Hong Kong is like no other city on earth. lt’s a pulsating, densely populated fusion of East and West, lit by neon, fuelled by nonstop yum cha, dressed in faux Dior and serenaded by Cantopop. Andjust when you think it’s all too much, it’s a secluded sandy beach on Lantau or a visit to a Taoist temple in the New Territories. Despite its British colonial past, Hong Kong has always stuck to its roots, and the culture beneath the glitz is pure Chinese-with a vibrant twist.

October to December (the dry season)

Crossing the harbour on a crowded Star Ferry Heading out for a night on Lamma lsland by san-pan or night ferry Sipping cocktails at sunset in a skyscraper bar overlooking the harbour Hopping on the cable car at Ocean Park and enjoying the view of the cliffs down to Deep Water Bay Riding the double-decker bus to Stanley market-try to get a seat in the front row on the upper deck

Read An lnsular Possession Timothy Mo-a novel set in precolonial Hong Kong; Fragrant Harbour by John Lanchester-set in the more recent past

Listen to Canto-pop: treacly pop schmaltz, with stars including Sally Yip, Sammi Cheung and Andy Lau

Watch Crime Story, directed by Che Kirk Wong Chi Keung, a traditional Jackie Chan movie combining good comedy and Kung; Yong and Dangerous, directed by Andrew Lau Wai Keung, a film adaptation of a local comic series about Triad society

Eat juk (brealkfast rice porridge), cha siu bau (steamed pork buns), sinning jin yuen gain (pan-fried lemon chicken), she gang (snake soup)

Drink dong gafe (chilled coffee soft drink), bolei (green tea), Tsingtao (a popular Chinese brand beer), mao tai (Chinese wine)

Nei ho ma? (hello;how are you)

Early moring bargains; crowds jostling for space; designer fakes; Jackie Chan; festivals all year around; expatriates; the Star Ferry; feng shui; dim sum

Hong Kong consumes more oranges than anywhere else on earth; the frequentry heard new year geeting ‘kung hei fat choi literally means ‘respectful wishes, get rich’

The Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the Chinese year. Expect a lot of colourful decorations but not much public merry-making; for the most part, this is a festival for the family, trough there is a parade on the first day, fantastic fireworks display over Victoria Harbour on the evening of the second day, and of the largest horse races is held at Sha Tin on day three.