It may be one of the most photographed skylines in the world, but nothing quite prepares you for the sheer scale and density of a first glimpse of Hong Kong
EAST MEETS WEST FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
On the 29th floor of my hotel at the western edge of the Kowloon Peninsula, I am standing in awed silence at the truly spectacular sight of Victoria harbour, viewed through floor-to-ceiling windows in the twilight of early evening.
Third only behind London and New York as one of the world’s leading financial centres, Hong Kong is dominated by skyscrapers, with a seemingly never-ending amount of new development evident all around.
By day, the former British colony is a bustling hive of activity, from Hong Kong Island across the thriving harbour and on to Kowloon, the New Territories and more than 200 surrounding islands.
At night, the towering buildings in the world’s most vertical city light up in a glorious display, while below the city is alive with glamorous nightlife and a rising arts and cultural scene.
I had just arrived in Hong Kong, the city-state which, since the British handover of 1997, has been a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.
The following three days would provide a fascinating insight into a city billed as where “East meets West” – where the history and cultural heritage of the region melds with the modern architecture of a world economic powerhouse.
Our group had flown in from London, but the journey started the previous day in Aberdeen, where we caught Virgin Atlantic’s Little Red service to Heathrow.
We were able to take advantage of the Virgin Clubhouse lounge while awaiting our overnight connection.
As you enter the area, you are immediately transported from the hectic airport into what feels like a rooftop bar, an oasis of calm bathed in natural light, complete with a restaurant, cocktail bar and flat screen televisions showing the latest news and sport from around the globe.
Guests can even indulge in spa treatments while awaiting departure, while for the younger travellers, there is an array of vintage arcade games on offer.
As the flight prepared to set off, we were greeted on board the Upper Class section with a glass of champagne while settling into the “herringbone” design seating.
Each passenger is almost cocooned inside the curved area, which extends to allow for a satisfying sleep.
The flight time of nearly 12 hours did not seem half as long as the courteous and chatty staff served up cocktails before a three course meal which easily ranked as the best in-flight dining I have experienced, complete with a selection of six wines.
The long-haul flight also comes fitted with a full bar, situated to the rear of the Upper Class cabin, where passengers can enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine if they are not ready to sleep.
The area also offers a welcome chance to stretch the legs after dinner before bedding down for the night.
Upon waking, I was informed that we were just two hours away from landing, and was promptly offered an extensive breakfast menu with everything from cold meats and croissants to a full English.
The luxury of being able to sleep for several hours meant that we arrived in Hong Kong feeling refreshed.
During our stay, we were at the W. Hotel, located on Austin Road West on Kowloon, a short bus journey from the airport, even during what should have been a peak hour for traffic.
The W. is a stylish addition to the many top-class hotels around the city, with a style that mixes modern glamour with colonial style that epitomises the vibrant “East meets West” atmosphere of Hong Kong.
Every one of the hotel’s 393 rooms features dramatic skyline views, and the W. offers a wide range of options, with rooms given titles such as the “wonderful” or “spectacular”, while the suites are described as “fantastic”, “marvellous”, “wow” and even “extreme wow”.
That may seem over the top, but walking into one of the suites, you can immediately see why the superlatives are used.
My quarters were considerably larger than my home in Aberdeen, comprising a sprawling collection of connected rooms at the corner of the hotel building with wall to wall windows providing truly amazing views.
The W. also boasts the 120-seat Sing Yin Cantonese restaurant on the first floor, which serves up a delicious mix of traditional delicacies, dim sum and fresh seafood.
Next door, the Woobar is buzzing with a diverse crowd of tourists, business travellers and fashionable locals rubbing shoulders while D.J.s and up-and-coming local musicians and songwriters provide the soundtrack.
On the roof of the 76-floor building is the Wet Deck, a huge swimming pool and lounge area offering sweeping vistas of Victoria Harbour.
The location of the hotel was ideal for exploring the city.
Just a few minutes away was the Star Ferry terminal, which provides the best way to cross to Hong Kong Island from Kowloon.
First established in 1888, passengers can see the famous harbour up close on the short – and very cheap – crossing.
You can travel between the islands by taxi through tunnels or on the MTA subway system, but this is a far better way to experience the city.
The name Hong Kong derives from a reference to a small inlet, now Aberdeen Harbour or “little Hong Kong”, which was one of the first points of contact between British sailors and local fishermen prior to 1842, when the island was formerly ceded to the UK under the Treaty of Nanking.
Hong Kong Island in 2014, however, is very much the economic heart, filled with offices and shopping centres, but it is also home to some of the best-known tourist attractions and historical sites in the area.
And despite the nearly overwhelming clustering of buildings on the main islands, about 40% of land mass remains undeveloped, with large swathes of the region protected as country parks.
An absolute must for any visitor is a trip on the 100-year-old Peak tram, which climbs at an alarming gradient out of the densely populated urban area through lush green parkland to Victoria Peak, opening out to breathtaking panoramic vistas of Hong Kong.
The funicular railway rises from 91ft to 1,300ft above sea level in the space of just 1.4km.
The Peak tram has carried tens of millions of people since its inception, and on a clear day, even the most amateur of photographers will have spectacular images to show friends and family after returning home.
Another popular attraction, nearly hidden among the towering high rise buildings which seem to populate every inch of space at ground level, is the Graham Street Wet Market, one of the many traditional trading areas in Hong Kong.
Walking through the narrow lanes is a welcome assault on the senses, with the smells from stalls mingling with the noise on the street and the colour of both the produce and the stands themselves.
Live fish are on offer for sale alongside the freshest local fruit and vegetables, as well as meat and spices.
A stroll through the market will quickly fire an appetite, and there are no shortage of places to eat, no matter what type of budget you are travelling on.
You can join the locals at one of dozens of roadside eateries or cafés, while there is also a wide variety of indoor, air-conditioned restaurants if the heat and humidity begin to take a toll.
We ventured into one of several cavernous shopping centres, the Central Mall on Harbour View Street in the Central district, for a dim sum lunch at the Michelin-starred Lei Garden.
Packed with a mix of business people and locals taking a break from shopping trips, the fine dining restaurant served up a fantastic array of dishes including crispy roasted pork, braised abalone and king crab.
The Central district also boasts some of the oldest galleries in Hong Kong, showcasing some of the best local artists alongside more established Chinese names.
This month, the Art Basel show, one of the world’s stop modern and contemporary arts exhibitions, takes place in Hong Kong for the second time, raising the profile of the city’s cultural scene.
International collectors will flock to the area, and central-based spaces such as the Hanart Gallery, the Pearl Lam Galleries, the Edouard Malingue Gallery and Grotto Fine Art will benefit.
The galleries are just minutes apart on foot, and an afternoon spent moving throughout the spaces offers a fascinating insight into the development of the burgeoning Hong Kong art scene.
Central is also home to much of the island’s nightlife, which really explodes with activity in the evenings.
Even during the day, you can take a well-earned break from sight-seeing or shopping at one of many bars, such as the newly-opened Fu Lu Shou on the bustling Hollywood Road, which serves up a mix of traditional and modern cocktails in a rooftop setting, allowing a little respite from the crowds below.
The choice of restaurants is never-ending, with approximately 10,000 venues to choose from, you could eat three times a day for 10 years and never dine in the same place twice.
For food-lovers, it is an absolute treat, offering cuisine from across the world.
However, it is the local Cantonese restaurants which provide the kind of experience that most travellers will be looking for.
Duddell’s, located in the Shanghai Tang Museum, combines fine dining with an art gallery, while Sevva, on the 25th floor of the Prince’s Building on Chater Road, has excellent food and an outdoor lounge terrace area which provides amazing views across the water.
It also provides one of the best vantage points to view the ‘Symphony of Lights’ laser show, which incorporates 44 skyscrapers and landmark buildings around Victoria Harbour.
On the other side of the water, Kowloon provides a stunning contrast to the westernised feel of Hong Kong Island, housing just under half of the city’s total population of 7million.
Tourists flock to Nathan Road, the main thoroughfare running from north to south, which is lined with shops and restaurants.
There are also some great places to pick up souvenirs and gifts, such as the Jade Market, Ladies Market and the night-time Temple Market, where you can enjoy haggling with the stall-holders over prices that are still extremely low, no matter how adept or otherwise you are at negotiating a deal.
Also located on Kowloon is the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin, which is currently displaying an exhibition dedicated to the life of one of the city’s most famous sons, Bruce Lee.
Although born in San Fransisco, Lee was raised in Hong Kong before shooting to worldwide fame as a martial arts expert and film and television star.
The heritage centre also features 11 other galleries, with an array of relics depicting the history of Hong Kong along with the surrounding South China region.
Our trip was quite a brief one, but there is more than enough here to keep travellers busy for several days exploring the area’s rich cultural and historical attractions in what will be a truly unforgettable experience.
THE HOLIDAY
Virgin Atlantic flies daily from London Heathrow to Hong Kong and is offering return Economy fares from £671 per person, Premium Economy fares from £1,193 per person and Upper Class fares from £3,313 per person. For further information contact www.virginatlantic.com or call 0844 2092 770. These fares are available for selected departures in 2014 and 2015.