Despite 2003’s infamous SARS outbreak, this former British colony – declared SARS-free in June of that year – remains the cosmopolitan, must-visit world city of former years. Though people are frightened of a reoccurence of the disease (the symptoms match those of flu), hotels are back to full-house, restaurants and bars are back to normal (though there are still good offers to be found), public money is being ploughed into major events and the tourism board is on overdrive.

With such a work-hard, play-hard spirit, the city is one of phenomenal energy. And, when you are lost within the concrete canyons and snaking walkways of Central, the image of the city as a pulsing urban jungle seems only too real. But stand on the waterfront of Tsim Sha Tsui and look across to Hong Kong Island and a different picture emerges – one of towering buildings backed by deep green, thickly forested mountainsides. Travel up the Victoria Peak by tram and, after a few minutes, the tower blocks of the Mid-Levels give way to stunning vistas of harbour, islands and the sea.

The eight-minute Star Ferry ride across Victoria Harbour from Kowloon is by far the most breathtaking way to approach Central. For most visitors, Central’s most interesting ‘sights’ are architectural. The district has changed out of all recognition since the 1970s, and the profusion of modern towers that have sprung up in the last 20 or so years all define modern Hong Kong.

Dominating the south side of Statue Square is Norman Foster’s phenomenally expensive (HK$5.2 billion) HSBC Building. Completed in 1985, this colossal building made of steel and glass rests on four tall pillars, creating an airy, open-air forum that remains public space. It is worth taking the escalator up to the first floor for a sense of the scale of the place. According to those ‘in the know’, the building has some of the best feng shui in Hong Kong.

South of the HSBC Building, up the hill, lie a few lingering reminders of Hong Kong’s colonial heritage. Climb the steps up to Battery Path and the cathedral precinct and you’ll find whitewashed, cool and quiet St John’s Cathedral (4-8 Garden Road, +85225234157, www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk), completed in 1849. Its entrance doors are made from the wood salvaged from HMS Tamar, the Royal Navy’s floating HQ that was scuttled during World War II, and numerous moving memorials and other historical relics are hidden away inside.

There are a few green havens in among the concrete and the crowds. The extensive Hong Kong Zoological&Botanical Gardens (Albany Road, no phone) overlook Government House across Upper Albert Road. Featuring dozens of animal and bird species and more than 1,000 types of flora, the gardens are small but full of interest. To the east of the gardens is Hong Kong Park. The park contains landscaped gardens, an artificial lake, a tai chi garden, an amphitheatre, a restaurant and bar and the architecturally stunning Edward Youde Aviary (Hong Kong Park, Cotton Tree Drive, +85225215041, www.lcsd.gov.hk).

Blending into Central, Sheung Wan is the Chinese heart of old Hong Kong. It’s a vibrant, area that’s best explored on foot. As you climb the hill – or ride the world’s longest escalator – you’ll cross over Hollywood Road (the main centre for Hong Kong’s important antiques and curio trade, and the location of the atmospheric Man Mo Temple (126 Hollywood Road, +85225400350) and reach the trendy bar and restaurant enclave of SoHo. In this area, the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences (2 Caine Lane, off Caine Road, +85225495123) gives an interesting overview of the history of public health and medical services in Hong Kong.

Towering above the commercial heart of Hong Kong Island, the 552-metre (1,810-foot) Victoria Peak – otherwise simply known as the Peak – offers the most spectacular views in Hong Kong. The commencement of the Peak Tram services in 1888 cut the journey down to just under ten minutes. Victoria Gap – not the Peak itself – is the final stop on the 373-metre (1,224-foot) steep funicular tram ride up from lower Mid-Levels – make sure you sit on the right-hand side going up for the best views.

Kowloon represents a very different side to Hong Kong. The view of Hong Kong Island from the tip of the Kowloon peninsula is one of the most stirring sights in the territory. Tsim Sha Tsui, at the very southern tip of Kowloon, contains most of Hong Kong’s museums – the Hong Kong Museum of Art (Hong Kong Cultural Centre, 10 Salisbury Road, +85227210116, http://hk.art.museum) and the Hong Kong Space Museum (10 Salisbury Road, +85227210226, www.lcsd.gov.hk) – and the Cultural Centre, also along Salisbury Road.

The New Territories was leased from China in 1898 for 99 years under the Convention of Peking. Despite some badly planned urban developments, large tracts of unspoiled countryside still remain and wonderful hiking and wildlife-watching are to be had. In addition, many of Hong Kong’s finest beaches are in the remote north-east New Territories. A day-trip along the Kowloon–Canton Railway line from Shatin to Sheung Shui is a convenient way to experience something of life beyond the Kowloon hills. Along here you’ll find hillside temples, two sprawling New Towns (Sha Tin and Tai Po) that are the ‘real Hong Kong’ for millions of local residents. Alternatively, head for the laid-back Sai Kung peninsula, reached by mini-bus from Choi Hung MTR station or catch a ferry from the outlying ferry piers (next to the Central Star Ferry on Hong Kong Island) where hill trails, low-rise villages and seafood restaurants await.