Maximize Your Experience in Hong Kong: What to Pack & Know Before You Go
Getting ready for your Hong Kong trip but don’t know what to bring? Then this essentials guide is made for you! Whether conquering the urban jungle of Hong Kong Island or the bustling streets of Kowloon to the beautiful trails in New Territories, this guide will walk you through some of my experiences during my stay in Hong Kong and the things that I always had with me. To help build your packing list, I’ve separated this post into four main sections: The Gear, The Apps, The Other Things, and The Keep In Mind.
The Gear
To kick things off, an Octopus card is the number one thing you should invest in if you’re staying for just a weekend trip or for an extended period. This will be your best friend for small purchases and getting around Hong Kong! I’ve personally used this for everything from paying for a ride to buying entire meals.
What is it? In layman’s terms, this is essentially a pre-loaded debit card without needing to open a bank account.
Where to buy it? You can purchase this at MTR Station (Mass Transit Railway) and most convenience stores, such as 7-Eleven, Circle K, and VanGO. Click here for a complete list.
Note that other types of Octopus products and unique edition cards exist.
Child
Senior/Elderly
Tourist
How do I top it off? You can reload using the customer service center or self-service kiosk at any MTR station or several authorized retailers nearby. The Add Value machines can be found next to where you can purchase Single Journey tickets. Still, they only accept 50 or 100 HKD banknotes, so I highly encourage you to use the front desk or the other various ways to reload using spare coins, coin service, or the proprietary Octopus app.
The second most important item you’ll need during your trip is a pre-paid SIM card to stay connected. Another thing that I learned while using certain apps is that some require you to have a local number (+852) which is all the more reason to get one!
What does it comes with? This would depend on which carrier and package you opt-in for, but the best deal hands down that I’ve found and is readily available is the Discover Hong Kong Tourist SIM Card that is available in a 5-Day (HKD$88/3GB) or 8-Day (HKD$118/8GB) Pass option. This would include things such as
Unlimited Wi-Fi usage through the CSL network
Call and text credits to use abroad
Extended coverage to Mainland China and Taiwan
Bundles of 4G mobile data for Hong Kong and Macao
Something to consider? Not all SIM cards are made the same, but be sure they’re compatible with your device! Some features you should consider are price, data speeds, and the ability to make and receive calls or texts. Click here for a comprehensive list of major carriers.
Some items I quickly noticed that locals always seem to carry are tissues, wet wipes, or hand sanitizer. I can see that Hong Kongers have embraced cleanliness and good hygiene standards.
Tissues - Typically two-ply and offered in mini sizes for on-the-go use
Wet Wipes - Best for household use or cleaning communal eating surfaces
Hand Sanitizer - Comes in a gel or spray
I’m not kidding! I have yet to meet a resident or local who does not carry at least one of these three items you can buy at most convenience stores. For slightly cheaper options, you can purchase these items at corner stands which are more readily accessible.
The Apps
One of the more surprising apps I recently discovered during my trip was HKeMobility. It’s an excellent tool to use when getting around since it’s developed by the government and a great way to get started to familiarize yourself with different ways of getting around. It pulls in information and integrates data from various local modes of transport, emphasizing public transit and giving you more detailed information about things that affect your commutes, such as traffic updates and fare charts.
Now there are a ton of different weather apps to choose from. I suggest the MyObservatory app, as it’s super reliable mainly because it’s based on the actual observatory in Hong Kong. Aside from the essential weather forecasting, this app offers other services which track lightning and radiation levels, which I didn’t know I needed until I installed it!
Another great app to use is OpenRice since it completely dominates the market here in Hong Kong and other Asian countries. As much as Yelp is widely used in the US, OpenRice is the best source for information on restaurants since it’s geared towards food specifically. This has been a lifesaver for me, but a quick hack that I used is that instead of using the proprietary app and changing the language settings, I’ve found that using the mobile web version via the Chrome app is much easier. Reason why? The app may not translate all text, which is another excellent reason to use the Translate feature in Chrome. Trust me, and you’ll thank me later!
As for the last app that I recommend, it would be hands-down Citymapper! It'd probably be this app if Google Maps and HKeMobility had a child. It’s everything that you liked in both apps, but better! The UI is so thoughtful and well-designed that it’s easy to see why locals use this. Huge props to their design team!
The Other Things
This last section here is less about the specific items you need to carry in Hong Kong but more so items that should be considered in general when traveling anywhere in the world!
I’ve mentioned this in the previous sections, but Google’s suite of apps has come in clutch for me so many times. Luckily they’re also available offline, which is a game changer! To fully use the Google Translate app, set the language as Chinese (Traditional) since Cantonese is the main dialect spoken here. The app can also translate images using your smartphone’s camera, but in this case, you’d set the translated language to that of your own and the input language as Chinese. I’ve initially made this mistake a couple of times of not switching the languages using this particular feature. Still, this hack has helped me with things such as ordering food to get around town, so thank you, Google!
Another great app that Google has made that I use not only in my travels but in my daily commute as well as Google Maps. Yes, it works well-using data, but it can also be used offline by selecting your desired map. Between the Settings and Location Sharing function of your Google Maps app in the accounts circle navigation menu, you’ll find a list of all your offline maps. For each map, there is an expiration date unless updated. However, you can toggle within the settings of the offline map to automatically update and download. Now for all you Apple lovers, I’d also suggest using the built-in Location Sharing feature that you can find just above the Offline Maps, as it works the same way as Find My Friends. This is perfect for traveling in groups or letting a loved one know where you are!
Now, this is a no-brainer for me as this is something that I religiously usually carry in my day bag, and that is a portable charger! When traveling by air, portable chargers aren’t allowed in check-in luggage, so be sure to have them with you in your carry-on. Use your discretion on the size and capacity that fits your needs, but a sign of a good charger for me is USB Type-C enabled and has PD (Power Delivery), giving me the fastest charging speeds while future-proofing my tech!
Aside from powering your devices on the go, it’s time to recharge them at home or anywhere there’s an outlet. The standard electrical voltage in Hong Kong is 220 volts AC at a frequency of 50Hz and uses the same three-pronged socket (Type G) as you would find in the UK. Adapters can be reasonably inexpensive but would be priced depending on variability with other types of outlets. Before purchasing one, I recommend looking for one with multiple USB ports to reduce the need to bring a wall charger.
The Keep In Mind
Now that we’ve gone over all the essentials, these items mentioned here are not required, but I highly suggest things for a good reason.
Often overlooked, but something that I always remember to pack is a comfortable pair of shoes. Whether going through the concrete urban jungle or hiking through Hong Kong’s trails, a lightweight and supportive team of trainers or runners is necessary! Besides the terrain, since Hong Kong is situated in a monsoon-influenced subtropical climate, there can be strong winds or sporadic showers depending on the season, so you should pack a lightweight windbreaker. This can also be helpful since some establishments may turn on the aircon (AC) full blast for the blistering hot and humid days.
However, regardless of your activity or where you are, you can always rely on having a packable tote or backpack handy. Hong Kong is most known for its shopping, from souvenirs at the local night markets to the luxury retailers in their many malls that are typically conjoined at heavy traffic MTR stations. So do yourself a favor and save your arms and wallet from those bag fees!
Another common item in Asia that may not be familiar in other parts is the use of face masks. Doctors and health professionals use this in the same way as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) as preventative measures for illnesses and diseases. So citizens take public health very seriously, but due to their popularity, face masks are also used as a fashion accessory.
With that being said, this concludes my comprehensive list of essentials of everything that you need to have on your next Hong Kong trip! I wish I had this before visiting my first time, and hopefully, you’ve found this helpful as well. If you enjoyed reading this, make sure to subscribe and share this with a friend.
As always, until next time!
