Feeling Hong Kong’s energy

WHAT TO EAT
There is no shortage of restaurants in Hong Kong. You’ll find everything from the generic Hard Rock Café to Jimmy’s Kitchen, an 80-year-old expatriate favorite in Kowloon. Hong Kong’s biggest tourist trap (and a must-see for the first-time visitor) is the famous floating Jumbo Restaurant. The Chinese themes are overdone, the food is overrated and not terribly authentic, and yet the experience really is worth the all the nonsense.

One of the best restaurants is Felix, which sits on the top floor of the Peninsula Hotel. Expect to pay a lot for a spectacular dinner offering some equally spectacular views of Hong Kong. Make a later reservation so you can take in the beauty of Hong Kong all lit up at night. Or simply hang out at the bar. If you happen to be of the male persuasion, check out the men’s room. Let’s just say I had never experienced a clear urinal with a view before!

For trendy, hip and popular, head to Hong Kong Island and the district called Lan Kwai Fong. The areas called Soho (“South of Hollywood Road”) and Noho (“North of Hollywood Road”) have a trendy mix of restaurants and cafes and are very popular with the expatriate community.

A short stroll, or stumble, from Soho or Noho is Hong Kong’s version of a red light district: Wanchai. The area is filled with nightclubs, strip clubs, pubs and pick-up joints. Many of these, such as Joe Banana’s, still have a dress code; call ahead to ask. And if you have visions of James Bond ordering his martini in the speakeasy called Bottoms Up (it does exist), then you’d better e-mail me for the details — it’s not pretty!

WHERE TO STAY
Purists will say that the only place to stay in Hong Kong is the Peninsula Hotel, but I would be inclined to look to the Intercontinental (formerly the Regent), across the street. Perched on the edge of Victoria Harbor overlooking Hong Kong Island, the hotel occupies probably the finest piece of real estate in the city. It also has great dining, a wonderful bar, and a beautiful infinity pool with separate temperature-controlled chambers all overlooking the bustling harbor three stories below.

SOME ODDITIES
The Hong Kong Science Museum on Kowloon is one of the best science museums I have ever seen. It covers everything from mathematics and meteorology to food science and occupational safety. It also has a huge and interesting section on sexuality, though I found it odd that there was not a single mention of AIDS in the exhibit.

When navigating around Hong Kong, you need to watch your step. Not only does the country not require ramps for accessibility, Buddhists consider them bad luck. They believe bad spirits cannot climb steps but they can come up a ramp, so every building will have some small step at the entrances (go ahead, check — I dare you to find one that doesn’t).

You may be in a James Bond mood but, sadly, there aren’t a lot of rickshaws around to shuttle you across town. As a matter of fact, there are only four and they are tourist attractions at the Star Ferry dock on Hong Kong Island — but again, worth the price for the experience.

There are plenty of side trips and sightseeing tours to take — too many to mention, but talk to your hotel’s concierge; he will steer you to something interesting. Pay a few extra bucks and see if the hotel can take you to or from the airport — I did and was greeted by a vintage Rolls Royce.

Finally, since the gents got their men’s room tip, I’ll offer the same to the ladies: Public restrooms for women in Hong Kong apparently have urinal-like devices in the floors and not a lot of privacy. While waiting for a friend to emerge, I watched many Westerners coming out with the same confused look on their faces!

If you have some time and are looking for a memorable trip, head to Hong Kong. The flight is a bit long, but the memories will have you coming back for more.

For more information, check out the Web site of the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

John Frenaye is the president of JVE Group, Inc., a diversified company based in Annapolis, Md. With nearly ten years as a senior executive in the retail travel industry and a background in business management, he writes about the travel industry as an insider with an outsider's perspective. E-mail him or visit his Web site . Want to sound off about one of his columns? Try visiting Frenaye's forum.

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