10 Must-Know Travelers Tips to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an international city, and people come from all over the world to visit it every day of the year. Statistics from the Hong Kong government show that 10.8 million international tourists visited Hong Kong in 2005. This is a 13.1% increase from 2004. Hong Kong gets a lot of tourists from places like Australia, Canada, France, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This article gives you some important travel tips so you can enjoy your trip to Hong Kong more and have a great time there.

1. Knowing who you are and staying safe
During their time in Hong Kong, tourists must have a valid form of identification with them, like a passport. Based on the low crime rate, Hong Kong is a very safe city. But because Hong Kong is so crowded, it's not a good idea to bring a lot of cash with you when you go out, since most shops accept credit cards. Things that are valuable should be put in the hotel safe. When you had a problem, you could easily find a police officer on the street.

2. Fees for services
Except for fast food places, most restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill. So, you might decide to give the service tips from the extra money you get back. There are no rules about how much to tip a taxi driver or a bellboy at a hotel. You can give a tip whenever you think the service is worth it.

3. Service for phones
All local phone calls are free, but the public phone costs HK$1 for every 5 minutes you use it. You can call 999 for free, even from a public phone, if you need help. For long-distance calls, you could use an IDD phone card, a credit card, or just go through the operator at any public phone counter.

4. Drinking Water
Hong Kong's water meets the standards set by the World Health Organization. But if you think it's important, you can also buy the bottle water at the grocery store.

5.Taxi: All taxis only take cash, and if you ask for an invoice, they will print one out. It's easier to get a taxi at the taxi stand or in front of the hotel. Many of the taxi drivers could speak English well enough to get by. It is recommended that you write down your destination (in English) on paper to avoid confusion. The taxi fares are based on the meter, which costs HK$15 for the first 2 km and HK$1.4 for each additional 0.2 km. Also, depending on which tunnel you have to take, you have to pay between HK$3 and HK$45. On the inside of the doors, you can see the price list, so you can check it before you pay. If you have a problem or lose something, you can write down the taxi driver's name and license plate number, which is clearly displayed on the front seat stand. If you need to, you can call the police hotline at 2527 7177.

6. Mass Transportation Railroad (MTR)
There are 6 MTR routes in Hong Kong, which cover most of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories.
Tsuen Wan to Central Kwun Tong: Tsuen Wan to Yau Mat Tei to Tiu Keng Leng Tseung Kwan O to North Point to Po Lam Sheung Wan to Chai Wan: Main Route
Tung Chung Tung Chung to Hong Kong Airport; Hong Kong Airport to Tung Chung; Airport to Hong Kong
Most tourists don't rent a car while they are in Hong Kong because the MTR is so easy to use and the city is small. Also, tourists shouldn't drive in the city because the roads are hard to understand and there is a lot of traffic. If you need to rent a car, you can talk to your hotel about it. Be sure to have your passport and driver's license ready.

7. The Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR)
The New Territories and the city of Kowloon are connected by the KCR, which is the most important railway. It goes from Tsim Sha Tsui East to Lo Wu. The whole trip takes about 40 minutes. Lo Wo is the last station you can go through to get into China if you have a valid visa. Every 3 to 10 minutes, the train will leave. The first train will leave at 5:35 a.m., and the last train will leave at 12:20 p.m. From Hung Hom to Sheung Shui, the regular fare is HK$18 and the first-class fare is HK$36.


8. Tram
The tram service began in 1904, making it the oldest form of public transportation in Hong Kong. It only goes to Hong Kong Island, with one route going to Happy Valley and another going from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan. The first tram starts at 6:00 a.m. and runs until 1:00 p.m. The fare is HK$2 for adults and HK$1 for children under 12 years old. It's the cheapest way to get around Hong Kong, and you should definitely take a ride on the upper stairs so you can see all of Hong Kong's street scenes.

9. Star Ferry
The views of Hong Kong Harbor, especially at night, are known all over the world. Also, at 8 p.m. every night, the commercial buildings on Hong Kong Island put on a spectacular light show that you should not miss. The Star Ferry has been taking people across the harbor for more than a century, and each ride costs less than HK$3. Around 8 p.m., you could take the Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui. On the ferry, you could look at the harbor, and at the Starlight Road of Tsim Sha Tsui, you could watch the light show.

10. The airport in Hong Kong, China
Taking the MTR, which takes about 23 minutes from Central, is the easiest way to get to Hong Kong International Airport. It goes through Kowloon, Olympic, and Tsing Yi stations, and the train leaves every ten minutes. With the MTR, you would never be stuck in traffic and miss your flight. In addition to the MTR, you could also take the Airport Bus, which runs from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. It has major hotels in most of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon.

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