Tsuen Wan

Until the 1940s, present-day Tsuen Wan represented a smattering of fishing villages. But once the Chinese Civil War broke out, Shanghai business people flocked to the region, constructing textile factories.

While there are remnants of Tsuen Wan's recent industrial past, the Hong Kong government has turned it into a "new town," meaning apartment buildings and shopping choices have proliferated. And while the imposing Nina Tower, Hong Kong's sixth tallest building at 1,050 feet (320 meters), graces the skyline, the town still has gems like Sam Tung Uk, a quaint cultural museum dedicated to the erstwhile residents of the area, the Hakka.