China : How to prepare your trip to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is an alternative China to Beijing.

Although China has always considered it part of the latter, it was part of Great Britain from the mid-19th century until 1997, when it was retroceded.

Even though it was retroceded, it continued to enjoy a different regime from the rest of China.

1. Google and other social networks

As Hong Kong has its own system, Google services are fully functional and you'll have access to all Western social networks. What's more, Chinese systems and the Chinese Internet are also accessible.

2. Transportation management

To tame the urban jungle that is Hong Kong, it's useful to use Google's services. However, while the Maps application works well to suggest routes according to your mode of travel, you should be aware that your GPS will be out of order.

Because of the multitude of buildings (several dozen meters high), multi-trips degrade the accuracy of your GPS, which will be lost.

GPS inaccuracy also makes it difficult to find a bus stop in the right direction. I personally spent over 20 minutes trying to find a bus stop, in a dense urban area, and gave up, eventually taking an Uber.

One thing that really stands out is the city's verticality. Of course, the buildings don't help, but beware, walking is not easy. You'll have to tame this verticality as you move around. Not infrequently, you'll need to use bridges to link various crosswalks, buildings or even zones together.

⚠️ Subway doesn't mean subway, it means underpass ⚠️

Yes, I did warn you that you'd have to deal with 3D when getting around Hong Kong.

The MTR is Hong Kong's subway system. The network is fairly well thought-out and easy to find your way around thanks to the signs and Google.

As in Japan, the cost of public transport depends on the length of your journey, and whether or not you've crossed the sea. Yes, Hong Kong is an archipelago made up of multiple islands and a peninsula.

Before you set off on any journey, don't forget to pick up your Octopus Card (equivalent to Japan's PASMO or Suica Cards). This card, once purchased at HKD 200, is credited with HKD 150, which will cover you for the start of your travels.

⚠️ It can only be topped up with HKD 50 and HKD 100 banknotes.

N.B.: If you want to keep the Octopus Card, then keep it until the end of your stay and go and buy things at the airport to pay for it.

If you do this in a subway station, you'll never see it again.

You can order a cab through the Uber app. Or by hailing one.

Hong Kong cabs are color-coded, and each color indicates the territory in which they can be used: red cabs for the whole of Hong Kong, blue cabs for Lantau, and so on.

The fare is quite reasonable, but beware of scams when we're going to the airport: the fare is between HKD 300 and 400 from Hong Kong Island to the airport.

3. What language to speak ?

Hong Kong is part of the Cantonese region. Thus, the natives speak Cantonese, but due to the influence of metropolitan China and the many Chinese immigrants, Mandarin is also spoken. But don't assume that the majority speak Mandarin. That's how I was fooled.

After asking an older person for information in Mandarin, he told me he didn't speak English. It was both comical and confusing.

So, since so many people speak English, especially young people, use it and abuse it.

Otherwise, you can always use G'Palemo. (cf article dédié):

4. Electrical sockets

As Hong Kong was a former British colony until 1997 (when it was officially handed back to China), electrical outlets are English, so you'll need this type of adapter.

If you don't have one, use the adapter I always carry with me when I travel. (cf l'article dédié):

5. Random Weather

Don't try to predict everything on the basis of the weather forecast: it's very changeable, and clouds are quickly trapped in the surrounding mountains.

In the space of 6 hours, the weather can change. I've fallen asleep thinking it was going to rain, woken up with a bit of sunshine, gone for a walk and had a shower.

6. Have a careful little bite out of it

The food in Hong Kong is very good. It includes the classics of Cantonese, Sichuan, Shanghai, etc., as well as other nationalities (Japanese, French, Italian, etc.). However, in Chinese cuisine, the cutting of meat and fish does not take into account the customer's well-being (if I may put it that way).

Indeed, it is considered more interesting to keep the bones in order to present the meat and ensure a certain preservation. To put it more pragmatically, chefs get a big chopper and chop up the carcass pieces, while preserving the bones.

So it's hard to look sexy when you're eating chicken (fortunately, there's no video to prove it).

So here's my advice

• Don't get full bites since there are bones.

• Don't eat poultry with your dentures, it will cost you.

N.B.: I personally ended up with a bone stuck in my palate, and I can assure you that it's not pleasant. In short, China is not kind.

Here are a few other things to bear in mind during your culinary visit to Hong Kong:

• If you have cholesterol, forget it, because you'll be eating skin (haha).

• Those who want to eat vegetarian, go to Buddhist temples and monasteries. The cuisine is mainly based on vegetables.

• If in France you'd go for the met(z)-wine pairing, here it's mets-thés (ooooh). You can choose from a wide range of teas at each restaurant. From Pu Erh to Oolong and traditional jasmine tea.