Photo: Hong Kong skyline

More than seven million people live in densely packed Hong Kong.

Photograph by Damiano Migani, My Shot

A frantic, hurly-burly mixture of capitalism and exoticism, Hong Kong has been called the “most thrilling city on the planet.” Change is the constant in this city of 6.9 million. Its main attractions lie in Kowloon, which juts from the tip of southern China, and on Hong Kong Island, with its Central downtown district, just across the harbor. The island of Lantau is home to the airport and several large country parks. Outlying islands are less densely populated but readily accessible. An extensive transportation network linking the city’s various districts include tunnels, ferries, subways, and, of course, taxis, which are plentiful and cheaper than those in comparably sized cities.

Related Features

  • Photo: Woman selling vegetables

    Ghosts of Hong Kong

    You’ll need your sixth sense to discover what makes this frenetic metropolis one of the most hauntingly memorable places in Asia.

  • Photo: SK Kapur Durgaa Delhi India 1985

    Real Travel: Visiting the Local Cinema

    Daisann McLane loves watching films at the local cinema, even in distant lands.

  • Photo: Victoria Peak

    Hong Kong Must-Dos

    Our experts recommend the top attractions in and around Hong Kong—with advice on how to get the most out of your visit.

  • Photo: Mong Kok district

    Hong Kong—In China's Shadow

    Fifteen years after the handover to mainland China, Hong Kong residents worry that their identity—and their freedoms—are slipping away.

Newsletters

2013 Traveler Photo Contest