Anna Sevastianova | Israel-Asia Ambassadors Program | 17 April 2018

Hong Kong is a city with a unique blend of Eastern and Western influences. A former British colony, its population is comprised of local Hong Kong Cantonese people, mainland Chinese and expatriates from diverse cultural backgrounds. Chinese concepts like ‘family solidarity’, ‘family glory’, ‘saving face’ and ‘modesty’ carry significant weight in Hong Kong’s culture. On the other hand, many locals adopted western ways of life.

In 2016, the number of visitors from around the world received by Hong Kong declined by 4.5% over 2015 to 56.7 million.

Hong Kong’s top ten visitor source markets in 2016 in the order of arrival numbers were the Mainland, Taiwan, South Korea, United States, Japan, Macao, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Australia. Altogether they accounted for 92% of the total visitor arrivals.

Almost any of the districts of Hong Kong can be considered a tourist destination. The following locations are areas generally marked as main attractions.

1. Victoria Peak – Perching on The Peak at 396 metres above sea level, The Peak Tower is one of the most stylish architectural Hong Kong attractions. Inside The Peak Tower, there is a dazzling array of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues set against the beautiful backdrop of the city.

2. Victoria Harbour – Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon in Hong Kong offering stunning view of the city skyscrappers.

3. Clock Tower – The old Clock Tower was erected in 1915 as part of the Kowloon–Canton Railway terminus. Standing 44-metres tall, . the station is long gone however its red brick and granite tower are now preserved as a Declared Monument.

4. Lan Kwai Fong – Lan Kwai Fong is one of Hong Kong’s most popular nightlife hot spots and home to over 90 restaurants and bars. The atmosphere ranges from stylish wine pairings to raucous jelly shots and the food on offer is as diverse as the clientele.

5. SoHo – This district in Hong Kong is an entertainment zone which treads a precarious balance between preserving the Chinese and colonial culture that shaped it, and recent modern developments. The contrast between the past and present enriches the area and makes for great sightseeing on foot.

6. Temple Street Night Market – Temple Street named after Tin Hau temple located in the centre, is the busiest flea market at night in the territory of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei in Kowloon. Popular with both tourists and locals alike in the evening, it is common to see the place crowded at dusk.

7. Man Mo Temple – Man Mo Temple is one of the oldest Taoist temple in Hong Kong paying tribute to the God of Literature (Man) and the God of War (Mo).

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