Hong Kong: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Hong Kong feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 93 written places.
Vertical, fast and dim-sum devoted; efficiency is the courtesy.
Cost level: High Costs run at western European levels - planning and a few local tricks keep it sane. Estimate a daily budget
✓ Considered polite
- Tap the table with two fingers when someone pours your tea - silent thanks
- Use the Octopus card for everything - transport, shops, even some restaurants
- Ride the Star Ferry and trams - the cheapest icons in the city
- Hike - the surprise is that most of Hong Kong is green mountain trails
✗ Better avoided
- Hold the escalator left lane - stand right, walk left, always
- Expect leisurely service at dai pai dong stalls - order fast, eat, yield the seat
- Point with one finger
- Skip the outlying islands - Lamma and Cheung Chau are other worlds
Worth knowing
- A 10% service charge is standard; leave small change beyond it at most
- Cards and Octopus cover nearly all payments
- The MTR is world-class - stations anchor every neighbourhood
- Dim sum is a morning affair - the classic houses wind down by mid-afternoon
Plugs and voltage
Type G, D, M · 220 V travel adapter
CurrencyHong Kong dollar (HKD)
LanguagesCantonese, English
Driving sideleft
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.