Honk Kong was in 2018 the most visited city in the world with almost 30 million visitors. Travelers are attracted to this wonderful place due to its cuisine, amazing views, and interesting culture. I was there in June 2018 for just two days. It was not a long period of time, but it was enough to see why this city is considered as one of the most important and interesting places in the world.
First of all it is important to point out its interesting relationship with China. In 1997, the United Kingdom gave Hong Kong to China but implemented a transitional period of fifty years. That’s why Hong Kong have remained relatively independent from the Chinese government. This is important to know because, for example, Colombians don’t need to apply for a visa to enter Hong Kong, but they do need one to enter mainland China. To enter Hong Kong, they just need to have their normal passport and probably their hotel reservation and returning plane ticket.
It is also important to know that they have their own currency (the Hong Kong Dollars), so if you are travelling from China it is going to be necessary for you to approach an exchange bureau. It will be interesting for you to notice that three commercial banks issue their own bank notes in Hong Kong. This means that you may end up with three 10 HKD bills that look different and are issued by different banks. Don’t worry, they are all valid.
But you might also notice that most of the transactions are made by electronic means. It is not normal for people to pay with cash, most things can be payed with the phone and some places only accept cards. A solution for this might be buying an Octopus Card. You can buy one at the airport or at a metro station. It is useful because with it you can pay your metro ticket, buy something at almost all vending machines in the city, and even pay for your meal at Mc Donald’s.There are a lot of places that accept this card so I would really recommend buying one.
It is also important to know that Hong Kong is divided in two: The Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. They are divided by Victoria Harbour. To cross you might take the metro or hop on a ferry. I would recommend using the ferry due to the amazing views. In Kowloon you can find a lot of commercial streets full of people at all time. There you can also buy local Cantonese food. Walking through this area is very interesting just to see how active the city can turn to be.
If you want to buy something on a street shop, don’t forget to bargain. I bought a cap for half of the price that was written on the price tag. Also in Kowloon, don’t forget to go to the Kowloon Public Pier at 8:00pm to see the city´s lightshow. Every night, the lights of the Hong Kong Island´s buildings coordinate with the music at the pier. It is important to go there a bit early to get yourself a good spot. It is a beautiful show that you must see when visiting the city.
On the other side of the Victoria Harbour, there are also very interesting things to see in the Hong Kong Island. You can go to the Victoria Peak for some incredible views of the city. You can also go to the monkey temple to see some of the cities religious traditions. It is a small but very interesting place to visit.
I recommend to just walk around these areas and get to know the city by foot. Don’t forget to take a map with you because it is very easy to get lost in the middle of such a big city. Hong Kong has a lot to offer its visitors, it is undoubtedly one of the most interesting places to see in the world.