The Hong Kong Island- The Heart of Hong Kong

Located in the southern part of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island is one of the major tourist destinations of the region. With an area of 80 km, it is the second largest island in Hong Kong. An array of sky-scrapers dots this place and what really sets the pulse racing is the Hong Kong skyline which forms the centre of attraction here.

Accommodation Options and Languages Spoken
There is surfeit of accommodations, in the form of high-end hotels to the budget hotels. One can save time and efforts by booking hotel in advance. Causeway Bay and Admiralty are the places to find some of the luxurious hotels. Cantonese and English are the official languages of Hong Kong Island.

History
Hong Kong, the world’s beloved tourist destination, was just a small village on the brink of the South China Sea. The Qing dynasty of China lost Hong Kong to British, thus making it an official British colony. The Hong Kong territory expanded with acquisition of Kowloon and New Territories, but the growth of Hong Kong was hampered during the Second World War when Japan invaded the region in the year 1941. After few years of struggle, Hong Kong was surrendered by Japanese government on 14th August 1945. Following that, the area started making progress in various fields and became one of the developed parts of the modern Hong Kong.

Popular Places
The major tourist attraction of Hong Kong Island is The Peak. It gives the view of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon skyline. Man-Mo temple is the oldest temple located on Hollywood Road.  The antique shops located here can be visited to shop for best Chinese antiques. Golden Bauhinia Square is located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and should be visited during the night for the stunning glimpses of the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon skyline. To explore architectural treasure of the island, you must visit the Hong Kong Planning and Infrastructure Exhibition Gallery. Stanley can be visited to purchase souvenirs, available in plenty. Also there is a floating restaurant called Jumbo which is a nice place to relax.

Getting Around
Trams are the convenient options to move around the island. One can also opt for escalators to move around, as the island has the world’s longest outdoor escalators. Metro is the fastest mode to move around, but you need to know the names of the closest stations where you want to be. A good idea is to afford a guide.

Places of Entertainment
Lan Kwai Fong is one of the entertaining places of the island and it remains lively till the early hours. One can visit the Hong Kong Park, a nice park in the centre of the dense forest. You can head towards the Causeway Bay for shopping and entertainment. Other place to visit should be the Ocean Park. Don’t miss out on restaurants on the streets, offering great eating experience.

Currency
The official currency of Hong Kong Island is Hong Kong Dollar (HKD). One can get the current exchange rates via news available on the internet.

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