Hong Kong, SAR Of China (Part 1 of 6)

After blogging about the recent trip to Macau in Aug 2012, thought that I should also write up something about my trip to Hong Kong in May 2010. Hope that the sharing and the pictures will provide some ideas to those who plan to visit both Hong Kong and Macau at the same time.

Hong Kong consists of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and over 200 offshore islands, of which the largest is Lantau Island.

Language

Cantonese is spoken by 88 per cent of people in Hong Kong. Mandarin has become more widely spoken in Hong Kong since the reunification in 1997. English is the language of preference in the government, business and tourism sectors. All official signs and public transport announcements, as well as most menus, are bilingual.

Currency

The legal tender in Hong Kong is the Hong Kong dollar (HKD). There are banknotes and coins in the following denominations:

Coins: 10, 20 and 50 cents; 1, 2, 5 and 10 HKD.

Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 HKD.

Climate

Hong Kong has a sub-tropical climate with distinct seasons (Spring from Mar to May, Summer from June to Aug, Autumn from Sep to Nov, Winter from Dec to Feb). Typhoon season begins in May and ends in November. When a typhoon is approaching, warnings are broadcast on television and radio. There are various degrees of warning signals issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, but when the no. 8 signal is in place, most businesses and shops close down and flights may be cancelled. There is a separate warning system for heavy rain.

Electricity

Electricity in Hong Kong is at 220V, 50Hz. The power plugs used in Hong Kong are of the three-pin, square-shaped or round-shaped type.

Safety and Security

In emergency situations, you can contact the local police, ambulance service, fire department and other emergency services by calling 999.

If you lose your passport, make a 'lost report' at the nearest police station. Then contact Singapore Consulate (Address: Unit 901, 9th Floor, Admiralty Centre Tower, 18 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong | Operating Hours: 9am-12.30pm and 2pm-5.30pm from Mon to Fri) to have passport replace at +001(852)25272212 or 001(852)94661251. If your wallet or valuables are lost or stolen, please notify your hotel immediately and report the theft to police. Keep a separate record of your credit card numbers and report the loss to your card issuers as quickly as possible.

Internet Facilities

Free Wi-Fi services are available in Hong Kong at government buildings, Hong Kong International Airport, MTR iCentres an PCCW Wi-Fi hotspots.

Getting to Hong Kong

By Sea

Visitors coming by cruise vessels will be arriving at Harbour Control at Ocean Terminal which is the sole cruise terminal in Hong Kong at present. A new world class cruise terminal will be built at the former Kai Tak Runway and is expected to be completed in 2013.

Visitors coming from Macau or China, they will be landing at sea control points China Ferry Terminal at Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal at Sheung Wan, Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal at Tuen Mun.

By Land

Visitors coming from China via train or bus will be arriving at the following points:

• Hunghom Control Point - Travelers taking through train from various cities of China will arrive at Hunghom which can be accessed by MTR East Rail Line, bus, minibus, taxi, coach and private vehicles
• Lok Ma Chau Control Point - This is accessed by bus and private vehicle and is the only border control point which offers 24-hour immigration services.
• Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point - This crossing can be accessed by the MTR East Rail Line, by bus/minibuses or by taxi
• Lo Wu Control Point - This can only be accessed by the MTR East Rail Line
• Man Kam To Control Point - This crossing is mostly used by private vehicles and cross-boundary buses.
• Sha Tau Kok Control Point - This can be accessed by taking the cross-boundary coach
• Shenzhen Bay Control Point - This can be accessed by private vehicles and cross-boundary buses.

By Air

If you arrive in the city by plane, from Hong Kong International Airport you’ll have direct access to train, bus, taxi and hotel transport to get you to and around town, as well as shuttle buses and high-speed ferries to transport you to Mainland China.

All passengers aged 12 and above departing Hong Kong International Airport must pay a $120 Air Passenger Departure Tax (normally included in the price of the airline ticket). This is waived for passengers who arrive and depart the same day. There is also a security charge of $33 (normally included in the price of the airline ticket) to maintain the standards of safety, security and passenger services currently required at international airports.

Local Transportation

Train

The MTR’s high-speed Airport Express train is the fastest transport link to the airport and takes approximately 24 minutes to reach Hong Kong Island. Airport Express passengers can catch a free shuttle bus from Kowloon and Hong Kong stations to major hotels. Both these stations also provide free in-town check-in services for major airlines when you’re returning to the airport. Please contact your airline for further information.

Coach and Limousine Charter

Passengers who require their own personal limousines, minivans, vans and group coaches (buses) can book their transport from service providers located in the Arrivals Hall of Terminal 1 or in the coach station located in Terminal 2.

Tram

Take a step back in time and explore the bustling north corridor of Hong Kong Island aboard one of the city's historic trams. Grab a seat next to a window on the upper deck for the best views. Neighbourhoods you might pass through on your journey include some of Hong Kong's most colourful, such as Western district, Wan Chai, Happy Valley, Causeway Bay and North Point. Trams run daily from early morning until midnight. No matter how far you travel, each tram ride costs a flat fare of $2.30 and exact change is required if you are paying by cash. All trams accept Octopus cards. You need to get on the tram at the back and then pay the exact fare at the front when you’re getting off.

Bus and Minibus

There are 12 convenient Airbus ‘A’ routes that can take you from the airport to key locations on Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and in the New Territories (including Lantau Island) with fewer stops than an ordinary city bus. When you exit the Arrivals Hall, turn right to find Airbuses and city buses.

Kowloon Motor Bus, New World First Bus and Citybus operate routes that cover Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. New Lantao Bus mainly operates on Lantau Island and Long Win Bus provides services to north Lantau Island and the airport. Final destinations are prominently displayed in English and Chinese on the front of each bus.

Minibuses are small buses that carry approximately 16 people. Green minibuses operate along specific routes at fixed prices. Exact change is required if paying by cash and they all accept Octopus cards. Red minibuses operate along routes that are not always fixed and passengers can get on and off anywhere along the route, except where special prohibitions apply. You pay as you alight when travelling on a red minibus and the driver can usually provide change for small notes.