Hong Kong offers a stimulating, dynamic and cosmopolitan lifestyle. It's a city that never sleeps. But it also has its tranquil side with lush countryside and remote beaches accessible only from the sea. Some 40% of Hong Kong is country park and shielded from development. Botanists and zoologists are still finding hitherto unrecorded species of flora and fauna. The marshlands shelter one of the widest varieties of birdlife in the world.

It's a city of eastern and western culture with arts centres, museums and libraries. The annual Arts Festival and cultural events all year round feature top performers from around the world.

It's the food capital of China. Every Chinese regional cuisine is celebrated in Hong Kong. It's a city with well-developed international tastes, too. Whatever one fancies, whether it's haggis or sushi, French haute cuisine or burgers, falafel or pizza, Hong Kong diners are spoilt for choice.

Housing

Residential rentals are in line with those in major international cities such as London and New York. The choice of accommodation is wide: ranging from luxury high-rise flats in the heart of the city to detached villas in the rural New Territories. Two-year rental leases are standard. There are no restrictions on foreigners buying property.

Getting Around

Taxis and buses run around the clock and there is virtually no corner of inhabited Hong Kong that is inaccessible. The underground and overground railways are fast, reliable, reasonably priced and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. Ferries and catamarans link Hong Kong's inhabited offshore islands. For those not in a hurry, the tried-and-tested two-tier electric trams, in service for more than a century, still trundle along the east-west axis of Hong Kong island's north shore. The Peak tram is more than a tourist attraction. Many inhabitants of Victoria Peak use it to commute to Central District.

Education

Over 50 international schools offer more than nine curricula, providing children with an education compatible with their home country. These include the Australian, British, Canadian, French, German/Swiss, Japanese, Korean, Singaporean and US systems as well as the international baccalaureate. Graduates of Hong Kong's international schools are accepted at the world's leading universities. Several Hong Kong universities offer opportunities for part- or full-time life-long learning opportunities.

For more information on international education in Hong Kong click here

Health

World-class private and public health services are staffed by locally and internationally trained doctors, dentists, nurses and other medical professionals. As an additional benefit, Hong Kong is the world leader in research in traditional Chinese medicine and licenses trained practitioners.

Cultural and Leisure

Listing all Hong Kong's clubs, associations, interest, hobby and activities groups would fill many pages. Suffice to say it is probably harder to find an interest or activity that is not catered for in some way.

Nightlife

Hong Kong's dining, bar and clubbing scene offers the widest range of choice and variety in Asia, catering to all tastes and desires. The city is well known for its wide variety of excellent restaurants and bars. With over 9,000 restaurants, virtually every international cuisine can be found in the city, including an impressive array of choices from around the world. he neighbourhood south of Hollywood Road (nicknamed "SoHo") and Lan Kwai Fong on Hong Kong Island have a lively mix of stylish restaurants and bars, which attract an international and cosmopolitan crowd. People here work hard, but they also play hard.

Sports

Athletes, whether fanatical or purely recreational, are well catered for. Horse racing is the most popular leisure activity among Hong Kong people but top class facilities abound for just about every activity. Many private clubs offer reduced entrance fees for those with sporting skills.

Rugby has grown in stature since Hong Kong began hosting its annual international sevens tournament 20 years ago. Sailing has long been popular and windsurfing has taken off since Hong Kong won its first Olympic gold in the sport. Wakeboarding and surfing are the latest crazes. Public facilities are provided for all the mainstream sports, including soccer, golf, riding, baseball, table tennis and court sports such as squash, badminton, tennis and basketball.

Almost every style of the martial arts is practised in the city that invented the kung fu movie genre. Cricket, hockey (ice and field), karting and mountain-biking all have followings in Hong Kong.