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Hong Kong
Hong Kong, the city itself is centered around Victoria Harbor and is located in the Far East. Hong Kong is well established as a tourist destination with some of the finest hotels in the world, known for impeccable Asian service standards and a wide variety of restaurants. It is a colorful kaleidoscope of attractions to arouse the senses: spectacular sightseeing, sensational shopping and fabulous foods. The Chinese experience is enhanced by strong western influences from its British colonial history, yet Hong Kong has always stuck to its roots and the culture beneath the glitz is pure Chinese.
Time Zone: UTC +08:00
Language: Chinese, English
Currency: Hong Kong Dollar
Electricity: 220V 50Hz
Phone:
Country dialing code: 852
Mobile Network: GSM 900/1800
Transportation:
MTR – rail system that covers all major districts in the territory and includes stops at the boundary with Mainland China.
Taxis – plentiful throughout Hong Kong apart from remote areas and can be hailed on the street. All are metered, relatively cheap, air-conditioned and clean.
Bus – plentiful and comfortable and most are air-conditioned. Bus routes cover almost all Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories. Fares are based on distance travelled but relatively cheap.
Octopus Card:
The Octopus Card provides instant electronic access to Hong Kong’s public transport system. As the world’s first contactless smart debit card, it can be tapped onto a reader to transfer fare from the passenger to the carrier. Octopus is also accepted for payment in almost all convenience stores, restaurant chains (ie. McDonald’s), supermarket, car parks, etc. Octopus card’s balance is displayed on the reader after each use. The balance can also be checked, along with the last several transactions using a small machine near regular ticket machines at MTR stations. The Octopus cards cost HKD 150 with $100 face value plus $50 refundable deposit. For travellers, there are three convenient ways to top-up a car:
- Add Value Machines, usually located next to regular ticket machines in MTR stations.
- Customer service center at MTR station
- Merchants that accept Octopus.
Places to go:
Victoria Harbor and Star Ferry
Victoria Peak
The Big Buddha
Happy Valley Racecourse
Ocean Peak
Disneyland
Causeway Bay
TsimShaTsui
Events:
Chinese New Year Celebration: 28 January – 17 February, 2011
Hong Kong Marathon 2011: 20 February, 2011
The 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival: 20 March – 5 April, 2011
Hong Kong Sevens 2011: 25 – 27 March, 2011
Entertainment Expo Hong Kong 2011: 21 March – 17 April, 2011
Hong Kong Cultural Celebrations: 25 April – 11 May, 2011
Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival: 17 – 19 June, 2011
Wind & Dine Month: November, 2011
Hong Kong International Races 2011: December, 2011
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/
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