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 Traveller's Tales: Doing business in Hong Kong
Take note of the helpful information on business travel near in Hong Kong. You may read about their business tips and guides. Find out the local business customs and guide on business travel. Also, you might want to read our
Hong Kong city guide.
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| A Chavez |
06 September 2004 |
Stayed at Kowloon Hotel, The - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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I usually take the 3-day Tourist Pass from the Airport Express whenever I'm in Hong Kong. Since I usually stay 4days and 3 nights, the pass is perfect for getting around. It costs HK$300 and includes one round-trip airport-city-airport which serves as your airport transfer. Since the Airport Express also has buses that ferry you from the Kowloon and Central stations to major hotels, I have no problem getting to where I am going since the hotels I usually stay in are on their list. I then have three days unlimited access to the MTR plus HK$20 worth of access to other transport facilities such as buses and even the Star Ferry which if unused at the end of the period can be refunded along with HK450 in deposit. The net cost to the traveler is therefore HK$230 for hotel transfers and unlimited MTR after the refund. And the 3-day timer is not exactly 72 hours as I have been able to use the MTR for several hours beyond the 72-hour limit.
I usually stay at the Kowloon because it is right across Chungking Mansions and its money changers which give the best rates for your money as long as you are careful.
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| J Rodenas |
02 April 2004 |
Stayed at Anne Black Guest House (YWCA) - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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For internet go to the public library, no pacific cafe or star.
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| M Meacham |
09 February 2004 |
Stayed at Harbour Plaza Hotel Hong Kong - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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My trip to Hong Kong was a spur of the moment thing, but the nice thing about visiting Hong Kong is I could do things without much planning. The concierge desk had brochures describing 4-hr and 8-hr tours that cost between $280 HKD and $450HKD per person (the more expensive tour includes a meal). Being that this was the first time I had spent any time in Hong Kong, I tried the Hong Kong Island tour for $280 HKD. This provided a good way for me to see where things were and ask the tour guide about getting around in the city.
The next day, I decided to familiarize myself with the MTR (Hong Kong's subway) and the very busy Nathan Road area, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Their subway looks more like an underground shopping mall than a train stop. It is well lighted at all times and lined with shops. Littering carries a steep fine, so you won't find a speck of trash or a discarded cigarette butt anywhere.
The MTR system itself is pretty easy to figure out with map in-hand. Ideally, your map of Hong Kong would be small but detailed enough to show you where the MTR stops fall throughout the city. Your hotel concierge can probably provide you with just such a map.
Just walk up to a vending machine, touch your destination stop, and the computer screen will tell you how much money you need to deposit to get to where you're going (yes, it's that easy). The machine will spit out a credit card size piece of paper that grant access to the train area. And from there you will wait about 3 minutes before a train arrives.
At some point, you must use a taxi, and my first experience with this wasn't so good. The driver didn't speak English and this is not uncommon. As a consequence of this, we ended up travelling everywhere in Hong Kong except my intended destination which was the Harbour Plaza Hotel. I ended up in several conversations with his dispatcher before I finally got deposited at the right spot (to be fair, I wasn't charged for the "tour").
To avoid running into this little nightmare I would again suggest you acquire a map of the Island that clearly shows the city on both sides of Victoria Harbour, popular destinations in both English and Chinese, and the location of most of the major hotels. This will make life simple for both you and your driver.
Another caveat about using the taxis: Don't use them to get across Victoria Bay. I say this for two reasons: (1) you can get stuck in the cross-harbour tunnel traffic and incur a charge for just sitting in a parked taxi; and (2) there's a $20 HKD toll that will be added to your fair. For about half the cost of the toll, you can take the MTR to either side in about half the time. The Star Ferry service will also get you from one side to the other for even less money, but it will take about 15 or 20 minutes depending on your final destination. The additional time spent on the ferry, however, is more than balanced out by the fact that you get to stretch your legs and walk around the deck while viewing Victoria Harbour. Once you get to either side of the harbour, then take a taxi if you still need one.
Besides educating myself on how to get around, I had some clothes custom made. This was fun, but if you're even toying with the idea of doing this I would recommend doing it on your first day. They can finish your stuff in 1 or 2 days. If you can wear it a few days before you leave, then you'll get to see how it really fits and have any additional alterations made for no charge. Also negotiate shipping costs into the final sale if you can. Its much easier for them to ship it to you than it will be to carry an extra suitcase back through customs.
On a different note, I learned something about gratuities that usually goes unsaid. There is this 10% service charge attached to many purchases that seems to negate the need for it. Well, think again. My server at the Lux Cafe informed me that the "service" charge didn't go to him. That money was just an additional cost of the meal that would never work its way into his pocket (surprise!). Some places do pass it along, but its a good idea to ask the person serving you exactly how it works. Otherwise, they'll never get a tip for their great efforts.
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| R Diengwu |
20 March 2003 |
Stayed at Cosco Hotel, Hong Kong - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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I visited a couple of computer industries and it was an amazing site.
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| I Hsieh |
09 March 2003 |
Stayed at Anne Black Guest House (YWCA) - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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The Anne Black Guest House does not give you a good exchange rate (at least for U.S. dollars). The best way to exchange your money is withdrawing from your account through an ATM machine. If you have an account with HongKong Bank, then you may be able to exchange money without a fee through them. If you need to exchange U.S. dollars, the best places I found were the local currency exchange booths. For the one closest to the hotel (walk from the hotel down to the Caltex gas station, cross the street, take a left and the currency exchange booth is just a couple feet away) I was able to get HK$7.6 to 1 US$, which isn't too bad. However, I had to change a minimum of US$100.
There's also a currency exchange booth in Causeway Bay (on the Hong Kong side), diagonally across from the main entrance of the Sogo department store (the entrance where there are elevators and a Sogo information counter). The exchange rate was also HK$7.6 to US$1, but there was no minimum amount that had to be changed.
Incidentally, the best bakery that I found in Hong Kong was the one closest to the Anne Black Guest House. Walk from the hotel down to the Caltex gas station, cross the street, and take a left. (It's not the one called Panash, which seems to mainly just serve bread.) It's the first bakery you'll come to and it's right before the currency exchange booth. I forget what the bakery is called, but it's sign has a picture of freshly cooked bread (or pastries).
One of the tiny local restaurants located between the bakery and the currency exchange both has an English menu (you have to ask for it) so that might be a great local restaurant to start out with for those of you who are adventurous, but can't speak Cantonese. I think there's a sign out front that says "English menu available".
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| C Chin |
28 February 2003 |
Stayed at Guangdong Hong Kong - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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Very Important to have local currency before arriving in HK.
Go to the HKMTR website and learn more about the HK MTR which is the back-bone transport infracture of HK. http://www.mtrcorp.com/prehome/index.html. Buy a one day tourist MTR pass for HK$50.00, show your passport when purchasing it and carry your passport when using the MTR Day-Pass.
Lots of interesting places to see. Mong Kok station area host a variety of bazaars after 12:00 noon. Lots of things to buy and see but be very careful about pick-pockets and prices of goods. Bargain like you never bargain before!!
Walk to the Star Ferry which is south of the hotel or Nathan Road and take the Ferry across. Cost only HK$ 2.20 and HAVE EXACT CHANGE!!! Once across take the double decker bus to go to Victoria Tram. Bus fare is HK3.20 or if you like, just walk..It's north of the ferry terminal. About 15 mins walk. Then take the tram up to Victoria Peak, cost HK$30.00 or if you have the Octopus card, you can use that too. Very beautiful view up the mountain. There's a cheap restaurant serving all day breakfast like sausages and eggs and toast bread and coffee for HK$ 20 or HK$ 30.
You can also take a walk downtown HK in the Financial District. Many places to see. Streets are always crowded and lots of traffic.
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| R Rodgers |
24 February 2003 |
Stayed at Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong, The - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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I was well taken care of by friends in Hong Kong--I had lived there for over 15 years so I did not participate in any standard tours. Hong Kong is no longer a premier shopping destination. Prices are as high or higher than I can buy the same merchandise at home.
Great Chinese food as always--Cantonese, Shanghai and Szechuan. Cantonese at the Luk Kwok Hotel in Wanchai; Shanghai at the Shanghai restaurant in the Manning Building, elegant Dim Sum at the Chinese restaurant at the Peninsula. A real sight is the enormous Dim Sum lunch at the Chinese restaurant at City Hall (on Sunday); a favorite spot for Chinese families to lunch on Sunday--better to go with a Chinese speaking friend. Take your camera here.
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| M Krishnan |
23 February 2003 |
Stayed at Stanford Hillview Hotel - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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Hong Kong is a nice destination. People volunteer to help you even though you never asked them for help. They helped us with directions, with giving us short cut routes, even carrying the baby stroller!
I wouldn't recommend tours as they are expensive and difficult to keep up with a baby in hand. We visited Nathan road on the evening we arrived, this is the best place to get really good exchange rates! Do not get money in the airport. We found rates from HK$7.18 to HK$7.80 for a US$1. This may not seem much but if you are changing big amounts it quickly adds up!
Next day we visited Victoria Peak. This could be skipped but for the view of the city! We then took a stroll around the Hong Kong Park and the Central Area which is place for Financial center and skyscrappers. We then took the Star Ferry back to Kowloon. The night lights wasn't as good as I thought it would be.
We did the Night market on temple street and did quite some bargaining. We did the Bird garden and flower street the following day. You need atleast 5 days if you want to do other places such as the Lam tin ruins the Buddha in Lantau, Stanely Market and the monastery in Kowloon.
Transportation
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Within Hong Kong and Kowloon best way to travel is the MRTS. From the MRTS you can take the cabs or city buses. Cabs are very cheap for short distances such as 10 Km only.
NOTE: If you need an aiport to hotel shuttle send email to asia-hotels.com after booking the hotel (at least 72 hours before check-in). Othewise rates are double.
Also, the left luggage in the airport is really expensive so we had to carry all our luggage to hotel and back!
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| E Chau |
08 January 2003 |
Stayed at Guangdong Hong Kong - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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There are several good restaurants near by for Shanghai food, Portugese cuisine and lots of fast food as well. Access to banks/foreign exchange is readily available.
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| A Nijhawan |
31 December 2002 |
Stayed at Harbour Plaza Hotel Hong Kong - Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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If getting money exchanged, only change a small amount at the airport -- the exchange rate is really bad at the airport. Also, while the airport hotel-link shuttle appears to save some money, our experience with the shuttle service was not good. It took almost 2.5 hours to reach our hotel and was not worth the $60 HK we saved by taking the shuttle.
I would highly recommend that one take the harbour cruise at night. The skyline is amazing and from a harbour cruise one gets the opportunity to view it all.
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