| Hong Kong is an international city and it has | | | | |
| vast number of tourists come from all over | | | | 1. Tsuen Wan Route: Tsuen Wan to Central |
| the world in all year round. According to the | | | | |
| Hong Kong Government statistics, the number | | | | 2. Kwun Tong Route: Yau Mat Tei to Tiu Keng |
| of international tourists visited Hong Kong | | | | Leng |
| in 2005 reaches 10.8 million which represents | | | | |
| a 13.1% increase when compared to 2004. | | | | 3. Tseung Kwan O Route: North Point to Po |
| Countries such as Australia, Canada, French, | | | | Lam |
| China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, | | | | |
| Korean, Thailand, British and United States | | | | 4. Main Route: Sheung Wan to Chai Wan |
| all contributes significant tourist growth | | | | |
| for Hong Kong. This article presents some | | | | 5. Tung Chung Route: Tung Chung to Hong Kong |
| critical traveler tips for tourists so that | | | | |
| you could enjoy more and have a wonderful | | | | 6. Airport Route: Airport to Hong KongDue to |
| trip to Hong Kong.1. Personal Identity and | | | | the convenience of MTR and the compact area |
| Safety | | | | of Hong Kong, most tourists find it is not |
| | | | necessary to rent car during their stay. |
| Tourists must carry valid personal identity | | | | Besides, due to the very heavy traffic and |
| documentation such as passport during their | | | | the complexity of the city roads, it is not |
| stay in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a very safe | | | | recommended for tourists to drive. In case |
| city according to the low crime rate. | | | | you really need car rental, you may consult |
| However, due to the densely population, it is | | | | your hotel, and be ready with your passport |
| not suggested to take a large amount of cash | | | | and driving license.7. Kowloon Canton Railway |
| when going out since most of the shops in | | | | (KCR) |
| Hong Kong accepts credit cards. Expensive | | | | |
| belongs should be locked in the safe in | | | | The KCR is the major railway which links up |
| hotel. You could easily find policemen on the | | | | the New Territories and the city of Kowloon. |
| streets whenever you have encountered any | | | | It runs through Tsim Sha Tsui East to Lo Wu |
| problems.2. Service Charges | | | | which takes about 40 minutes for the whole |
| | | | route. Lo Wo is the final station which you |
| Most of the restaurants except fast food | | | | could pass through to enter China with valid |
| shops will add 10% service charges to the | | | | visa. The train will depart for every 3 to 10 |
| bill. Therefore, you may choose to give out | | | | minutes, and the earliest one will be started |
| the odd dollars from the changes as the | | | | at 5:35 a.m. while the last one will be |
| service tips. For taxi driver or bellboy in | | | | departed at 12:20 p.m. The ordinary fair and |
| the hotel, there is no pre set norm for the | | | | the first class fair are HK$18 and HK$36 |
| service tips, you may choose to give out | | | | respectively from Hung Hom to Sheung Shui.8. |
| whenever you think the service is deserved | | | | Tram |
| for.3. Telephone Service | | | | |
| | | | The tram service has been started in 1904 |
| All local telephone call is free except for | | | | and it is the oldest transportation system in |
| the public telephone which charges HK$1 for | | | | Hong Kong. It only services the Hong Kong |
| every 5 minutes. Emergency call is 999 and it | | | | Island running from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei |
| is free to call even in public telephone. You | | | | Wan plus another route to Happy Valley. The |
| could either use IDD telephone call card or | | | | earliest tram starts at 6: 00 a.m. and run |
| credit card for long distance call, or simply | | | | until 1:00 p.m. and the fair is HK$ 2 for |
| through operator for collect call in all | | | | adult and HK$ 1 for children under age12. It |
| public telephone counter.4. Drinking Water | | | | is the cheapest transportation in Hong Kong, |
| | | | and you are highly recommended to take a ride |
| The drinking water in Hong Kong reaches | | | | at the upper stairs so that you could enjoy |
| World Health Organization standard. However, | | | | all the street scenery of Hong Kong.9. Star |
| you may also choose to buy the bottle water | | | | Ferry |
| in the supermarkets if you think it is | | | | |
| necessary.5. Taxi | | | | The scenery of Hong Kong harbor is famous in |
| | | | the world, especially the night scenery. |
| All taxi only accept cash and they have | | | | Besides, there is spectacular light show by |
| invoice print out whenever you request. It is | | | | the commercial buildings in the Hong Kong |
| easier to catch the taxi in the taxi stop or | | | | island at 8:00 p.m. every night which you |
| outside the hotel. Many of the taxi drivers | | | | must not miss. The Star Ferry has been |
| could understand simple English. It is | | | | serving on the harbor for more than 100 |
| suggest writing down your destination (in | | | | years, and the fair is less than HK$3 per |
| English) on paper to minimize | | | | rides. You could take the Star Ferry from |
| misunderstandings. The taxi charges is based | | | | Cental to Tsim Sha Tsui at around 8:00 p.m. |
| on the meter which is HK$15 for the first 2 | | | | You could enjoy the harbor scenery on the |
| Km and HK$1.4 for the subsequent 0.2 Km. | | | | ferry and continue with the light show at the |
| Besides, there are tunnel charges ranging | | | | Starlight Road of Tsim Sha Tsui.10. Hong Kong |
| from HK$3-45 depends on which tunnel you have | | | | International Airport |
| to take. The charging table is clearly shown | | | | |
| on the inner side of the doors so you could | | | | The most convenient route to the Hong Kong |
| check it before you pay. In case of any | | | | International Airport is through the MTR |
| complaints or lost case, you may record down | | | | which takes about 23 minutes from Central. It |
| the name of the taxi driver and his license | | | | passes through stations of Kowloon, Olympic, |
| plate number which is clearly shown on the | | | | Tsing Yi, and the train will be departed for |
| front seat stand, and reports to the police | | | | every ten minutes. With the MTR, you would |
| hotline: 2527 7177 whenever necessary.6. Mass | | | | never miss the airplane due to the |
| Transit Railway (MTR) | | | | traditional traffic jam.Other than the MTR, |
| | | | you could take the Airport Bus which starts |
| Hong Kong has 6 MTR routes, which covers | | | | from 6:00 a.m. at the morning until 11:00 |
| most parts of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and | | | | p.m. at night. It covers most part of Hong |
| New Territories. | | | | Kong Island and Kowloon with major hotels. |