Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China with a personality all its own — ex-British colonial architecture meeting Cantonese tradition meeting vertical modernity. Victoria Peak's tram delivers the most photographed skyline in Asia. The Star Ferry between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui remains one of the world's most affordable great city experiences. Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island — smaller than its American cousins but uniquely charming — is often combined with a trip to Macau (the Las Vegas of Asia) and Ngong Ping's Big Buddha statue. Ocean Park offers pandas and thrill rides. Shoppers love Central's luxury boutiques and Temple Street Night Market. Food is an obsession — Michelin-starred dim sum at Tim Ho Wan, egg tarts at Tai Cheong Bakery, roast goose, cha chaan teng diners, and milk tea by the bucket. The outlying islands (Cheung Chau, Lamma) offer car-free beach days.