Hong Kong
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In terms of sightseeing, there's quite a lot to see and do, and Hong Kong is an easy place to navigate (by cheap and efficient subway lines, ferry boats, taxis, and buses). Hong Kong Island is laced with sculpted bays and beautiful beaches, some of them with gay followings - notably Gold Coast Beach, off Castle Peak Road, and Middle Bay, off South Bay Road. No visit here is complete without taking the tram to Victoria Peak, which rises nearly 2,000 feet above the city center and on clear days affords panoramic views of the territory and surrounding waters. Also set aside time to visit the massive Tian Tan Buddha statue, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, and - if you're a fan of amusement parks - Hong Kong's own giddy outpost of Disneyland.

Just keep in mind Hong Kong's sometimes sultry, semi-tropical climate when planning a visit. The territory can be wet and even stormy. Fall through winter is the best time to visit, as temperatures run from the 60s to the 70s, and the air is drier and fresher. From about May through early September, however, the region becomes inundated by excruciatingly humid and wet weather, with highs near 90 degrees and day after day of heavy rainfall.

Hong Kong dangles off the tip of southeastern China like a barnacle. Most of the territory is made up of the Kowloon Peninsula and two major islands just to the south, Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island (home to the major international airport). Visitors focus most of their time in Hong Kong's city proper, which consists of the northern tip of Hong Kong Island and the southern tip of Kowloon. Neighborhoods of significance to gay visitors include the fast-paced, if somewhat tawdry, neon-lit streets of Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon, where you'll find a number of gay saunas and karaoke bars; and the neighboring Lan Kwai Fong and Soho sections of Hong Kong Island's city center (an area commonly referred to as "Central" by locals).

The Central district is the part of Hong Kong that's depicted most often on postcards - its gleaming skyscrapers fringe the harbor front and are set against the backdrop of lush Victoria Peak. It's here that you'll find most of the city's top hotels and restaurants. Lan Kwai Fong and Soho are on the western side of Central and can be easily reached from most hotels on foot or by quick and inexpensive cab rides. This hip and trendy area abounds with gay and gay-friendly bars, discos, tapas restaurants, late-night cafes, fashion boutiques, and the like. It's a hilly area laced with narrow streets, but it's perfectly safe for exploring even if you're unsure exactly where to go (if in doubt, take a cab to the intersection of Hollywood Road and Wyndham Street, the heart of Soho).

The neighborhood's top gay club is Propaganda, which is hidden down an alley just off a stairwell below Hollywood Road. This is a hot spot for tourists and moneyed locals who don't mind the exorbitant cover charge and steep drink prices. Also popular for late-night clubbing is Drop, which pulls in a mostly under-30 crowd. Opened in early 2007, the gay video lounge Volume is a must on the gay nightlife circuit. It's a sleek, modern space with colorful and cushy lounge seating, and DJs spin some of the best music in the city. Another good bet is Works, whose black walls and dim lighting feel a bit dated. Nevertheless, this is actually a quite trendy guy's hangout. Other worthwhile gay establishments include 2M Bar, an intimate gay and lesbian cocktail bar just down the hill from Hollywood Road, and New Wally Matt Lounge, a long-running pub in Kowloon just a block off Nathan Road.
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