Quick Facts

Travellers from most nations may arrive at Hong Kong visa-free for visits less than three months.

Note that separate entry requirements apply for travel from the HKSAR to Mainland China, and to the Macau SAR.

Click here to view visa requirements from the HKSAR Immigration Department

The unit of money is the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD). Credit cards are accepted in major hotels as well as shopping malls.

You may wish to purchase an Octopus card, a stored-value “smart card” which is a popular and convenient way to pay transit fares and make small purchases.

Here are the most recent exchange rates for some common currencies.

HKD 1.00 equals:

No VAT is applied in Hong Kong.

A service charge of 10% is usually added automatically to all hotel and restaurant bills in Hong Kong. If not, a 10% tip is appropriate for waiters.

Bank Hours 
9am - 4.30 / 5pm, Monday through Friday
9am - 12.30 or 1.30 / 4.30pm, Saturday (depending on branch)

Office Hours 
9am - 5 / 6pm, Monday through Friday
9am - 1pm, Saturday

Shopping Hours 
10am - 7pm / 10pm, Monday through Sunday

Medical services in Hong Kong are of a high standard, although public hospitals can be crowded and private clinics may be quite expensive.

We recommend not drinking water from the tap. Complimentary bottled drinking water is available in every hotel room.

Light suits and dresses are appropriate for business. A light raincoat may be useful during the summer rainy season, which lasts from mid-May to mid-September.

A sweater is recommended for indoors, particularly in the summer months, when the air-conditioning temperatures can be quite low. Coats are occasionally necessary from December to February.

Autumn: October to early December. Temperatures hover around 20°C / 68°F, with clear skies and low humidity.

Winter: mid December to February. Temperatures range from below 10°C / 50°F to around 17°C / 62°F. Warm clothing is required.

Spring: March to April. Temperatures range from 21°C / 70°F to 25°C / 77°F. Humidity levels can reach 80%.

Summer: May to September. Temperatures range from 26°C / 79°F to 31°C / 87°F. Tropical cyclone or typhoons usually affect Hong Kong and the surrounding region during summer. At least one or two severe typhoons affect Hong Kong each year.