Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an autonomous region on the south coast of China that is home to quite possibly the world’s most famous skyline. Against a backdrop of cloud and mountains, over 1000 skyscrapers crowd around the beautiful Victoria Harbour, lending a feeling of unmatched grandiosity. Add Chinese geography, a history of British colonial rule, and more visitors than any other city on earth, there’s no doubt that Hong Kong is THE city where East meets West.
What To Do in Hong Kong:
If you’re looking for what to do in Hong Kong, you really can’t go wrong. However, here are a few things that you shouldn’t miss!
What to do in Hong Kong? Take a ride on the Star Ferry:
Though only 7-8 minutes, this top ranking ferry ride from one side of Victoria Harbor to the other gives a unique view of both sides of the bay.
What to do in Hong Kong? Head up to Victoria Peak
At an elevation of 1,811 feet, the best views of Hong Kong are from Victoria Peak. Get there via the Peak Tram Lower Terminus, easily reached from the MRT Central station.
What to do in Hong Kong? Check out the Symphony of Lights
Named ‘World’s largest permanent light and sound show’ by Guinness World Records. The best vantage point (Avenue of Stars) is closed for renovation until the end of 2018, so head to the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai or take the Victoria Harbor cruise for 360 degree views. The show takes place at 8:00pm every day. You can even listen to music and narration by calling 35-655-655 or tuning into FM103.4 Mhz.
What to do in Hong Kong? Get in on the Horse Racing
Take in a night of horse racing at Happy Valley Racecourse, located on Hong Kong Island. This 55,000 capacity venue is a sight to see. Every Wednesday night between September and July is quite an affair as all of Hong Kong is seemingly in attendance. Roughly $2USD/person for entry.
What to do in Hong Kong? Buy a Custom Suit
There’s few greater luxuries than purchasing a custom tailored suit. A combination of incredible materials, fantastic workmanship, quick turn-around, impressive customer care, all with a surprisingly affordable pricetag makes Sam’s Tailor one of the best in the world. K1 Burlington Arcade, 90-94C Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
What to do in Hong Kong? Book a Tour!
Getting to Hong Kong:
FLY
Unless traveling from China, we recommend getting to Hong Kong by flying. You can catch direct flights from any major hub, including one of the longest air routes in the world: New York to Hong Kong in 16 hours, for just under $800! If you’re already in the area, fly from Kuala Lumpur for $51, Hanoi for $59, or Singapore for $54 with our favorite flight search site, Skyscanner.
Hong Kong Flight Deals
FERRY
Getting to Hong Kong by ferry is also an option if arriving from Macau. Tickets for the one-hour ferry range from $19.70 to $46.09.
Airport to Hong Kong City Center
When visiting Hong Kong, you can fly into Hong Kong International Airport (the world’s fourth busiest airport). The Hong Kong city center is about 25 miles away. How will you get there?
Hong Kong International Airport:
Airport Express **Recommended
Purchase tickets from the Customer Center in the arrivals area for about $13. The Airport Express departs from the Airport Express MTR terminal every 12 minutes and takes about 24 minutes to Hong Kong Station in Hong Kong Central. From there, look for the Airport Express shuttles that will take you to your hotel for free.
Public Bus
Purchase tickets for the A11 Bus at the Ground Transporation Center in the Passenger Terminal Building for about $5. Although the price is cheaper than the Airport Express, the ride to either Hong Kong Central bus stop(Jardine House, City Hall) takes about about 1.5 hours.
Taxi/UBER
Find the Taxi Station near the left-hand ramp in the Arrivals area. Expect to pay about $47 for the 30 minute ride. Uber is slightly less expensive, ranging $38-$46.
Hotel Coach
Purchase door to door hotel coach transfer in Terminal 1(Desk B01) or Terminal 2(C07 and C08), and board at the Coach Station in Terminal 2(about a 5 minute walk from Terminal 1). Tickets are about $18 and travel time varies, depending on the number of deliveries.
Getting around in Hong Kong
Taxi/UBER
Mostly red, but also green or blue, metered taxis are affordable and easy to find throughout Hong Kong. Expect to pay about $3 plus .21 for every 200 meters. UBER is now readily available throughout Hong Kong as well, and is generally slightly cheaper than a taxi.
MTR
Hong Kong’s Mass Transit System (MTR) covers most of the city and is the most widely used form of transportation in Hong Kong. The MTR encompasses most forms of public transportation in Hong Kong, including the train, light rail, bus, minibus, trams and the Star Ferry. If planning on spending some time in Hong Kong, your best bet is to purchase an Octopus discount card, usable for all aspects of the MTR. We found that a quick search on Google Maps is a great way to decide which form of travel works best for a given scenario.
Walk
Walkscore.com gives Hong Kong a score of 100, calling it a “Walker’s Paradise”. We also found this to be true and highly recommended exploring by foot in Hong Kong.
Where To Stay in Hong Kong:
HOTEL
As one of the world’s business hubs, Hong Kong hosts a vast range of hotels, ranging from the ultra high-end Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton for $400 a night to economy-priced Best Western or Panda Hotel for $80 a night. When it comes to hotels, we recommend shopping Agoda.com, far and away the most competitive resource when searching for hotels in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Hotel Deals
HOSTEL
With over 100 options, there’s no shortage of hostels in Hong Kong. Prices generally range from $20-$30 a night(dorm room) to $35-$80 per night(private rooms). Hostelworld is our recommended resource when searching for hostels in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Hostel Deals
AIRBNB
We love Airbnb! From private rooms to entire homes, there are plenty of choices when visiting Hong Kong. If you’re a first-timer with Airbnb, use this coupon and enjoy $35 off of your stay.
NEIGHBORHOODS
Choosing a neighborhood is an important part of trip-planning that should not be overlooked! Here’s some neighborhoods worth considering when deciding where to stay in Hong Kong.
Central(Hong Kong Island)
The central business district, home to several international companies and government buildings.
Causeway Bay(Hong Kong Island)
A popular shopping district with many local boutiques and countless brand-name stores.
Sai Ying Pun(Hong Kong Island)
An older section of Hong Kong and a bit of a hipster’s paradise.
Tsim Sha Tsui(Kowloon peninsula)
A major tourist hub of Hong Kong, with upscale hotels, shopping, and museums.
Mong Kok(Kowloon peninsula)
One of the most densely-populated neighborhoods in the world, Mong Kok is the old-school shopping district of Hong Kong. Streets are often named for the goods that are sold there (i.e. “sneaker street” “ladies market” “flower market” and “goldfish market”)
Hong Koing Travel Tips:
Hong Kong travel tips: Money
The national currency is the Hong Kong dollar, and is currently exchanging at $7.77HKD to $1USD. Credit cards are widely accepted and ATM machines are readily available. There’s even a Bitcoin ATM at the Castle Mall!
Hong Kong travel tips: Tipping
High-end restaurants get 10-15%, if 10% service charge is added leave coin change. Most restaurants do not expect gratuities. Tip tour guides $5-$10USD per person. Taxi drivers don’t expect tips.
Hong Kong travel tips: Visa
Though the Republic of China’s Visa process is notoriously strenuous, entry into Hong Kong is a breeze. US citizens are granted entry for 90 days without a visa.
Hong Kong travel tips: Insurance
Traveling through Hanoi is exciting and safe, but you never know when some good travel insurance could come in handy. World Nomads offers the best coverage in the business, is affordable, and is quick to act should something go wrong. For more info, check out our recent World Nomads blog post.