twoflower

My wife and I are stopping over in Hong Kong for 2 nights and 2 full days on our way back from Europe. Our hotel is prepaid, and we are wondering how much in Hong Kong dollars to take with us for other spending. We are a couple in our 50's who like to eat at reasonable local food places, with maybe a beer or two at night, and who enjoy the usual things that I imagine many people do: some sightseeing, exploring the city on foot or by public transport, some shopping perhaps, and browsing in local markets.

Kathie

Don't take Hong Kong dollars with you - either use an ATM or change money once you get to Hong Kong. Getting currency in advance is almost always the worst deal.

I'll let others chime in on approx. spending. It's been a while sine we were there, and we spent a lot - it's an expensive city.

twoflower

Thanks Cathie - sounds like a good tip. We had planned to take some Hong Kong $'s just to get us started, and then do exactly as you suggest for the balance. Would be interested in what others estimate we may need for the 2 days however.

rkkwan

The main transportation cost will be to/from airport. The rest is pretty cheap except for the NP360 cable car and the Peak Tram, which are attractions and not really transportation. It'd be hard to spend HK$100 person per day on public transportation.

Many attractions in HK are free or near free, except for the above mentioned and of course the theme parks.

For food, if you stick to moderate places that locals eat, you can expect to spend under HK$50 for quick lunch and $150 for dinner, with cheap beer included, and not even $30 for breakfast. But having said that, there are dozens of eateries where you can spend $1000 or more.

No one can tell you how much you will or can spend shopping.

FromDC

There are so many ATMs in the Hong Kong airport, you really don't need to go to the trouble of getting any in advance. A few days ago we took taxis to and from the airport to Kowloon during rush hour and it was about 250 hong kong dollars each way.

DonTopaz

You asked a similar question about Bangkok. Hong Kong has some much easier answers, but the answers you've gotten here (and in the Bangkok thread) all miss one major point: the use of credit cards.

For shopping, the only cash you'll need (in HK or Bangkok) is for small purchases you'll make at stands or very small shops. Anywhere else, credit cards are fine. Similar thing for eating: you can use credit cards for everything except at the smallest and most modest eateries.

In Hong Kong, things become even simpler. For transportation, you should obtain an Octopus card, which is a stored value card valid on virtually everything in the public transportation network (except taxis). The octopus card is also valid at many small shops and restaurants. If you run low on your balANCE, YOU CAN TOP IT UP AT ANY TIME

DonTopaz

(continued ... sorry)

You can top up the Octopus card balance at any time, then cash out the unused portion (minus a small fee) at the airport when you leave.

rhkkmk

two--its almost impossible to gauge what you might need... think of the variables..

look at frommers guides they give you an estimate, but honestly i find it useless..

are you not going to buy something you like or go to some sight or order a steak because it won't fit into the $49 you have allocated yourself for this day??? you have paid huge $$ for plane tickets, hotel rooms and european food, why would you not buy what the city offers??

rkkwan

It is a reasonable question. Credit card isn't used everywhere, and ones need to get cash to buy a regular Octopus. And once someone gets a excess of HKD, he/she will get a poor rate at the airport to have it exchanged back to other currencies.

twoflower

Thanks everyone. Yes I realise there are many variables, but I'm just talking about what most people would call a reasonable average. Getting around by the subway/rail network rather than taxis, eating at moderate places where the locals eat rather than at luxury restaurants for westerners, pottering around markets, crossing on a ferry from Kowloon to HK Island - that sort of thing.

Thanks DonTopaz for the Oyster Card suggestion. Sounds similar to London. A good idea.

sf7307

twoflower, since our travel style seems somewhat similar (from your description in your last post), my trip report from 2011 might be helpful. I included prices for restaurants. I don't recall spending much money on anything else, as we pretty much walked everywhere in Hong Kong and Kowloon.

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...-hong-kong.cfm