A financial centre to rival the likes of New York and London, this former British territory has its own beat. From the moment you arrive at Chek Lap Kok Airport, the island city will tire, amaze and entertain you in equal measure. Hong Kong returned to China’s control in 1997 following the Sino-British Joint Declaration but remains a legally autonomous region. The most densely populated part of Hong Kong Island is its cosmopolitan northern coast. Just opposite on the mainland is the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories, beyond which is the remainder of China’s Guangdong Province. In Hong Kong and this wider area, Cantonese is the most commonly spoken language, although since the handover to PRC Mandarin is heard more and more often. English is not only the lingua franca of business on Hong Kong Island, it is understood by most of the locals. With outstanding opportunities in shopping, food and nightlife, Hong Kong has the efficiency of Singapore but possesses an unparalleled vibrancy.

Though it has excessive pollution and major crowds, over 40% of Hong Kong is designated as nature reserves or country parks, making a weekend hike the perfect antidote to corporate stress. The public transport runs on an Octopus system not dissimilar to London’s Oyster, only here the transport runs with Swiss precision and Octopus cards can also be used to do your grocery shopping. September to March is the mildest part of year, however the humidity can reach up to 95% in the summer months. The top temperature for the region is an alarming 45°C! Cantonese remains the dominant language among locals, though Mandarin has been become more common given the high level of immigration from the Chinese mainland. English is also an official language and is mostly commonly spoken in the business setting.

Work: Considered one of the freest capitalist systems in the world, Hong Kong does what it does best - making money, and lots of it. As a result, it has attracted the premier legal outfits of the world and remains an important hub for Chinese business as well as that from Southeast Asia, Korea, Taiwan and India. Though somewhat tipsy after a buoyant 2007, Hong Kong has not felt the full brunt of the recession in the way some Western economies have. One commentator put it down to a shrewd response by the government, which “had been making moves to stimulate the economy and has generated optimism that it will recover earlier than other markets around the world.” Arguably, more stringent regulations have also been in place. With the authority of their government, Chinese corporations have been listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange and these businesses are now more regularly acquiring Western companies. A major recent transaction was the merger between Merrill Lynch (Asia Pacific) and MTRC and KCRC for a grand total of HKD49.5bn. Disputes have arisen in the current economic climate and Hong Kong’s role as a centerpiece for arbitration in Asia has become all the more important. Among the international outfits, there have been fewer new openings and it seems the field is still dominated by the magic circle and major US players. One recent important development was the merger between Mayer Brown and former Hong Kong behemoth Johnson Stokes & Master. One trainee suggested to us that JSM is looking like it will become “the Clifford Chance of Asia.”

Trainees quickly appreciate the breakneck speed at which this city runs. “The work ethic is pretty intense; they’ve got more work to go around and you have a really high level of responsibility,” said a trainee of their experience. “For me it was purely corporate work in Hong Kong,” was how another summed up their firm’s offering, but we did speak to some who had taken purely litigation or bankruptcy secondments. It really depends on the firm. Without exception all our sources had had great work and responsibility. Said one: “The quality of the work there was fantastic. In my first week we had an enormous security review of documents for HSBC… a couple of months in and I was running a deal.” From another we heard: “I was actively involved in drafting witness statements, the legal part of every single case rather than just the management side.” A third told us: “It was a very good time to for me to be there, with Chinese bankruptcy nascent and the current economic climate.” Real estate work is sometimes an option for some trainees though it has been less available of late. Although some spoke of more “mundane stuff,” full-on client contact requires trainees to learn about culture-specific etiquette to make sure you’re not out place in the office: “Having knowledge of eastern cultural practices was very important,” said one source.

Trainees suggest there are few differences between the typical UK and Hong Kong workplace atmosphere, “apart from the fact that we get into work a lot later and leave that same amount later.” Longer lunches can also push finishing times towards 8pm though we sensed “no real emphasis on long hours.” Being a historical bridge between the East and West means that trainees get both UK and Chinese public holidays. Now if only you didn’t “have to work on the odd holiday…”

Rest and play: When you’re not working there will be plenty to do and it’s important to understand that Hong Kong’s hard work ethic is matched by an appetite for play - “my liver took a battering,” said one trainee. “In London if you work late people just go home afterwards; in Hong Kong you work late, then if you're not going out for a massive night, it's a five minute walk to the pub.” There’s a concentration of expat bars in Lan Kwai Fong in the CBD. Just ten minutes away is the Wanchai district, an old sailors’ haunt that was immortalised by the Richard Mason novel about a prostitute, The World of Suzie Wong. Despite its seedy past, the area is gentrifying and could be likened to London's Soho. “It never feels threatening,” assures a trainee. Clubs stay open until 4am or later. Some sources spoke the exhilarating atmosphere during special festivals; for example, “We were here during the rugby sevens and it was just carnage!” The Chinese tend not to drink as often as Westerners; indeed, one source confirms that “on the social side there’s an expat culture and locals do their own thing.” The best advice is to take all opportunities to get to know local colleagues.

Most of those fortunate enough to beat off intense competition to win a seat in Hong Kong will be introduced to a unique tier-system when it comes to their accommodation. Hong Kong is a hilly place where one’s elevation denotes one’s status. The majority of trainee apartments are in the Mid Levels, however just because you’re not at the top of The Peak doesn’t mean you can’t live like royalty. Our sources had mostly lived in “fully serviced, brand new and central apartments,” where you can get “a subsidised gym subscription, a maid that cleans and does the laundry for you, and you also get meals delivered to your door.” “It’s like living in a hotel,” enthused one trainee.

It’s worth coming to Hong Kong just for the food - try dim sum at one of the great Chinese restaurants, sample some amazing Sichuan cuisine or even grab a curry from Chunking Mansions. “You can get anything you want here, and even if you’re fussy you can be catered for.” The more adventurous can take Chinese cookery lessons and scour the food markets for unfamiliar fresh produce. Caveat emptor, the markets are not for the faint-hearted: the Chinese love their food fresh – so fresh in fact that it is sometimes still alive! Less daunting is the Ladies Market at Mong Kok where you can find counterfeit designer goods and pretty much anything you might need. Hong Kong has numerous options for getting around, be it tram, metro or the largest indoor escalator that will take you past various bars on your way back to the Mid Levels. Another great way to travel is by boat: try the Star Ferry for a panoramic view of the city’s skyline. You can also grab a ferry to Macau, where you can gamble your well-earned dosh away at one of its many casinos. And if none of those float your boat, there’s always Disneyland…

If the crowds, noise and smog send your blood pressure soaring, take a leaf out of the locals' book and take a free T'ai Chi class in the park or visit the region’s Buddhist temples. Maybe you like hiking at weekends. If so there are plenty of green areas in the New Territories, or you can visit some of the 200 or so smaller islands. “Most firms have junk boats, so we hire them and go off for a day to chill out and water-ski.” Venturing into mainland China couldn’t be easier. You can be in Shenzhen in just 40 minutes if you take a cross-boundary suburban train. The main city in Guangdong province is Guangzhou, which is older and more established than upstart Shenzhen. When friends and family come to see you take them up to the top of The Peak to enjoy the view, visit the Temple Street night market and eat from the street, where a multitude of cheap micro businesses sell tasty, authentic food. For a full-on retail blow-out try Causeway Bay, an active, bright shopping area with added entertainment venues. Feel like going travelling with friends? You've many other Brit trainees to rope into your plans; “our firm puts you in touch with trainees from other firms in HK so you're all connected by email before you get here.”