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Travel information and tips on Hong Kong including passport information, accommodations, transportation to and in Hong Kong, attractions and things to see and do, restaurant suggestions, tours, and much more.
General
Information On Hong Kong
Contact the
Hong Kong Tourist
Association at 1-800-282-4582 for travel and tourism information along
with destination information on Hong Kong.
Passports and Visas
Best Times to Visit
Currency Information and Money
Matters
Electricity
Language
Travel Insurance
Travel Warning
The following information was
provided by the CIA Fact Book. (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/hk.html)
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China the following
year; various adjacent lands were added later in the 19th century. Pursuant to
an agreement signed by China and the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became
the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In
this agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
formula, China's socialist economic system will not be imposed on Hong Kong and
that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except
foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Hong Kong has a free market economy highly dependent on international trade. In 2006, the total value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, was equivalent to 400% of GDP. The territory has become increasingly integrated with mainland China over the past few years through trade, tourism, and financial links. The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for 46% of Hong Kong's total trade by value in 2006. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory has surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 13.6 million in 2006, when they outnumbered visitors from all other countries combined. Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. Bolstered by several successful initial public offerings in 2007, mainland companies by September 2007 accounted for one-third of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and over half of the Exchange's market capitalization. Hong Kong's service industry over the past decade has grown rapidly as its manufacturing industry has moved to the mainland and now accounts for 91% of the territory's GDP. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 2007, despite the economy suffering two recessions during the Asian financial crisis in 1997-98 and the global downturn in 2001-02. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.
You will need a passport to visit Hong Kong. And, depending upon
your nationality, you may also need a visa.
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Passport Visa Express specializes in obtaining Passports for United States Citizens who wish to travel internationally within the next 30 days. We work directly with the U.S. Passport Agency assisting you in expediting your passport application in as fast as the same day! Our passport consultants have many years of direct experience working with the Passport Agency. |
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Currency Information and Money Matters
The currency of Hong Kong is the Hong Kong dollar (HKD).
Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.802 (2007), 7.7678 (2006), 7.7773 (2005),
7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003).
Currency Exchange - Get your currency needs managed in advance! Many airports, railroad stations, bus depots, and other points of entry have no currency exchange. When currency exchange is available in airports, lines can be long and rates can be "sky high". These long waits and usurious fees can be a nightmare. Order in advance from All Foreign Currency right online. It's fast, easy, and you save time and money! The can also provide you with Travelers' checks, bank drafts, and transfers. U.S. dollars are not accepted everywhere and rates can be atrocious! Current Exchange Rate: Check Today's Exchange Rate
Language
The language is Chinese (Cantonese) 89.2%
(official), other Chinese dialects 6.4%, English 3.2% (official), other 1.2%
(2001 census). I have found that it helps to know at least a
little bit of the language as I travel in other countries. You do not have to be
able to be a fluent speaker, but knowing a few key words and phrases will really
help. I have found that, although almost everywhere I go I can find someone who
speaks English, knowing just a few words of the local language can really be a
help. And, it lets others know I am at least interested in their language. Visit
the Getting Away Language
Learning Center where you can find out how to learn another
language, or where to purchase books, dictionaries, electronic translators,
software and more
Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
Electricity
Be sure to take your adaptor and converter kit. Find the converter you will need in the
Getting Away
Travel Store. Additionally, you will find just about anything and
everything you will need when you travel. Across the state, country, or
to a destination on the other side of the world, you'll find what you
need in the Getting
Away Travel Store!
Travel
Insurance
If you need medical
care while you are away, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not
accept payment through your insurance company and that you will therefore to pay
in full for your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for
reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit
card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country's local
embassy or representative. For compensation, you must be treated by licensed
medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation
and receipts. It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel
insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country. Visit
the Getting Away
Health
and Safety Tips for Travelers
page for additional information about insurance.
Travel Warning
Travel Warnings are issued to
describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or
unstable. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to
assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or
consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff. The countries listed below
meet those criteria. Additionally, the State Department issues
Country Specific Information for every
country of the world with information on such matters as the health conditions,
crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the
location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the subject country. Check with the U.S. State Department for
Travel Warnings, Consular Information Sheets & Public
Announcements.
Books, Maps and Other Resources
My favorite guidebooks when I am traveling is
Fodor's. I find them to be quite complete, easy to use, and almost always on the
money with helps and tips for traveling in the country I am visiting. Click on
Fodor's Travel Guides
to find the perfect guidebook for your travels.
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I always research the destinations to which I intend to travel with books and maps. I normally use Fodor's as I find their guidebooks very informative and easy to read and understand. Click on the Amazon logo to search for travel books and maps. If you don't find what you are looking for, click on the Getting Away Travel Bookshelf to find some of my favorites! Still can't find what you need? Contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com |
Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
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At
Travelocity, not only can you find
the lowest fare or best schedule on over 400 airlines, but you can also
find
Great
Car Rental Deals, Low hotel rates when you click on |
For Flights, Hotels, Cars, Cruises, Vacations, Tours and Travel Deals, Click on Global Travel International. If the link does not work properly, type www.gettingaway.globaltravel.com in the address line of your browser.
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Getting
Around In Hong Kong
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
| Areas of
Hong Kong
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
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Some Things To See And Do In Hong Kong
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Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some
Suggestions For Accommodations In Hong Kong
For accommodations and reservations in Hong Kong and
Macau, click on
Hotels and Other Accommodations in Hong Kong
| Click on The Hilton Family of Hotels to search for Hilton Hotels along with Conrad Hotels, Doubletree Hotels, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton. Looking for a better hotel rate? They're at Hilton.com |
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| Click on Hong Kong for suggestions for accommodations in Hong Kong prepared for Getting Away by the Hotel Club Hotel Club Discount Hotel Reservation System. |
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Hong Kong Hotels and Accommodations - Offered through AccommodationLine, this site offers you a select group of accommodations for Hong Kong. They also offer great accommodations World-Wide. Check AccommodationLine today for information on world-wide accommodations.
| Asiarooms.com, Asia's leading hotel information and reservation service on Internet, can offer discounts of up to 75 % from hotels published rates. Getting Away and Asiarooms.com have teamed to give you the most powerful search tool for accommodations and is the leading travel reservation system in Asia, the Pacific, and Oceania to include Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. For accommodations, tours, and cruises, check Asiarooms.com first! |
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Hong Kong Hotels - Make your reservations in a great hotel in Hong Kong today and, even better, get great discounts by reserving through Getting Away! Click here for hotels in selected other worldwide locations.
Hotel Guide features hotels in over 200 countries. Their site steers the user to the best deals by scanning multiple websites within seconds. hoteguide.com then pulls out, leaving the booking service provider offering the best deal to close the transaction with the user. The idea is to guide users through the bazaar of online hotel booking websites allowing users to see the best deals at once and to make a wise choice. hotelguide.com - check it out before you check in! |
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| My preferred hotel chain is
Marriott |
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| Book Hostels in Hong Kong Online You can also find a hostel almost anywhere in the world through Experience Paradise, a partner of Getting Away. |
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Some
Suggestions For Dining In Hong Kong
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some Favorites
In Hong Kong
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some
Interesting Links For Hong Kong
For the latest weather update for Hong Kong, check TulipsWeather.com, your complete source for world-wide weather forecasts, as well as for U.S. and Canadian forecasts and current conditions.
Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
Hong Kong Hotels - Make your reservations in a great hotel in Hong Kong today and, even better, get great discounts by reserving through Getting Away! Click here for hotels in selected other worldwide locations.
| Book Hostels in Hong Kong Online You can also find a hostel almost anywhere in the world through Experience Paradise, a partner of Getting Away. |
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