It’s time to celebrate the new Year of the Rooster on the Chinese calendar and there’s no better place than Hong Kong, the bustling city where English is the second language.
www.discoverhongkong.com/usa
Get started at the Hong Kong Tourism Board, where you can click on “Chinese New Year” to survey events and then look to the bottom of the page for package deals. Visit “Plan Your Trip” to learn about airlines that serve the city, get introduced to the layout with their maps and pick up a few travel tips.
Back on the main page, select “Touring Around” to read up on suggested walking tours, organized tours by bus and harbor boat and scan a directory of tour operators. Be sure to click on “Districts and Attractions” for information about major landmarks including Victoria Peak, the Lei Yue Mun Seafood Bazaar and the Fung Ying Seen Koon temple.
www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/hongkong
Summer is sweltering and humid, but the rest of the year is comfortable, according to China Travel Information, which also offers a wealth of information for the rest of China, along with tour packages and booking services. Click on “China Pictures” from this page and you’ll find a small gallery devoted to Hong Kong. Be sure to check out “City Attractions,” especially the Star Ferry, the inexpensive way to cross the harbor and see the scenery from water level. Before you move on, go to the top of the page to read through the FAQ, for frequently asked questions, and sign up in “Community” to see what other visitors have to say.
www.frommers.com/destinations/hongkong
Get a description of the images that greet visitors by reading the “Introduction” section at the Hong Kong guide from the travel specialists at Frommers and be sure to browse “Favorite Experiences.” Even if you don’t want to buy their book, you can still read helpful tips on dining, choosing a hotel, walking tours, shopping and side trips.
sino.net/hong-kong-tourist-guides
“Off the Beaten Track” at Hong Kong Tourist Guides has suggestions for places to visit including Lantau Island, home of the Po Lin Monastery, and the bustling New Territories.
www.macautourism.gov.mo/index.html
One popular side trip from Hong Kong is Macau, the former Portuguese colony that you can reach by high-speed ferry. With its unique history, you can attend Easter services or the Feast of Buddha, or take in the Macau International Dragon Boat Races.
www.cnta.com/lyen/index.asp
And you shouldn’t spend time in Hong Kong without crossing into China. The National Tourist Administration has helpful tips and information on scenery, major attractions and hotels. If you have only enough time to visit the area adjacent to Hong Kong, slide your cursor over the map’s coastal provinces until you find Guangdong and click.
Roger Petterson, Associated Press
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