TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO HONG KONG (AND DON'T FALL IT)

With a history of the most curious and a vibrant and uncertain present, Hong Kong is one of the great hub of Asia, and where it is worth spending a few days if you stop on the way to another destination. Because Hong Kong is a different city, with lots of things to do and where to get bored is just a personal choice. If a stay here comes into your plans, take note of what we are going to tell you next ... here are a few Tips for traveling to Hong Kong (and not screw it up).

1. Citizens with Spanish nationality, from another European country or from most Latin American countries, they don't need a visa to travel to Hong Kong. Upon arrival, they will inspect your passport and will give you a valid stamp to stay 90 days on the island.

2. What is the best time to visit Hong Kong? In general, the weather in Hong Kong is warm and humid, with a rainy season that runs from April to September, and another one dries the rest of the year. Given this, we believe that the best months to travel to Hong Kong are from october to march, in which there is no great probability of rain and the temperature remains quite mild (not cold).

3. Find out about the Hong Kong history [more info], since it is most curious. In short, Hong Kong was a British colony for centuries! Recently in 1997 he returned to have a certain autonomy but beware ... it is an incomplete autonomy: in 2047 he will again be part of all the effects of China (country to which he belonged before falling under British colonialism). Since 1997, Hong Kong is governed by the Chinese motto of “1 country, 2 systems”. The country, obviously, is China. But the Hong Kong system is much more liberal than the one in Beijing and here the problems come… little by little the Chinese government is beginning to get its hands on the basic laws of its neighbor and it is already beginning to be seen that this is a bomb of watchmaking…

… On June 9, 2019, strong protests began, and although now the situation is somewhat calmer (that does not stop), it is clear that the transition is NOT going to be so easy since for the most part, the people of Hong Kong simply does NOT feel part of China.

4. Hong Kong is not really a city, but a Special Administrative Region of China. You could say that it is divided into 3 parts:

• Hong Kong Island, where the financial district is located.
• Kowloon, the busiest continental part.
• New Territories, other islands and more peripheral areas.

www.wikipedia.org

5. The currency in Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD). The change is approximately € 1 = 8.5HKD. To get money you can always change cash at an exchange house in the airport or city (better this second option), although we always recommend taking special cards to get money abroad no commission. We always carry the Bnext and the N26, we talk about them here.

6. If you are concerned about the subject budget keep in mind that Hong Kong can be an extremely expensive city ... but only if you want to have a luxury vacation. For the rest of mortals it is totally possible to visit Hong Kong with a low cost budget. Private rooms with bathroom are around € 25-35, and you can eat quietly for about € 5.

7. After passing the controls,how to get from the airport to Hong Kong? Well, there are several options, we talk about each of them in this post.

8. One of the best tips for traveling to Hong Kong is to get a octopus card: It is a rechargeable card that will serve you to move in public transport (buses, subway, trams, ferries ...) and also to buy in places like 7eleven, Starbucks, Mc Donalds, etc ... It costs 150HKD, of which 50HKD are used as a deposit and the remaining 100HKD will be your initial balance. More info.

You can buy it at any metro station or directly in the airport hall at the Airport Express train counter, and return it at the same sites to recover the deposit (beware, the deposit is 11HKD left).

EYE: Octopus card can only be recharged in cash and a minimum of 50HKD. You can do it at the counters of the subway stations and in practically all the convenience stores that are scattered around the city (7eleven, CircleK ...).

9. There is a Public transportation network very efficient: both light trains and subways, as double-decker buses, trams or ferries that cross from one side of the Bay to the other. Whenever you can, we recommend traveling in bus (between 12 and 30HKD), especially if you can go up to the second floor and sit in the first seats, it will be like riding a tourist bus but paying much less. It is also very typical to take some trolley car (2,60HKD) that runs through the heart of the Central district on Hong Kong Island. And of course, the local ferry which connects Kowloon with Hong Kong Island (2.7-3.7HKD).

Keep in mind that buses, trams and ferries charge a fixed amount regardless of the route you take, and light trains and subways charge depending on the section you make.

10. If you plan to use Uber watch out! They told us that it is usually more expensive than official taxis ... so check and compare the price of one and the other.

11. The best area to stay in Hong Kong it is in the district of Tsim Sha Tsui, south of Kowloon, and when closer to Nathan Road the better. Generally the accommodations in Hong Kong are tiny and if you travel with a backpacking budget, you will almost certainly end up in a mini-room in the Chunking Mansion or similar (we stayed here on our first trip to Hong Kong and it was not something so traumatic, really). On our second trip we caught an apartment on Airbnb. Here you can find cheap accommodation in Hong Kong.

12. If you travel to Hong Kong during certain parties and celebrations, make sure you book hotels and activities in advance. The most chaotic dates are:

• Chinese New Year (end of January / February)
• Spring Festival (end of February)
• Workers' Party (beginning of May)
• National Day (first week of October)
• And, obviously, Christmas

13. Are you one of those who enjoy eating? Then Hong Kong will seem like a gastronomic paradise! In this post we recommend a few restaurants to eat in Hong Kong well and cheaply. It is also a good opportunity to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant without having to mortgage you! It is one of the cheapest in the world ... We talked about Tim Ho Wan which has two stores, one of them is located on the ground floor of the Hong Kong Station (in the Central neighborhood).

14. It is also the shopping paradise, both in luxury shopping centers as in markets (there is a lot!). In the markets remember bargain: It's common and normal throughout Asia, so don't cut yourself (even if you have common sense).

15. One of the experiences that living in Hong Kong yes or yes is climb to Victoria Peak and freak out with the views of the city. The problem is that, almost always, there are long lines to climb the funicular. A good idea is to purchase your ticket online and skip the line. The truth is that it is worth it, especially if you go with just time. You can buy it here.

16. Another place you have to climb is at Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, the longest covered escalator system in the world, with more than 800 meters in total (it is not a single section, but several separated by landings). But keep in mind that they are one-way stairs and interestingly they go down from 6 to 10 in the morning and up from 10 in the morning to 12 at night.

17. Is it worth doing a cruise to watch the night show “Symphony of Lights”? If your budget allows it, why not? But if you walk with little money or prefer to save a few dollars, you have to know that you can watch the show for free. They do it every night at 20:00 and it lasts about 10 minutes. The best place to witness it is about theKowloon Public Pier, where there are benches to sit on.

18. The weather in Hong Kong can be very changing so it is not a bad idea to bring a small umbrella or a raincoat Emergency in the backpack. We were very lucky since we visited it in April in good weather (although some warmth) and in January, also in good weather (and pleasant temperature, around 15-20 degrees).

19. About the languageIn Hong Kong you will have no problem communicating with the locals: the English It is the most spoken language, along with the cantons.

20. There are many open Wifi networks, so it is not essential buy a sim card to have internet on mobile. But if you want to go covered, you can buy the card offered by Holafly (here with discount) or buy one directly there. There is a “Discover HK Tourist SIM Card” (5-day package for 88HKD or 8-day package for 118HKD) that can be purchased at the airport or at any convenience store in the city (7eleven, CircleK…). Another option is to apply online at the Klook website and pick it up at the airport.

21. Of course do not go on a trip without hiring a sure to cover you if necessary (we touch wood). Really, health is not played and this is an expense that you can not stop doing. Here you have a 5% discount on Iati, which is the insurance with which we travel and that was great for us the times we used it.

22. There are three excursions which seem essential if you have several days of time in the city:

• You could spend half a day visiting the Giant Buddha Tian Tan, with cable car included
• If you want to discover a strange and different place ... go to Macao. There are ferries that take you to this curious island with a Portuguese past (and present “Las Vegas”). Here we tell you everything to do in Macau in one day.
• Another highly recommended visit, especially if you are traveling with children, is going to spend one day to Disneyland Hong Kong. This was our experience (coming soon).

Although at first glance Hong Kong may seem like a destination without too attractive and soulless, we promise that you can take advantage of it a few days here. And to help you here we have told you our tips for traveling to Hong Kong (and not screw it up). If you have any you want to share, leave us your comment!