Costa Serena: HKG - SYD - HKG20A00

     Hong Kong is a "Special Administrative Region of China”. It comprises the island of the same name, 259 other islands in the South China Sea, as well as areas of the mainland around the Kowloon Peninsula and in the so-called “New Territories”. Although it was occupied by Chinese settlers as early as the 2nd millennium B.C., the region remained untouched by Chinese imperialism up until the 17th century when it was the setting for a conflict between the Ming and the Manchu dynasties. However it only acquired international interest in the 19th century with the Portuguese being the first Europeans to develop colonies and trade here, silk and tea being the most sought-after goods in Europe.
     China, which at the time had a near monopoly on tea production, requested silver in exchange for this commodity. The British, who like the Portuguese were trading in the South China Sea, promptly begun to sell opium to the Chinese in exchange for silver, which they required for the purchase of tea.
     The subsequent commercial tension resulted in the first Opium War of 1841 that saw the British occupy Hong Kong which, growing in importance as a strategic port, eventually became a Colony of the Crown in 1843. The sphere of British influence grew further after the Second Opium War (1863), encompassing both the Kowloon Peninsula and then, in 1898, the “New Territories”, which were leased for a period of 99 years. As the expiry date grew ever closer, the Sino-British Joint Declaration was drawn up in 1984 and signed by Margaret Thatcher and Deng Xiaoping. This agreement provided for the return of the colony to Chinese rule on certain conditions – the first of which being the preservation of the then current economic and social system for 50 years.
The majority of Hong Kong’s population – those native to the region and those from surrounding provinces – is of Chinese origin, although there are also Filipino, British, Indian, Portuguese and American populations among the region’s 7 million or so inhabitants. The centre of Hong Kong extends around Victoria, the bay of the same name, and Victoria Peak, which at 552m above sea level is the highest point of the city and the perfect place to enjoy a spectacular view of the town and the sea. To get to the summit you need to take the Peak Tram which, constructed at the end of the 19th century, is the oldest form of transport in the city.
     Another of Victoria’s institutions is the Star Ferry which, built in 1898, acts as a shuttle between the island of Hong Kong and the Kowloon Peninsula. The crossing only takes around ten minutes but the view of the island is breathtaking. Looking down on the bay are Hong Kong’s industrial, financial, business and technological buildings: the Commerce Tower, the Bank of China, the eye-catching Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation building, the Stock Exchange and Treasury buildings, the Legislative Council Buildings, still Victorian in style, and many others besides. Also on the island of Hong Kong is the city’s main religious building, the Man Mo Temple, which was built in 1848 during the first years of British occupation and dedicated to Man, the God of Literature, and Mo, the God of War. Stanley, meanwhile, located on the southern coast of the island, is a very colourful and lively district and has one of the city’s busiest markets where there is no shortage of fabrics, silk, traditional Chinese costumes, artistic products, souvenirs and handcrafted items.
     Not far down the road is the Tin Hau temple that was built in 1767 and used as a shelter during the First World War. Still in Stanley you can also visit the old police station, the fort and Murray House, the oldest example of western architecture in Hong Kong. To the south of the island is Aberdeen Harbour which, until a couple of centuries ago, was a den for pirates. Converted into a simple fishing village, it is nowadays a village in its own right, where ancient fishing traditions prevail. Despite the ultra-modernity of the areas nearby, hundreds of old-fashioned boats make Aberdeen Harbour an extremely charming village on water – indeed around 6000 people live and work on the junks and sampans anchored to the harbour floor. The Kowloon Peninsula meanwhile is the cultural centre of the region: the Tsim Sha Tsui district is home to the Space Museum, the History Museum, and the Science Museum, as well as the Hong Kong Museum of Art with its exhibitions of Chinese and Asian art.