Rooftops in Hong Kong: a region seen from above
A Special Administrative Region on the south coast of China
Located on the south coast of China, on the eastern bank of the Pearl River estuary, Hong Kong is one of the two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, along with Macao. It covers a little over 1,100 km², between the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, which border Shenzhen, and numerous islands, including Lantau and Hong Kong Island, and has around 7.4 million inhabitants. A British colony from the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, handed back to China in 1997, it retains, under the principle of “one country, two systems”, its own legal system, its currency, the Hong Kong dollar, and two official languages, Chinese, mostly spoken in Cantonese, and English.
A major financial centre in Asia, Hong Kong is also a land of contrasts: the towers of Central and Kowloon stand alongside hills that are often forested and protected, and the New Territories, which cover more than four fifths of the territory, are home to new towns, small fishing islands and the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark.
Why head up to the rooftops
On a narrow coastal strip, squeezed between the sea and the mountains, the city has grown upwards. The top floors of towers and hotels have become nightlife destinations in their own right, from which you can follow the comings and goings of the ferries on Victoria Harbour, the skyline of Hong Kong Island backed by Victoria Peak and the skyscrapers of Kowloon, which light up as night falls.
Hong Kong, a city and a region
A single destination
All the venues are grouped under a single destination, the city of Hong Kong, on either side of Victoria Harbour: on the island, from Central and Admiralty to Causeway Bay and Taikoo Shing; on the Kowloon Peninsula, from Tsim Sha Tsui to West Kowloon.
Very different atmospheres
Open-air terraces or glass-walled lounges, cocktail bars, Italian, Mediterranean, Japanese or northern Chinese restaurants, a beach vibe or a pool club perched on the 50th floor: everyone will find their rooftop, up to the 118th floor of the International Commerce Centre, the tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong.
Practical tips
Climate, currency and reservations
The climate is subtropical: hot, humid and rainy from March to October, with frequent typhoons, and milder and sunny in autumn, considered the most pleasant season. Prices are displayed in Hong Kong dollars (HK$), and a 10% service charge is almost always added to the bill. Smart casual dress is often requested in the evening; at sunset and at weekends, book when possible.
Photo: Arne Müseler / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE
