Only shortly before Barking Deer’s post, I saw Nov/Dec 2006 Action Asia, with article on climbing mountains in Taiwan. Mentioned that island had pushed itself as industrial place.
So, notions of it being Formosa – the beautiful island – almost lost to history, or known to too few people.
Hong Kong likewise has much to offer in outdoors, albeit not so spectacular as Taiwan. Yet here too – as I’ve often argued, inc on this site – an image problem: selling HK as “world city” (Meaning? Can anyone explain?) is not likely to encourage visitors who like to hike, watch wildlife, kayak and so on. But, a tough image to shake off; even showing HK is many-splendoured not at all easy.
Heck, I’ve even seen Hong Kong referred to as “the island” as if Kowloon and the New Territories didn’t exist. Worse still, once had a letter addressed to “Hong Kong, Japan”. (It came from … …. the US)
One difference between Taiwan and Hong Kong, I think: in Taiwan, maybe local people mostly familiar with the island’s scenery, and even wildlife. In Hong Kong, even after SARS (which sent people out of the malls and into open places), still perhaps too few local people really know this place.