HONG KONG: USEFUL INFORMATION

Getting There – The approximate flight times from Australia to Hong Kong are:
  Hours from, Sydney 11.00 Melbourne 11.30 Brisbane 10.30
    Adelaide 9.30 Perth 8.00 Darwin 5.30
Passport & Visas   Climate
  Travelers to Hong Kong must have a valid passport for entry which must be valid for at least one month beyond the anticipated duration of stay. (Some nationalities may require six months) Nationals of most countries are allowed to stay for periods varying between one week to six months without visa. Travelers should check with their travel agents. If intending to travel into mainland China from Hong Kong you will require a visa which may be obtained in Hong Kong within 3 working days and will require one passport photograph.     Hong Kong has a sub tropical climate and is in a Typhoon zone. Throughout the Summer (March to May) the weather is hot and humid with average temperatures around 33 Celsius. Autumn (May to September) is generally fine with temperatures averaging 23 Celsius. During Winter (September to February) the temperature can drop to 10 Celsius before returning to a pleasant 23 Celsius average in Spring. (March to May) Occasionally Hong Kong may be affected by very high winds and torrential rain associated with passing Typhoons. The authorities and the people are very well organised in this regard and disruption to daily life is minimal.
     
     
     
     
Airport Tax   What to Wear
  Australian authorities make a Passenger Movement Charge from Australia and a Noise Levy Tax for arrivals into Sydney. A Security Tax and departure Tax is also levied by the Hong Kong authorities. All of these charges should be paid prior to departure and marked on your airline ticket.     Generally light weight natural fabrics are fine but woolens or light jackets will be needed in Winter. Hong Kong residents tend to be fairly fashion conscious in the workplace and neat casual at play. (Hong Kong is after all, famous for its tailors)
     
     
Customs   Local Cuisine
  Most common items like clothing, perfume and electrical goods are duty free. Visitors may import into Hong Kong one litre of wine or spirits, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco.     Hong Kong is famous for food and Hong Kong chefs have a reputation for being able to cook any cuisine. Hotels and restaurants cater for just about any cuisine one can think of to international standards. Street vendors and local eating establishments offer many tempting dishes drawn from all over Asia
     
     
Currency and Banking    
  The Hong Kong dollar is the unit of currency and is based on the decimal system. (100 cents to One dollar) There are three different types of bank note issued in Hong Kong but eadch has the same value, which is ied to the US dollar at, generally HK $7.8 to US $1.   Tipping
      The majority of hotels and restaurants include a 10% service charge which will be shown on the bill. Additional tipping is not compulsory but if you do wish to give more than the service charge, a further 5% to 10% is always safe.
     
  Banking and office hours are:    
  Monday to Friday 9.00am to 4.30pm for banks and 5.00pm for offices.
Saturday 9.00am to 12.30pm and 1.00pm for offices		   Shopping
      Shopping complexes, supermarkets and department stores offer air-conditioned comfort and an assurance of guaranteed trading practices at fixed prices. If you want fun and great bargains however, don’t overlook the many smaller traders and street markets.
Credit Cards and Travellers Cheques    
  It is always safest to take traveler's cheques with you when on holidays. Major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, retail places and business establishments. Street exchanges may offer better rates but may have hidden charges. It is always advisable to change money only at authorised establishments in any country. Most establishments will levy additional charges for purchases made with credit cards.    
    Language
      Most of the Hong Kong residents are quite comfortable speaking English, particularly those working in tourist and service industries. There are two local English language newspapers and several TV and cable TV stations in English. Of the local languages, Cantonese is spoken most.
     
     
Travel Insurance   Health
  Travel insurance is highly recommended especially when you're travelling to destinations quite foreign to other places you've ever been to. The unexpected always happens when you least expect it and where you least expect it!     It is important that before travelling you seek medical advice from your doctor regarding information pertinent to your personal health, e.g. vaccinations and the availability of any special medical care you may need. (Most Asian countries have strict laws concerning drugs. Make sure that any drugs you may need to carry are permitted within Hong Kong)
     
     
Electricity    
 

Please check that your appliances will operate at the applicable voltage before using.
The standard is 220/250 Volts, 50 cycles AC. Most hotels can provide plug adaptors.

      
       
         
 
The Hong Kong Tourist Association has an excellent information site at: www.hkta.org
         
* Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, it is provided for your guidance only and Asian Holidays cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions.*