, do not sling your pack or purse behind your chair. Clutch any bags or purses in front of you when on the buses and railways. Always look like you know what you are doing or where you are going to avoid any pickpockets. The emergency number for police, fire and ambulance is 999. Be aware that police officers have the authority to check your ID/Passport without prior cause or suspicion. When there is a search for illegal immigrants, visitors, especially those who are not Caucasian, are also sometimes checked. Cooperate with the police during these investigations, though if police violate their authority, do not hesitate to call the Police Complaint hotline on 2866-7700. There are also very rare reports of some police officers requesting bribes when checking IDs. If this happens, don't be intimidated. Just dial the number mentioned above and report the matter.

Hiking

Hong Kong has some great hikes, but be safe and always hike in a group, particularly in Lantau Island and the New Territories. Although you are never more than a few kilometres from urban areas, you may encounter natural obstacles such as steep ravines and washouts. Incomplete mobile phone services in some areas may add to the risk of exploring country parks. In many places you will only be able to pickup a mobile phone signal from Mainland China, so you should carry a phone that is able to make international calls. If you are forced to use a signal from the Mainland you should note that it is not possible to dial 999 for emergency assistance. A number of hikers get lost each year, occasionally resulting in tragic death or injury. Hikers should equip themselves with detailed hiking maps, compass, mobile phone, snacks and drinking water. Hazards include falling, overheating and snakes. Robberies have also been reported on remote footpaths. Hong Kong has some exceptional rural landscapes and visitor impact is an issue. Please respect the countryside by taking your litter home with you. Avoid using litter bins in remote areas as these are not emptied on a regular basis and your litter may be strewn around by hungry animals. Campsites in Hong Kong are plentiful within the country parks and range from the basic with a drop-toilet to those that are serviced with showers and running water. Some campsites have places to buy water and food, whilst others are serenely remote.

Homosexuality

Life for gay and lesbian people in Hong Kong is discreet. Gay tourists arriving in Hong Kong should also be discreet and they should not encounter any particular problems.

Weather

Typhoons normally occur during the months of May to November, and are particularly prevalent during September. Whenever a typhoon approaches within 800km of Hong Kong, typhoon warning signal 1 is issued. Signal 3 is issued as the storm approaches. When the storm is expected to hit, signal 8 is issued. At this point, most of business activities shuts down, including shops, restaurants and the transport system. However, some entertainment facilities such as cinemas may still open for business. Signal 9 and 10 may be issued depending on the intensity of the storm. During a typhoon visitors should heed all warnings very seriously and stay indoors until the storm has passed. Taxis may still be available when signal 8 or above is raised, but they are under no obligation to serve passengers as insurance cover is no longer effective under such circumstances. It is sometimes possible to negotiate a fare with the driver, typically up to twice the meter fare. Rainstorms also have their own warning system. In increasing order of severity, the levels are amber, red and black. A red or black rainstorm is a serious event and visitors should take refuge inside buildings. A heavy rainstorm can turn a street into a river and cause serious landslides - why else does the government spend a fortune covering slopes with steel and ugly concrete? Hong Kong Observatory is the best place to get detailed weather information when in Hong Kong. In summer a convectional rainstorm may affect only a small area and give you the false impression that all areas are wet.

Road

Signage on the roads in Hong Kong is similar to British useage. Zebra lines (zebra crossings) indicate crossing areas for pedestrians and traffic comes from the right. To stay safe, visit the Transport Department's Road Users' Code for complete details. Crossing roads by foot should also be exercised with great care. Local traffic in Hong Kong generally moves fast once the signal turns green. To help both the visually impaired and even people who are not, an audible aid is played at every intersection. Rapid bells indicate "Walk"; Intermittent bells (10 sets of 3 bells) indicate "Do Not Start to Cross"; and Slow bells indicate "Do Not Walk".

One unexpected cause of sickness in Hong Kong is the extreme temperature change between 35°C humid summer weather outdoors and 18°C air-conditioned buildings and shopping malls. Some people experience cold symptoms after moving between the two extremes so often; it is not unusual to wear a sweater or covering to stay warm indoors (though the Hong Kong Government currently encourages the temperature in air-conditioned buildings be kept at 25.5 °C for energy saving, etc.) Many will agree that the tap water in Hong Kong can taste horrible. Nevertheless, cases of water-bourne diseases are extremely rare nowadays and many people are happy to drink the water. Old habits die hard and a number of people still prefer to boil and chill their drinking water when it is taken from the tap. The official advice from the Water Board is that the water is perfectly safe to drink unless you are living in an old building with outdated plumbing and poorly maintained water tanks. Bottled water is widely available but remember that Hong Kong's landfill sites are filling up fast and plastic bottles are a major environmental problem. Smoking Restrictions A smoking-ban came into effect in 2007. Unlike other places, the smoking ban includes a number of outdoor locations such as university campuses, parks, gardens and beaches. Places for adult entertainment such as bars, clubs and saunas are excluded from the ban for the next year or so. Expect to pay a substantial fine if caught smoking in the wrong place.

Pollution

Air pollution can be a problem due to high population densities and industrial pollution from mainland China. During periods of very bad air pollution tourists will find visibility drastically reduced. Persons with serious respiratory problems should seek medical advice before travelling to the territory and should ensure that they bring ample supplies of relevant medication. Pollution is a contentious topic in Hong Kong and is the number one issue among environmental campaigners. Levels of pollution can vary according to the season. The winter monsoon can bring polluted air from the Mainland, whilst the summer monsoon can bring cleaner air off the South China Sea. During major holidays in mainland China when many factories close down, levels of air pollution in Hong Kong can drop significantly.