DK Travel : Hong Kong

“A dream of Manhattan, arising from the South China Sea.” For succinctness, modern travel writer Pico Iyer’s description of Hong Kong has yet to be bettered. From opium port to Cold War enclave to frenetic financial capital, Hong Kong has never been boring. This is the hedonistic engine room of cultural fusion: East meets West in high style, and the results astonish and delight. Prepare to experience one of the most dramatic urban environments ever conceived.

Chinglish

The local patois, which freely uses sinocized English words likesahmunjee (sandwich),bahsee (bus),lumbah (number) andkayleem (cream).
Chiu Chow Fun Gohr

Soft, pasty-style dumplings filled with chopped nuts, minced pork and pickled vegetables.
Chris Patten

Lachrymose last governor Chris Patten waves goodbye to Hong Kong in 1997.
Christmas Day

Not a traditional Chinese festival, of course, but Hong Kongers have wholeheartedly embraced the more commercial aspects of Christmas.
Chuan Guo Yan Yi

Best for its all-you-can-eat international lunch buffet with good sushi and seafood.
Chung Yeung Festival

Put on your hiking boots. This festival commemorates a Han Dynasty scholar who took his family up a hill and came back to find the rest of his village murdered.
Chungking House, Chungking Mansions

Staying at the mansions is a badge of honour to some budget travellers, an unpleasant necessity to others (see Kowloon – Tsim Sha Tsui). The dingy hallways and semi-squalor contain dozens of guesthouses offering cheap, boxy and usually stuffy accommodation in an excellent location. Oppressive and fascinating at the same time, Chungking Mansions is a warren of small-scale commerce and Hong Kong’s cultural melting pot. Chungking House is probably the best option, with larger, more comfortable rooms than elsewhere in Chungking Mansions.
Chungking Mansions

No hygiene awards here, but it has to be done at least once. Follow the touts into the heart of darkness for one of the best and cheapest Indian meals you’ve ever had. Safe bets are the Delhi Club, Taj Mahal Club and the unappetisingly named Khyber Pass Mess. (see Kowloon - Tsim Sha Tsui, Stop to People-Watch & Chungking House.)
Chungking Mansions

Hours of harmless fun to be had watching the endless stream of freaks, geeks and desperados being accosted by a legion of touts (see Kowloon - Tsim Sha Tsui, Chungking Mansions & Chungking House).
City Hall Chinese Restaurant (大會堂美心皇宮)

Run by Maxim's, they serve reasonably priced yummy-licious Dim Sum and Cantonese cuisine at the City Hall Chinese Restaurant.

Best time to go is first thing they open - to get a table with a view to the harbour. The queue tend to grow at a rapid speed both in the morning and during lunch, but the efficient staff always gets customers seated happily.

It's sometimes easy to get yourself confused in the wrong crowd upon your arrival at the City. There is a wedding registry within the same building!

They serve Dim Sums in the traditional way, you can pick your dishes from the trolleys that come around your table! Definitely an interesting dining experience.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal) and extra charges.
- under HK$100
- HK$100-250
- HK$250-450
- HK$450-600
- over HK$600
Hotel price categories

For a standard, double room per night (with breakfast if included), taxes and extra charges.
- under HK$500
- HK$500-$1,000
- HK$1,000-$2000
- HK$2000-$2,500
- over HK$2,500