Beautiful women, exquisite food and heavy drinkers. These aspects of Hong Kong's frenetic life that Ian Fleming so enjoyed remain very much in evidence. The kaleidoscope of neon signs flash above bars and clubs just as he saw them - only more so. But the cost of living has changed beyond recognition.

His description of the then-British colony as “the most vivid and exciting city I have ever seen” still rings true.

There is little to rival the mass of humanity, both sexes clad in Armani or Chanel, dashing across the streets of Central on their way to an office or a meeting to make yet another fortune to finance a hectic lifestyle enlivened by old brandy and large diamonds.

Or the nightclubs of Wanchai, on Hong Kong Island, where Fleming encountered the city's vibrant nightlife that parties until dawn. Not to mention, again, the women. “The girls, thanks to the cheongsams they wear, have a deft and coltish prettiness that sends Western women into paroxysms of envy.” They still do.

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BACKGROUND

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The girls may only rarely be clad in cheongsams slit almost to the hip - they are more likely now to draw attention to their figures in skin-tight Dolce & Gabbana, teetering Manolo heels or sharply cut suits from Valentino.

This is a city with corners of high glamour where wealthy expatriates and the Hong Kong Chinese elite mingle. It is also brimful of the more seedy bars for visiting sailors that Fleming frequented.

The battered Luk Kwok Hotel, where Fleming remembered the tale of charming prostitute Suzie Wong, still stands in the heart of Wanchai. It is no longer a faded, dusty building, but a new-minted marble-fronted home to the many businessmen who flit in and out to clinch lucrative deals on the rim of a booming China.

The theatrical setting has become only more dramatic. Skyscrapers have sprung up on land reclaimed from the “fragrant harbour” that gives the city its name and are silhouetted against the verdant green hillside of the towering Peak. Myriad Chinese restaurants fill their lower floors, serving food as refined as Fleming tasted.

The choice of Western bars and restaurants would, however, take his breath away. Tea is still served in the venerable Peninsula. The hotel on the Kowloon peninsula ensures a memorable meal at its Gaddi's restaurant, where Fleming dined. Jimmy's Kitchen, another Kowloon restaurant, has barely changed - except for the prices.

And a venture to the other side of the island, again in Fleming's footsteps, offers proof that the Repulse Bay Hotel, with its beachfront views, stands smarter than ever. Expatriate wives and Hong Kong beauties - these were concubines, when he wrote - lunch under the swirling ceiling fans and among the potted plants.

Need to know

Air New Zealand (0800 0284149, www.airnz.co.uk) flies daily from Heathrow to Hong Kong from £385. Premium Economy class is from £1,055. Further information: www.discoverhongkong.com

HONG KONG

Things to do

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is still the world's most modern - and most lucrative - racecourse in the world. There are few more exciting weekend treats on Earth than an afternoon at the races - watching both the horses and the excited Hong Kong punters gambling the GDP of a small nation through the Tote.

Horse riding may be a thing of the past, but a stroll around the Peak or a walk in the semi-jungles of the New Territories make a delightful escape for the relentless shopping heart of the city. And, of course, there is the shopping. Tailors abound, eager to make up a suit in 48 hours.

Jewel shops and gold dealers glitter on street corners and malls are filled with the world's smartest brands. A visit to Shanghai Tang has become de rigueur. Stroll into any bar in Wanchai to relive Fleming's nightlife experiences. Or find a member of the fabled FCC (Foreign Correspondents' Club) to gain entry to one of the premier drinking haunts in the city.

Restaurants

Time has claimed many of the Chinese restaurants that Fleming haunted. But Gaddi's at the Peninsula (00 852 2315 3171) is still ranked among the best in the city. And some of the world's greatest chefs have arrived: SPOON by Alain Ducasse (2313 2323) has taken up a spot in Kowloon, and the Chinese food at Man Wah in the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong (2825 4003) offers mouthwatering morsels.

There is The Verandah at the Repulse Bay (2812 2722) with its wonderful views over the bay and fine food. And, established long after Fleming, the quirky and utterly delicious M at the Fringe, almost next door to the Foreign Correspondents' Club on Lower Albert Road (2877 4000). The bars, girlie joints and clubs of Wanchai are numberless, and these are now almost overtaken by the deeply fashionable establishments of Lan Kwai Fong - just above Central - and those of a new trendy area known as Soho.

Hotels

The Peninsula, upgraded several times, is as smart now as it was in Ian Fleming's day - and with Rolls Royce limousines for those needing an airport pickup. Doubles from £290. Of course, there is still the Luk Kwok Hotel on the edgier side of the bar strip of Wanchai, and now rather mainstream after a major facelift. B&B doubles from £131.

For those seeking a trendier place for the night, there is the Philippe Starck-designed JIA Boutique Hotel in Causeway Bay - all minimalist and rather small rooms.

B&B doubles from £183. It's hard to beat the Mandarin Oriental - especially after its recent facelift, when rather unattractive balconies were incorporated into the rooms to ensure larger, more luxurious bathrooms. However, the Chinnery Bar has long ago abandoned its "gentlemen only" policy. Doubles from £187.

The Grand Hyatt in Wanchai offers the grandest luxury. Doubles from £191. The YMCA in Tsimshatsui is one of the greatest locations and biggest bagains in town - not for Ian Fleming, but a treat for those travelling on a smaller budget and wanting location, location, location and a fabulous view along with a rooftop pool. Doubles from £65.

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