The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), a
former British colony which was reunited with the People's Republic of China in
1997, welcomes millions of international travellers every year for business and
tourism.
Kowloon (Cantonese for "Nine Dragons", named
after the many hilly peaks that rise in the distance) comprises the area across
Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong Island, south of the New Territories and the
border with mainland China.
Currency
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:
|
Exchange Rates
|
Currency
|
|
0.14
|
Australian Dollar
(AUD)
|
|
0.10
|
Euro
(EUR)
|
|
0.08
|
British Pound
(GBP)
|
|
7.59
|
Indian Rupee
(INR)
|
|
12.30
|
Japanese Yen
(JPY)
|
|
0.16
|
New Zealand Dollar
(NZD)
|
|
0.16
|
Singapore Dollar
(SGD)
|
|
0.13
|
US Dollar
(USD)
|
Taxes
There are no sales, duty or value-added taxes in Hong Kong.
Tipping
A 10% service
charge is added to hotel and restaurant bills. It is also customary to leave a
small additional tip.
Business Hours
Bank Hours
9am - 4.30pm / 5pm, Monday through Friday
9am - 12.30pm / 1.30pm / 4.30pm, Saturday
Office Hours
9am - 5pm / 6pm, Monday through Friday
9am - 1pm on Saturdays
Shopping Hours
10am - 7pm / 9pm, Monday through Sunday
Public Health
Medical services are of a high standard, though public hospitals can be
crowded and private clinics may be quite expensive.
We do not recommend drinking water from the tap. Complimentary bottled
drinking water is available in every hotel room.
Dress
Light suits and
dresses are appropriate for business. The summer rainy season lasts from mid
May to mid September, during which a light raincoat may be useful.
A sweater is
recommended for indoors, particularly in the summer months, when the air
conditioning can be quite cold. Coats are occasionally necessary from December
to February.
Weather
Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with warm to hot, humid summers from
May to September (25°C to 29°C / 77°F to 84°F), and a cooler
season from December to February (14°C to 20°C / 57°F to
68°F).
The typhoon season runs from July to September, when heavy rainfall can
be expected.
Today
Mostly Cloudy
Mostly cloudy and very warm
|
High:
|
32°C /
89°F
|
|
Low:
|
26°C /
78°F
|
Tomorrow
Rain
Very windy in the p.m.; otherwise, rain
|
High:
|
30°C /
86°F
|
|
Low:
|
25°C /
77°F
|
|
Saturday:
|
|
Mostly Cloudy
|
High:
29°C /
84°F
|
Low:
26°C /
78°F
|
|
Sunday:
|
|
Showers
|
High:
31°C /
87°F
|
Low:
26°C /
78°F
|