Hong Kong, on the contrary to a popular belief, is more than just a city with hundreds of towering skyscrapers. In fact, it is a country which is made up of more than 200 islands, country parks, hiking trails, waterfalls and beaches; all of them located at a short distance from the CBD.
The country offers plenty of incredible things to do for the first time visitors and also lists out offbeat things to do in Hong Kong that probably can`t be found in other popular guidebooks. From quick tips to have cheap holidays to helpful hacks here is a quick refresher on basic Hong Kong tips:
- While the local currency is the Hong Kong dollar, most of the places accept Visa or MasterCard. More than 50% places also accept American Express. The country is equipped with plenty of ATM withdrawal machines, thus if you are using international card or your card has the ‘plus’ or ‘Cirrus’ logo on the back, you can easily withdraw the cash.
- As many people believe, Hong Kong on the other hand Hong Kong is not a year-round tropical country. The country gets four seasons, with summers being extremely hot and winters super cold during the winter months (Dec-Feb). So the best window to visit this beautiful country is from March to early June, and September to November. For the beach bums, visit the country from May to October when the weather will still be warm.
- If you are fluent in English, you are unlikely to face any problem while communicating in Hong Kong as most of the people are speak English and almost all the signs are bilingual. Although the main language in Hong Kong is Cantonese, which is a local dialect.
- Navigating through the roads of Hong Kong is extremely simple and easy, thanks to its efficient public transportation system. Cheap, clean and extensive, the transport network of Hong Kong offers easy services. Taxis are cheap and available for commuting, although you may face little difficulties during 4-5 PM when driver change shifts.
- First things first! Upon your arrival in Hong Kong, getting an Octopus card is the first thing everyone must do. The Octopus card is a stored value card that works on all public transportation except for private taxis and boats. The Octopus card is available at any MTR station`s information center and will definitely make your holidays cheaper.
- If you are confused about how to get to the CBD from the airport, take Airport Express train that will take you to CBD in just 24 minutes. If you want 30% off your Airport Express Ticket, get your ticket in advance online.
- If you are clueless about the hotels and apartment, check into the hotels located in Central, Soho, Sheung Wan, Wan Chai, and Causeway Bay as these neighborhoods offer easy access to public transportation and also there are plenty of chic restaurant options nearby.
Keeping these few things in mind, you can rest assured that Hong Kong will treat you right. Expect for a memorable time with in this country which is made from islands. You can easily get discounted flights tickets by using SmartFlyer. Smart Flyer will give you the cheapest flight options by comparing thousands of travel sites and airlines.
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