Hong Kong's many Chinese festivals are one of its great attractions. Most festivals revolve around families getting together and spending time celebrating. They are noisy, exuberant and colourful. It is well worth the effort to get involved, even if only as a spectator, in at least one of the festivals listed below.

Lunar New Year (農曆新年) is an most important festival on the first day of the lunar year (usually February), as it is the time to set yourself up properly for the coming year. Housecleaning, buying new clothes, getting a haircut, these are all done before the new year arrives. People buy flowers from vast, specially arranged flower markets in the city centre and visit with their relatives. There are huge fireworks displays, and people give Lai See, or lucky money to children and employees. Learn the expression "Kung Hei Fat Choi", for everyone will be saying it, and you should return the greeting.

Ching Ming (清明節) is the spring grave-sweeping festival in April, where families head to the cemeteries and spruce up their ancestors' grave-sites and make offerings that will ensure the dead have sufficient money and food in the afterlife.

Tuen Ng Festival (端午節) also known as Dragon Boat Festival is the most well known festival with the Dragon Boat races on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese Calendar. The Festival is believed to have originated in ancient China. The best-known traditional story holds that the festival commemorates the death of poet Qu Yuan (屈原)

Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節), also known as the Mooncake Festival falling in September, this festival celebrates the 14th Century uprising against the Mongols. Children are indulged in this festival, and choose lanterns and take them into the hills with their parents to watch the moon rise. Traditional moon cakes are eaten.

Chung Yeung Festival (重陽節) also known as Double Nine Festival on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month (usually October) Hong Kong people climb to the highest point they can find. The festival had no great early significance until the British came to Hong Kong. Since then it has grown in popularity, so that now the hiking tails are crowded for Chung Yeung.

Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with distinct seasons. Typhoon season is May to November. When a typhoon is approaching, warnings are broadcast on TV and radio, and signals indicate its significance, the latest position and expected movement of the centre of the tropical cyclone, information on the wind strength, rainfall and sea level in the territory. When typhoon signal 8 is hoisted, businesses and shops close down and flights may be cancelled. There is a separate warning for heavy rain.

Spring (March-April) The weather is a typically springtime, with unpredictable weather and a wide range of temperatures. This is the rainy season and temperatures start to rise, humidity increases. Temperatures typically range between 20-30 degrees Celsius.

Summer (May-August) This is summertime: hot and humid, high rainfall, sunny with occasional cloudbursts, typhoon season, temperature rarely over 35 degrees Celsius and humidity seldom below 75 percent. Temperatures generally range from 25-35 degrees Celsius.

Autumn (September-November) The temperature drops and the weather becomes less humid. Dry monsoon begins and brings about three months of warm days and clear blue skies. A gray day is unusual and evening and nights are cool, with low humidity. This is a good time to visit and to be outdoors. Typically, temperatures range between 18-26 degrees Celsius.

Winter (December-February) Cool, with some fog and rain, temperature will fluctuate, sometimes cool. The weather and temperature changes from day to day, overcast and cold one day to bright and sunny the next. Expect temperatures from 10-25 degrees Celsius.

Clubs often become an important feature of expatriate life in Hong Kong being beneficial as business meeting places but also for family purposes; their outdoor space, swimming pools and controlled environment allow parents to let their children loose for a few hours.

Many and varied in character, facilities, and membership criteria, club membership is often offered as part of a remuneration package. Should that not apply most have personal, corporate or debenture membership options. Be prepared for long waits in line for membership though, so get your name down quickly if you are interested.

Hong Kong has advanced medical care, through both public and private hospitals. Most expatriates prefer to use the private hospitals with their higher standards of care, more personal attention and English-speaking staff. However it should be noted that it runs a close second to the United States in terms of cost when it comes to private medical treatment, therefore a private health insurance policy is highly recommended.

All hospitals have 24-hour emergency treatment. Ambulance drivers automatically take a patient to the nearest public hospital unless otherwise instructed. Dial 999 for emergencies. St. John's Ambulance can be reached at 2578-1112 in Hong Kong, and at 2713-5555 in Kowloon.

Below are the most used private hospital :

Adventist Hospital
No.40 Stubbs Road, Hong Kong
Tel : 3651 8888

The Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital
No.2 Village Road, Happy Valley
Tel : 2835 8600

Matilda International Hospital
41 Mount Kellett Road, The Peak, Hong Kong
Tel : 2849 0111

St. Paul's Hospital
2 Eastern Hospital Road, Causeway Bay
Tel : 2830 8888

Canossa Hospital (Caritas)
1 Old Peak Road, Hong Kong
Tel : 2522 2181

The nightlife in Hong Kong varies from wild and rowdy to refined and classy. There is literally a bar or club to suit anyone's tastes. This city knows how to work hard, but it also knows how to party even harder. There are several nightlife districts that have different options available.

The most well-known entertainment spots for foreigners and expats on Hong Kong Island are Lan Kwai Fong, SoHo & Wan Chai. The party never stops in Lan Kwai Fong and there are immense options. This is the place to go for happy hour drinks, late night dancing, live music, and getting a little bit out of control. This area is especially popular with visitors from out of town and expatriates. The bars, clubs, pubs, and restaurants line the streets of Lan Kwai Fong and D'aguilar Street in Central.

South of Hollywood Road (SoHo) is the area to go for a more relaxing drink and chat with a friend. This area has a wide variety of restaurants and pubs offering up every type of international cuisine imaginable. Many people head up to Soho for dinner then head out for a relaxing drink afterwards. There are several nice wine bars serving up fine international wines. The main bars are located along Eglin Street and Staunton Street right off the mid-levels escalator.

Wan Chai is large and comprises different zones with the bars and entertainment venues on the few streets near to the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre. Here you'll find everything from theme bars with Filipino live 'acts', to seedier joints, where girls in suggestive clothing will try to coerce passersby inside for a very expensive drink, a pole dancing show, and more. This district has over three times the density of New York and a lot can go on, for better or for worse so visitors, especially if single, are counseled to exercise caution. All in all, nightlife in this part of Hong Kong doesn't reach its stride until midnight.