Coffee break: Causeway Bay causes claustrophobia at the best of times and when a break is needed, the coffee shops are often as busy as the streets themselves. If you're a frequent shopper in the area and are interested in travel, the new Wanlilu Travel Lounge could be a godsend. The coffee bar cum private reading room provides members with a large selection of reading material including the latest travel magazines such as Conde Nast Traveller; guides by Time Out, Eyewitness and Chinese-language Mook; inspirational coffee-table books; and travel titles unavailable elsewhere in Hong Kong. Membership costs $500 a year and includes free Internet usage (Room 1501, One Hysan Avenue, Causeway Bay. Tel: 3162 3728).
Bangkok bargains: A perennially cheap shopping destination, Bangkok is even more attractive for bargain-hunters between June 1 and July 31 when more than 750 shops, department stores, hotels and restaurants participate in the 'Amazing Thailand Grand Sale'. Identifiable by stickers, companies offer discounts ranging between 10 and 80 per cent and visitors who spend more than 5,000 baht (about HK$900) will receive a gift set of local products from one of 27 redemption booths.
Drive yourself wild: Zipping down a traffic-free highway in a sports car is a dream for many people, especially in Hong Kong. But now, those with speed needs (and big bank balances) can live out their fantasies courtesy of a five-day holiday in Australia which allows you to put at least four different convertibles through their paces.