A City of Welcome Contrasts
A mysterious, exotic city with one foot planted in the west and the other in the orient, Hong Kong is a captivating place that pulsates with energy and promises to stir your senses. Here’s what you need to know about living in Hong Kong:
Since the day China regained sovereignty and Britannia departed from the waters of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong has continued to evolve and developed at breakneck speed. It has embraced the modern world while at the same time continuing to ooze traditional Chinese character and historical charm.
Today Hong Kong is home to one of the world’s biggest international trading posts, a powerful manufacturing base, and a thriving financial center. It attracts ex-pats from all over the world, and the city has become a melting pot of cultures and landscapes, a vibrant metropolis where people from all backgrounds live side by side.
Hong Kong is most certainly a city of contradictions. It is a place where aficionados can move from Michelin Star restaurants to dai pai dong street-side food stalls in just a few steps; commuters’ daily journeys involve state-of-the-art underground railways networks, mountainside escalators, and rickety old trams and ferries
Plus, crumbling tenements of residential buildings sit unassumingly next to ultramodern high-rises and older adults push their overladen carts up steep hills as Ferraris roar by.
But perhaps most surprisingly of all, Hong Kong presents expatriates with much more than the thriving city life that it is touted as. A little-known side of Hong Kong is the surrounding countryside parks and outlying islands where hiking, water sports, camping, and barbeque pits can be enjoyed.
People are often surprised to hear that less than one-quarter of the land in Hong Kong is actually developed, leaving a huge area of natural beauty to be explored and enjoyed. From strolls on the shores of outlying islands to the scenic walks through the far-flung south-eastern villages, Hong Kong offers a
What’s the draw?
- A fascinating interplay between the exotic past and the efficient and technically advanced developments of modern-day life.
- A safe environment with a low crime rate where foreigners are a part of everyday life and ex-pats are an accepted part of the city.
- A place where you can see quite literally party all night long in the streets of the city and then rest and recuperate the following day in the natural haven of one of the outlying islands.
Living in Hong Kong:
Life in this bustling city of more than 7 million people can be a challenge, simply because of its sheer size and dense population. Written by Hong Kong expatriates for Hong Kong expatriates, our guide to living in Hong Kong contains a no-holds-barred view of what life in this fascinating city is really like.
- Hong Kong is a very bureaucratic city, and it can be very frustrating trying to organize basic services such as telephone, cable television, and gas and electric connections. Our guide tells you exactly how you can cut through the red tape and establish your new life as quickly and efficiently as possible.
- Living in Hong Kong will not always be easy. This vibrant Chinese city will undoubtedly offer different routines, climates, cultures, and work ethics that may both fascinate and mystify you. Our Hong Kong guide contains details of Chinese customs and superstitions, cultural idiosyncrasies, and religious beliefs that you need to understand and respect to settle into everyday life.
- Living in Hong Kong can be overwhelming. From the relative tranquility of Stanley’s popular expatriate destination, through to life on the doorstep of the exciting Central areas, choosing a place that is right for you can be quite daunting. We have demystified the popular residential areas with thorough information on the type of people you will find living there, the local amenities on offer, the accommodation types on hand, and the availability and reliability of transport links.
