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soon in Hong Kong Hong Kong Island lies south of Kowloon, separated by Victoria Harbour. The New Territories lie north of Kowloon and run upto the boundary of Mainland China. With a population of more than 6.8 million, of which about 95% are ethnic Chinese, parts of urban Hong Kong are among the most densely populated areas in the world. Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty, is still a shoppers’ paradise and it gets better this summer with the Hong Kong Shopping Festival in July and August. This shopping extravaganza offers irresistible sales, plus delightful dining and special offers. There is no doubt that Hong Kong's fame as a 'Shopping Paradise' goes hand in hand with the fact that it is a city that does not go to sleep, but has something to offer round the clock. Shopping in Hong Kong is most people's favourite pastime. China Town Market, Ladies’ Market and Down Town Bazar are some of the well-known street markets that are never closed for business. Knowloon's Sham Shui Po for instance, has become a must for shoppers seeking bargains in fabrics, secondhand electrical goods and computers. This factory district has spawned numerous outlets offering everything from designer brandnames to household items. One interesting and less-documented shopping spot is the Dawn Market that specialises in wholesale clothing and fabrics. Symphony
of lights According to HKTB, dazzling pyrotechnics were added during the show's first month and will be added for future special events. Visitors can view it for free from the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront or while cruising on Victoria Harbour. Disneyland This 126-hectare theme park will also feature two Disney-themed hotels and shopping, dining and entertainment facilities. Hong Kong Disneyland will be a short distance from downtown, accessible by various modes of transport including rail. The mono rail to the Peak and Hong Kong's Madame Tussauds at the top of the Peak are some of the other attractions of the city. The
Walled City Another story is associated with the Song Emperor Bing, who fled to Hong Kong at the end of the Song Dynasty. His entourage believed that the safest refuge would be 'where the nine dragons met'. Having found eight, they assumed that the Emperor himself represented the ninth and so resolved to settle here. Whether this is a true story or not, there is historical proof the Song Emperor did stay briefly in Kowloon and a commemorative rock is seen there today. The part about the nine dragons, however, is based on word of mouth and is undocumented. A history book about the Walled City says there was once a village called 'Kowloon' back in the Ming Dynasty (AD1368-1648). While this name was often associated with the earlier presence of the Song Emperor in the area, doubt has been raised as to why other villages in the vicinity such as Nga Chin Village and Po Kong Village were named differently. Due to its geographical location, any ship that sailed from east to west or vice versa had to pass by the Kowloon Village next to the Kowloon bay. Behind the village was a watchtower protecting the villagers against pirates, although no forts were built there until 1810. This combination of people and strategic construction made up the basic elements of all walled cities found in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The Kowloon Walled City, like many of its counterparts, faced a wide plain that made the location of the watchtower even more strategic, not to mention the forts that turned the city into a famous and important location especially during the Opium Wars. Five different forts were positioned where today's Tsim Sha Tsui police station, Signal Hill, Kowloon Park, Royal Observatory and Austin Hill are situated. After gambling was made illegal in 1872, Kowloon Walled City became a gamblers' hideout. Whatever the history behind the city, it has become one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist attractions.
Shopping, dining and festivals Arrivals from Mainland China, boosted by the Lunar New Year ‘Golden Week’ holiday, grew 48.5% to 1,115,151 - the highest number of Mainland visitors on record. Nearly 32% of these, arrived under the individual visa scheme from the 16 cities where it has now come into operation. The 10 days of Lunar New Year alone attracted more than 448,000 Mainland visitors - another record, says HKTB. Apart from Mainland China, most other markets saw fewer arrivals for the month than in January 2003, as a fair proportion of these visitors come on business. In addition, leisure travel is still to regain its full pre-SARS momentum in some key markets such as Japan. "To promote Hong Kong to all these target markets and visitor segments, the HKTB will continue to build on the four product pillars of shopping, dining, the unique mix of heritage, culture and festivals," HKTB officials said. Hong Kong will promote its contrasting splendours of city, harbour and green by investing in ‘Hong Kong - Live it, Love it!’, their global advertising campaign. |
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya Newspapers
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Hong Kong, the paradise of South China, is going all out to entice
visitors with scintillating non-stop events during the coming summer
season. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is welcoming visitors
this year with the Mega Event Series.
