Hong Kong:
Fewer people are going to Hong Kong these days, but it's still a major tourist destination. Although for the last two years it's been a special administrative region of China, Hong Kong still has separate laws, currency, and border controls. So you can still go there to shop and eat and check out the view of the harbour. Hong Kong's harbour is one of the most scenic in the world. The city is wall to wall skyscrapers and wall to wall people, but there are some quiet nooks and crannies amongst the urban overcrowding. And you can stay in hostels, which cost a lot less than the hotels. Hong Kong also has a low crime rate, in spite of gangster movies you may have seen. If you're feeling adventurous, you can leave Hong Kong island and travel to Lantau Island, or the New Territories where there are some parks to explore. Thirty-six per cent of the land in Hong Kong is actually protected, so there is some environmental awareness.
Films: Chinese Box, starring Jeremy Irons as a British journalist videotaping Hong Kong in its last days as a British colony. Lousy movie, but interesting footage of Hong Kong.