|
Population
and Language
Hong Kong has a population of 7 million people, of which
almost 95% are Chinese. The official languages are Chinese
and English, with Cantonese being the most widely spoken
Chinese dialect. All major signage are in Chinese or
bilingual. English is widely spoken in Hong Kong.
Climate戼㹲
Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with seasonal changes.
January is one of the best months to visit Hong Kong,
when the temperatures are pleasant at 16°C to 22°C with
the humidity at 80%. For the most updated information,
please visit the website of Hong Kong Observatory at
www.hko.gov.hk .
Local
Time
The local time in Hong Kong is GMT + 8.
Passport
and Visa
Passport holders from most countries are granted a 90-day
stay upon entry to Hong Kong. For country-specific visa
information, please check the most updated information
from the Hong Kong Immigration Department at http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_4.htm
.
Participants attending Chronic Care 2010 Conference
who require an entry visa for Hong Kong are advised
to make the necessary arrangements well in advance of
their departure. They should ensure that their visa
is valid for a sufficient duration. A letter of invitation
from the Conference Secretariat may be requested in
writing for facilitating your visa application.
For delegates travelling to other cities in China,
an entry visa to China is required. Please obtain your
visa from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate within your
current place of residence.
Health
Vaccination certificates are usually not required. Check
with your health authority as requirements can change
without notice.
With effect from 1 January 2007, statutory no smoking
areas in Hong Kong have been extended to cover the indoor
areas of all restaurant premises, indoor workplaces,
public indoor places, and some public outdoor places
in accordance with the amended Smoking (Public Health)
Ordinance (Cap. 371). No person shall smoke or carry
a lighted cigarette, cigar, or pipe in no smoking areas.
Safety
Hong Kong is generally considered a safe city by day
or night. However, avoid carrying large amounts of cash
and make use of your hotel safe for valuables.
Currency
and Credit Cards
The local currency is Hong Kong dollar (HK$), which
is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of US$1 = HK$7.8.
Most foreign currencies and traveler's cheques are easily
exchanged in Hong Kong at banks, hotels or moneychangers
with some handling charges. There are no restrictions
on currencies being brought in or taken out of Hong
Kong.
Hong Kong dollar notes are available in $10, $20, $50,
$100, $500 and $1,000 denominations. Coins come in 10
cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, $1, $2, $5 and $10 denominations.
Major credit cards are accepted in Hong Kong. Check
with your credit card provider if additional charges
are imposed on credit card payment. It can be used to
obtain cash advances at banks and ATMs, which are found
almost everywhere and provide 24-hour cash withdrawal
(HK$).
Public
Transport
Hong Kong is so compact, getting around is quite easy.
Fleets of taxis, buses, trams, ferries, complemented
by the excellent Mass Transit Railway (MTR) underground
system, will enable participants to travel between their
hotels and other areas in the city, safely and conveniently.
Telecommunication
Local calls from public coin phones cost HK$1 per five
minutes. Most hotels have International Direct Dialing
(IDD), but may charge an extra fee for local and/or
IDD calls. Stored value phone cards that allow you to
make calls on public card phones are available at the
Hong Kong Tourism Board Information and Gift Centres
and most convenience stores. The normal prefix for making
overseas calls is "001" but the exact prefix
varies with different phone cards. The country code
for Hong Kong is "852".
Internet access is available in most hotels. There
are also free Internet access at many coffee shops,
large shopping malls, major MTR stations and public
libraries in town. Wireless Broadband service is common
at major shopping malls and coffee shops for laptops.
Electricity
Local voltage is 220V at 50Hz. Transformers are required
for electrical appliances using 110V. The plug/socket
system is a 3 pin rectangular type. Both transformers
and adaptors may be provided by the hotel, or can easily
be bought in Hong Kong.
Water
Tap water meets the standard of the United Nations World
Health Organization. Bottled water is widely available
in hotels, supermarkets and convenience stores.
Business,
Banking and Post Office Hours
Generally, most commercial offices and government departments
are open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. Some may also
open on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. Lunch hour is usually
between 1 pm to 2 pm. Major banks are open from 9 am
to 4:30 pm on weekdays only. Most shops and department
stores are open daily from 10 am to 9 pm, while 24-hour
convenience shops are located all over the city. Post
Offices operate from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday to Friday,
and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays.
Sales
Tax and Tipping
There is no sales tax on goods and services in Hong
Kong. Most restaurants add a service charge of 10% to
their bill. Taxi drivers tend to round up the fare to
the nearest Hong Kong dollar.
Medical
Service
Hong Kong has an excellent health care system, and both
government and private facilities are widely available.
Many hotels have a doctor on call 24 hours for emergency
treatment.
Insurance
& Liability
The Organizer does not accept responsibility for any
individual, medical, travel or personal insurance. You
are advised to secure your own insurance policies as
necessary.
Airport
(Hong Kong International Airport)
Hong Kong is the transport hub of Asia, being directly
accessible from more than 100 cities worldwide. For
more information about Hong Kong International Airport,
please visit
http://www.hongkongairport.com .
To and From the Airport
As the hub for all surface transport to and from downtown,
the Ground Transportation Centre - connected to the
Passenger Terminal Building is where passengers can
board the Airport Express, taxis, Airbuses or tour coaches
at specially designated area. The following fares and
routes are quoted for your reference:
Airport Express
 It
is a very convenient and fast mode of transport to and
from the Central District. This high-speed rail service
takes passengers from the airport to Hong Kong Station
in Central in only 23 minutes. The 1-month round trip
ticket for adult costs HK$180 (US$23) and one way is
HK$100 (US$13). Trains run every 12 minutes from 5:50
am to 1:15 am daily. FREE shuttle-bus services are available
for connection to most major hotels and major transport
interchanges.. FREE shuttle-bus services are available
for connection to most major hotels and major transport
interchanges.
Hotel Link shuttle buses
 They
are available at the Ground Transportation Centre Limousine
Waiting Lounge. If you have a hotel booking which includes
airport transfer, the Hong Kong Hotel Association Hotel
Reservation Centre can be found inside the Buffer Hall
immediately after the Customs area, or look for the
Hotel Pick-up Counters in the Meeters & Greeters
Hall. If you have not organized transportation, Hotel
Pick-up Counter staff can advise and direct you to the
transportation of your choice. It runs every 30 minutes
to and from airport and the fares are:
from Airport to Hotel: HK$140
from Hotel to Airport: HK$100
Taxis
 Taxis
operate to almost anywhere in Hong Kong. Rate starts
at HK$18.00 (US$2.3) on flag fall plus HK$1.50 (US$0.2)
every 200 metres thereafter. Taxis only accept HK dollars.
Passengers only pay the fare shown on the meter plus
any additional charges when applicable (e.g. luggage,
tunnel tolls). Hong Kong Island passengers pay the two-way
Cross-Harbour tunnel toll. All passengers pay an extra
fee per piece of luggage (charges displayed in taxi).
A typical journey from the airport to the Central costs
about HK$330 (US$42) and the fare to Tsim Sha Tsui is
HK$270 (US$35).
Airport Departure Tax
The Air Passenger Departure Tax in Hong Kong is currently
HK$120 for persons aged 12 and above, which is normally
collected upon issue of tickets. Children under 12 years
old are exempted.
For more information on getting around Hong Kong, you
may also wish to visit www.discoverhongkong.com
.
Disclaimer: All information provided in this section
is considered to be accurate and correct at the date
of upload. We accept no responsibility should the information
change between the date of upload and the date of your
arrival in Hong Kong.
|
Home
