Accommodations

USEFUL INFORMATION

• The Hong Kong Airport is located at Chek Lap Kok. Most people will be staying on Hong Kong Island and the best way to get there from the airport is to take the Airport Express train to Central (Note: there are only 3 stops of the route, with Central being the last one). The train platform is on the same level as – and directly across from – the Airport Arrivals Hall. Train tickets cost HK$100 and can be purchased at the ticket counter in the middle of the Arrivals Hall or at the ticket counter at the train exit in Central. It would then be best to grab a taxi to your hotel/destination. The taxi rank is directly across from the Airport Express exit turnstyle. Although most taxi drivers speak English or at least know the major hotels and other destinations in English, it would probably be sensible to carry the name of your hotel written in Chinese in case the driver doesn’t understand you.
• Taxis in Hong Kong are very reasonably priced and there are literally thousands of them. As mentioned above, most taxi drivers speak English or at least know the major destinations in English.
• The Weather in Hong Kong in late November should be dry, with temperatures in the 20-24 deg. C. range. Hong Kong has a tropical climate, but can get a little chilly in the winter months as the predominant winds come from the China Mainland in the north. The sea is around 20 – 22 deg C. at that time. The predominant wind is from the NE and normally blows in the 10-20 kt. range.
• The Currency of Hong Kong is the Hong Kong dollar, which is pegged to the US Dollar at a rate of 1 US$ = HK$7.8. Currency can be exchanged at the airport (where the rates are likely to be the least user friendly) or at any major bank, of which there are likely to be many within a short distance of where you are staying.
• Safety:
• Although you should always be careful, Hong Kong is generally a very safe place, with a very low incidence of violent crime. The locals just aren’t into violence. However, they are into the theft of small personal items, so be careful with your wallets, purses, phones etc.Although the vast majority of Hong Kong residents are Chinese, most people – particularly in the areas of Hong where you are most likely to frequent – speak decent enough English. Most signs are bi-lingual i.e. written in both English and Chinese.It would be advisable to pick up a tourist map from the airport or your hotel and keep it with you at all times. Hong Kong is a very “vertical” city, with many high rise buildings and a very dense population. It is often very difficult to get any idea of where you are from ground level. If in doubt, ask a local.