Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with distinct seasons. It is autumn time when you visit Hong Kong in October. The average temperature is 23°C – 28°C and relative humidity at 75%. For the most updated information, please visit the website of Hong Kong Observatory

Dial-a-Weather
Local Forecast and Temperature Readings (24 hours):

English	187-8066
Putonghua	187-8202
Cantonese	187-8200

The local currency is the Hong Kong dollar (HK$). The Hong Kong dollar is pegged to the US dollar at a rate of US$1=HK$7.8, although the rate does vary slightly. All major currencies and travellers' cheques can be exchanged at banks, hotels or moneychangers with some handling charges. Credit cards are widely accepted in Hong Kong and can be used to obtain cash advances at banks and automatic teller machines.

The Air Passenger Departure Tax in Hong Kong is currently HK$120 for persons aged 12 and above, which is normally be collected upon issue of tickets. Children under 12 years of age are not required to pay the tax.

The voltage in Hong Kong is 220V, 50Hz. Most sockets are 3-rectangular-pin sockets and most hotels provide adaptors for electrical appliances.

Emergency numbers
In emergency situations, you can contact the local police, ambulance service, fire department and other emergency services by calling 999.

Lost passport
If you lose your passport, make a 'lost report' at the nearest police station (call Police Hotline 2527 7177 for locations). Then contact your consulate to have your passport replaced.

Lost or stolen wallet
If your wallet or valuables are lost or stolen, please notify your hotel immediately and report to police. Keep a separate record of your credit card number(s) and report the loss to your card issuer(s) as quickly as possible. Most issuers have toll-free numbers and 24-hour service to deal with such emergencies.

The official languages are Chinese and English, with Cantonese the most widely spoken Chinese dialect. All major signage is in Chinese or bilingual. English is widely spoken in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is so compact, getting around is quite easy. Fleets of taxis, buses, trams, ferries, complemented by the excellent Mass Transit Railway (MTR) underground system, will enable participants to travel between their hotels and other areas in the city, safely and conveniently.

Airport Express
Fare: HK$100/trip, HK$180/round trip The Airport Express is a dedicated airport railway line providing fast and reliable service operating daily from 5:50 am to 1:15 am (last train departs from Airport or Hong Kong Station at 0:48 am) at 12-minute intervals. The train journey to or from downtown Hong Kong takes approximately 23 minutes.

Taxis
Rates start at HK$18.00 on flag fall (first 2 km) plus for every 200m onwards, HK$1.5 for meter fare below $70.5 and HK$1.0 for meter fare of HK$70.5 and above. Pay in HK$ only the fare shown on the meter plus any additional charges when applicable, e.g. luggage, tunnel tolls. Charges are displayed in the taxi. Passengers have to pay the two-way Cross-Harbour tunnel toll on cross-harbour trips.

Hong Kong is generally considered a safe city by day or night. As in all big cities, avoid carrying large amount of cash. Make use of your hotel's safe-deposit box for valuable items.

There is no sales tax on goods and services in Hong Kong.

Smoking is prohibited in all indoor areas, including restaurants, karaoke lounges, malls, bars, clubs, nightclubs, bathhouses, massage establishments and mahjong-tin kau premises. Smoking is also banned in some outdoor areas, such as public beaches, swimming pools, transport interchanges and outside escalators etc.

The vast majority of shops are open every day throughout the year, some only closing during the Chinese New Year holiday. Generally, opening hours are 10am - 7pm. However, many stores in busy retail areas like Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui stay open until 9:30pm or even later, particularly on weekends. Shops in Central close as early as 7pm.

Most restaurants stay open until 11pm or later, while some bars and clubs in areas such as Lan Kwai Fong, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui keep going through the night.

Local calls from public coin phones cost HK$1 per five minutes. Most hotels have International Direct Dialing (IDD), but may charge an extra fee for local and/or IDD calls. Stored-value phone cards allow you to make calls on public coin and card phones. Internet access can be found in some of the cafes around the city and is generally available in the business centers of most of the hotels. For visitors' convenience, free Wi-Fi service is available throughout Passenger Terminal 1 and 2 of Hong Kong International Airport.

For more information on Hong Kong, we recommend you to visit the website of the Hong Kong Tourism Board

The local time in Hong Kong is GMT + 8.

Restaurants would expect a tip of around 5% to 10% of the bill, even when a service charge of 10% is already included. Bellboys, porters and washroom attendants will also expect a modest tip.

Water that runs direct from taps satisfies the United Nations World Health Organization standards. Bottled water is widely available in hotels, supermarkets and convenience stores.