Hong Kong is an international city and it has vast number of tourists come from all over the world in all year round. According to the Hong Kong Government statistics, the number of international tourists visited Hong Kong in 2005 reaches 10.8 million which represents a 13.1% increase when compared to 2004. Countries such as Australia, Canada, French, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Korean, Thailand, British and United States all contributes significant tourist growth for Hong Kong. This article presents some critical traveler tips for tourists so that you could enjoy more and have a wonderful trip to Hong Kong.
1. Personal Identity and Safety Tourists must carry valid personal identity documentation such as passport during their stay in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a very safe city according to the low crime rate. However, due to the densely population, it is not suggested to take a large amount of cash when going out since most of the shops in Hong Kong accepts credit cards. Expensive belongs should be locked in the safe in hotel. You could easily find policemen on the streets whenever you have encountered any problems.
2. Service Charges Most of the restaurants except fast food shops will add 10% service charges to the bill. Therefore, you may choose to give out the odd dollars from the changes as the service tips. For taxi driver or bellboy in the hotel, there is no pre set norm for the service tips, you may choose to give out whenever you think the service is deserved for.
3. Telephone Service All local telephone call is free except for the public telephone which charges HK$1 for every 5 minutes. Emergency call is 999 and it is free to call even in public telephone. You could either use IDD telephone call card or credit card for long distance call, or simply through operator for collect call in all public telephone counter.
4. Drinking Water The drinking water in Hong Kong reaches World Health Organization standard. However, you may also choose to buy the bottle water in the supermarkets if you think it is necessary.
5. Taxi All taxi only accept cash and they have invoice print out whenever you request. It is easier to catch the taxi in the taxi stop or outside the hotel. Many of the taxi drivers could understand simple English. It is suggest writing down your destination (in English) on paper to minimize misunderstandings. The taxi charges is based on the meter which is HK$15 for the first 2 Km and HK$1.4 for the subsequent 0.2 Km. Besides, there are tunnel charges ranging from HK$3-45 depends on which tunnel you have to take. The charging table is clearly shown on the inner side of the doors so you could check it before you pay. In case of any complaints or lost case, you may record down the name of the taxi driver and his license plate number which is clearly shown on the front seat stand, and reports to the police hotline: 2527 7177 whenever necessary.
6. Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Hong Kong has 6 MTR routes, which covers most parts of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories. Tsuen Wan Route: Tsuen Wan to Central Kwun Tong Route: Yau Mat Tei to Tiu Keng Leng Tseung Kwan O Route: North Point to Po Lam Main Route: Sheung Wan to Chai Wan Tung Chung Route: Tung Chung to Hong Kong Airport Route: Airport to Hong Kong Due to the convenience of MTR and the compact area of Hong Kong, most tourists find it is not necessary to rent car during their stay. Besides, due to the very heavy traffic and the complexity of the city roads, it is not recommended for tourists to drive. In case you really need car rental, you may consult your hotel, and be ready with your passport and driving license.
7. Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR) The KCR is the major railway which links up the New Territories and the city of Kowloon. It runs through Tsim Sha Tsui East to Lo Wu which takes about 40 minutes for the whole route. Lo Wo is the final station which you could pass through to enter China with valid visa. The train will depart for every 3 to 10 minutes, and the earliest one will be started at 5:35 a.m. while the last one will be departed at 12:20 p.m. The ordinary fair and the first class fair are HK$18 and HK$36 respectively from Hung Hom to Sheung Shui.
8. Tram The tram service has been started in 1904 and it is the oldest transportation system in Hong Kong. It only services the Hong Kong Island running from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan plus another route to Happy Valley. The earliest tram starts at 6: 00 a.m. and run until 1:00 p.m. and the fair is HK$ 2 for adult and HK$ 1 for children under age12. It is the cheapest transportation in Hong Kong, and you are highly recommended to take a ride at the upper stairs so that you could enjoy all the street scenery of Hong Kong.
9. Star Ferry The scenery of Hong Kong harbor is famous in the world, especially the night scenery. Besides, there is spectacular light show by the commercial buildings in the Hong Kong island at 8:00 p.m. every night which you must not miss. The Star Ferry has been serving on the harbor for more than 100 years, and the fair is less than HK$3 per rides. You could take the Star Ferry from Cental to Tsim Sha Tsui at around 8:00 p.m. You could enjoy the harbor scenery on the ferry and continue with the light show at the Starlight Road of Tsim Sha Tsui.
10. Hong Kong International Airport The most convenient route to the Hong Kong International Airport is through the MTR which takes about 23 minutes from Central. It passes through stations of Kowloon, Olympic, Tsing Yi, and the train will be departed for every ten minutes. With the MTR, you would never miss the airplane due to the traditional traffic jam. Other than the MTR, you could take the Airport Bus which starts from 6:00 a.m. at the morning until 11:00 p.m. at night. It covers most part of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon with major hotels.
At any time of the year, you will find lots of tourists at these places due to their popularities - The Peak, Star Ferry and Temple Street Night Market. The Peak has one of the most spectacular views in Hong Kong, it is known as the Victoria's Peak. It is also the highest point on the Hong Kong Island. It is very popular among the rich and famous whom have their luxurious homes built on the Peak, while others enjoyed its view and entertainment spots The most convenient way to visit the Peak is by the Peak Tram. The Peak Tram has served Hong Kong over the past 120 years and its service is fully computerized with extreme safety features. The lower terminus is about 10 minutes walk from J2 exit of Central MTR station. Alternately, you may take bus 15C from the Star Ferry Pier. A visit to the Sky Terrace must not to be missed. It offers the visitors the best bird's eye view to the Victoria Harbor, the Kowloon Peninsula and some of the small islands around Hong Kong. There are many shopping outlets and dining spots inside the Peak Galleria. It is definitely a great experience shopping and dining at the Victoria Peak with the great views onto the city and the harbor. Madame Trussauds wax museum is one of the highlights at the Peak where many wax figures of famous Hollywood stars and local celebrities are displayed. One of the fastest and convenient ways to commute you between the two islands other than the MTR trains, is by ferry. You can board the ferry at the Wan Chai Ferry Terminal to the Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Terminal. These two terminals are situated at one of the most convenient and busiest part of the two islands. Though this is one of the oldest transportations in Hong Kong, it is still very popular among the locals especially during the peak hours. It is also very popular among the tourists as they can take some leisure time off to see the great views at both sides of the banks. The only time where the ferry service is terminated is when typhoons hit Hong Kong. The cost of this transportation is very low, the upper deck's fare is HK$2.20 while the lower deck's fare cost merely HK$1.70. This is one of the cheapest bargains you can get to see the panoramic views between the two banks. The ferry has almost no traffic conditions to obstruct the traveling time, while the intervals are only 10 minutes apart. It is especially beautiful when you see the sun setting down behind the skyscrapers. The operating hours is between 7am to 11pm, just the best operating time for a typical Hong Kong resident. Hong Kong is also well known as shopping paradise in Asia. Temple Street Market is popular among tourists and locals. It is the busiest flea night market in Hong Kong. It operates from the mid afternoon till 3-4 am in the morning. It is located at Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. The vendors there sell almost everything, from merchandises such as shoes, bags, and apparels to watches, hand phone accessories and even pirated CDs, DVDs and so on. You can even find high quality of imitation goods such as luxury brands of bags and watches. One thing to take note of will be a pickpocket. As there is one row of stalls on each side and the walking path is pretty narrow, people tend to weave and squeeze through each other, and hence it became easy for the pickpockets to operate. Therefore, do remember to zip your bags properly and the best way is not to carry anything behind you; carrying a waist pouch will be an ideal choice. Other than merchandises, you can find lots of stalls at the sides of the street selling local snacks, pastries to seafood and freshly cooked food. These stalls are known as the Dai Pai Dong; it means foods stalls lined up along the street. The other activity you have to take note of is the Cantonese Opera street performers. Cantonese opera has a long history way back in Hong Kong, known as Yuet Cok. Each opera reveals a touching story and you will get to know the local culture and history through these operas.
Both Sammy Ho & Gordon Tam are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Sammy Ho has sinced written about articles on various topics from Destinations, Japan Car and Paris Tour. Sammy Ho has been a specialist traveler who has traveled many parts of the world. His specialists are to study different culture and living hobbies of different countries, and to learn from each place he has traveled. To find more travelers tips and festi. Sammy Ho's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.
Gordon Tam has sinced written about articles on various topics from Destinations. About the author: Dr Gordon Tam is born in Hong Kong. He provides excellent travel guide about Hong Kong. Visit his website for more. Gordon Tam's top article generates over 590 views. to your Favourites.