Hong Kong looks like a city built by someone who ran out of flat land and decided to go up. The skyscrapers of Central and Kowloon crowd the shoreline of Victoria Harbour, with green mountains rising immediately behind, and the effect, especially at night, with the towers lit in colour and the ferries crossing the black water, is startling. Kowloon, on the mainland side, is the older, grittier half, with dense neon-lit streets, street markets and the old Star Ferry terminal, and more than two million people live in its small area.
The roads are a challenge, and traffic keeps to the left, as in Britain. Tunnels connect the island to the mainland, tolls are charged at many of them, and the elevated expressways loop through the towers at heights that can make you dizzy. Parking for motorbikes is provided in bays, but they fill quickly. Fuel is available in the urban area, though the stations are fewer than you might expect, so do not let the tank run low. Learn the signs, watch for buses and taxis, and keep a wide gap.
Beyond the towers lies a surprising amount of countryside. The New Territories, on the north side, hold hills, reservoirs and country parks, and the roads over Lantau Island lead to beaches and a large bronze Buddha. The winding roads of the south side of Hong Kong Island, near Repulse Bay and Stanley, hug the coast, with views over islands and sea, and they are among the best for a leisurely ride.
The climate is hot and humid from May to September, with typhoon warnings in late summer. Autumn is the best season, with clear skies and mild temperatures. And in the evening, food is everything: roast goose, dim sum, noodles and egg tarts, eaten at a crowded table or standing at a street stall. It is a city that never stops, and a good place to begin a long day.