More Than Just Cheap Flights.

Hong Kong Information

Overview

Visually stunning Hong Kong offers a warp-speed ‘shop till you drop’ lifestyle combined with enclaves of tradition. It is a popular tourist destination and one of the world’s major business centres. Hong Kong’s 260 outlying islands, few of which are inhabited, provide a tranquil alternative to its frenetic energy elsewhere. Hong Kong Island is an eclectic mix of modern skyscrapers, colonial buildings and traditional temples.

On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China in an arrangement lasting 50 years. Under the ‘one country, two systems’ policy, Hong Kong maintains its own political, social and economic systems. English remains an official language and Hong Kong’s border with China still exists.

Hong Kong was part of China before coming under British administration as a result of the 19th-century Opium Wars. When peace terms were drawn up in 1841, Hong Kong Island was ceded to Britain. It remained under British control (apart from a four-year period under Japanese occupation during WWII) until the 1997 handover.

Much has changed since 1841 when then foreign secretary Lord Palmerston described Hong Kong as ‘nothing but a barren island without a house upon it’.

Top Things To See

See the country’s oldest Chinese temple, Man Mo Temple on Hong Kong Island, which honours the gods of literature (Man) and war (Mo). On the China border is Fung Ying Seen Koon Temple, built in the traditional Taoist style with a double-tiered roof of orange tiles.

View Hong Kong on high from Victoria Peak. The futuristic, seven-storey Peak Tower is reached by the Peak Tram, that rises 386m (1,266ft) up the mountainside (website: www.thepeak.com.hk). In the New Territories, the Waterfront Park in Tai Po has a futuristic Lookout Tower that provides breathtaking views across Tolo Harbour.

Observe glimpses of Hong Kong’s colonial past, such as Government House, the residence of 25 British governors from 1855 until Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997 (website: www.ceo.gov.hk/gh/eng). Other vestiges are seen in St John’s Cathedral, thought to be the oldest Christian church in the Far East (website: www.stjohnscathedral.org.hk).

Go to the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, an imposing colonial-style building in Hong Kong Park housing ancient Chinese artefacts used in tea-making (website: www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/cs_mus_lcsd.php). In Kowloon, check the time on the Clock Tower near to the star ferry pier, the remaining piece from the old Kowloon-Canton railway station.

See the impressive 78-storey Central Plaza (website: www.centralplaza.com.hk). Visitors can view the city from the Sky Lobby on its 46th floor. After 1800 each day, neon rooftop lights change colour every hour to denote the time. Two International Finance Centre, or 2 IFC, has taken over as Hong Kong’s tallest building, with 88 floors (website: www.ifc.com.hk).

Visit the pristine beach of Repulse Bay, overlooked by the Tin Hau Temple. Lantau Island has the white sandy beach, Cheung Sha, and the amazing Shek Pik Reservoir Dam.

For a more spiritual retreat, visit either the Chi Lin Nunnery, a spectacular Tang Dynasty-style complex, or Wong Tai Sin Temple. See Hong Kong’s only historic pagoda, the Tsui Shing Lau Pagoda, built in 1486 in the Yuen Lang district.

Mingle with the crowds at Mong Kok, thought to be the world’s most densely populated urban area. Exotic fish and amphibians are sold at the Goldfish Market, and near the Yuen Po Street Bird Garden, intricate bamboo birdcages and songbirds can be purchased.

Visit the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in the New Territories hills above Sha Tin, which actually houses around 13,000 small Buddha statues (website: www.10kbuddhas.org). Also in the New Territories, amble around a beautifully designed complex, located in Tuen Mun, which features pavilions, bonsai trees, lotus ponds and a Taoist temple.

Take the Ngong Ping 360 (website: www.np360.com.hk), a 5.7km (3.5-mile) cable car ride, to the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island. The Buddha sits upon Ngong Ping Plateau at the Po Lin Monastery (website: www.plm.org.hk). At 26m (85ft) high and weighing in at 202 tonnes of bronze, it is the world’s largest seated outdoor Buddha. 

Further information: More details on many of Hong Kong’s museums and historical buildings are available from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (website: www.lcsd.gov.hk).

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Top Things To Do

Watch the Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival, usually held in June. This lively, vibrant spectacle is underscored by the beating of heavy drums.

Experience the buzz of city life by riding the 800m- (2,625ft-) long central-mid-levels escalator (the world’s longest covered outdoor escalator) which transports tens of thousands of people each day and has created its own escalator culture of cafes and restaurants.

Hike the MacLehose Trail, Hong Kong’s longest at 100km (62 miles), which crosses the New Territories, taking in Hong Kong’s highest peak, Tai Mo Shan (985m/3,231ft).

Walk along the Dragon’s Back on Hong Kong Island, which follows a ridge, giving spectacular views. This can be concluded with dinner in one of the restaurants in Shek-O Village.

Catch the famous Star Ferry (website: www.starferry.com.hk) to Kowloon from Central, Hong Kong Island’s financial and commercial hub. Or take a morning harbour cruise and watch the Noon Day Gun that has fired at midday since the 1840s at Causeway Bay.

Go shopping down fashionable Nathan Road in Kowloon. Grab a bargain at Mong Kok’s and Yau Ma Tei’s bustling markets. In Yau Ma Tei, stalls set up at 1400 on Temple Street for the Night Market, selling everything from electrical goods to incense sticks.

Cycle on the Tolo Harbour Cycling Track, running from Sha Tin to Tai Po, an easy ride through scenic countryside. Bikes are available for hire near KCR stations. Most outlying islands do not allow cars.

Take a dip in the sea. Hong Kong has over 30 highly acclaimed beaches. Excellent snorkelling, waterskiing, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, and fishing are available. Watersports equipment can be hired from beaches and hotels in Stanley and Sai Kung. One-day island hopping tickets allow unlimited ferry trips between islands.

Spot macaque monkeys, wild boar, civet cats, barking deer and the Chinese pangolin in the excellent country parks at Sai Kung East and West. Watch birds at the Mai Po marshes near Yuen Long in the New Territories (website: www.wwf.org.hk/eng/maipo) and look out for the Chinese pink dolphin near Lantau Island.

Have a flutter on the horses. Vast sums of money change hands at Hong Kong’s horse racing meetings, held from September to June, Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and Wednesday evening. The two main racecourses are at Happy Valley (Hong Kong Island) (website: www.happyvalleyracecourse.com) and Shatin (New Territories) (website: www.sha-tin.com).

Be a big kid at Disneyland Hong Kong on Lantau Island, which incorporates four themed lands and two hotels. Attractions range from the adventurous Jungle River Cruise to the dizzying heights of Orbitron, where visitors pilot their own rocket (website: www.hongkongdisneyland.com).

Join the festivities at Cheung Chau’s annual Bun Festival in celebration of Pak Tai (a god that influences good sailing and fishing). Bamboo towers covered in steamed buns are constructed as an offering to the god. Cheung Chau is a traditional fishing island with simple temples and unspoilt beaches.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

Hong Kong is one of the great centres for international cooking. Apart from Chinese food, there are also many Indian, Vietnamese, Filipino, Singapore/Malaysian and Thai restaurants. It is the home of authentic Chinese food from all the regions of China, which may be sampled on a sampan in Causeway Bay, on a floating restaurant at Aberdeen, in a Kowloon restaurant, in a street market or at a deluxe hotel. Hotels serve European and Chinese food but there are also restaurants serving every type of local cuisine. 

Chinese regional variations on food include Cantonese, Northern (Peking), Chiu Chow (Swatow), Shanghai, Sichuan and Hakka.

Things to know: The Chinese do not usually order a drink before dinner.

Regional specialities:
• Cantonese specialities include dim sum (savoury snacks, usually steamed and served in bamboo baskets on trolleys), such as cha siu bao (barbecue pork bun), har gau (steamed shrimp dumplings) and shiu mai (steamed and minced pork with shrimp).
• The emphasis in northern food is on bread and noodles, deep-frying and spicy sauces. Specialities include Peking duck and hotpot dishes.
• Shanghainese food is diced or shredded, stewed in soya or fried in sesame oil with pots of peppers and garlic.
• Chiu chow is served with rich sauces.
• Hakka food is generally simple in style with baked chicken in salt among the best dishes.
• Sichuan food is hot and spicy with plenty of chillies. A speciality is barbecued meat.

Regional drinks:
• Zhian jing (a rice wine served hot like sake).
• Liang hua pei (potent plum brandy).
• Kaolian (a whisky) and Maotai.
• Popular beers are the locally brewed San Miguel and Tsingtao (from China).
• Yeun yeung is an even mixture of tea and coffee.

Tea culture: Yum cha (drinking tea), is an integral part of Hong Kong’s culinary culture and is the perfect compliment to most dishes. There are many tea houses in Hong Kong where tea can be drunk accompanied by bow law yau, a steaming hot bun stuffed with melted butter, or yau char gwai, a deep fried dough. In tea houses, you are expected to pay at the counter; a tip is not required.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping : Most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge and an additional 5% gratuity is also expected. Small tips are expected by doormen and washroom attendants.

Nightlife

There are many nightclubs, hostess clubs, theatres and cinemas. Cultural concerts, plays and exhibitions can be seen at Hong Kong’s City Hall which also has a dining room, ballroom and cocktail lounge. 

The Hong Kong Cultural Centre, including a 2,100-seat Concert Hall, 1,750-seat Grand Theatre, a studio theatre with 300 to 500 seats and restaurants, bars and other facilities, has become the major venue for cultural concerts, plays and operas. 

Hong Kong Art Centre in Wan Chai supplements the City Hall’s entertainment with culture in the form of Chinese opera, puppet shows, recitals and concerts. American, Chinese, European and Japanese films with subtitles are shown at a number of good air-conditioned cinemas. 

Two daily papers, the Hong Kong Standard and the South China Morning Post, contain details of entertainment. 

An unusual event to watch is night horseracing held Wednesday nights from September to May. Night cruises are operated by Star Ferries and are an excellent way to see Hong Kong by night. Most pubs and clubs are in east Tsim Sha Tsui and Lan Kwai Fong.

Shopping

Whether you shop in modern air-conditioned arcades or more traditional street markets, the range of goods available in Hong Kong is vast. Many famous-name shops have opened in Hong Kong, bringing the latest styles in great variety. 

Places that display the QTS sign (given to accredited shops and restaurants under the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Quality Tourism Services scheme) are the best guarantee of satisfaction. Bargaining is practised in the smaller shops and side stalls only. 

There is an excellent market in Stanley on Hong Kong Island, which is in a beautiful setting in a small village on the coast, open every day 0900-1800. Yuen Po Street bird garden in Kowloon is a market popular with the songbird owners in Hong Kong, selling many interesting creature comforts, including intricately crafted cages, open 0700-2000. Tailoring is first class. 

Except for a few items, such as alcohol and perfume, Hong Kong is a duty-free port. 

Shopping hours : Hong Kong Island (Central & Western): 1000-1900 (1000-2000 along Queen’s Road). Hong Kong Island (Causeway Bay & Wan Chai): 1000-2130. Kowloon (Tsim Shat Sui & Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok): 1000-2100. Many shops are open Sunday. Shopping hours may vary greatly.

Climate

Hong Kong experiences four distinct seasons, with the climate influenced in winter by the north-northeast monsoon and in summer by the south-southwest monsoon. Summers are very hot, with the rainy season running from June to August. Spring and autumn are warm with occasional rain and cooler evenings. Winter can be cold, but most days are mild. There is a risk of typhoons and tropical storms from April to October, although direct hits are rare.

Required Clothing

Lightweight clothing during warmer months, with warmer clothes for spring and autumn evenings. It should be noted that even during the hottest weather, a jacket or pullover will be required for the sometimes fierce air conditioning indoors. Warm mediumweights are best during winter. Waterproofing is advisable during summer rains.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2008 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
7-9 Feb Chinese New Year. 
21 Mar Good Friday. 
24 Mar Easter Monday.
4 Apr Ching Ming Festival.
1 May Labour Day. 
12 May Lord Buddha’s Birthday. 
15 Jun Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival.
1 Jul Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day.
Sep* Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival.
1 Oct National Day.
Oct* Chung Yeung Festival.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

* Dates to be confirmed.

Note

Religious festivals are timed according to the lunar calendar and variations may occur. The above represent all holidays on which banks, schools, public offices and government departments close. There are also statutory holidays on which all employees receive a day’s holiday. For further details of these dates, contact the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: Yes

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Yes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No

Health Care

Charges are made for all services and treatment. Visitors should take out private health insurance. Hotels have a list of government-accredited doctors. First-class Western medicine is practised. Excellent dental care is available. For emergency medical services, dial 999.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Hong Kong Dollar (HKD; symbol HK$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of HK$1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of HK$10, 5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20 and 10 cents.

Currency Exchange

Foreign currency can be changed in banks, hotels and bureaux de change. Banks usually offer the best rate of exchange.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted. There are also plenty of ATMs.

Traveller's Cheques

Accepted almost everywhere. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in Pounds Sterling, US Dollars or Euros.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1630, Sat 0900-1230. Some banks and branches are open slightly longer hours.

Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No/1
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No/2
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No/2
Return Ticket Required: Yes

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No/2
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Other EU

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No/3
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Passport Note

All visitors must show evidence of sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay.

Passports

Passport valid for at least six months after the period of intended visit required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by nationals referred to in the chart above for the following durations:
(a) 1. British Citizens for stays of up to 180 days (British Overseas Citizens, British Subjects, British Protected Persons and nationals of British Dependent Territories may stay for up to 90 days);
(b) 2. nationals of Australia, Canada and USA for stays of up to 90 days;
(c) 3. nationals of EU countries for stays of up to 90 days (except 1. British citizens for stays of up to 180 days).

Visa Note

Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses)

Contact Addresses

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in the UK

6 Grafton Street, London W1S 4EQ, UK
Tel: (020) 7499 9821.
Website: www.hketolondon.gov.hk

Hong Kong Tourism Board in the UK

6 Grafton Street, London W1S 4EQ, UK
Tel: (020) 7533 7100.
Website: www.discoverhongkong.com

Hong Kong Tourism Board in the USA

115 East 54th Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10022, USA
Tel: (212) 421 3382.
Website: www.discoverhongkong.com

• Hong Kong Overview
• Hong Kong Things to See
• Hong Kong Things to Do
• Hong Kong Events
• Hong Kong Climate
• Hong Kong Public Holidays
• Hong Kong Health
• Hong Kong Currency
• Hong Kong Passport & Visas
• Hong Kong Contact Addresses