Hong Kong

The bustling island of Hong Kong is often considered to be something of a maverick, both because it was a Sino-British colony until its handover to China in 1997 and because it has always had an independent soul that is receptive to external influences. The 426sq mile/1,103sq km territory is divided into four main areas: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and the relatively underpopulated Outlying Islands. In gourmet terms, Hong Kong Island and Kowloon have been the most influential as their forward-thinking people are cut from a feisty fabric, ever inventive in their culinary endeavours, which are recognized the world over.