Hong Kong Island and Kowloon

By air

Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)

HKG to Central: the Airport Express to Hong Kong Station in about 24 minutes is the zero-brain path; after the last train a taxi to the door is the fallback, and the risk is a hostel that locks or a rainstorm queue at the rank.

Passes

No pass. Octopus fares are cheap; taxis are metered and reasonable for short rides.

Late at night

MTR lines stop around midnight; taxis run all night.

Lan Fong Yuen

Walk-in cha chaan teng for milk tea and toast or noodles; go before 11:30 or after 14:30; shared tables, quick turns.

Central–Soho (Hong Kong Island)

First nights and Peak trips: close to Hong Kong Station, big hotels with 24h desks; expect slopes and higher prices.

Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon)

Harbour views and the markets: many mid-range hotels, MTR at the door; from the airport it is one taxi after the trains stop.

Etiquette

• Greeting: Light handshake or nod; use surnames and titles at first; avoid: Hugs and back-slaps with people you just met
• Names: Family name first (Chan Tai Man = Mr Chan); many people use an English first name; avoid: Assuming the last written name is the surname
• Queues: Queue for MTR doors, buses and taxis; let people off first; avoid: Standing on the left of escalators
• Temples: Enter by side doors, leave donations, keep voices low; avoid: Stepping on thresholds, touching altars, photographing worshippers' faces
• Dining: Pour tea for others first; share dishes; the host usually pays; avoid: Upright chopsticks in rice, tapping bowls, fighting too long over the bill with elders
• Gifts: Give and receive with both hands; fruit and cakes are safe; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers and sets of four (linked to death or parting)
• Conversation: Food, property prices and work are safe; avoid: Politics, the 2019 protests and Beijing, especially with people you do not know
• Public transport: Keep calls quiet, give priority seats to elderly and pregnant riders; avoid: Eating or drinking on the MTR

Red lines

• No eating or drinking on the MTR.
• Temples: do not point at statues, do not step on thresholds.
• Do not photograph people at close range in markets without asking.

Scams (Hong Kong page)

• Fake monks selling blessings: Real monks in Hong Kong do not solicit on the street; do not take the amulet or bracelet.
• Bait-and-switch electronics and camera shops: Buy at chains (Fortress, Broadway) or official brand stores; check the box contents and warranty region before paying.
• Tailor and 'copy watch' touts: Ignore street touts; counterfeit goods are illegal to sell and can be seized.
• Taxi detours and overcharging: Taxis are metered; tolls and luggage fees are listed on the window. Note the licence number; complaints go to the Transport Complaints Unit.
• Phone and messaging fraud: Hong Kong police never ask for money by phone; hang up and call 18222 (Anti-Scam Helpline).
• Unlicensed guesthouses: Guesthouses need a licence number shown on the door; unlicensed ones can be closed with you inside.