Hong Kong: Getting there & around

Orientation

Hong Kong is divided into four main areas - Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands. Kowloon and the New Territories are on a peninsula of the Chinese mainland, on the northern side of Victoria Harbour; Hong Kong Island is on the southern side of the harbour facing Kowloon; the Outlying Islands simply refers to any of the other 234 islands. The New Territories has a 20km (12mi) land border with China proper.

The city itself is centred around Victoria Harbour. The main business district is Central, on Hong Kong Island. East of Central lies the Admiralty commercial district; Wan Chai, known for restaurants and clubs; then Causeway Bay, a major shopping area. Towering above it all is the Peak, Hong Kong's premier scenic outlook and residential district, which happily has plenty of public green space. In Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui (on the southern tip), Jordan and Yau Ma Tei are busy hotel and shopping areas, while Mong Kok is a bustling residential and shopping area.

Getting There

• air

  Hong Kong is the major gateway to China and much of East Asia. International air service is excellent and fares are relatively cheap. Departure tax is usually included in the airfare. In June 1998 Hong Kong opened its new international airport - Chek Lap Kok - on Lantau Island, ending an era of steep descents and daredevil landings at Kai Tak in Kowloon.

• road

  Several transport companies in Hong Kong offer bus services to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other destinations in Guangdong Province. Buses depart from several locations on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon and the New Territories.

• rail

  By land, the only way into Hong Kong is through mainland China. Since the handover, transport options have increased dramatically, connecting places as close as Shenzhen and as far as Beijing. Although the Hong Kong SAR is now an integral part of China, visas are still required to cross the border with the mainland. Trains run between Hong Kong and Guangzhou (Canton), Shanghai and Beijing (about 30 hours). Big-spenders can take the Trans-Siberian Railway from Europe to Beijing and on to Hong Kong.

• water

  There are boats that take you to destinations in Guangdong Province as well as Macau. Departure tax is almost always included in the ticket.

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Getting Around

• bus

  Public transport is cheap, fast, widely used and generally efficient. The bus system is extensive and bewildering but you will need it to explore the south side of Hong Kong Island and the New Territories.

• car

  Car rental is available but don't even contemplate driving in Hong Kong. The complex highway system, clogged roads and devilish parking will make it an experience more stressful than it's worth. If you're determined to navigate under your own steam, hire a car with a driver.

• walking

  No visitor to Hong Kong should miss the longest escalator in the world, the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System. It consists of three moving walkways and 20 elevated walkways that can be reversed; they run down in the morning and up the rest of the day and evening to handle commuter traffic flow.

• tram

  Hong Kong Island's double-decker trams aren't fast, but if you're not in a hurry, they're a cheap and fantastically fun way of experiencing 'old' Hong Kong. Try to get a seat at the front window upstairs for a first-class view. Services operate at regular intervals throughout the day and night.

• taxi

  Metered taxis are red with silver tops (and green with white tops in the New Territories). They're inexpensive compared to other big-city cabs, but the MTR can often be better value and quicker. They don't pick up or put down at bus stops.

• rail

  The north side of Hong Kong Island and most of Kowloon are well-served by Hong Kong's ultra-modern Mass Transit Railway (MTR). Three tunnels link Hong Kong with Kowloon. The Kowloon-Guangzhou (Canton) Railway (KCR) runs from Kowloon to the Chinese border at Lo Wu and is a quick way to get to the New Territories. Light Rail Transit (fast, modern, air-con trams) run in the New Territories, connecting the New Town of Tuen Mun with Yuen Long. Double-decker trams trundle along the northern side of Hong Kong Island.

• riding

  Cycling in Kowloon or Central would be suicidal, but in quiet areas of the islands or the New Territories a bike can be quite a nice way of getting around in a recreational way. Most bike hire kiosks run out of bikes early on the weekend if the weather is nice.

• water

  Hong Kong's ferries are usually faster and cheaper than buses and trams. They are also fun, and the harbour views are stunning when the weather cooperates. Hoverferries are about twice as fast as conventional boats.

• Disabled Travellers

  People with disabilities have to cope with substantial obstacles in Hong Kong, including the stairs at many MTR and KCR stations, as well as pedestrian overpasses, narrow and crowded footpaths and steep hills. On the other hand, some buses are now accessible by wheelchair, taxis are never hard to find and most buildings have lifts (many with Braille panels).

  Wheelchairs can negotiate the lower decks of most of the ferries. Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok has been designed with facilities for passengers with disabilities and it publishes a useful brochure entitled Hong Kong International Airport: Special Needs , which is available from the ( Hong Kong Airport Authority ).

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