Hong Kong

Country Profile

Hong Kong, S.A.R.

Official Name: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region)
Capital: None
Population: 7,122,508
Nationality: Chinese
Ethnic Groups: Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6%, Indonesian 1.3%, other 2.1%
Religion: eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%
Languages: Cantonese (official) 90.8%, English (official) 2.8%, Putonghua (Mandarin) 0.9%, other Chinese dialects 4.4%, other 1.1%
Government: Limited Democracy
Local currency: Hong Kong dollars (HKD)
Bordering countries: China
Size/Comparative Size: 1,104 sq km; six times the size of Washington, DC

Map of Hong Kong

Entertainment

Symphony of Lights
Every night at 8, there is a light show in the center of Hong Kong where there is an introduction of all the buildings that make up HK’s beautiful skyline. The narration is in English on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To see the show, go to the Avenue of Stars where you will also be able to hear the music and narration. The show can also be seen and heard in restaurants up on Victoria’s Peak.

Victoria’s Peak
Take the Peak Tram up to Victoria’s Peak which is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island. Up at the top, there is a shopping center and many restaurants that overlook Hong Kong. There is also a sky terrace where you can get a 360 degree view of HK. The best time to go up to Victoria’s Peak is a little bit before it gets dark so you can see HK lit up and catch the Symphony of Lights.

Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha)
Climb atop the 268 stairs to get an up close view of Big Buddha. Tian Tan Buddha is the largest outdoor bronze Big Buddha statue in the world. You’ll have to take a cable car to where the statue is but you will view great scenery on your way there. At the top, you will find many shops and restaurants.

Ladies’ Market, Jade Market, Temple Street Night Market, and Stanley Market
These are some of the most popular markets that you will find in HK. Don’t let the name Ladies’ Market fool you; there is plenty of stuff there for guys as well. These markets are great places to find souvenirs, knock off or real designer items, clothes, shoes, and much more. Be prepared to bargain!

Cheung Sha Beach
There are many beaches to choose from, however Cheung Sha Beach is much more secluded and is a great place to meet locals. This beach is also very unique as it is surrounded by hills and mountains and it’s not uncommon to see a herd of cows just roaming around. This beach is a little farther away than others, but is a short bus ride away from Big Buddha.

High Tea at the Peninsula Hotel
Experience Hong Kong’s British influence during high tea at the Peninsula Hotel. This five star hotel offers a wide variety of teas and finger foods for you to enjoy. After high tea, visit the Felix bar on the top floor to watch the Symphony of Lights.

Lan Kwai Fong
Lan Kwai Fong is where most of HK’s nightlife takes place. Be sure to go there for Canada D’eh where the Canadians in HK host a fun-filled night.

Hip Sushi
If you’re a fan of sushi, this sushi bar is the place for you! For dessert, you should try Mochi which can also be found at Sha Tin.

Travel

Beijing, China

Beijing is a short plane ride away from Hong Kong. When booking a flight, look to see if it is cheaper to fly out of Hong Kong or Shenzhen. If Shenzhen is less expensive, it is easy to book a bus to the Shenzhen airport which is about an hour away.

Booking a tour is the best way to get around Beijing and see all the tourist attractions it has to offer. Places to go include: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Great Wall of China, Summer Palace, and many more. There are also a lot of markets to for bargaining and shopping.

Hostels are common in Beijing and are available at cheap prices. Be sure to do your research on hostels. A recommended hostel is called Sanlitun Youth Hostel where past CIBER students have stayed and had a great time. It is also within walking distance of Beijing’s night life.

Macau, China

This is an easy place to visit by ferry. Once on the ferry it only takes about an hour to get there. Macau is like the Las Vegas of Asia, where you can find many extravagant hotels and casinos. If you want to spend a weekend in Macau, splitting the cost of a suite at one of the hotels is very feasible.

There is also a lot of sight seeing that can be done. Because of the Portuguese influence, there are many attractions with a mix of Portuguese and Chinese culture such as the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral. There are also many street markets which are constantly bustling with many people.

Shanghai, China

Shanghai can be reached by plane or train. Taking the train is a very cheap alternative to flying; however it is about a 17 hour train ride.

Attractions to see in Shanghai include: Xujiahui Cathedral, Jade Buddha Temple, The Bund, and Yuyuan Garden. At night, they also have acrobatic shows which are worth checking out.

Transportation

Transportation from the Airport

If flying into Hong Kong, you will arrive at the Hong Kong International Airport. The campus of The Chinese University of Hong Kong is located north of the Shatin stop in the New Territories. Transportation to/from downtown via public transport is easily accessible though reaching the island may take 45 minutes. See the following instructions to find out how to get to CUHK from the airport:

Take the Airport Express service of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) to Kowloon (about 20 minutes). At Kowloon Tong Station, change to the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR), and take it to University Station. The last train leaves the airport at 12:48 a.m. The cost of the ticket will vary depending on the exact path but this path will be about HK$100 for the MTR portion. You will need to either get a taxi or a campus bus from the station to the dorm.
Take a taxi from the airport to CUHK. This is the most expensive option but also the most convenient (HK$250 or around US$33 though taxi drivers will try charging you HK$400+, if there are many gullible tourists it may be a little challenging to get a taxi driver to take you for normal costs). It will take approximately 30-45 minutes. Taxis operate 24 hours per day.
Take the bus to Shatin + Taxi to CUHK. Take the A41 (or E42) bus which departs from the airport about every 20 minutes until midnight. The A41 has less stops but costs more. Approximate price is HK$21 (HK$14 for E42) bus fare + HK$65 taxi fare, and it will take approx. 60-75 minutes. You can also take the KCR from the Shatin station to University Station (2 stops) for about HK$4 once you get to Shatin and take the campus bus to your dorm for approximately HK$5.

Transportation within Hong Kong

MTR

The easiest way to ride the MTR is by remembering the colors that are associated to each line. If a subway says it is heading towards Hung Hom, this means that the last stop on that line is Hung Hom. This makes it very easy to decide which direction you need to be going. Visit http://www.mtr.com.hk/jplanner/images/maps/routemap.pdf to become familiar with the MTR lines.

Taxis

There are two main types of taxis in Hong Kong. The red taxis serve most of Hong Kong and the green taxis serve the New Territories. The one that you will use most often is the red taxi. Taxis are useful if you are out in Hong Kong after the MTR has stopped running (1 a.m.). Taxis are always very accessible. Before departing for Hong Kong, you will receive a card that says “I want to go to CUHK” translated into Cantonese. Always bring this card with you just in case you need a taxi. It’s the easiest way to tell your taxi driver exactly where you need to go.

Buses

Buses are useful when traveling longer distances within Hong Kong such as going to Stanley Market or the beaches. Usually, you will have to take the MTR to Central and there are many buses across the street. Visit http://www.nwstbus.com.hk/routes/routesearch.aspx?searchtype=1&intLangID=1&daytime=3 to plan bus routes and become more familiar with the busing system.

Tram

Riding the tram at least once is a must! If you decide to go see the horse races at Happy Valley, this is a great way to get there while sightseeing at the same time.

Octopus Card

Purchasing an Octopus card for your stay in Hong Kong is recommended. This is a student card that allows you to load money and use on all these different modes of transportation. It also gives you a student discount and can be used at other places such as restaurants and convenient stores.

Dorms

Students reside in a dorm on the CUHK campus. In 2011, students spent the summer in the “Ying Lin Tang” student dorm which was conveniently located at the base of the mountain upon which CUHK is built. The accommodations were within a five to ten minute walking radius from:

classrooms
library
campus gym
metro station and bus stops
two of the main campus cafeterias
the crescent moon pond
the campus worship center
outdoor recreation fields

The rooms come furnished with closets, drawers, desks, beds, and book shelves and are air-conditioned. Men and women are housed on two separate floors and share two separate community restrooms.

Tips from Past Participants

Withdraw large amounts of money from the ATM at one time to avoid countless transaction charges. Since there is limited availability to use debit/credit card, you spend tons of cash! You WILL spend everything you withdraw! I probably wasted at least $100 USD in transaction charges alone.
Tipping isn’t customary. The only time we really tipped was in Beijing for our tour guide and driver.
Always carry an umbrella. An entire day of blue skies is a rarity.
Make sure to pack lightly before departing for HK. Some people packed one suitcase and brought an empty suitcase or left half of one suitcase empty. I, however, left the U.S. with a 48 lb bag and a 46 lb bag when the weight limit is 50 lbs/bag. Needless to say I had to pay $200 for overweight bags on my way back.
Buy two towels when you get there. Towels are cheap in HK and they take up unnecessary space in your luggage anyway. They can be found at the University Park N Shop by the canteen. Buy two because things get gross quickly due to high humidity.
Take lots of deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc. These items are difficult to find in normal American brands.
City Super in Sha-Tin has everything that you forgot/miss, including Dr. Pepper!!
Split a blow dryer and straightener with other girls on the trip. You will most likely have to buy them when in HK (most of our American blow dryers and straighteners didn’t work and some straighteners were ruined). The blow dryer is most worth it because there's nothing worse than hot and humid weather except having wet hair in hot and humid weather!
Ladies should always carry tissues.
Aim EXCESSIVELY low when extending the first offer in a bargain. You can usually win the bargain with your initial price, if not, you can always go up. For example, a woman told me HKD $1500 for a purse. I told her $300. I paid $375.
Buy pearls, it’s an incredible deal!!
Be adventurous! Travel to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) early on just to get a feel of the entirety of Hong Kong. I thought we missed out on a lot in the beginning because we didn't make frequent trips to TST or Central until late in our trip.
Get a guide book and hit all of the popular sites. Ride the Midlevel Escalators, go to SoHo, go to every market (Ladies, Temple Street, Jade, Stanley, etc.), go to Ocean Park, visit Big Buddha, go to the beach, take a hike, go on a bus tour...the list goes on and on.
Bring a big bag/purse because you are usually gone all day and anything you buy you have to carry.
Bring a water bottle and filter; you'll save money not buying water.
Bring stuff like cereal bars. The I-house is kind of far from any places for food(and imports are expensive) so you'll want them for breakfast or snacks.