Hong Kong - fascinating Metropolis
Hotel recommendations : The Luxury Hotels and Resorts of Hong Kong Hong Kong climate :Hong Kong enjoys a sub-tropical climate, experiencing hot and humid summers along with cooler winters. Rain falls in moderation but showers become heavier in the summer. Typhoons are rare but not impossible, these typhoons are accompanied by gale force winds. Winter tends to be quite sunny and dry. Daily temperatures average between 14 degrees in January and 29 degrees in July. Clothing: In the summer it is advisable to bring tropical or lightweight easy-to-wash clothing. Warm mediumweights are best best during winters. A light raincoat during rainy season. •Climate Table: Hong Kong alt 33m
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
TEMP MAX C
MIN C
RAIN MM
HUMIDITY AM
% PM
Hong Kong : Medical and health care All the visitors are recommended to take there medical insurance, as charges are made for all services & treatment. Most hotels have a medical clinic, with registered nurses. Qualified doctors are on duty at specified hours, and on call 24 hours for emergency treatment. There are also many government and private hospitals with 24-hour emergency and out-patient departments. Hong Kong's medical facilities are among the finest in the world, and many of the territory's registered doctors and dentists have trained or undergone post-graduate training overseas. Pharmacists, too, are registered; their dispensing hours are usually 09:00h to 18:00h or 20:00h. All hotels have lists of recommended medical services; alternatively, check the "chemists - dispensing". The government-run water supply, which more than satisfies the United Nations World Health Organisation standards, is fit for drinking. Care is only necessary in some rural and and island areas where water is still drawn from wells. Bottled water is widely available in hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and soft-drinks stores. Hong Kong - Chek Lap Kok International Airport Time : GMT plus 0800 Position of airport : 34kms / 21mls NW of Hong Kong Island Enquiries phone number: Airport tax : included in the ticket price General check-in time: 90 min •Surface transportation
- by Bus
Airbus route "A 11" to/from Causeway Bay (Central Station)
Operating hours: 0600-2400h
Frequency: every 12 mins
Journey time: 70 mins
Cost: HKD ~ 40.00
Airbus route "A 21" to/from Kowloon station
Operating hours: 0600-2400
Frequency: every 10 mins
Journey time: 65 mins
Cost: HKD ~ 33.00
Airbus route "E 11" to/from Causeway Bay (Central station)
Operating hours: 0540-2400
Frequency: every 15-20 mins
Journey time: 80 mins
Cost: HKD ~ 21.00
Coach bus service is also available
from airport to other cities.
- by Taxi
All types of taxis
(urban, New Territories and Lantau) serve the airport.
Cost: HKD ~ 335.00 to/from Causeway Bay
HKD ~ 350.00 to/from city centre
HKD ~ 270.00 to/from Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui)
- by Rail
High speed "Airport Express" train service between Hong Kong
station in central business district and the airport.
Only 2 stops en route at Kowloon station and Tsing Yi.
Check-in facilities at Hong Kong and Kowloon stations.
Operting time: 0600-0130
Journey time: 23 mins (Hong Kong - airport)
19 mins (Kowloon - airport)
12 mins (Tsing Yi - airport)
from/to Hong Kong station
Cost: OW: HKD ~ 90.00 / RT: HKD ~ 160.00 (adults)
OW: HKD ~ 45.00 / RT: hkd ~ 80.00 (children 3-11)
from/to Kowloon station
Cost: OW: HKD ~ 80.00 / RT: HKD ~ 140.00 (adult)
OW: HKD ~ 40.00 / RT: HKD ~ 70.00 (children 3-11)
from/to Tsing Yi station
Cost: OW: HKD ~ 50.00 / RT: HKD ~ 90.00 (adult)
OW: HKD ~ 25.00 / RT: HKD ~ 45.00 (children 3-11)
Free shuttle bus transfers to hotels for express train users
Hong Kong - Internal transportation •Road Hong Kong's range of transport facilities is probably the most diverse in the world. Various government departments are responsible for monitory technical standards. There are no state or municipal transport companies. Car rental - cars are available from major hotels. Few visitors consider self drive cars because of the heavy traffic and parking problems. Hong Kong traffic drives on the left. Buses - there are three franchised public bus services - one each for Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and Lantau Island. Fare are fairly cheap. These bus services run from six in the morning until midnight. There are also late and overnight buses connecting Hong Kong Island with major population centres in Kowloon. Only a few bus routes are operated with air conditioned buses and rush hour bus travel can be crowded. Large luggage and smoking is prohibited. Minibuses - are licensed fourteen or sixteen seat yellow and read vehicles. Fare vary according to distance travel and the time of day. Visitors are recommended to use this type of travel when accompanied by local Hong Kong inhabitants who know the unscheduled minibus routes. Maxicabs - are green, ply schedule and numbered routes and have fixed fares. Have the exact coinage ready to drop in the box as you will not receive change. Taxis - there are three taxi areas: Hong Kong Island and Kowloon red taxis, New Territories green taxis and Lantau Island blue taxis. These taxis may carry up to five passengers. It is best to queue at taxi stands, as they are not permitted to stop and pick up or drop off passengers on some roads. Rickshaw - a man drawn two-wheeled, two seat vehicle. Short rides are available for five minutes. •Rail There are three rail systems. The 38.5kilometre mass transit railway MTR, serving major population centres on both sides of the Victoria Harbour from this is a highly efficient urban transportation network, mostly running below ground. MTR are not expensive. They are fast air-conditioned and clean. The 35.5 km Kowloon Canton Railway KCR electrified railway line connects Hung Hom with 12 stations in Kowloon and the New Territories. Trains are air conditioned. Stopping services run every ten minutes from early morning until midnight. Fare are inexpensive. The Light Rail Transit LRT system, is run by KCR. It is a high speed surface system in the North-Western Territories. Trains are air conditioned, frequent and cheap. •Sea As a coastal community containing 235 islands, Hong Kong naturally has extensive ferry services: Star Ferry - these boats shuttle across Victoria Harbour every few minutes, from . These ferries are green and white. Hong Kong Ferry Company - these are double or triple decked ferries, with routes to outlying islands, New Territories towns and across Victoria Harbour. Journey times to the four major islands are about one hour. There is also a high speed hoverferry, servicing the route to new towns of Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun and some outlying islands. Kaido - local ferry, providing offbeat travel experiences in many spots. Kaido services are scheduled and licensed, but the boats are not air-conditioned. Sampan - water taxis, used mostly by villagers and are available in major fishing harbours. Wallah Wallahs - these are small motor-boats also used as speed hoverferry, servicing the route to new towns of Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun and some outlying islands. •Air Cathay Pacific (CX) is the major international airlines which connects all important international destinations with Hong Kong International Airport. Hong Kong - Quickfacts
Capital : Beijing iso code : HK
Area : 3 - South East Asia
Currency : Hong Kong Dollar code : HKD
HKD 100 equal estimated EUR 10
Sub-unit : HKD 1.00 = 100 cents
Notes : HKD: 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000.
Coins : HKD: 1, 2, 5, 10; cents: 10, 20, 50.
Emergency: Ambulance/fire/police 999 intl code: +852
Languages: Cantonese, English & Chinese
Voltage : 200V AC 50Hz
Driving : valid international driving licence
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Hong Kong is located on the southeastern coastline of China and has a size of over 1,100 square kilometres (424 square miles). The main areas of Hong Kong are Hong Kong Island, the peninsula of Kowloon and the New Territories. Hong Kong Island is located just south of Kowloon and these two areas are separated by the world-famous Victoria Harbour. The New Territories with more than 260 outlying islands are located north of Kowloon and run up to the boundary with mainland China.