> HK, as a comparison, has preserved its character and charm I don't think that's entirely fair. The way I like to describe it is that Singapore is Asian-Sydne

> HK, as a comparison, has preserved its character and charm I don't think that's entirely fair. The way I like to describe it is that Singapore is Asian-Sydney and Hong Kong is Asian-New York. All are world-class cities, but Hong Kong and New York have deep and diverse layers of culture and subculture that are immediately apparent to the most casual of observer. Sydney and Singapore have plenty of depth which is easy for residents to see but for tourists it isn't nearly so obvious. (Disclaimer: I live in Sydney.)