Hong Kong ... in a nutshell

If you’re backpacking, I think Hong Kong is an unnecessary luxury that can be added to your itinerary if you have the time and money. The food is fairly expensive, unless you shop around for some cheaper restaurants and don’t mind eating a lot of Dim Sum! It’s a great place (and sometimes an economical one) if you’re into shopping for tech-related items, luxury brands etc. and is ironically ideal if you need a break from Asia and all those things we love to hate.
 

Visas

We didn’t require a toursit visa for Hong Kong, and I believe it's a fuss free process for anyone who wants to visit for business or leisure (a visit consisting of less than 90 days). This is a country that doesn’t care for needless bureaucracy, but if you think different rules may apply for your country or circumstance you can find more information here: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/hongkong.htm

 

Accommodation

Our accommodation was perhaps a bit too budget (we’re talking one of the top three worst hotels we have been in), but we booked late and couldn’t find anything else affordable. Of course, it’s important to remember we’re on year long backpacking trip, which means what we consider "expensive" may seem reasonable if you’re considering spending some time in Hong Kong.  

We paid: 153 Hong Kong dollars (HKD) or just under €16 for a double room in the centre of the Kowloon area that could physically not have been any smaller.

A triple room worked out at 272 HKD (€28 / room / night) and although it was just about acceptable, the standard was much, much lower than that of the rest of Asia when taking into account the total room cost.

 

I think it's worth spending more, if possible, to get a decent room that you don't mind going back to after a day's sightseeing if you can!
 

Food and Drink

Dim Sum, wonderful stuffed dumplings that are steamed, fried or boiled, are probably the cheapest and tastiest way to eat in Hong Kong, as 5 or 6 dumplings can cost around €2. Of course, there are expensive restaurants that serve these morsels of delight, but they always tend to be the most affordable item on the menu.

There are no limits as to how much can be spent on eating out, as there are some extremely pricey  places (that seem to be aimed towards rich business men) and a distinct lack of street food compared to the rest of the continent. That said, Hong Kong can be done on a bit of a budget if you’re careful. Take-away type eateries are best as there are no hidden charges (such as the green tea you probably didn’t want with your meal).

There are often differences in how much a meal will cost depending on the time, as some set menus are offered for less if you eat before 13:30. Look out for these types of offers throughout the day, often being promoted by those handing out flyers near restaurants. It may seem obvious, but we’re often too quick to ignore people advertising!

 

Buying beers in the Seven Elevens dotted around town, as opposed to bars, will also save you a few euros instead of making you spend your weekly budget on a couple of pints. You can easily take them to the bay and enjoy a drink in style (with a fantastic view) despite having to drink out of a bottle or a can.

Transport

A bus ticket to get to the centre from the airport cost us 33 HKD / €3; ask your hotel to tell you which stop to get off at (they are in order and therefore very easy for tourists; i.e. 1st stop, 2nd stop etc.)
The underground system in Hong Kong is as good as you would imagine it to be - clean, reliable and reasonably priced (considering it’s an expensive country). Walking of course, is a far more exciting way to see the city, but if you’re short on time, you can get from A-B in the metro for around 17.50 HKD / €1.80 per person (depending on the distance).
 

Our next stop was mainland China, so we caught a train from Hung Hom station to take us to Guangzhou. This cost us a standard 190 HKD, which is around €20 per person. The best part was that we were there in less than two hours.

 

Money makes the world go round

At the time of "calculating" €1 was equal to around 10.60 HKD. Electronic items such as tech-related or photography related goods are generally cheaper than Europe, but you will need to shop around. Isma bought a camera lense for almost half the price that he would have paid in Spain, but he did stop at almost every shop in Hong Kong to find the cheapest one! If anybody is interested in shopping for this kind of stuff, let me know as we can let you know the name and address of the shop.

 

So how much?!
Visas: €0 (European citizens do not require a toursit visa)
Food: €12 - €16 a day per person (eating and drinking fairly modestly)
Accommodation: €20 a night for 2 people sharing (see more detailed breakdown above)
Transport: €2.50 a day, per person, including bus to centre of Kowloon from airport
Excursions: allow around €15 - €20 per person a day for sightseeing - depending on what you want to see!