Hong-Kong

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Traveling in Hong Kong

Entry requirements

Passport and visa service: To obtain further information on the entry conditions and visas, visit the website of the Immigration Department of the government Hong Kong SAR.
Diplomatic representations: List of Hong Kong foreign representations.

Organizing your trip

Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation: The best mode of transfort for moving in Hong Kong is a taxi for short distances. Taxis are present everywhere in the most frequented blocks and a trip is relatively less expensive. Number of drivers understand English. Nevertheless it is wise to equip yourself with the address of your destination in Chinese characters. Consult the website Hong Kong tourism Board for further precautions.
Maps of urban networks: Mapblast
On line UT Library
Metro Plan

Transportation from Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car rental
Hong Kong - Chek Lap Kok (HKG)	34 km / 21 miles	HKD 340 / 30-60 min	HKD 48 / 70-110 min	HKD 100 / 23 min	Available

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation: Excellent. Trains are punctual and well maintained (mainly the commuter trains towards the New Territories and a line towards Guangzhou and China). The interior lines linking Hong Kong with the rest of China are underdeveloped and have the character of international connections as per the formal plans to be accomplished. The rechargeable Octopus payment card (Bat Dat Toong in Cantonese) is usable in all the public transports of Hong Kong, except for taxis. Moreover, many small shops, accept it as a method of payment. It can be bought and recharges at the counters of the MTR stations. There are Octopus cards for tourists also which include the trip from the airport and an unlimited number of trips on the MTR lines. To buy train tickets, visit the website de MTR Light Rail or the website
Rail companies: KCRC
MTR Light Rail

Airlines

Name	Type	Domestic flights	International flights
Hong Kong Express Airways Limited	Low cost	Yes	Yes
Cathay Pacific	Major	Yes	Yes
Dragon Air	Major	Yes	Yes
Oasis Airlines	Low cost	No	Yes

You can consult the list of airlines banned within the EU. Look also the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation: Driving is on the left. The network is of good quality and is well maintained even if the signalling often leaves a lot to be desired. All the sign boards are in English. Fuel supply is comfortable.
Road maps: Maporama
Find an itinerary: Maps live
Maporama
Vectormap
Tripadvisor

Visiting

Different forms of tourism

Historical: -The City hall.
Cultural: The Cantonese Opera is one of the major Chinese opera categories originating from the Cantonese culture of Southern China. The Art bears a national identity which came with the first wave of immigrants from Shanghai in the 1950s theaters.Sunbeam is one of the most traditional places.
Several festivals and exhibitions take place during the year. There is a very large variety of museums which explore different themes. The most popular is the Hong Kong History Museum which provides an excellent glimpse of the fascinating history of Hong Kong.
Nature: Hong Kong is not just made up of ‘skyscrapers’, it is interesting to go to the countryside (more than 70% of Hong Kong), including the marine parks .
Listen to try pleasing ballads at the Victoria peak, thehighest point of Hong-Kong, go to the Lantau and Lamma islands and in the New Territories (Saikung peninsula).
Religious: Buddhism and Taoism have a very high number of followers and there are more than 600 temples in Hong Kong.
Beach: Hong Kong has a long coastline abundant with beaches. A good number of among them are covered by mountains, since Hong Kong is a mountainous place. As a result, waves are quite small. Consult the list of beaches on Leisure and Culture Service Department .
Outdoor activities: Rambling, Diving, Hiking, Mountain Bike, Bowling greens, Golf. Website of the Leisure and Culture Service Department presents different outdoor activities.
Shopping: Hong Kong is identified by its materialistic culture and high level of consumerism. Low range to more luxurious stores are the privileged places for shopping, for example Mongkok, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Causeway Bay.

Top highlights of the capital city
Victoria Peak
Western Market
Ocean Park
Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple
Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre
Stanley Market
Aberdeen
Hong Kong Heritage Museum
Nathan Road
Statue Square

Top highlights of the country
Lantau Island
Repulse Bay
Wetland Park
Tsing Ma suspension bridge
Sai Kung
Castle Peak / Ching Chung Koon
Lamma Island
Big Wave Bay
The Monastery of 1000 Buddhas (Sha Tin)

Tourism organizations: Hong Kong Tourism Board

Living conditions

Health and safety

Health precautions: No requirement pertaining to vaccination for international travellers. There is no risk of malaria anticipated in the urban areas and most of the rural areas. Vaccination against Prophylaxy is recommended.
International hospitals: Mathilda International Hospital is the only international hospital in Hong-Kong.
See the list of hospitals in HK on the websiteWikipedia and Department of Health.
For further information on sanitary conditions: Hong Kong Department of Health
For further information on safety conditions: Travel advisories given by the American Department of State

Emergency numbers

Police

999

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference: It is %T:%M %A in Hong Kong (GMT +8)
Summer time period: +1

Map of the time zone

Fuseau(x) horaire

Type of climate: Hot and very humid in summers, mild and humid in winters.
For further information: Lonely Planet

Average annual temperatures and rainfall

Climate

Eating

Food specialties: Hong Kong's cuisine is Chinese, with some specialities.
The hundred year eggs : a popular dish found in Hong Kong's cuisine. The eggs age for two or more months, in a mixture of lime-rich mud, tea, ash and sodium bicarbonate. Their meat become translucent, bluish-green in colour. They are often included in hors-d'oeuvres (appetizers).
Spring rolls : small flatbreads stuffed with rice. The stuffing depends on the available ingredients, preferences of the cook, etc. In total, you can have what you want, from simple to complex.
Spareribs in black bean sauce: a very tasty pork dish .
Drinks: A wide choice of drinks is usually available, nearly always including yuenyeung, a popular preparation of tea and coffee (), cocoa with lemon-coated ginger. THe orders are usually given on a notepad at your table and you pay in cash at the time of leaving.
Dietary restrictions: There are no food restrictions in the country.

Paying

Domestic currency: Hong Kong Dollar
ISO Code: HKD
To obtain domestic currency: The most practical way is to withdraw cash from one of the numerous ATMs. It is preferable to exchange currency in authorised exchange bureaus such as Chequepoint and to avoid cash exchange in exchange bureaus situated in the Airport as well hotels.
Possible means of payment: Octopus, EPS, Visa, Cash.

Speaking

Official language: The official languages of Hong Kong are English and Cantonese.
Other languages spoken: Chinese Mandarin is getting more and more importance.
Business language: English is the most widely used language within the Hong Kong government, legal system and commercial sectors.
Free translation tools: Babel Fish Translation - Translation of texts and Web pages

Useful resources

To find an accommodation: HK Hotel Association
Youth Hostels in Hong-Kong
Licensed Guesthouses
To find an apartment: Hongkonghomes

Moveandstay
To find a job: Best Jobs Hong Kong
Hong Kong Jobs
Monster HK

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