10 Must-Know Tips for Your Hong Kong Adventure - Advice from a Local

Sunday 27th October 2024

Written by Hilary Lai

If you wish to discover some different travel experiences in Hong Kong and better understand the local culture and phenomenon, this is the right place. As a Hongkonger, I realized that most tourists tend to choose to visit the places recommended by popular articles or videos on the internet such as Best Things To Do in Hong Kong 2024 4K,65 Best Things To Do in Hong Kong Right Now 2024 and 10 things every visitor must experience in Hong Kong | Hong Kong Tourism Board. Without a doubt, those sources can definitely assist you in planning a perfect trip or vacation, enhancing a first-visit experience and leaving the best memories of Hong Kong. In this article, you can find a unique aspect that helps you deep dive into local life and encourage you to understand more about this little town.

Reminder: below are ten insider tips from a local perspective, this will enrich your journey and make your stay easier and more enjoyable.

Key Takeaways:

1. Hongkongers is a rush, fast and efficient creature

2. Always stand on the right when using the escalator (MTR Etiquette)

3. We like to press the lift close door button as soon as we can (Elevator Etiquette)

4. Cha Chaan Teng is the best place to experience local life

5. Our language may sound like aggressive or angry to you

6. Never mix up the local language (Cantonese) with Mandarin

7. Always prepare an octopus card and cash for travelling to the local areas

8. OpenRice is a guide that saves your stomach

9. Be careful of the water dripping from air conditioners over your heads in summer

10. Don’t forget to bring your jacket when you plan for indoor activities

1. Hongkongers is a rush, fast and efficient creature

We are enjoying a fast-paced lifestyle and momentum that makes life easier and more efficient. This social norm and value can explain their unique behaviours. The city's high population density generates crowded places, requiring people to move fast to get through streets and public transportation. The well-developed transport and MTR system, recognised for its efficiency and punctuality, drives locals to keep their speed up as they rush to catch trains and buses. Hongkongers are usually impatient and judging in hopes of pursuing everything efficiently, time effectively and improvement. Hongkongers even finish their launch as fast as they can and get back to work or save time for doing other things they like. This culture particularly benefits the local economic growth. So, never “阻住地球” which means “to be obstructing the rotation of the Earth”. Try to appreciate the efficient movement in Hong Kong and adapt it to your trip.

2. Always stand on the right when using the escalator (MTR Etiquette)

No matter whether on the MTR station or any other place, people automatically stand on the left side of escalators and travelators. This etiquette may sound weird to some travellers but listen, there is a rationale behind this phenomenon in Hong Kong since Hong Kong is a civilised society and this behaviour is also an empathic initiative for others who are in a rush to walk through or even run up.

Therefore, never stand on the right side if you prefer to stand still on the escalator, especially during the peak hours which are between 7:30 and 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Office lunch is served between 12:30 and 2 p.m. Otherwise, you may receive a slightly unfriendly reaction from the locals sometimes when you are in their way.

However, you are not recommended to run or walk on the escalators or travelators, as promoted by MTR, you can also go to the etiquette when taking the escalators on the MTR website.

3. We like to press the lift close door button as soon as we can (Elevator Etiquette)

Of course, we would press the open button for people who are coming or running for the lift, although we prefer to press the close button ASAP once everyone gets in. This behaviour may be considered as impolite in some other countries but that’s the normal act for Hongkongers. We are comparably impatient and always desire to get everything done in the fastest possible way as our value. There is no reason to waste time waiting for the elevator to close the door automatically as time is money, especially in a fast-paced city. This may be the best thing to do to benefit others who waiting for the lift and fasten the whole lift operation cycle. Not only that, but people would also press the call button even if it has been lighted up and pressed, when waiting for a lift.

Besides, Hongkongers like to assist more people to fit in the lift by taking the bags off their shoulders and resting them near their feet, showing kindness. You can observe that it is usually silence in the lift like other users do as respect. You can be the one who helps press the close door button next time!

4. Cha Chaan Teng is the best place to experience local life

You cannot tell people you have visited Hong Kong if you missed this checkpoint! Cha Chaan Teng (茶餐廳), also known as Hong Kong-style café or diner, is a favourite dining place for Hongkongers to enjoy their chilling time. It provides a really good deal of quality food that can satisfy your needs from breakfast to dinner. The efficient services and affordable meal choices are suiting what Hongkongers need and want. A YouTuber (Hong Kong 'Hoods) shared his dining experience in Cha Chaan Teng and he got the food in 12 seconds after he took an order as measured in his video. Those Hong Kong-style Western cuisine are epitomising Hong Kong's east-meets-west culture. You can see the long queue on weekends around 2 to 3:00 p.m. waiting to have afternoon tea and all-day breakfast. So, it is recommended to make a good plan to try the local food inside! It is also the best place for budget travellers!

5. Our language may sound like aggressive or angry to you

Not all Hongkongers sound strong and aggressive, it depends on their education level, the location or even the weather. Particularly in wet markets and street markets, the vendors and purchasers would shout and argue loudly for negotiation and making deals, sometimes involving harsh and insulting words. This phenomenon is caused by competition (vendors shouting for attention and haggling over prices) and background noises (sounds from vehicles and people, leading to the raising of their voices to ensure the receiver is heard). Those vendors usually have lower education levels with unfiltered and aggressive speech. This is more obvious in specific districts such as Sham Shui Po, Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok.

6. Never mix up the local language (Cantonese) with Mandarin

We love foreigners who speak Cantonese or try to communicate with us using our local language, making the locals feel warm, supported and connected. As one of the Hongkongers, I felt not being respected and a bit offended when foreigners tried to say “Nǐ hǎo” to greet me. Hong Kong has an entirely different culture from China under Western cultural influences since we were a British crown colony. The mix-up of two languages may cause disappointment to Hongkongers. We use both Cantonese and English in our daily life both speaking and texting. You can often find that Hongkongers use Cantonese and English in one sentence or even in a word. For instance, “我(ngo5) 唔(m4) sure(English) 喎(wo3)。" Means “I’m not sure.”. If you want to greet natively with a local, here’s How to Say Hello in Cantonese:

Cantonese character:	哈囉
Romanization:	haa1 lo3
Alike Pronunciation in English:	Haa Low
Meaning:	Hello (informal, for speech)

You can even say “Long time no see” to your friends that is also a funny and native way to express greeting with good intentions. It is recommended to try to learn some interesting phrases to impress the locals! Cantonese is a wonderful and fascinating language in the world if you really know it. Don’t be afraid to speak Cantonese to locals with your lovely smile! That helps you build relationships with Hongkongers.

7. Always prepare an octopus card and cash for travelling to the local areas

An octopus card is a must-have item that unlocks the convenience while travelling or living in Hong Kong. You can pay for any public transit including trains, trams, and ferries. It can also be used to purchase movie tickets, as well as at vending machines, convenience stores, supermarkets, and a variety of restaurants and businesses. The cards are available for purchase and top-up at MTR stations, 7-Eleven, and Circle K shops. Additionally, there is a Mobile Octopus alternative that lets you download the Octopus for Tourists app and top up with a credit or debit card without having to wait in a queue. You can receive an update of your transaction records and a reimbursement for the balance on your card!

8. OpenRice is a guide that saves your stomach

OpenRice is a popular tool that helps users address dining-related demands and pain points, upgrading the whole restaurant and dine searching experience by providing credible and valuable information and assistance in each stage. Their practice and comprehensive features let the media rank at the top one in the Hong Kong market. It guides us to the best and good food and restaurants by referencing user-written reviews. Features like bookmarking dining places, online booking, online ordering, mobile payment, voucher redemption and so on can fulfil different demands for each person. The OpenRice mobile app allows you to search for food anywhere and anytime. Hongkongers used to share restaurant information through this app and suggest dining places or food with friends and family. Download this app for planning your next ‘foodful’ trip to Hong Kong.

9. Be careful of the water dripping from air conditioners over your heads in summer

Water drop from air conditioners is a typical issue in Hong Kong during the summer, irritating the majority of Hong Kong residents. A quick drop of water on our heads may have a bad effect on our mood. Every resident must deal with the AC water leaking in the bus stop area, which obstructs the street and makes it difficult for people to get through when people are waiting for the bus. Just a reminder to watch attentively when walking on the street.

10. Don’t forget to bring your jacket when you plan for indoor activities

You can feel the temperature differences indoors and street. Most of the shopping malls and stores in Hong Kong would turn air conditioners on to slightly low temperatures to provide a comfortable environment that may be freezingly cold for you, especially in newer shopping malls and in summer. A light jacket or jumper will keep you comfortable while shopping for the newest fashion trends or eating in the mall's food court. So, having a jacket on hand could make your indoor travel experience more pleasurable enabling you to concentrate on finding the greatest moments without being distracted by the cold.

Unlocking the Secrets to Enjoying Hong Kong

Experiencing Hong Kong for the first time can feel overwhelming, but with these tips, you will enjoy the city like a local and understand more about this mysterious town.

So pack your bags, brush up on your Cantonese, and get ready for an experience filled with unforgettable moments. Every corner of this city has a story waiting just for you to uncover. Thorough preparation and study always improve your trip experience. I hope you enjoy your vacation to Hong Kong and wish you all the best and safe travels!

That’s all the tips now. I hope this article gives you a deeper understanding of Hong Kong and enhances the value of your visit.