What's New

Planning Your Trip

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has opened a new HKTB Visitor Information & Services Centre, in a vintage tram car on Victoria Peak, open daily 9am to 9pm.

Oasis Hong Kong, a fledgling low-fare, long-haul airline, flew its last flight in 2008. Hong Kong International Airport, one of the most user-friendly airports in the world, is even more welcoming now that it offers free Wi-Fi from anywhere in the airport. Travelers to U.S. destinations will find check-in easier: You can check in for most airlines at two satellite train stations, Hong Kong Station and Kowloon Station, for the first time since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Getting around Hong Kong has gotten simultaneously more difficult and easier. Hover ferry service between Tsim Sha Tsui East and Central is no longer available, making the trip between the two a longer haul. On the other hand, the absorption of the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) into the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) subway system now means slightly cheaper fares and eliminates having to buy a new ticket when making transfers.

Where to Stay

The Ritz-Carlton has closed in Central to make way for an office building, but it will resurface in 2010 on the other side of the harbor, next to Kowloon Station at the top of a 108-story building.

Meanwhile, the hottest trend in the Hong Kong hotel scene is the boutique hotel. Those making recent debuts include the Fleming, 41 Fleming Rd., Wan Chai (tel. 852/3607 2288), a business boutique hotel with attitude; Hotel LKF, a welcome addition to the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district at 33 Wyndham St., Central (tel. 852/3518 9333); Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong, 3 Kau U Fong, Central (tel. 852/3650 0000), with a hip Chinese decor in the Western District; and the Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui (tel. 852/3763 8888), which makes its mark with the most whimsical furnishings I've ever seen in a hotel. Unfortunately, showers instead of tubs seem to be the cleanser of choice for new accommodations, making after-flight relaxing soaks only a dream.

Where to Dine

With so many new restaurants popping up, I'm afraid I'll have a coronary just trying to eat at them all. Creating the biggest buzz are Azure, on the 29th floor of Hotel LKF , with great views and a dramatic setting; Pearl on the Peak, Peak Tower, Victoria Peak (tel. 852/2849 5123), with even better views and offering high-dollar Australian cuisine; Zuma (tel. 852/3657 6388), a swanky Japanese restaurant in the upscale Landmark shopping center, Central; and Watermark (tel. 852/2167 7251), with a killer location right above the Central Ferry Piers, unobstructed harbor views, and varied Continental cuisine along with a lunch buffet.

Exploring

Peak Tower, Victoria Peak (tel. 852/2849 7654), now charges for the privilege of ogling Hong Kong from its rooftop Sky Terrace observation deck, charging HK$20 (US$2.60/£1.30) for adults, half-price for seniors and children. HKTB's free Saturday tai chi lessons, previously held at Sky Terrace, have been moved to Harcourt Garden in Admiralty.

New museums in Hong Kong include the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Museum, 7 Castle Rd., Mid-Levels (tel. 852/2367 6373), which traces the revolutionary's years in Hong Kong and his efforts to overthrow the corrupt Qing Dynasty, and the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre, Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui (tel. 852/2208 4400), which highlights past, present, and future preservation efforts of historic buildings throughout Hong Kong.

Travelers flying in or out of Hong Kong International Airport may want to extend their stay at the airport with a round of golf at the SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course (tel. 852/3760 6688), a nine-hole course open to airport employees, passengers within 7 days of their arrival or departure dates, and members of frequent-flier programs.

Meanwhile, a cruise aboard the Duk Ling, an authentic Chinese junk, is no longer free, but it's affordable at HK$50 (US$6.50/£3.25) a person.

Side Trips

The Ping Shan Heritage Trail, a great walk in the New Territories, just keeps getting better. The Old Ping Shan Police Station, built in 1899, has been given a second life as the trail's visitor center, with displays that introduce the customs and history of the Tang clan that settled the area.

Macau -- What isn't new in Macau, the Las Vegas of Asia? Several foreign-owned casino/hotel properties have opened recently, including MGM Grand, Avenida Dr. Sun Yat-sen (tel. 853/8802 8888), with an impressive glass-covered conservatory modeled after a Portuguese square; Wynn Macau, Rua Cidade de Sintra (tel. 853/2888 9966), boasting an upscale shopping center filled with designer wear; and Crown Towers, Avenida de Kwong Tung (tel. 853/2886 8888), Macau's classiest casino/hotel to date, with prices to match. But the biggest changes taking place in Macau are on Cotai, a strip of reclaimed land between Taipa and Colôane and even boasting its own ferry service from Hong Kong. It's here you'll find the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel, Estrada da Baia de N. Senhora da Esperanca (tel. 853/2882 8877), Macau's biggest development and boasting the world's largest casino and second-largest building.

Naturally, Macau's new hotels also offer more choices in dining and entertainment. These include French restaurant Aux Beaux Arts, with terrace seating in the MGM Grand's conservatory; Il Teatro in Wynn Macau, offering South Italian fare with views of a dancing fountain; Japanese restaurant Roka and Cirque du Soleil in the Venetian Macao-Hotel-Resort; and Ying in Crown Towers, serving traditional and modern interpretations of Cantonese cuisine along with views of the Macau skyline.

Fast Facts

Smokers have a rougher time in Hong Kong now that it has gone mostly smoke free in public places, including restaurants; bars have until July 1, 2009 to comply.