the best of Hongkong

Hong Kong is one of the busiest and the most developed metropolitan hubs in Asia in terms of trade, business, and tourism. It consists of the Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories, and 200 outlying islands. While these areas are connected by sprawling train and bus networks, it is important to be familiar with its geography. Hong Kong Island is where the Central area, the political and economic center, is located. Although intimidating at first, it harbors a number of affordable guesthouses and hostels. It is also home to many tourist attractions including the Victoria Peak. Kowloon is where you will find most museums, markets, and the Avenue of Stars. It also has the greatest concentration of cheap guesthouses. The New Territories, north of Kowloon, is dotted with wetland parks and temples. Lantau Island, one of the many outlying islands, takes pride in Ngong Ping (Giant Buddha and Po Lin Monastery) and Hong Kong Disneyland. Here are more bits of info you might want to know to prep for your trip. Language: Cantonese and English are the official languages. Almost 95% of the population speaks Cantonese. Almost everything a tourist would need has an English translation, so there isn’t that thick of a language barrier. Mandarin is also starting to flourish as more immigrants from the mainland pour in. Currency: Hong Kong dollar (HKD). HKD 100 is around PHP 665, USD 12.75, EUR 11.23, SGD 17.25 (as of February 2019). Money Exchange: You’ll find countless money changers around Hong Kong, concentrated in the areas of Tsim Sha Tsui (Chungking Mansions and Hankow Centre) and the Central district. ATMs are also aplenty, with HSBC being the most familiar. Modes of payment: Most establishments prefer cash payment, but many of them also accept credit card transactions. #urbanexplorer #maydaytrip