As a major financial center and charming tourist attraction of China, Hong Kong has breathtaking visual impact. Standing in Kowloon and gazing at the skyscrapers scaling Hong Kong Island’s hills, writer Pico Iyer’s description sums it up succinctly: “a dream of Manhattan, arising from the South China Sea.”

The bustling heart of Hong Kong is broken in two and divided by Victoria Harbor. Its key sights, cultural attractions, shopping, and eating spots are found along the northern shore of Hong Kong Island, and at, or close to, Kowloon’s southern tip. Between Kowloon and the border with the rest of China lie the New Territories, with their rugged mountains and most of Hong Kong’s modern, high-rise dormitory towns. The other major islands - Lamma, Cheung Chau, and Lantau - are west of Hong Kong Island, and beyond these is Macau. A passport is necessary to leave or arrive in both Macau and Hong Kong, as they are still administered as autonomous regions of China.

Central

The sleek, corporate cathedrals of local banks and businesses tower over the ever-teeming streets of Hong Kong’s financial and administrative epicenter. Central is easily explored on foot, allowing visitors a close view of some of the most interesting buildings, especially in Statue Square.

The elegant Neo-Classical Legislative Building is surmounted by the blindfolded figure of Themis, the Greek goddess of justice. Completed in 1911, it originally served as Hong Kong’s Supreme Court and today houses the Legislative Council, the legislative arm of the region’s government.

Beyond the Legislative Building, the municipal-style architecture of the square’s center is rather disappointing. However, not all the structures lack imagination. The modernistic, but feng shui-friendly girders of the HSBC (Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation) Headquarters loom over the square. Be sure to take the escalators up to its impressive lobby, and rub the paws of the regal-looking lions outside for luck. The stark spike of the Bank of China headquarters rises behind the HSBC Headquarters.

Northwest of Statue Square near the Star Ferry Terminal is Hong Kong’s tallest building and currently the world’s third tallest high-rise, the 88-story, 415 m Two International Finance Centre (IFC). The IFC Mall at the tower’s base is one of Hong Kong’s largest malls, adding to Central’s several upmarket shopping malls, such as The Landmark. There are plans to build a tower even taller than IFC across the water in Kowloon.

Hong Kong’s history is now showcased during the winter holiday season in a sound and light show, where the Victoria Harbor skyline is lit with festive lights that create giant pictures on the buildings.

Wan Chai

Made famous in Richard Mason’s 1957 novel The World of Suzy Wong, Wan Chai’s colorful 1950s and 60s red light district has given way to new development, fancy bars, restaurants, and hotels. The Wan Chai MTR is a good starting point for a walking tour. A trip down Lockhart Road, just around the corner from the MTR, reveals the area’s few remaining ties with its past in the form of a handful of go-go bars.

A five-minute walk north of the MTR across Gloucester Road is Central Plaza, at one time the tallest, and still one of Hong Kong’s grandest skyscrapers. There are splendid views from the 46th floor. Facing Central Plaza across Harbor Road is the HK$4.8 billion Convention & Exhibition Centre. The sweeping lines of the extension at its northern end are intended to create the impression of a bird taking flight. The glass walls offer fine harbor views, and outside are a large promenade and a pleasant sitting area.

Causeway Bay

Some giant department stores, such as Sogo and Mitsukoshi, and the ever-present crowds of shoppers is the first view of Causeway Bay when emerging from the MTR. East of the MTR sprawls Victoria Park, Hong Kong’s largest public park and a serene place to swim, play tennis, or practice Tai Ji Quan. Close to the harbor, also known as the typhoon shelter, is the Noonday Gun, fired daily since the 1840s and retained as a charity fund-raising event. The enclosure housing the gun opens for half an hour after noon, where a small plaque explains the origins of the tradition, celebrated in Noel Coward’s song “Mad Dogs and Englishmen.”

Most of the land that Causeway Bay stands on is reclaimed. The old shoreline used to skirt the temple to Tin Hau.

Victoria Peak

Cooling sea breezes, shaded woodland walks and spectacular views of the city, harbor and outlying islands make the Peak an unmistakable Hong Kong experience. The Peak has been the place to live in the city. Governors and rich merchants built houses here in the mid-1800s to escape the worst of the summer heat and humidity. When the Peak Tram (actually a funicular railway) was built in 1888, the trip was slashed from an hour’s slog to a pleasant, if alarmingly steep, 10-minute ride.

Wong Tai Sin Temple

The temple at Wong Tai Sin is one of Hong Kong’s largest, busiest, and most interesting places of worship. The complex contains altars and shrines to Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist deities. It is primarily dedicated to the god Wong Tai Sin, a shepherd reputed to have performed healing miracles. Beside the main temple are fortune tellers, some of whom can reveal your fortune for a hefty fee in English, mostly through palm and face reading. Some worshipers try to divine what lies in store for them by shaking small canisters of bamboo sticks, until one emerges from the stack. Each is marked with a numeral and a corresponding meaning. Also used are bui or “Buddha’s lips,” two pieces of wood shaped like orange-segments. A question is asked, the bui are thrown, and the “lips” answer yes or no, depending on which way they land.

Ocean Park

With the arrival of a mega competitor in the shape of Lantau Island’s Disneyland, Ocean Park, Hong Kong’s first amusement park, has fought back with new attractions. It is much better than it ever was, although it will be hard pressed to compete with the might of Disney. There is plenty to do for young and children alike, and it’s easy to spend a day exploring the seven themed areas of this pleasant complex. The Lowland Gardens area is one of the most enjoyable sections, with a butterfly house, and, the theme park’s pride, two giant pandas, An An and Jia Jia. A scenic cable car skirts the edge of Deepwater Bay, dropping passengers in Marine Land. Here, a large and impressive aquarium captivates visitors with close-up views of schools of fish and an underwater tunnel through a tank of sharks. Bird Paradise has over 1,000 birds in its aviaries, including flocks of flamingos. Numerous thrilling rides are found throughout the grounds, with Kids World supplying tamer rides for youngsters.

Deep Water & Repulse Bays

Several good beaches line these two scenic bays. Deep Water Bay is a pretty spot favored by the wealthy, with many luxurious houses. The long stretch of beach lined by cypress-like trees is reminiscent of the French Riviera. Up-market apartment blocks, inhabited by Hong Kong’s business elite, surround the long, well-tended beach at Repulse Bay. The beach is a popular summer destination and gets very crowded in season and on weekends. The pricey Verandah Restaurant - the only surviving section of the stately Repulse Bay Hotel, which was torn down in the 1980s - is a good place for a drink or afternoon tea. Just behind the Verandah is a supermarket for picnic supplies, and a few cafes.