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About Hong Kong
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About Hong Kong
HONG
KONG
Hong
Kong, population 6.9
million, is a city of energy! It is international -- a city of East and
West blending together. However, do not be mistaken, Hong
Kong is truly a Chinese city with ninety six percent of the
population ethnic Chinese, two percent Filipino, Indonesian, Indians,
Pakistanis and Nepalese, and the other two percent is everyone else.
Hong
Kong¡¯s official languages
are English and Chinese. Cantonese is most commonly spoken; however, Mandarin
(known as Putonghua in Hong Kong), the official language of China, is also widely spoken.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board
(HKTB) is fantastic. There is a wealth of free, excellent information
for travelers. You may visit HKTB¡¯s homepage at http://www.discoverhongkong.com/
. One of your first stops at the Hong
Kong International
Airport (www.hkairport.com)
should be the tourist information center (open from 7:00 to 23:00). The main
HKTA office is located in the Central District at 99 Queen's Road Central ¨C
about a 10-minute walk west of Star Ferry pier and Central
MTS station. In Hong Kong,
you may call the HKTB Visitor Hotline (852 - 2508 1234).
TRAVEL
Entry Requirements
A valid passport is the
only document most attendees will need to enter Hong
Kong. Keep your passport in a inconspicuous, safe place, and
carry your passport with you. If you lose your passport, immediately contact
the nearest embassy or consulate and the local police. If you plan for a trip
to mainland China,
you¡¯ll need a visa. Visa's can be obtained in Hong Kong
¨C (one photo and 3 working days). Travel Service issues China visas for HK$150 or HK$300
to process within 24 hours. Citizens of most countries may visit Macau without a visa.
Air
Hong Kong International
Airport is one of the largest and most modern in the
world. There are more than 40 airlines from around the world that fly
into the airport at Chek Lap Kok.
HKIA, referred to as Chek Lap Kok,
is well marked and employs a very helpful staff. Carriers to Hong Kong
include: Asiana, British Airways, Canadian,
Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, Continental,
Japan Airlines, Korean
Air, Northwest Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Singapore
Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic
Check-in & Boarding
You will need to check in
at least two hours before departing from Hong Kong International
Airport at Chek Lap Kok (www.hkairport.com). If
you plan on taking the train to the airport, you may check your luggage at
the Airport Express Railway Hong Kong Station or Kowloon Station. For this
wonderful, time-saving service, you will need to check in at least three
hours in advance. The Airport Express is convenient in-town check-in. You may
check your luggage, and get your boarding pass whilst still downtown. Check
in as early as possible and bring your government-issued photo I.D. to the
airport -- your passport is best. Some people check in early in the day
and board the train later on.
Please remember to retain
your Hong Kong entry slip that you receive
from the customs official at the passport control. You will need to
return this slip of paper when you present your passport on your return
flight home.
CLIMATE
Hong
Kong is a subtropical
location. Weather in January is cloudy, with occasional cold fronts
followed by dry northerly winds. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop
below 10 C in urban areas. The lowest temperature recorded at the Observatory
is 0 C, although sub-zero temperatures and frost occur at times on high
ground and in the New
Territories. You want
to make sure that you have a clear day to visit Victoria Peak!
(www.weather.gov.hk)
CURRENCY
The Hong
Kong dollar (HK$) and the cent are the units of currency. The
dollar is divided into 100 cents. Bills come in denominations of 1,000, 500,
100, 50, 20, and 10 dollars. Coins are 10, 5, 2, and 1 dollar and 50,
20, and 10 cents. Bank notes are issued by the Hong Kong
and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Bank of China, or the Standard
Chartered Bank.
Credit cards taken are
usually American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa.
There are many automatic
teller machines throughout Hong Kong, and
they are reliable and safe. They offer a wide range of services. To
draw money from a Hong Kong ATM with either a credit or a debit card, you
must have a four-digit personal identification number ¨C be sure you have that
before traveling to Hong Kong.
Exchange places charge a fee (inquire as to the amount) for changing money
and cashing traveler's cheques.
You
can exchange currency at the airport, hotels, banks, and with private money
changers. However, banks will probably provide you with the best rates. (You
may want to get a bit of local currency before you leave your home to avoid
lines at airport exchange booths.)
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