Compiled and Edited by:
Joel Chan
joel@math.toronto.edu
Contributors are listed near the end of this document.
Copyright © 1992-1996 by Joel Chan. The full copyright disclaimer is at the end of this document.
This guide is made up of edited comments of various people on the Internet, who may or may not have been to Hong Kong and/or may not remember what it was like. So please be sure to take all comments with all the seriousness they deserve.
This is not intended to be a comprehensive guide of things to do in Hong Kong. Its purpose is to relay individual travelers' personal impressions, opinions, and recommendations, to give a more personal note than you would find in a professional tour book.
Note: This guide has errors! Not intentionally, of course. If you find errors, please contact me. If you have anything you wish to add, such as things that you feel should be included in this guide, let me know as well. I would very much appreciate any help or suggestions. Contributions are always welcome and I entertain any questions about the guide!
We are happy to be a part of the Alive! Global Network.
This guide is split up into eleven sections.
In what is one of the world's largest ever infrastructure programs, completion of Hong Kong's new international airport at Chep Lap Kok on Lantau Island is expected in late 1997/early 1998. The international airport is one of many projects that have begun in 1993. Construction of the Tsing Ma Bridge connecting Kowloon and Lantau Island is in progress. Central District and western Kowloon will expand, meaning there will be landfill construction at Victoria Harbour. This will cause certain ferry terminals to relocate in the near future.
Hong Kong returns to Chinese rule effective July 1, 1997. Macau returns to Chinese rule in 1999.
All prices that are included in this article are quoted in Hong Kong Dollars, unless otherwise stated. Please refer to the Currency/Foreign Exchange section.
In Hong Kong, there are HKTA offices in the following locations: Kai Tak International Airport (beyond customs) Star Ferry Concourse, Kowloon side Basement of Jardine House, on Hong Kong Island At Hong Kong, phone 2769-7765/2769-7688. Available 0800-2300. (JC)
The HKTA organizes tours around Hong Kong. There is a tour called the Land Between Tour which will take you to the New Territories It's easier going different places in the NT by joining that tour than to go on your own. (AGC)
The American and Canadian consulates are nearby MTR Central Station. The American Consulate is located at 26 Garden Road. Exit MTR Central Station at Chater Garden, walk southbound (the direction towards the Bank of China Building, the neat looking skyscraper that is made up of "triangles") until you see the Hilton Hotel. Continue walking south at Garden Road. It's past the Peak Tram Station. For the Canadian Consulate, exit MTR Central Station at Worldwide House/Connaught Road. Take the escalator up to the elevated sidewalk and follow the signs to Exchange Square, where the Canadian Consulate is located (One Exchange Square, 11th-14th Floor). (JC)
For US carriers, United Airlines (UA) flies one stop from Chicago via San Francisco to Hong Kong. UA also flies non-stop from Los Angeles. Northwest Airlines (NW) flies from New York to Hong Kong with a stopover at Tokyo. Northwest also flies Detroit to Hong Kong with a change of plane at Tokyo. American Airlines (AA) flyers can take Cathay Pacific from Los Angeles and gain AAdvantage (tm) points with at least full coach fare.
Canadian Airlines International (CP) provides a daily non-stop service from Vancouver to Hong Kong. The smoke-free flight originates in Toronto. Air Canada also provides service to Hong Kong four times a week. (JC)
Singapore Airlines (SQ) offers non-stop service between San Francisco and Hong Kong. SQ provides the only daily non-stop evening flight, departing SFO at around 0100 hrs Pacific Time and arriving at about 0700 hrs Hong Kong Time. The return flight departs at about 2100 hrs Hong Kong Time. (WOL)
British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic (VS) provide non-stop service from London, Air France (AF) provides one-stop service from Paris, and Swissair flies non-stop from Zurich.
Other alternatives for flying from the US to Hong Kong are as follows:
Japan Airlines (JL): Chicago - Tokyo - Hong Kong
Korean Air (KE): New York - Seoul - Hong Kong
China Airlines (CI): Los Angeles - Taipei - Hong Kong
Most Asian-based airlines serve Hong Kong. (JC, THM)
When flying to Hong Kong, baggage limits are based on the weight concept. Most carriers will allow 20 kg on economy, 30 kg on business class, and 40 kg on first class. Passengers who exceed these limits will be required to pay for the excess weight.
Remember that on arrival in Hong Kong, if you stay in the territory for more than 72 hours, you must reconfirm your onward/return flight with your airline. Call the reservations office of your airline upon arrival. If you don't know what the number is, dial 1081 for directory inquiries. (JC)
Try getting a window seat on the plane. The plane comes so close to residential housing during touchdown that I actually saw someone hanging clothes in the comfort of their apartment. It's an experience you'll only get in Hong Kong! (SWN)
You can get reasonable deals [for accommodations] at the airport. There's a booth right outside customs which will book you a room (for free?). They have a catalog which lists all reasonable hotels, what their going rate is, etc. (HM)
The hotel booking service at the airport is open late at night and on the two occasions that I've flown into Hong Kong, I've booked a room through them. Cheap beds in Hong Kong are not easy to come by; I've stayed at the Stanford (small rooms, reasonably priced but not cheap) and at the Fortuna (nicer but fancier than I needed and not cheap). (BV) (See Accommodations)
To get to your hotel, you can either take the cab, a limousine, or the airport bus. Some hotels provide complimentary shuttle service. Several airport buses serve most major hotels in the Tsim Sha Tsui (Route A1: $12), Causeway Bay (A3: $17), Central districts (A2: $17; A20: $17), and the Eastern District of Hong Kong (A5: $17). The A2 bus serves hotels at the southern part of Wan Chai, through Central district, and continues westbound to the Macau Ferry Terminal at Sheung Wan. For hotels at Admiralty and the Pacific Place mall, use the A20 bus. There is also a shuttle bus to Kowloon Tong Station, which serves both the MTR subway and KCR commuter rail (A7: $6.50). Buses usually run every 12-20 minutes and maps are available at the airport. A1, A2, A3, A5, and A7 are operated by Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB), while A20 is operated by China Motor Bus (CMB). Fares as of September 1995. (JC)
Travelers' checks are a safe way to bring money abroad. Visa, MasterCard, and American Express are widely accepted in Hong Kong. The airport is probably the worst place to exchange your currency for Hong Kong dollars. Most banks will do it at a much better rate.
American Express Travel Service Offices are available at the New World Tower Building (MTR: Central), Pacific Place (MTR: Admiralty), 111-139 Nathan Road (MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui), and Park Lane Radisson Hotel Lobby (MTR: Causeway Bay).
There are no sales taxes in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is one of the few tariff-free territories in the world. However, most restaurants add a 10% service charge. You still have to pay a tip! A general rule of thumb is to tip around 3-5%. (JC, MW)
In this guide, all dollar figures are in Hong Kong dollars, unless otherwise stated.
In Kowloon, double-decker *buses* are served by the Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB). You can usually KMB buses by its peach/red colour. In Hong Kong, buses are served by the China Motor Bus. CMB buses are generally blue. Citybus provides non-stop bus services around Kowloon and Hong Kong. Fares depend on the distance that the bus route travels; they usually range between HK$2.30 to HK$20. Bus routes 1xx are cross-harbour routes jointly operated by CMB and KMB. Both CMB and KMB have increased the amount of air-conditioned double-decker buses in their fleet.
There are also *tram* services on the island. Fares are HK$1.20 per adult. Hong Kong is the only operator of double-decker trams in the world.
The Mass Transit Railway (*MTR*) subway serves all major areas in Kowloon and Hong Kong. A map of the MTR is provided below.
The Kowloon-Canton Railway (*KCR*) runs between Kowloon and the New Territories up to the Chinese border at Lo Wu. To take the KCR, take the MTR to Kowloon Tong where you transit directly at KCR Kowloon Tong Station. (JC, MW)
*Taxis* are plentiful but are hard to get during rush hour. There are certain areas where you are not allowed to flag taxis. The no-stopping zone can be easily identified by seeing if there is a yellow line on the curb of the road. Some cab drivers can communicate in English but you're better off having someone write your destination in Chinese. Taxi fares are $13.00 for the first two kilometres and go up by $1.10 per 200 metres [1995]. There are also tunnel and baggage surcharges. (JC, WOL, TUW)
*Light buses* are 16 seaters whose destination is usually written in the front. Fares are adjusted during the journey. You can stop anywhere by request, except for the no-stopping zones. Tourists should not try this themselves. Bring a local if possible. (JC)
I tried almost all modes of transportation (except KCR) during my visit to Hong Kong. I enjoyed the ferry and tram ride the most because they are the slowest. You get to enjoy the view as you commute. I definitely advise against the taxi ride. You see so little but you pay so much! (SWN)
Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway
^ North ]|[ Cross-Harbour Tunnel
| --- MTR Line
hfc Overhead station
CEN Underground station
tsw\
TWH\
kwh\
kwf\
lak\
MEF\
LCK\ KOT LOF WTS DIH
Tsuen Wan CSW\ ------------------
Line SSP\ / Kwun Tong Line .\CHH.....
|PRE| . \kob
Zone 1 |MOK| ... \ntk
...................|YMT| ............. \kwt
Zone 2 |JOR . \lat
|TST . \
]|[ . ]|[
---------' . ----'
SHW CEN ADM WAC CAB. TIH FOH NOP QUB TAK SWH SKW hfc chw
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Island Line
Station Abbreviations:
Island Line Tsuen Wan Line Kwun Tong Line
Sheung Wan SHW Tsim Sha Tsui TST Shek Kip Mei SKM
Central CEN Jordan JOR Kowloon Tong KOT
Admiralty ADM Yau Ma Tei YMT Lok Fu LOF
Wan Chai WAC Mong Kok MOK Wong Tai Sin WTS
Causeway Bay CAB Prince Edward PRE Diamond Hill DIH
Tin Hau TIH Sham Shui Po SSP Choi Hung CHH
Fortress Hill FOH Cheung Sha Wan CSW Kowloon Bay KOB
North Point NOP Lai Chi Kok LCK Ngau Tau Kok NTK
Quarry Bay QUB Mei Foo MEF Kwun Tong KWT
Tai Koo TAK Lai King LAK Lam Tin LAT
Sai Wan Ho SWH Kwai Fong KWF
Shau Kei Wan SKW Kwai Hing KWH
Heng Fa Chuen HFC Tai Wo Hau TWH
Chai Wan CHW Tsuen Wan TSW
It's still the case. As long as there is no traffic around, pedestrians will cross on red lights.
Hong Kong is a British colony, so as you may expect, cars travel on the _left_ side of the road. North American travellers may want to pay special attention to this when crossing streets! (JC)
As of January 1, 1995, all Hong Kong numbers take on an extra digit '2', for a total of eight digit phone numbers. All numbers on the Kowloon side begin with 23 or 27. Hong Kong phone numbers begin with 25 or 28. New Territories phone numbers begin with 24 or 26. (THM) Lantau Island/outlying islands phone numbers begin with 29. Mobile telephone numbers still begin with 9 and pager numbers with 111. (JC)
To call internationally, dial 001, then the country code, then the area code, then the phone number. For instance, to call San Francisco, dial 001-1-415-xxx-xxxx. Dialing procedures may be different in hotels. If you have an AT&T or MCI Calling Card, you can take advantage of lower long distance charges and US operator assistance. For more information, pick up a copy of the USA Today International Edition for AT&T information, or the International Herald Tribune for MCI information.
To have a friend overseas call you in Hong Kong, dial the appropriate international access number, then 852, then the phone number. For instance, from the United States or Canada, dial 011-852-xxxx-xxxx. (JC)
Traffic signs are stated in metres and kilometres. 1 mile = 1.609 km. Temperature is stated in degrees Celsius.
Celsius Fahrenheit
15 59
20 68
25 77
30 86
35 95
One's height and weight is usually given in feet/inches and pounds.
In supermarkets, fruit and vegetables are priced by the kilogram
or the pound. In Chinese markets, Chinese units are used. (JC)
Average Temperature (Degrees Celsius)
High Low
January 18 13 Winters are considered cool and dull.
February 17 13
March 20 16 Springs are milder but they are either
April 24 20 very rainy or very pleasant.
May 28 24
June 30 26 Summers, from June to September, are
July 31 27 very hot and humid. Usually it'll be
August 31 27 32 and 65% on a "good" day.
September 30 26
October 28 24 Usually fairly pleasant, rather mild
November 24 20 with cool nights. Good time to visit.
December 19 15
Typhoon Season:
Typhoon season normally begins in June and ends in September.
There are at least two or three typhoons that hit Hong Kong or
at least affect the weather of the territory. The Royal
Observatory of Hong Kong is responsible for informing the mass
media when a typhoon alert is hoisted. A number 1 signal means
there is a typhoon which has a possibility of heading towards
the general direction of Hong Kong. A number 3 signal says that
a typhoon is less than 1000 kilometres away and heading towards
the general direction of Hong Kong. Some ferry services may be
suspended. A number 8 signal says that the typhoon is hitting
Hong Kong. At this point, all businesses close, and many public
transit services are suspended, including all ferry services,
many bus and tram routes, and the overhead sections of the MTR.
If you happen to be in Hong Kong when the number 8 signal is
hoisted, stay indoors! Signal numbers 9 and 10 mean a monster
hurricane is hitting Hong Kong. Fortunately, signals 9 and 10
have not been put up in many years. (JC)
Hong Kong residents and tourists are required to have valid identification on hand at all times. Police will make random checks.
In case of an EMERGENCY, dial 999. (JC)
If you can find it, I would strongly suggest buying the `Real Guide to Hong Kong and Macau' -- this is a great publication that lists the best inexpensive accommodations (and gives appropriate warning about the worst ones, such as those found at Chung King Mansions), as well as being a first-rate guide book. (DT)
Hong Kong's airport tax is not included in the price of the ticket. Current airport tax is $50 for adults and must be paid in *cash* at the check-in counter.
As of January 1, 1994, check-in counters close exactly 40 minutes prior to flight departure, while boarding gates close 10 minutes prior to departure. This is to discourage passengers from arriving at the airport at the last minute and to improve on-time performance. Passengers are advised to check in at the terminal at least two hours before check in. (JC, THM, DL)
Accommodation varies in Hong Kong... from the really run-down guest house to the five star hotels. It depends on your budget. (AGC)
I suggest you look in the Lonely Planet Guides (Southeast Asia, Hong Kong/Macau, and/or possibly other titles) for really good recommendations. (EP)
The Hong Kong Internet Directory contains web pages of hotels in Hong Kong. (JC)
For the budget minded, I suggest the New Grand Guest House 13/F C5 Chung King Mansion, Tel. 2311-1702. They charge $200 per night, and you won't find another guest house nearly this good for any price. This info is current (as of November 1992), since I stayed there last week. (BM)
Everybody has their own story to tell about the Chung King Mansions; I haven't stayed there myself. I have friends who loved it and friends who hated it; it just depends on which part of the labryinth you end up in. But it's all cheap! (LLC)
EVERYTIME, and I mean EVERYTIME, I passed by the Mansion there was either an incident occuring, a cop car in front, a fire truck, or an ambulance. This was in the span of four days. It's up to you whether you want to stay there. (KS)
A 1992 news documentary I saw on TV in Hong Kong was about how the Mansion is a time bomb ready to explode. The entire building is a fire hazard. A large fire would kill a lot of people since the building is essentially a labryinth. There are usually power outages during the summer because the electric wires are overloaded. (JC)
If you want a hostel-like place for cheap, try the "Club Hotel" at 714 Shanghai St. It's in Mong Kok, which is in northern Kowloon. I was there about a year and a half ago [winter 1991-92], and it was HK$45 (US$6.10) per night. Everything's small and cramped in Hong Kong, but otherwise it's a good clean place with hot water. You can call from the airport -- sorry, don't know the number (assuming of course that it still exists). (RG)
I arranged for a friend to stay there once, and it was very satisfactory; a good, standard (not fleabag) hotel room in the heart of Wan Chai, walking distance to the tram, MTR, and Wan Chai ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui. It's certainly vastly better than anything to be found in Chungking Mansions. (BN)
I personally recommend the International Youth Hostel, which is called Ma Wui Hall. The hostel is located as the Kennedy Town end of Hong Kong Island, the best bit is that the hostel is on top of Mount Davis, an awesome 2km half hour walk up to the top. The Hong Kong Tourist Authority has directions how to get there in Cantonese so you can show the taxi driver where to go.
It's a bit out of the way but has a nice view and only costs HK$40(GBP3-4) a night. [1992] (??)
For a room with a shared bathroom, it is about US$38 per night. The monthly rate is about US$25 per night. (March 1996) (JM)
I stayed at the Noble Hostel for about Cdn$35 (HK$210) in
January 1993, and was very satisfied. People were friendly, there
was a television, the place was secure, but the bathrooms were
shared (but they had HOT water!!!).
The disadvantage is that it is located in an expensive tourist
section.
There are 2 or 3 'Noble Hostels' around Hong Kong which are
probably run by the same person. (EP)
I used to stay in the Sky Guest House in Yau Ma Tei, just above Kowloon. It's a small place on the 14th or 15th floor of a high rise, not elegant but fine. They recently renovated, so prices may have gone up; when I stayed there it ran about US$15 a night. It may be double that now. I used to call them from the airport when I got into HK to see if they had rooms available; I got their number out of the phone book there in the airport. (LLC)
Unfortunately there is little chance of finding a cheap bed in HK. The STB Hostel on Reclamation Street (Kowloon side) which is run by the HK Students Association has dorm beds for a little under HK$100/night but they have always been fully booked days in advance in my experience. I had to stay in a double room there for HK330/night which came complete with gross engorged bed-bugs. (DB)
I stayed here in mid-Sept, 1992, and it was wonderful. Note that there is more than one YMCA in Hong Kong, so make sure you book at the right locale. It was about US$70/night, not a price for the backpacking types. But the facilities are fantastic (especially since I was in training during this time). The atrium wasn't finished when I was there, but it is now. The YMCA had a fresh fruit basket in my room, a nice surprise. And they have an airport bus. It's definitely not like the Ys I've seen in NYC. (KS)
I strongly recommend the YMCA at Salisbury. It was only reopened recently and is right in the middle of town, a seven minute walk to the Star Ferry. The rates are quite reasonable. (AGC)
I don't recall the condition of the youth hostel in Hong Kong, but much of their "budget" accommodations is pretty cramped, dirty, and noisy. After a few nights at a budget hotel, I checked in at the YMCA. Their prices are "budget", their rooms pretty quiet and clean. It also felt much safer there than in other places. An extra bonus is a great location next to the Peninsula hotel. Unfortunately, it gets full quickly. The best bet is to wire in advance (a travel agent can do this) or call to make a reservation. Otherwise, you can drop by on your first day there and see what you can get for that night or future nights. (PH)
In addition to the Salisbury YMCA, I would recommend the YMCA on Nathan and Waterloo. I have stayed there several times and found it clean, comfortable, air conditioned, etc. It is just as good as the Salisbury but much cheaper. (LW)
07:00 Wake up. Have breakfast. Pack a lunch.
08:30 Take the MTR (Subway) to Central Station. So much of Hong
Kong's pace of life can be seen by a subway ride. Don't
expect to get a seat. (If you happen to live around
Central Station, you get an extra 30 minutes sleep! But
make sure you do ride the MTR in the course of your day.)
Choose the Landmark exit.
09:00 Walk around Central District. Check out the mass of people
getting to work. Start walking eastbound on Queens Road
and stop by the Hongkong Shanghai Bank Building and the
Bank of China Building for some air conditioning. Continue
walking eastbound to Pacific Place.
10:30 From Pacific Place, take the escalators all the way up to
Hong Kong Park. Cross Hong Kong Park. Walk towards the Peak
Tram Station.
12:30 Take the Peak Tram up Victoria Peak. Eat your lunch. Enjoy
the view.
14:30 Take the tram back down and board the free double-decker
bus to the Star Ferry. If the weather is fine, sit on the
open roof upper deck.
15:30 Board the Star Ferry for Kowloon (Tsim Sha Tsui)
15:45 Walk around Tsim Sha Tsui. Go shopping or enjoy the sites
in the area. If you are just interested in sites, visit
the Cultural Centre, the Space Museum, and the Hong Kong
Museum of History. Shopping? Go through the Ocean Centre/
Harbour City complex, then walk to Grenville Road if you
want to get cheap clothes.
19:00 Dinner, preferably at a Chinese restaurant (Where else are
you going to go?).
20:30 Got any kids? Then go home and send the kids to sleep. Then
either (1) go to some of the more popular pubs in Hong Kong, or
(2) visit a Chinese night market at Mongkok or Temple Street.
Key to Transportation Abbreviations:
MTR Mass Transit Railway (subway) KMB Kowloon Motor Bus (the beige coloured buses) CMB China Motor Bus (the blue coloured buses)
A spectacular waterfront, you can see people living in sampans and fishing boats. It's also known for its' floating restaurants, but they have become tourist traps and it's not the best place to sample Cantonese food. (JC/BM)
This is a bay on the south side. You'll find the Jumbo Floating Restaurant there. Take a water taxi across and look around. It's a spendy place to eat (we just had a drink at the bar). (KE)
Be careful not to jump on the wrong boat to the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, the locals will charge you for the ride. It cost $40 for 3 people for breakfast. (October 1994) (ML)
It's not really a place to go sightseeing, but it's one example of Hong Kong's amazing modern architecture. Not surprisingly, the building was designed by I.M. Pei. He had the problem of constructing a skyscraper given little space and made the most of it. It's my favourite building in Hong Kong. The BoC Building was the tallest building in Hong Kong for awhile and it was recently taken over by Central Plaza in Wan Chai. The general public is not allowed access to the top of the building. The top is a conference centre and if you're caught by a security guard, you will be asked to leave. It is possible to go up to the 55th (?) floor, though. The view is supposedly fairly spectacular. (JC)
A major shopping area for tourists along with Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. There are lots of Japanese department stores around this area. Many of the newer shopping areas are now located in Causeway Bay instead of Central, including Times Square, a mega-shopping mall with about nine floors worth of shopping. Definitely worth a visit to this area. (JC)
Central is the business district of Hong Kong. If you happen to be at Central during rush hour or lunch break on weekdays, you'll see why Hong Kong is one of the most powerful business territories in Asia. It's quite an experience. Central District is also home to many fancy boutiques and shops. The Landmark is a modern shopping mall with big brand name shops. There's a Lane Crawford nearby at Queens Rd. Central. Then there is Li Yuen Streets East and West. They are small alleys filled with small shops that sell clothing, shoes, ties, scarves, and handbags. It's a popular spot for both tourists and locals alike. The district is also home to some of the best architectural designs around: the Hongkong Shanghai Bank Building is not too hard to spot. The Bank of China Building is visible from almost anywhere in Central. The Exchange Square towers are magnificent. Still one of my favourites is the Jardine House, which is right across from the Post Office Headquarters and is easy to recognize by the round windows. Jardine House was the building Spiderman climbed: it was then the tallest building in Asia. (JC)
Currently the tallest building in Hong Kong and the 4th tallest in the world. (JC)
Take the HKF Ferry from the Outlying Islands Pier to Cheung Chau. The Pier itself is located in Central. (JC, THM)
If you plan to visit the New Territories for the day along the KCR line, the Chinese University is one place to stop and look around. Check out the art gallery at the Institute of Chinese Studies. (JC)
One of the many beaches in Hong Kong. Water quality is not the best, but the views are still wonderful. (JC)
(See the following section on Restaurants)
This is where the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is located. Exchange Square is a complex of four buildings. Mainly for office space, Exchange Square also contains fine restaurants and a supermarket. It is also the home of the Canadian Consulate in Hong Kong. (JC)
If you want cheap computer hardware, manuals, and lots of pirated software, visit the the Golden Centre on Fuk Wa and Gwei Lin St. It's an easy area to get lost in! (JN)
For an idea of how cheap pirated software is, a pirated disk usually costs HK$10. This means Microsoft Windows 3.1, without manuals, will cost you less than HK$100. Every few months or so, the police raid the centre and fine/arrest merchants who sell pirated software. (JC)
Another attraction outside Golden Shopping Centre is the street-side food vendors. Various vendors sell anything from grass jelly to (fake) shark fins to various assortments of fried foods. Might be a health risk, though. (MW)
(See Horse Racing)
(See Ocean Terminal/Ocean Centre/Harbour City)
(See Victoria Harbour)
Hong Kong people gamble all the time. Surprisingly enough, only lotteries and horse racing are legal gambling activities. The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club organizes races on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at one of two sites: Happy Valley or at Shatin. Crowds usually average over 50,000 a day, so you can imagine how crazy Hong Kong people can get when it comes to gambling. There are even devices which you can hook up to your phone line so you can pick your favourite horses. (JC)
Another one of those spectacular buildings in Hong Kong. Just enjoy the architecture. (JC)
The real attraction is inside! Escalators run from the ground floor all the way up!! Open partitions everywhere... great sight. (MW)
This is a big pavillion right on the southern tip of Tsim Sha Tsui It's mainly a bunch of concert halls for symphonies, plays, cultural events, etc. Along the waterfront there is a big observation deck with a phenomenal view of Hong Kong Island. (KE)
Art galleries which contain prints, artwork, and artifacts of Hong Kong and Macau. Opened in 1992 after moving from it's previous location at Hong Kong City Hall. (JC)
It's a good stop to get a historical perspective on Hong Kong. It has lots of exhibits, many with wax-museum-like figures, and shows depicting the history of Hong Kong. (KE)
One of the newer parks that opened in 1991. Here you'll find the Museum of Tea Ware (free admission) which I highly recommend. It also contains an aviary with tropical birds and plants. The walk is highly recommended as well. It is also very close to the Peak Tram Station. (JC)
A great museum for kids. Learn about space travel, astronomy, as astrology at the exhibition halls. The Space Theatre is an Omnimax theatre that presents shows on topics including space travel. (JC)
Contains a nice collection of animals, including an aviary. (JC)
I've recently returned from a month long holiday trip to Hong
Kong, staying with my wife's family there. This was my 4th trip
there, and I thought I'd got used to the place by now. I've
never found a good place to run there and before I went I asked
about places to run on soc.culture.hongkong. I didn't receive
any replies. The place we were staying belonged to my brother-in-law
and was a 4th floor apartment overlooking the seafront. There
was a great view at night looking across from Kowloon to the
Hong Kong island water-front. At night most of the sea front
buildings were lit up with decorations to celebrate Chinese new
year. The days however were mostly misty and dull (when it
wasn't raining).
When I went out for my first run, the day after we arrived, I'm
sure my mother-in-law never expected to see me again. She
thought I was going to get lost and never be able to find my
way back, so before she would let me go I had to take with me
a piece of paper with the address of the apartment written in
Cantonese (I don't speak much (any?) Cantonese so how she thought
I'd understand the reply I'd get after showing this address I
don't know :-), plus a dollar for the phone in case I got lost.
I didn't get lost, I just got wetter than I'd ever been before
on a run. I was only out 25 minutes and I looked like a drowned
rat when I got back.
After a few days I found a reasonable route, the problem being
that there are so many cars, people and buildings around, *every*
green spot has been built on, there wasn't really anywhere to
run. The only places I could find were along the short seafront
road, and through walkways which go under the flyovers and stuff.
It would take a long train ride to get anywhere where there is
anything that could be called countryside, and our daily timetable
of visiting folk and shopping meant that I had little time for
running anyway.
So my best route started out running around the bus and Star
Ferry terminus outside the apartment. The real problem here is
that if a ferry happens to arrive there is a real problem pushing
through the weight of people. No-one *ever* would move out of
the way for someone running so you feel a bit like a human pin
ball :( Running along the sea front, the view is obscured
because they are trying to turn the sea into land so that they
can build on it - HK is surrounded by mountains, the only place
to build is upwards, usually after reclaiming land from the sea.
Further on my route took me past and through an area full of
funeral parlours and small shops full of flowers overflowing
onto the street, which they use for the funerals. One morning
there was a funeral of a police officer and it seemed like the
whole of the Kowloon police force were there.
The route I took went briefly away from the buildings to go
under a fly over and came out alongside the Kowloon to Canton
railway line where every morning a train full of livestock from
China was being unloaded to be taken to market in HK, (IMHO the
smell from a train load of pigs can be more than a bit overpowering).
After leaving the railway, the route came out alongside an 8
lane highway which disappeared into a tunnel after a while and
I turned off into a park. Yeah! grass and trees at last, this
park was 200 meters long by 30 meters wide but it did make a
change from the highway. The park marked the turn for home
which went up hill most of the way and then *sharply* downhill
to sea level again. I now had to run through the busy shopping
streets to get back home. The streets are truely amazing, you
can buy just about anything, but most of all they sell food
everywhere. Dodging people and cars (I'm sure most people
thought I was mad) I made my way back to the sea front, watching
747's take off about a mile away at the airport as I ran. In
keeping with the rest of HK, the airport is also amazing. One
of the most dangerous airports in the world according to a
magazine article I read, arriving in HK the planes come in at
90 degrees to the runway trying to avoid the mountains, whilst
being less than 100 feet above the highest buildings. Suddenly
they swoop down, turning sharply to land on the runway. This
runway goes out into the sea of course so stopping quickly is
a priority :-) Well, on the whole not a great place to run, but
definitely a great place to visit! (TB)
I also was amazed at how they have covered every available bit of land with high-rises. I didn't see any runners there during a 10-day visit. Lots of runners in Japan, (during their lunch hour, wearing their white gloves), but not Hong Kong. (CB)
What most visitors do not realise is that the hinterland of both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon/New Territories contains large swathes of very beautiful country parks. A visitor simply needs to be a little adventurous. Running in the hills and the country parks is very safe -- very few dangerous snakes and no muggings. A good way of discovering a few unusual places is to contact the Hong Kong Hash House Harriers. They run on Monday evenings starting 6:00pm prompt from different locations each week. (KT)
Also see The Peak.
Lots of greenery in a busy area of the city. Check out the Chinese Gardens. Also don't miss the Hong Kong Museum of History. (JC)
(See Mongkok)
The second largest amusement park in Hong Kong (to Ocean Park), but it's absolutely horrible. Total waste of time for the kids. (JC)
A zoo used to belong in the amusement park -- the zoo is now closed with the animals herded off to a "wildlife" theme park in Shenzhen (across the Hong Kong-China border). The amusement park is still there. (MC)
Lau Fau Shan is a well known fishing village. Go to the market, purchase the fish you want, bring it to a restaurant and have the chef cook it for you. Very interesting place. On a clear day you can see China across Deep Bay. (JC)
Lantau is the largest island in Hong Kong. It is where the new international airport will be built. It is worth a day's visit. Lots of hiking trails to choose from. (JC)
After arriving at Mui Wo, plan ahead where to go and catch the bus (operated by the Lantau Bus Company). The signs are well indicated but you must make your decision fast (*really fast*) since the buses leave the terminus at about 15 minutes after the arrival of the ferry. If you miss it, you may have to wait for 1/2 hour for the next bus. (THM)
I explored this island on my own, and only spent a half-day there or so. I took a bus from the ferry terminal to the Po Lin Monastery. This is a Chinese Buddhist monastery. It's a bit touristy, but well worth a trip in my view. The bus takes almost an hour to get there and drives around half the island, so it's a good way to get a cheap tour of the territory. The monastery grounds include a lot of attractions. You can rent horses there. There's a hostel. There are peaceful, pleasant lanes on which to walk. Just next to the monastery is a huge bronze Buddha (the largest outdoor Buddha in the world!). You can see the Buddha from the valley long before you get to the monastery. If you're into hiking, you might consider making a day hike to the one night on the island, then get an early start on the hike. There's a trail to the top, so it's really trekking, not mountaineering. Also, Lantau Island has some great beaches. (KE)
(See Central)
Day trip to Macau. Macau is a Portuguese colony just like HK is a British colony. Macau is about 65 km away and takes one hour to get there by jetfoil. It's a smaller, less well-known city. It is strange to see the spanish-like architecture and language in the midst of an oriental culture. Some points about Macau:
Mongkok is the most densely populated district in the world. If
you happen to bring your kids along, hold on to them tight! They
can easily get lost in the crowd.
At MTR Mong Kok Station, find the Bank Centre exit. Once you leave
the station, you'll immediately see why the place is so densely
populated!
The street in front of you is Sai Yeung Choi St. Here you'll see
nothing but audio/video/hi-fi stores. If it's audio/video equipment
you want, you'll find it here. Many stores will accept US dollars
and even travellers checks! Beware of those possible scams, though.
(See: Shopping)
Walk down Nelson Street until you make it to Tung Choi Street.
This night market is also known as Ladies Street, since it mostly
sells stuff for ladies including clothing, cosmetics, etc. for
bargain basement prices. Souvenir Hong Kong t-shirts sell very
cheap -- but can get destroyed easily by putting them in the
wash several times! You'll also be able to find music stores,
too. Best time to visit Ladies Street is from 7 to 10 in the
evening. Going one more block further east is Fa Yuen Street.
If you look to the left, you'll see the greatest collection of
sporting shops in Hong Kong. You'll usually get a great price
at any sporting goods you need. I've bought tennis rackets,
shoes, and tennis shirts there. (JC)
(See Hong Kong Park)
A possibility, if you are interested in urban development, is to take a hydrofoil from Central to Tuen Mun and then take a few trips on the new Light Rail line from there to Yuen Long, getting off at some of the intermediate stops to soak up the atmosphere. The route structure is convoluted but the system is easy to use. All instructions are in English as well as Cantonese, with good diagrammatic maps. There is a zonal fare structure; tickets are bought from machines at each stop. If you want to see how the new Hong Kong new middle class lives, eats, plays and works free of intrusions from tourists - except those adventurous enough to find their way there - this will make for an interesting half- or all-day excursion. There are also some temples, parks, sports facilities, etc., accessible by the rail line. Information is available at the Tuen Mun ferry terminal; some of the brochures are partially in English - or used to be. Food is available at several Chinese fast food restaurants in the shopping centres. Language is not a problem because all items sold are illustrated. (KH)
Many in tourist areas. Watch out for bars which are just fronts for brothels. The first round of drinks includes the girl behind the bar. (JN)
(See the following: Mongkok/Ladies Street, Temple Street)
[Fares as of September 1993]
Admission: $140 for adults, $70 for children.
WaterWorld Admission: $60 for adults, $40 for children. (KE)
Admission from MTR Admiralty: $154 for adults. Includes
round-trip transportation from Admiralty Station to Ocean Park.
(THM)
One of our party wanted to see this amusement park. I was not
so hot on the idea, but now after having been there, I would
call this a "must-see". There are two entrances to this park.
The main one (I think) is right next to another attraction called
"Water World", which is a huge complex of swimming pools and
other water fun-stuff. The Water World part requires a separate
admission, so we didn't go in (as much as we wanted to on that
hot, summer day!). Instead, we took a gondola over the mountain
to the main part of Ocean Park. Stunning views from the gondola
on the way over.
Ocean Park is sort of long and strung out along the edge of a
small peninsula on the south side of HK Island (it's within easy
sight of Aberdeen and the Jumbo Floating Restaurant). The park
includes the following things:
This three shopping mall complex is one of the largest in Asia. It is mainly a shopping mall for tourists. Shops include Toys 'R' Us, Lane Crawford, Marks and Spencer, and Computer City (located at Star House) right next to the bus terminus at Star Ferry. (JC, MW)
See the following topics: Lantau Island, Cheung Chau
Pacific Place is a huge complex with an ultra-modern shopping mall in Hong Kong right in the middle of three of the most expensive hotels in the territory -- the Marriott, the Conrad, and the Island Shangri-La. It's like any major shopping mall in North America. Seibu Department Store is located there, along with fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and KFC downstairs at the food court. You'll also find your clothing chains such as Esprit and Benetton. There is also a movie theatre (UA Queensway). Some of the restaurants are also highly recommended. (JC)
The one place that would be decent would be Victoria Peak. You have to take an incline car to the top, but then you can walk/run on this fairly flat road which rings the top of the mountain. The view of Kowloon and Hong Kong is fantastic (provided it's not misty or raining, which it was the two of the three times I was up there). It seems to be a haven for wealthy Europeans. (CB)
Take the tram to the top. It doesn't go clear to the top, but high enough. Gorgeous view of the harbour. One friend of mine went up there at night. (KE)
The tramcars have been recently replaced with 72-seater cars. The incline is very steep, which is why the seats are angled in such a weird fashion. (JC)
The return trip from the Peak Tram Station in Central to the Star Ferry is free with a receipt from the Peak Tram. (ML)
(See Deep Water Bay)
(See the following section on Restaurants)
(See Horse Racing)
The Sai Kung area, located in the eastern part of the New Territories, is known for its' country parks, and as a fishing village. Seafood restaurants are aplenty. (JC)
Hong Kong is famous for it. You can't go anywhere in town and avoid it. Just walk over the Tsim Sha Tsui district in Kowloon. Nathan Road (the main street running north and south through the peninsula) is the heart of the shopping, but there are MANY other areas. Many places hire people to stand on the street and solicit buyers to enter their shops. If you look like a westerner, you're bound to get hype from tailor shops, watch sellers, etc. (KE)
As to shopping, if you've never shopped in the Orient, then you need some intuition, as you can get badly burned from such ploys as taking the camera you've just chosen out back to put it in its box, when they return, something else altogether has found its way into your box! And many retailers will make any promises you want to get your sale, on such matters as international validity of guarantees. There *are* bargains to be made, but don't lose your cool! (AR)
Having spent the last year living here in Hong Kong, the idea of Hong Kong as a "shopper's paradise" is mostly a marketing ploy by the Hong Kong Tourist Association. You can find cheap things such as clothing but in essence Hong Kong is not very cheap. (??)
It's probably a waste of time at best, and very foolish at worst to try to buy anything in Hong Kong, especially if you live in America. If you try hard enough, you can buy just about anything here for the same price or less, and it will really work, be what you paid for, and you won't be cheated or lied to. (BJS)
International goods are only marginally less than elsewhere. Hong Kong island has a number of large dept stores with fixed prices. These are are good guide to the maximum to pay. If you prefer bargaining, then Kowloon and nearby shopping districts can be fun but still not the cheapest. For best prices, but lower choice, go to shopping areas used by the locals. Watch out for the final wrapping scam. (What you get is not what you first saw.) (JN)
Be careful, as some smaller shops will double the price of things you want if you look like a tourist. Lots of fake items such as watches and Polo Ralph Lauren shirts in night markets. (KC)
Hong Kong is not any longer a cheap place for shopping. Especially with the falling dollar, I would expect that all the things you need can be bought for about the same price in the United States and most European countries. The things in the night market are not very cheap, either. For example, fake watches starting from HK$35 are the same watches that can be found in many post order catalogues for a cheaper price or as add-on in many purchases. (TUW)
Your best bet is to ask a HK local where they do their shopping, that's were you get the best bargains. (VS)
Either that, or choose a place where there is an HKTA sticker on the door. (JC)
Also see: Causeway Bay, Central District, Golden Shopping Centre, Mongkok/Ladies Street,Ocean Terminal/Ocean Centre/Harbour City, Pacific Place, Stanley Beach, Temple Street, Tsim Sha Tsui
Stanley was once a prisoners' camp operated by the Japanese during WWII. Now it's known as a spectacular beach with wholesale clothes retailers. You can also buy ceramics and books. (JC)
Stanley market is worth a visit (bus or taxi) for cheap clothing. linen and miscellaneous junk/souvenirs. (JN)
Many tourists go there. It looks like a big flea market with a lot of cheap clothing and gift stores. (KC)
These green and white ferry boars move constantly across the channel between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. They cost $1.40 on the lower deck, $1.70 on the upper deck. Exact change is required for the lower deck. Go to the Star Ferry Terminal. As you walk down the corridor you come to a set of turnstiles. Insert fare in the turnstile and walk through. (KE)
As for sights, the most amazing IMHO is the view of the city at night when viewed from a trip on the Star Ferry. (AR)
Also see Victoria Harbour.
Tai Tam is where the Tai Tam Country Park is. Surrounding the reservoir, it is a great place for hiking. (JC)
It has a nickname -- "Night Club for the Poor." A place for authentic Chinese food, fake watches, and palm reading. When you buy things at night markets such as Temple Street, remember to bargain with them. It's fun! (KC)
The night market on Temple Street is definitely a neat place to go. But go there at night. It is open during the late afternoon, but isn't as interesting then. I ate there, on the street a couple of times, with the taxis whizzing by about two feet away from my chair, and I never had any trouble with getting sick. But, of course, it is a risk :) (DM)
One of the major areas in Hong Kong where it's nothing but hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and more shops. Tsim Sha Tsui East is another district but just about has the same stuff: shops, shops, hotels, and more shops. (JC)
On Granville Road, you'll find a lot of factory clothing outlets which sell clothes at bargain basement prices. When shopping, be very cautious about the quality of clothes. (CA)
See also: Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Hong Kong Museum of History, Hong Kong Space Museum, Kowloon Park, Ocean Terminal/Ocean Centre/Harbour City, Star Ferry, Victoria Harbour
Academia, Hong Kong style. Check out the Fung Ping Shan Museum. [Perhaps someone from HKU would like to fill in this section. E-mail me, please.] (JC)
Some places worth taking pictures at the University are the Main Building and the Stanley Ho Sports Centre. (MW)
The cheapest and easiest way to get a view of both Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon peninsula is by taking the Star Ferry. (JC)
Definitely do a cruise on a Star Ferry. They are cheap and do nice tours of the harbor. Someone tries to sell you a 'your name in Chinese' painting on board, but that's easily side-stepped. They have morning, afternoon, sunset (great!) and night (also nice) cruises, and free drinks. (CK)
Another excellent place to view the harbour is at Tsim Sha Tsui East. From the Star Ferry on the Kowloon side, walk along Salisbury Road until you reach the Regent/New World Centre. The New World Centre is where the sidewalk along the coast begins. Walking along the coast takes you all the way to Tsim Sha Tsui East and Hung Hom where the KCR Kowloon Station is. One of the more popular downtown jogging areas. (JC)
(No information available at this time.)
With about 20,000 restaurants in Hong Kong, all I can say is
that you have plenty of choice. As with many cities, the most
expensive are to be found in luxury hotels. Side-street eating
places near the tourist areas are often the best value. For rock
bottom prices go to residential areas such as Mong Kok and eat
from street stalls. (A full meal for US$1).
Also if you want to see what over-population looks like, Mong
Kok at evening meal time (around 6pm) is the place to go. Everyone
eats in the street as many of the high rise apartments don't
have cooking facilities. (JN)
In HK you'll probably find the best food you've eaten in your
whole life. All the major hotels have excellent restaurants.
You should also try the "Revolving 66" (on Hong Kong island),
its on top of a round skyscraper (you can see the building from
the mainland side very easily) and it revolves (as the name
suggests), reserve a table on the window side, you'll get a
breathtaking view of HK at night. A "should see" is also the
"floating restaurant", not the best food (still better then most
of the stuff here), but an experience. (VS)
[Revolving 66 is located at the top of Hopewell Centre, Queens
Road East and Spring Garden Lane. MTR: Wan Chai]
In Tsim Sha Tsui: The "Italy, France, Japan" resturant two floors
up in Chung King arcade (really good budget food, but stay away
from their steaks).
[Chung King Mansion -- 40 Nathan Rd.]
Ned Kelly's for good food anytime and good music after 9PM.
[Ned Kelly's Last Stand -- 11A Ashley Rd. 2366-0562]
Bottoms Up - have one drink there. Stay out of ALL other topless bars.
[Bottoms Up -- 14 Hankow Rd. 2721-4509] (BM)
As for food, you must definitely try the following:
No visit to that part of Lantau is complete without lunch at the monastery. The food is vegetarian and delicious. The mushrooms are gorgeous---they don't always appeal to westerners though. (MT)
Here are some of my suggestions:
Hong Kong has its share of fast food restaurants. McDonald's and
Pizza Hut can be found all over Hong Kong. Burger King and KFC
also exist in various spots. Of course, since Hong Kong is
known for the best Chinese food in the world, there is no reason
why you should go to a fast food joint.
With that in mind, here are my top spots for food. Most of these
restaurants are in the pricey end, but you will not regret it.
Mad Dogs Pub: There are branches on HK Island (10 minutes from the Star Ferry Terminal) and in Tsim Sha Tsui. If you are escaping from China and weeks of challenging food then these are great places to get good Western food (Toasted avocado, Brie sandwiches etc.) and good English beer. However, it's pretty pricy. During happy hour (between 4pm-8pm) beer is half price (sold at half price for draft, or two cans for the price of one). (DB)
I remember these trendy hot spots:
(Continental) Mandarin Grill -- Mandarin Hotel
(Chinese) Unicorn (at Causeway Bay) -- "nouvelle cantonese!"
The restaurants in the top tier hotels on the Kowloon side are all
pretty top notch.Here's a short list of hot spots for decent food in Hong Kong:
(French) La Brassiere -- Omni Marco Polo Hotel, Canton Rd, Kowloon
(Western) Art Deco Bar and Grill -- up at the top of Victoria Peak.
As for Chinese food, look anywhere in Hong Kong and Kowloon.
Everybody has their favorites and it would be unfair to tell
you all of mine without allowing you to benefit of forming your
own opinions.
And I hope you like noise! Hong Kong never stops. This is also fascinating - I watched (using binoculars!) a game of Mah Jong going on in a room opposite my hotel late in the afternoon. It was still going at 1am, and finished at about 7am next morning. They started again that night! I could see the hands the guy with his back to me was playing! (AR)
Three weeks is a loooonggggg time to spend in Hong Kong. I think you'll go stir crazy. I suggest you consider arranging an excursion into China. Hong Kong is a great jump-off point for arranging tours into China. A good 14 day tour would show you ALL of China's major attractions and still leave you a week for Hong Kong (plenty). Two weeks in China, all inclusive, won't cost you as much from Hong Kong as from America (or Canada). A travel agent in Hong Kong can get your Visa for China in 2-3 days. If you're interested, I suggest you invest in a book entitled, "China: A Survival Kit" published by The Lonely Planet (you're probably familiar with them...) They'll tell you how to make all the arrangements and give you an estimate on the cost depending on where you go, etc. (??)
As in any other city you visit, it would be wise to buy a recently updated map of Hong Kong before visiting there. Study it a little and make sure you have it with you at all times when you are in Hong Kong. Don't be afraid to ask locals for directions. (JC/KE)
Hong Kong is a bustling, active place. "Activity" is the word that to me characterizes the place. One can easily get sensory overload from walking around there. (KE)
On Saturday mornings you'll probably be asked on the street by students in their school uniforms to make a small donation to a certain charity. It has become a part of Hong Kong and usually everyone donates. As a tip, a $1 or $2 coin is usually sufficient. In return you'll get a sticker with the charity's name imprinted. More importantly, it's evidence that you've made a donation so you won't be asked to donate again. (JC)
Late January - Mid February: Chinese New Year.
Every year adults give children lai-see (red packets) containing
money for the kids to spend. If you happen to be in town during
Chinese New Year, be sure to visit the streets and watch the
dragon dances around town. The fireworks display at Victoria
Harbour is spectacular.
soc.culture.hongkong FAQ Posted monthly in soc.culture.hongkong, news.answers and soc.answers.
Latest scenic pictures of Hong Kong. All files are encoded in gif format.
Carlo Ang cang@acs.ryerson.ca CA Tony Beaumont beaumont@acrc.bristol.ac.uk TB Dave Britton brit@hep.physics.mcgill.ca DB Nigel Burnett nigel@kathunk.phaedrav.on.ca NB Chris Boyd chrix%RAROTONGA.ISLAND.COM CB Anne-Gigi Chan doggie@cats.ucsc.edu AGC Joel Chan joel@math.toronto.edu JC Howard Chien hwc@sei.cmu.edu HC King Chu CHUAKIN@ems.cdc.com KC Michael Chiu Michael.Chiu@f74.n700.z6.ftn.air.org MC Frank Chui fkc00@duts.ccc.amdahl.com FC Lauren Crawford crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu LLC Debora Doucette Debbie@cup.portal.com DAD Ken Ewing kene@sequent.com KE Russell Gilbert gilbert@esd.dl.nec.com RG Ken Heard kheard@ccs.carleton.ca KH Pamela Hinds ph00+@andrew.cmu.edu PH Nick Jacobs njacobs@nyx.cs.du.edu NJ Carla Kuiken kuiken@amc.uva.nl CK Mark Lafontaine mark@nickel.laurentian.ca ML Danny Lau laud@wu13.wl.aecl.ca DL Wai-On Law onlaw@taiping.sps.mot.com WOL Tinhang Ma tinhang%whipple@cs.wisc.edu THM Jennifer Magarity jlm@hk.super.net JM Henry Mensch henry@ADS.COM HM Bill Mitchell mitchell@mdd.comm.mot.com BM Don Murray DM Bill Newlin bnewlin@netcom.com BN John Newman john_newman@qmcc.curtin.edu.au JN Soon Wei Ng ngsw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com SWN Chris Northcutt chrisn@crl.com CN Eleanor Pope epope@bnr.ca EP Stephan Paulus stefccfc@w250zrz SP Alex Reid alex@uniwa.uwa.oz.au AR Volker Soffel volker@nsc.nsc.com VS Ken Staggers staggers@cup.hp.com KS Brian Joseph Starr bstarr@liege.ics.uci.edu BJS Mark Templeton MT Kenneth Thorpe kathorpe@glink.net.hk KT Don Topaz mr_topaz@callme.enet.dec.com DT Frank Tsui fkc00@duts.ccc.amdahl.com FT Barbara Vaughan bvaughan@sheps.princeton.edu BV Mark Wan Hong-yin mark@hongkong.ml.com MW Tor-Ulf Weck t.weck@hut.fi TUW Ken Wong kfwong@microweb.com KW Linda Wu lwoo@u.washington.edu LW Anonymous or unknown contributors ??
The rec.travel.asia Hong Kong Travel Guide is Copyright © 1992-1996 by Joel Chan. Permission to freely redistribute this guidebook via electronic means is expressly granted provided distribution is done without charges of any kind, that it is for non-commercial purposes, and that it is distributed in its' entirety including this banner and the attributions, and that no alterations of any kind are made. Nothing in this article represents the views of the University of Toronto nor the Department of Mathematics at the University of Toronto.