This is Hong Kong
I first came to China in 2007 and first visited Hong Kong about the same time: the first of many visits to both out here, and now I have been permanent resident in China and occasionally visiting Hong Kong for four years. So I have substantial experience of both. But what I don’t have is experience of what Hong Kong was like before the handover in 1997.
I think that many people have the impression that a once free Hong Kong is now a part of the Chinese authoritarian oppressive state, and must be a hell hole to live in. Where they get that impression I don’t know (well yes I do, and more fools them), because China itself is not like that. My impression is that China has maintained essentially a hands off approach with minimal necessary security enhancement (the USA after all did try to foment a colour revolution there a few years ago), and Hong Kong has probably changed very little in 27 years, and realistically not at all in 17.
Perhaps I should start by showing a video I made a while ago. While it will give you a tour and get some feel of what it is like in the Special Administrative Region, the actual purpose partly demonstrates my thesis that little has changed. Imagine that one country invades and occupies another whose language is different: would you not expect that one of its first acts would be to put all the street names into its own language to commemorate its own leaders and heroes? Well, China didn’t. A very high proportion — I guess more than half — still remember the British royals and governors that ruled prior to the handover! The Hong Kong dollar is still tied to the US dollar. Hong Kong has just regained its title as the “World’s freest economy” from Singapore (followed by Switzerland, New Zealand and the USA). And Hong Kong still drives in the left.
Made in 2015, thirty-five minutes.
First a bit of geography to go with the history.
The large red bit is Hong Kong island, stolen by Britain after the first Opium War in 1841, its centre being Central, in the middle of the top end; the smaller red bits, Kowloon and Tsing Yi, after the Second Opium War; and all the yellow leased for 99 years up to 1997. Hong Kong Internationl Airport is on Lantau as are a number of tourist attractions. The main islands requiring a ferry connection from Central are Lamma (25 minutes), identified there by its local name Pok Liu Chau, and Cheung Chau (35 minutes by fast ferry). You can see the Shekou peninsula in China which I referred to in Getting Out, the birthplace of Reform and Opening in 1978, 55 minutes by ferry from Central. Houhai, and Nantou are wrongly spelled, I suppose that is Cantonese.
Hong Kong is the world's third ranked global financial centre (behind New York and London), and apparently the number one tax haven (below), although I have taken issue with that discription in an earlier post. So China really hasn’t meddled with that side of operations. The UK however dropped its Double Tax Agreement in 2019.
Right, where to go?
If you are staying for a few days to see the sights then I recommend that you pick a hotel in Wan Chai. This is the original “entertainment” district made famous in the film The World of Suzie Wong, and while what was once fully in your face has disappeared, you can undoubtedly find it if you want it. There are plenty of Filipina bar girls waiting for your company if you are male and have money to burn. The main bars are on Lockhart and adjoining roads, several with live bands. The Burlington hotel is minutes away. I should mention that the Hong Kong MTR is one of the best in the world, in the central areas there is a train every two minutes (packed!), and if you are arriving at the airport there is a fast service from there, 24 minutes to Central, so don’t bother with a taxi.
You can look up the sights to see, go up to the Peak on the tram, take the historic Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui, visit the leisure parks and so on. I will concentrate now on my favourite parts which are the less visited outer islands Lamma and Cheung Chau.
Here is Lamma. Take the ferry from pier 4 to Yung Shue Wan. I don’t think I need to say any more about it.
I mentioned Cheung Chau in “Getting Out” as a primary contender for resettlement. Get the ferry from Pier 5 and you arrive on the south side. Don’t mess with the B&Bs, they are crappy and overpriced, go to the Warwick Hotel beside the north beach which has an enclosed shark netting and life guards patrolling on a raft. Here is the view from your hotel window.
I was going to put together a film for you, and looking back for video files I found that I had made this in 2016. It will do.
To repeat a little of what I said before:
…. the outer island of Cheung Chau which is a quiet, lower cost, traffic–free little paradise with a wonderful beach, sea warm enough to swim all year round, shops for most everyday requirements, a hospital, plenty of bars and restaurants, 35 minutes by fast, cheap ferry from the centre. A complete contrast to Hong Kong proper, with few buildings over three storeys.
Nuff said.