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The handover of Asia's last two European colonies , Hong Kong in 1997 and Macau in 1999, opened new eras for both places. While in both the vestiges of their colonial eras are still obvious, and among their greatest attractions - the buildings, the names, the food and the use of European languages - subtle changes are already underway, as these two "Special Administrative Regions of China" seek to establish identities and roles for themselves. Under colonial rule such soul-searching was never an issue. The populations in both places had little say in their futures, so they concentrated their efforts on other things, notably making money. Of course, they were not the only ones in Asia to take this path, but their economic success - at least Hong Kong's - simply highlighted their anachronistic position as dependent territories, decades after most other colonies had achieved self-rule. That, understandably, was one of the reasons for the delay in resolving their status. Independence was never a serious proposition for either place, but the alternatives were not attractive. In the end, the situation was forced by two things: in Hong Kong's case, the approach of 1997, when the treaty on the new territories ran out, while in Macau's, the desire of the post-revolutionary Portuguese government to get rid of the place. Both entities now find themselves in a unique position - subject to the ultimate rule of Beijing, they form two semi-democratic capitalist enclaves under the control of an unaccountable communist state. This is not to say that the people of Hong Kong and Macau were not glad to see the end of colonialism - an overwhelming majority in both places supported the transfer of power, something shown by the way the handover produced remarkably little emotion or nostalgia among local people. They are, after all, thoroughly Chinese (the population of the two territories is 97 percent Chinese), and very largely Cantonese (although that doesn't mean there isn't tension and mutual suspicion between them and people from other parts of China). The overwhelming majority of the people speak only the Cantonese dialect, eat only Cantonese food, pray in Chinese temples and enjoy close cultural and blood relations with the Cantonese population that lives just over the border, in the southern provinces of mainland China. Indeed, it is hard to overstate the symbolic importance that the handovers had for the entire Chinese population - sealing the end of the era of foreign domination, with the return of the last piece of occupied soil to the motherland. However, worrying questions remain, notably whether the One Country/Two Systems policy dreamed of by Deng Xiaoping will work in the longer term, in particular if China's own economic progress begins to falter. Amid the uncertainty, however, life continues as normal in many ways for both territories. Hong Kong continues to offer the densest concentration and greatest variety of shops and shopping malls of any place on earth, and the vistas of sea and island, green mountains and futuristic cityscapes remain. The range and variety of cuisines available - from Nepali snackbars to British pubs - is also ongoing. An excellent infrastructure, including the airport at Chek Lap Kok, the efficient underground trains, the helpful tourist offices and all the other facilities of a genuinely international city, make this an extremely soft entry indeed into the Chinese world. While Hong Kong is a place to do business, Macau is known in the region as a Chinese playground, a haven for gambling and other sins, a mini Las Vegas of the East. The marks of its colonial past are more immediately obvious than they are in Hong Kong, in its Portuguese architecture , old churches and (almost) Mediterranean seafront promenade. It can even boast its own indigenous population, the Macanese, a tiny mixed-blood minority, whose origins in the colony date back centuries and who are often bilingual in Portuguese and Cantonese. The cheap Portuguese wine and Macanese cooking - an interesting marriage of Chinese and Mediterranean influences - are further reminders of colonial heritage, as is the faintly Latin lifestyle, altogether less hectic and mellower than in other parts of southern China. South of the main city, on the tiny islands of Taipa and Coloane, are beaches and quiet villages where you can eat fish and drink Portuguese rum in relative peace. Visitors to this part of southern China can expect to spend  © 2003 by Rough Guides Ltd. as trustee for its Authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved. Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd. Buy the book here!
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more money here than in other parts of the country, though not necessarily as much as you might expect considering the often huge differential in terms of quality of service compared to the mainland. Public transport in both Hong Kong and Macau is still incredibly cheap. Travellers on a tight budget who stay in dormitory accommodation can get by on US$25 a day, though at the other end of the market in hotels, restaurants and shops, prices quickly rise to international levels.
Your Tips For Hong Kong and Macau
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