Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre Review

Land is so scarce that developers usually only build skyward, but the HKCEC is an exception. It sits on a spit of reclaimed land jutting into the harbor. Its curved-glass walls and swooping roof make it look like a tortoise lumbering into the sea or a gull taking flight, depending on whom you ask. Of all the international trade fairs, regional conferences, and other events held here, by far the most famous was the 1997 Handover ceremony. An obelisk commemorates it on the waterfront promenade, which also affords great views of Kowloon.

Outside the center stands the Golden Bauhinia. This gleaming sculpture of the Bauhinia flower, Hong Kong's symbol, was a gift from China celebrating the establishment of the Hong Kong SAR in 1997. The police hoist the SAR flag daily at 7:50 am.