Some Helpful Information
Planning a trip to Hong Kong requires a bit of time, but certainly doesn't need to be difficult. One of your main considerations will be how you intend to travel there. You can take a direct flight to Hong Kong International Airport from one of many cities. If you prefer, you can also fly into mainland China, and reach Hong Kong by plane, ferry or train. Regardless of which way you choose, you'll be able to find transportation easily if you're not using a rental car.
If you arrive to Hong Kong International Airport, then there are several ways to reach the city center. First of all, Airport Express. It's the most convenient way to reach the city (time-money). A journey to Central takes 24 minutes and costs HK$100. Another way is hiring a taxi. A journey to Central costs aproximately HK$300-350. The cheapest way to get to Hong Kong City is a bus. The fare depends on the distance traveled and vary from HK$14 to HK$48.
One of the most important parts of planning your trip is being familiar with immigration and customs rules. You must have a valid passport. The expiration date needs to be at least six months past the last date of your expected stay. A visa isn't usually required unless you'll be going to mainland China while you're on your trip. Depending on where you're from, your trip can last anywhere from seven to 180 days. On our article "Do I need a visa to visit Hong Kong?" you may find all information about countries and their visa free periods. Frequent visitors can take advantage of self-service immigration clearance. Make sure you know what items are and aren't allowed before your trip. You don't want to have any needless delays at the airport.
Other important things that it's desirable to know are weather, currency and probably useful numbers. When you know what to expect from Hong Kong weather, you'll completely enjoy your trip and be able to shoot as many photos as you wish. Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with hot and humid summer from May to September, and cool and dry winter. Spring and autumn are generally the best times to visit the city.
Hong Kong Dollar (HKD or HK$) is the official currency. It is pegged to the US Dollar at HK$ 7.8 to US$1. Use our currency converter to do currency exchange from any currency to HKD.
Hong Kong country code is +852. When you are in Hong Kong, dial 999 for emergency line (police, fire or ambulance). This is the Hong Kong analogue of 911. It's also useful to know the phone number of your consulate or embassy.
It's a good idea to find out what attractions you'll most want to see before your trip. If you are planning to visit Hong Kong for the first time, then here is the top attractions. Victoria Peak. It's one of the highest peaks in Hong Kong, entailing an altitude of about 550 meters. The Peak offers one of the most spectacular views in the world with 360-degree panoramic view of Hong Kong Island. In addition to this, visitors can take a ride to the Peak by the Peak Tram or visit Museum of wax figures of Madame Tussauds. Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland are nice places for your children. Ocean Park is also good if you travel without kids.
Another excellent place is Avenue of Stars. It offers amazing views of Victoria Harbour as well as handprints of celebrities, sculptures and the full-sized statue of Bruce Lee. Every day at 8:00pm tourists and residents come there to watch a show named "A Symphony of Lights". Also, you can take a nice sightseeing tour on Star Ferry that is located nearby.
For those who want to plunge into the culture and history, there are a wide variety of themed museums. The majority are in Kowloon. Hong Kong is not only skyscrapers. The most part of Hong Kong SAR is country parks and nature reserves. Some of them are situated in mountains and ridges, thereby giving you a chance to view different parts of Hong Kong.
Planning your trip is a lot more fun when you know how to get to the sights that you want to see. Public transport of Hong Kong is able to satisfy all the needs of tourists. Hong Kong offers several types of transportation that you can use to get to the various attractions. The MTR provides fast rail service to most areas and probably 80% of your rides in Hong Kong will be on MTR. Trams, including the peak tram, are popular on Hong Kong Island. Several places are also accessible by ferry. You can also easily take a bus or taxi to most places. An Octopus Card allows you to easily use any type of public transit inexpensively.
It can also be very helpful to decide where to stay before you go on your trip. When you're planning a trip to Hong Kong, you'll find that there are many great places to stay in. On our page Hong Kong Hotels you'll find a great selection of hotels ranging from 2 to 5 stars. The hotels include every price range from luxury to budget. If you like, you can stay at one of several fine luxury hotels. For example, the Peninsula Hong Kong, Four Seasons Hotel, Island Shangri-La Hotel. For a quieter experience, you can try a furnished guesthouse. The majority of hotels are close to popular attractions. Travelers who are on a budget can take advantage of the economical youth hostels that are available.
We hope our article was useful, and your trip to Hong Kong would be great. In addition, we would like to mention that on our map you can see all the hotels and attractions of this wonderful city.