Through a haze of incense a small bespeckled man sat at a desk in the corner of a tiny souvenier shop at the Man Mo Temple on Hong Kong island. There was slight respite from a purring fan beside him, but the sign over his head sealed the deal . . . Fortunes Told English Spoken.

"I don't wish to worry you, " he said after we had parted with 200 HK dollars ( 20 approx). "But you must be alert. There are people who do not wish you well. They are not on your side. You must watch your back for the next 100 days and then the danger will pass." I'd gone to see him with a certain pre-disposition.

Five years earlier another Hong Kong fortune teller had accurately revealed details of illness in my family that she attributed to the bad feng shui of our home. A redesign of the house- planned prior to the Hong Kong trip resulted in an improvement in health. I wasn't taking this fortune teller too lightly.

We stepped out of the cool shade of the tiny office and onto the elaborate entrance deck to the temple.

Nobody is quite sure when it was built, but it was standing when the British arrived to claim the island in 1841. Dedicated to two deities . . . civil and martial . . . the Man Mo Buddist temple is one of the busiest and oldest in Hong Kong. It's also a contemplative oasis in one of the most exciting cities in the world.

If you've shopped til you dropped in New York, Boston and Chicago, if you're finding the trip to the Woodbury outlets in New York just a little tedious and you yearn for the thrill of a new destination, this is the place to go. Hong Kong is unparalleled on the planet for history, glamour and fantastic value. It's exotic, utterly cosmopolitan and now it's pretty accessible from Ireland.

From the moment your feet hit the ground in the highly efficient arrivals terminal at Hong Kong international airport, there is no getting away from the fact that you are in Asia.

And as soon as you step out of your taxi on Kowloon it hits you full force.

If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Hong Kong is the city that never even pauses for breath.

All day and all night the Star ferry tranverses the harbor, double decker Hong Kong trams beetle up and down 16kms of track on Hong Kong Island and the Peak Tram slugs up to the uppermost vantage point of the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

Below, buses, cars and people hurry by. Mixed with the warm breeze are the fragrant odours of Cantonese cooking, a heady tobacco smell (it seems like everyone smokes) and the buzz of a deal being hammered out in an unfamiliar language.

Look up and it seems as if the buildings go on forever. The city is home to 14 million people, the average apartment size is 500sq ft and the average home accommodates up to six people . . . traditional middle class families typically comprise parents, three children and a foreign domestic worker. The Kwun Tong district in Kowloon is the most densely populated place on earth with more than 50,000 people per square kilometre. On weekdays they pack the streets and highways in a never ending confluence of business. On Sundays families gather at any number of restaurants, cafes and old style teahouses sharing a never ending supply of dim sum as they catch up on news and gossip from lunchtime into the night.

The city, which attracts 15 million visitors a year, is made up of four main regions . . . Hong Kong island, Kowloon peninsula opposite it, the New Territories which begin north of Kowloon and stretch to China and the Outlying Islands.

Whether you've got a week or just a long weekend to spend, there are some things you simply can't miss.

Oh and by the way the 100 days have passed without incident.

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TRAVELLER TIPS

Top Tip 1: Shop around for tailors if you want made-to-measure items and be prepared to haggle on price even in the most upmarket establishments. Jackets, skirts and suits can be created in 2-3 days and if you have favourite items, tailors are prepared to make replicas at a fraction of the price they'd cost at home.

Top Tip 2: Be prepared for pain when having a reflexology foot massage in Hong Kong. This is a real workout for the feet, but the benefits will have you walking on air afterwards. Masseurs operate at practically every street corner in the shopping areas of Central and Kowloon.

Top Tip 3: The best time to travel to Hong Kong is between October and January when the weather is warm and sunny with temperatures in the twenties and humidity is relatively low.

THERE are very competitive fares available from a variety of carriers. We travelled via Heathrow with British Midland and Air New Zealand fo 775 per person. On the return journey an upgrade to business class was available for 250 a head . . . considerably less than the listed business price. Flight time from London is 12 hours.

HOW TO GET THERE

HONG Kong hotels are very good value for money when compared to other cities. Rooms at the Mandarin Oriental hotel offering five star luxury overlooking Hong Kong harbour start at 2,900 Hk dollars ( 290) per night. This legendary hotel boasts a variety of restaurants but the Man Wah Cantonese restaurant on the 25th floor overlooking the water is a magical experience by night. Don't miss the Mandarin Spa for a real treat after the long flight and afternoon tea at the Mandarin is a long established Hong Kong tradition. Its four-star sister hotel, The Excelsior, is more moderately priced . . . rooms start at 1680 Hk dollars ( 168) per night.

Both hotels are well located on Hong Kong island with a wide variety of shops and restaurants on your doorstep.

WHERE TO STAY

VICTORIAN PEAK: The journey up to the peak is almost as dramatic as the view from the top. Built in 1885, the peak tram travels 500m up a violently steep slope to reveal one of the most spectacular cityscapes in the world (pictured right).

The tram has never had an accident, but if heights are not your thing you can also walk up . . . it takes about an hour.

STAR FERRY: Costing just 2 HK dollars (20 cent) these double decker ferries are the fastest and best way to get from Hong Kong island to Kowloon. The boats have been running since 1888 and depart every couple of minutes from 6.30am until 11.30pm.

TEMPLE STREET NIGHT MARKET: This is the place to go for cheap everything in Hong Kong from imitation designer handbags to fake CDs, DVDs and watches. Stall holders set up about 6pm and close at midnight. Prices on goods are just suggestions and you are expected to haggle for bargains.

HAPPY VALLEY RACECOURSE: Surrounded by high rise buildings this has to be the most unusual race track in the world. Meetings take place on Wednesday evenings in Happy Valley and on Saturdays in the newer Sha Tin course in the New Territories.

TOP 5 THINGS TO DO

NATHAN ROAD: Hong Kong is truly a shoppers paradise and this main drag . . .

it runs through Kowloon from Hong Kong harbor all the way to the New Territories . . . has everything from pirated DVDs to designer labels. Be careful buying electrical goods . . . there are fantastic bargains but there are also dodgy traders who will rip you off. Central and Causeway bay are also excellent shopping areas and Stanley market (15km south of Central) is not to be missed if you are prepared to rummage for good value.

Five years ago, I unearthed the bargain of a lifetime there when I got a Drizabone down under waterproof coat for 150 HK dollars ( 15). It's still going strong.