Considered the gateway to China and the Far East, Hong Kong offers a mix of British colonial history with a rich Chinese culture and tradition. As one of the world's busiest business centres, it is an ideal destination for shopping and for enjoying a thriving nightlife.

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL HONG KONG
8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 3196 8888; fax: 00 852 3196 8899; www.fourseasons.com/hongkong). Lapped by Victoria Harbour, the Four Seasons Hong Kong is near some of the city's smartest shopping and dining options. The hotel offers 345 rooms and 54 suites, and its restaurant serves exceptional French and Chinese food. The Lounge serves afternoon tea next to the hotel's glass-walled atrium. The outdoor rooftop pool feels like a floating Starship Enterprise. £££

INTERCONTINENTAL HONG KONG
18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong (00 852 2721 1211; 00 852 2739 4546; www.hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com; email: hongkong@interconti.com). On a promontory in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Intercontinental is located right next to the underground and mainline rail stations, and faces Hong Kong Island. Concierge Louis Baleros cossets a cosmopolitan mix of fast-moving executives and travellers who make a fetish of accepting only the best. A hotel member of Hong Kong's top social clubs, hotel guests are guaranteed admittance almost anywhere. Two thirds of the 495 rooms and all 92 suites have glorious harbour views, and the hotel has some excellent restaurants. Alain Ducasse's Spoon is a logical and, frankly, compulsory first stop; the Steak House Winebar & Grill is a haven for meat and wine lovers. The cruise liners that pass outside the window seem close enough to touch. The Intercontinental Hong Kong featured in the Gold List 2005. £££

ISLAND SHANGRI-LA
Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2877 3838; fax: 00 852 2521 8742; www.shangri-la.com; email: isl@shangri-la.com). Hong Kong's tallest hotel boasts one of the most beautiful views of the city. The eco-friendly Island Shangri-La has 523 rooms arranged over 56 floors, with nine restaurants and bars offering a wide variety of food. It attracts businessmen with its in-suite facilities, including speedy Internet access and a fax machine. Located in the centre of the shopping area, the hotel is only an escalator ride from Pacific Place, one of Hong Kong's ritziest shopping malls. £££

LANDMARK MANDARIN ORIENTAL
15 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2132 0188; fax: 00 852 2132 0199; www.mandarinoriental.com; email: lmhk-enquiry@mohg.com). Smack in the heart of the Central district and a credit card toss from the new Harvey Nichols, Hong Kong's super rich tai tais have clasped the Landmark to their collective bosoms. The ambience is rich, sympathetic and discreet and visitors love the hideaway feel of the place. There are 101 rooms and 12 suites, all serenely and sparsely decorated. Adam Tihany has designed Amber, the hotel's restaurant that serves European food with an Asian influence. The best thing? The showers in the 20,000 sq ft cocoon of a spa, which work at the touch of a button. £££

SILVERMINE BEACH HOTEL
Silvermine Bay, Mui Wo, Lantau Island (00 852 2984 8295; www.resort.com.hk). Situated on Lantau Island, Silvermine Beach Hotel is only a 30 minutes' scenic ride from Central by fast ferry and the airport by pottering taxi. With mountains behind it and marine vistas in front, this doesn't feel like Hong Kong. There are 128 rooms split between old and new wings, the decor is retro and the bathrooms are rather small. The hotel is right on the beach, so it is beautifully quiet. £

THE EXCELSIOR
281 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong (00 852 2894 8888; fax: 00 852 2895 6459; www.mandarinoriental.com; email: exhkg-info@mohg.com). This glossy tower with indoor tennis courts and a scattering of antiques is a favourite with business travellers. Located in Causeway Bay, the hotel is close to shops and restaurants and near the raunchy nightlife in Wanchai and the racing at Happy Valley. With 866 rooms it is the largest hotel on Hong Kong Island, with friendly and knowledgeable service. ££

THE PENINSULA
Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong (00 852 2920 2888; fax: 00 852 2722 4170; www.peninsula.com; email: pen@peninsula.com). Upon arriving in Hong Kong, guests at this hotel can take advantage of the helicopter service, which whisks them from the airport to the hotel's China Clipper lounge in 10 minutes. Located in the heart of Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon's shopping mecca, and opposite the Cultural Centre and the Museum of Art, the hotel possesses post-colonial luxury. A string quartet fiddles away to the accompaniment of clinking teaspoons in the Lobby Bar, and the Jeeves-like efficiency of the service is second to none. The Peninsula Spa by ESPA features 14 private treatment rooms and relaxation lounges all with harbour views. £££

For a guide to the best restaurants in the city, see our special feature on Hong Kong Restaurants

ALIBI
73 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2167 8989). Alibi has a loungey feel and a fabulous lunch buffet based on Philippe Starck's new organic food range. Visiting celebrities and local members of the beautiful people can all be seen here.

CAFE DECO
118 Peak Road, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong (00 852 2849 75111; fax: 00 852 2849 2452). Café Deco stands 1,300 ft above Hong Kong Island. Its drinks terrace offers stunning views of the South China Sea.

FOOK LAM MOON
35-45 Johnston Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (00 852 2866 0663). Fook Lam Moon is one of Hong Kong' top Cantonese restaurants, and is extremely expensive. But the service is top rate and dishes such as swallow's nests and pan-fried lobster balls are excellent.

LUK YU TEA HOUSE
24-26 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2523 5464). The best dim sum in town can be found at the Luk Yu Tea House, where the 1930s rosewood furniture, creaky ceiling fans, brass spittoons and famously rude waiters make it a favourite with tycoons such as David Tang and Dickson Poon, chairman of Harvey Nichols in London.

MAN FUNG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
5 Yung Shue Wan, Lamma Island, Hong Kong (00 852 2982 0719). Enjoy the excellent and extremely popular seafood at Man Fung on a day out visiting Hong Kong's outlying islands.

M AT THE FRINGE
2 Lower Albert Road, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2877 4000; fax: 00 852 2877 0135). Michelle's at the Fringe has a fashionable boho interior, an European-Middle-Eastern fusion menu and an excellent wine list.

POST 97
Cosmos Building, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2810 9333). A European café-restaurant with a buzzing atmosphere, Post 97 has an imaginative brasserie menu that features an eclectic mix of Asian and Continental fare.

TANDOOR
Lyndhurst Tower, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2845 2299). Tandoor, located on the first floor of the Lyndhurst Tower, serves the best curry in town, with live Indian music in the evening.

BARS

AQUA SPIRIT
1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong (00 852 3427 2288; www.aqua.com.hk; email: info@aqua.com.hk). A new mezzanine bar zone inside Japanese Aqua restaurant, Aqua Spirit is styled like a Buddha Bar. It is chilled and chic, and overlooks both the restaurant and the fantastic Hong Kong skyline from the 30th floor.

CLUB 64
Ninner Building, 39 D'Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2523 2801). Club 64, named after the Tiananmen Square massacre of 4 June 1989, is the expat's hangout of choice, thanks to the friendly staff and an endearingly down-at-heel feel.

LA DOLCE VITA
9 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2186 1888). Dolce Vita is a funky, open-fronted bar serving delicious Italian snacks and cocktails from a beautiful wooden bar. This is a great place to people-watch, provided you're not asphyxiated by the powerful clash of colognes. Open all day, La Dolce Vita is also a good place to have breakfast and some good, strong Italian coffee in the morning.

PETTICOAT LANE
2 Tun Wo Lane, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2973 0642). Intimate French restaurant Pavilion is located upstairs at this address, and cosy, popular and funky baroque bar Petticoat Lane can be found downstairs.

THE CHATER LOUNGE
3 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2877 6666; fax: 00 852 2877 6778; www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/hong_kong). A cosy lobby bar at the Ritz Carlton Hotel where you are served by immaculate uniformed barmen. The Chater Lounge is frequented by business types and other flashy personalities, and is a great example of a traditional hotel bar in Hong Kong. There is even a bar pianist.

THE FELIX BAR
Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong (00 852 2920 2888; fax: 00 852 2722 4170; www.peninsula.com). The Felix is probably one of the swankiest bars in the world - designed by Philippe Starcks, it sits on the 28th floor of the Peninsula Hotel (see Where to Stay), overlooking the impressive skyline. The food served in the restaurant is of the Pacific Rim kind, but it is the bar that pulls the punters in. It will make you think that you are an extra in a James Bond film, and even has a fleet of Rolls Royce's to pick up prominent guests.

BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS

TEMPLE OF TEN THOUSAND BUDDHAS
Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong (00 852 2691 1067; fax: 00 852 2607 3163). Over 12,000 Buddha statues adorn the walls of this monastery, completed in 1957. It is one of the most popular public monasteries in Hong Kong, and a stream of people goes here to pray and ask the monks for advice. The temple is located in the foothills of the Sha Tin Mountain, and can only be reached by climbing 500 steps, but the struggle is well worth the reward.

WONG TAI SIN TEMPLE
2 Chuck Yuen Village, Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong (00 852 2327 8141). A place to relax, to pray and to discover the serene side of Hong Kong. Have your fortune told for a small fee, and walk through the calm Chinese gardens and Confucian hall. The temple is, in contrast to the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas, easy to reach - just a short walk from the Wong Tai Sin metro station.

CITY VIEWS

VICTORIA'S PEAK
Hong Kong's most notable landmark, as well as its ritziest residential area, The Peak is one of the few places on the island that actually feels like it has a tropical climate. The best way to experience this famous crag is to walk around it. Take the Peak Tram (the steepest funicular in the world) from Central terminal in Garden Road, and circumnavigate Lugard Road, where sprawling views include Macau and the outlying islands. To the south of the island you can also see the jostling junks and sampans at Aberdeen Harbour.

MUSEUMS

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF ART
10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong (00 852 2721 0116; fax: 00 852 2723 7666; www.lcsd.gov.hk; email: enquiries@lcsd.gov.hk). This museum presents the history of China through art, and has a large collection of Chinese antiquities, historical pictures and the Xubaizhai collection of Chinese calligraphy. Open Fri-Wed.

HONG KONG MUSEUM OF HISTORY
100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong (00 852 2724 9042; fax: 00 852 2724 9090; www.lcsd.gov.hk; email: hkmh@lcsd.gov.hk). Hong Kong's fascinating history is on display in this museum, telling the story of the natural environment, the people who have inhibited the islands and the mainland, and their culture. Open Wed-Mon.

HONG KONG SPACE MUSEUM
10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong (00 852 2721 0226; fax: 00 852 2311 5804; www.lcsd.gov.hk). This museum houses one of the best planetariums in Asia, and a brilliant Omnimax film screen. It is a great place for both children and adults who have been bitten by the space bug. The displays are pedagogical and educational. Open Wed-Mon.

PARKS

HONG KONG PARK
19 Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2521 5041; fax: 00 852 2537 1236; www.lcsd.gov.hk/parks; email: hkpmo@lcsd.gov.hk). Simply known as the Park, the plants and trees in these eight hectares are vital for the perseverance of people in Hong Kong. It opened in 1991 after it had been developed by the Urban Council and the former Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. The park is quite steep and the vegetation is rich. A good place to rest the lungs after a few days in the surrounding polluted city.

ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS
Albany Road, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2530 0154; fax: 00 852 2537 1207; www.lcsd.gov.hk/parls; email: shchik@lcsd.gov.hk). Founded in 1871, the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens is located on the northern slope of the Victoria Peak. The park has a large number of animals, from birds and mammals to reptiles, and many rare plants, such as yellow Camellia.

BEAUTY AND HEALTH

ACUPRESSURE AND MASSAGE CENTRE OF THE BLIND
Dragon Seed Building, 39 Queen's Road, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2810 6666). Considered one of the best ways to work off a hangover, acupressure massages by blind masseurs are a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition that continues to thrive to this day. The masseurs at the Acupressure and Massage Centre of the Blind knead, press, slap and occasionally tickle your pressure points. Hour-long treatments cost $HK240 (about £20).

JACQUES DESSANGE
29 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2869 7789). David at Jacques Dessange, colourist to Nicole Kidman whenever she comes to town, is regarded as Hong Kong's top tinter - and his snipping skills aren't bad, either.

TAI CHI
Don't miss the chance to limber up, Asian style. Free tai chi lessons are available on Kowloon. Call the Hong Kong Visitor Hotline (00 852 2508 1234) for more information.

BOAT TRIPS

JUNK BOATS
Hire a traditional Chinese junk for the day from Jubilee International Tour Centre (00 852 2555 8377) and stop off at one of the outlying islands for lunch. Lamma Island is particularly popular, thanks to its excellent seafood restaurants.

STAR FERRY
Take the Star Ferry from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon for a grittier, less Westernised view of Hong Kong.

MACAU
An hour away by high-speed jet-foil, the ex-Portuguese enclave of Macau retains a sleepy European ambience, its winding streets lined with shops selling colonial curios and knick-knacks from a China of long ago. There are also numerous outlets selling good reproduction furniture at roughly a third of Hong Kong prices.

SHENZHEN
The Spread LiYang building in Shenzhen, located across the Chinese border, is stuffed to the gills with designer-copy shops. This is the perfect day trip for die-hard shopaholics: ask your hotel to arrange a visa (it takes about two days) and take the KCR from Kowloon Station to Lo Wu (about an hour). All the major names are represented, but prices vary dramatically, so shop around. Goods are divided into A, B and C grades depending on the standard of reproduction - A grades are usually kept hidden, and customers must ask to see them. If you buy C-grade fakes, check the label spellings.

FASHION

HARVEY NICHOLS
The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road (00 852 3695 3388; www.harveynichols.com). In September 2005, Harvey Nichols opened its first store in Asia at the Landmark shopping centre. Set over five floors, it has a variety of luxury brands and includes a destination restaurant on the Fourth Floor.

JOYCE BOUTIQUE
Ocean Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong (00 852 2118 8118). Part of a glamorous chain of shops that sells hip designer labels such as Martin Margiela, Comme des Garçons, Armani, Marni and Costume National. Prices start at 50 per cent of the original costs.

PRADA WAREHOUSE
Marina Square East, Commercial Block, South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau (00 852 2814 9576). A favourite with fashion-conscious Hong Kongers, the Prada warehouse sells last season's items at up to 50 per cent discount.

DICKSON WAREHOUSE BOUTIQUES
New World Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong (00 852 2681 1882). Try the Dickson warehouse if you are looking for labels like Charles Jourdan, Polo by Ralph Lauren and Kenneth Cole. The items are reduced by up to 90 per cent.

SHANGHAI TANG
Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2525 7333; fax: 00 852 2530 1888; www.shanghaitang.com). The brainchild of flamboyant David Tang, Shanghai Tang (which now has a couple of London branches) is a glossy lifestyle emporium selling traditional Chinese clothing designed with a modern spin: examples include cheongsams (traditional, formal long dresses) in acid-bright hues and Mao jackets cut from the finest silk. Accessories include Chinese lamps with jewel-coloured shades, modern ceramics and Chairman Mao watches.

MARKETS

WAN CHAI WET MARKET
Buy orchids and other plants at this market, in the small streets between Johnston Road and Queen's Road East.

YUEN PO STREET BIRD GARDEN
Yuen Po Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong (00 852 2302 1762; www.lcsd.gov.hk/parks). For a genuine slice of Hong Kong life, visit the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden where hundreds of songbirds tweet in elaborate mahogany cages, while stallholders feed them grasshoppers and nectar from chopsticks. The bird stalls are managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Take the MTR to Prince Edward station, exit Prince Edward Road West, walk east for 10 minutes to get there. Open daily.

STANLEY MARKET
Stanley Market Road, Central, Hong Kong. This daily market, on the south side of Hong Kong Island, makes a popular jaunt thanks to its rural beachside location, waterfront restaurants, and shops and stalls selling ceramics, embroidered silk, Chinese knick-knacks and bargain-priced silk underwear. To get to the market, take the number 6 bus from Exchange Square.

TEMPLE STREET NIGHT MARKET
Kansu Street and Jordan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong. This is the liveliest night market in Hong Kong, with 400 stalls selling clothes, CDs and fake designer watches. When the superficiality of shopping kicks in, you can seek the real purpose of your life from fortune-telling birds and face-readers. Impromptu screeches of Cantonese opera are a regular feature, and if you're hungry, a nutritious bowl of snake soup should fill the gap. Visit between 8pm-11pm.

CAT STREET MARKET
Cat Street, Central, Hong Kong. For lovers of kitsch, Cat Street Market sells Cultural Revolution memorabilia: Little Red Books, Mao alarm clocks, ceramic Red Guard cadres and badges of the Chairman at his most egotistical.

SPECIALIST SHOPS

FACTORY OUTLET SHOPS
Upper Lascar Row, Fa Yuen Street, Mong Kok, Hong Kong. Fa Yuen Street in Mong Kok is famous for its numerous factory outlet shops. Rummage to uncover items by Nicole Farhi, Ralph Lauren, Emanuel Ungaro, Calvin Klein, Jigsaw and Banana Republic, discounted up to 90 per cent.

AIRPORT
Hong Kong International Airport (www.hongkongairport.com) is located on Lantau Island; a 45-minute express train ride to Hong Kong Island.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com)
Cathay Pacific (020 8834 8888; www.cathaypacific.com)
Qantas (0845 7 747 767; www.qantas.co.uk)
Virgin Atlantic (0870 380 2007; www.virgin-atlantic.com)

Lufthansa (0845 773 7747; www.lufthansa.com) via Frankfurt

The spring is the best time to visit Hong Kong - the humidity during summer should be avoided. In January, the city hosts the International Food Fair, which draws over 15,000 visitors from around the world.

MONEY
Although Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997, it still holds its own currency - the Hong Kong Dollar.

VISAS
Visa requirements for Hong Kong differ to those of mainline China, and few changes have been made since the handover. Most visitors only need a valid passport for entry. Once in, UK citizens are allowed to stay for six months, EU and Commonwealth passport holders for three months, and US citizens for one month.

HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
Causeway Bay, Central, Hong Kong (00 852 2508 1234; www.discoverhongkong.com). The Hong Kong Tourism Board is the official government-sponsored body representing the entire tourism industry in Hong Kong. Its main office can be found in the Central district, but there are branches on Kowloon and at the airport.