Destination

Language
Both Chinese and English are official languages in Hong Kong, with Cantonese being the predominantly spoken Chinese dialect, followed by Mandarin. English is widely used and understood at hotels, retailers, banks, restaurants and at most tourist attractions.  The majority of the general population has some level of communication  in English.

Public Holidays
1 January 2008	New Year's Day
7-9 February 2008	Chinese Lunar New Year *
21-22 March 2008	Good Friday and Day following Good Friday
24 March 2008	Easter Holiday
4 April 2008	Ching Ming Festival *
1 May 2008	Labour Day
12 May 2008	The Buddha’s Birthday *
9 June 2008	Day following Dragon Boat Festival *
1 July 2008	HKSAR Establishment Day
15 September 2008	Mid-Autumn Festival *
1 October 2008	China National Day
7 October 2008	Chung Yeung Festival *
25-26 December 2008	Christmas and Boxing Day

* Date may vary from year to year

Currency
The Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) is the official currency unit. Do not be surprised if your notes of the same denomination look different, as Hong Kong's currency notes are issued by three commercial banks.

Hong Kong dollar notes come in denominations of $1,000, $500, $100, $50, $20 and $10. Coins come in denominations of $10, $5, $2, $1, 50 cents, 20 cents and 10 cents.

Business Hours
Retail shopping hours are generally from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm daily. Selected luxury brand retailers may have earlier closing hours varying from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm depending on its location.  General banking hours are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday and from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturdays.

Taxes
Hong Kong does not impose any value-added or sales tax on retail goods.

Customs
Duty free allowance for visitors are as follows:

Alcoholic products - 1 litre of alcoholic beverage
Tobacco products - 60 cigarettes or 15 cigars or 75 gr of tobacco

For more information, please visit the Customs and Excise Department website.

Electricity
Hong Kong’s electricity voltage is 220 volts, 50 cycles.

Places for Worship
For information, please visit Places for Worship.

Telephone - Country & Area Codes
The international telephone country code for Hong Kong is 852 and there are no separate area codes within Hong Kong. All land line and mobile numbers in Hong Kong consist of eight digits.

Mobile / Cellular Phones
Hong Kong is extremely well covered in terms of mobile or cellular phone coverage, with all city areas and major tourist attractions having coverage.

Mobile / Cellular Phones SIM Cards
There are numerous mobile network operators in Hong Kong. Stored-value SIM cards are available at most convenience stores or at mobile network operators' retail shops.

Wireless Internet Access
Hong Kong is one of the most "wired" cities in Asia, and The Peninsula offers complimentary  in-room wired and wireless Internet ,or at the Business Centre at a charge.

Hotspots or wireless internet access is also common and available in most business or shopping areas. Wireless Internet access is available at most franchised coffee chain stores, some of which also provide free internet access on the computer terminals provided.

Shopping and Paying
The Hong Kong Dollar is the predominant currency for cash payments, although some retailers will accept US Dollars or RMB. Credit cards are widely accepted, although some retailers may impose a minimum spend in order for payment to be settled by credit card. Travellers cheques may be cashed at banks and currency exchange bureaux throughout the city.

Smoking Regulations
Smoking is prohibited in almost all public indoor areas, including restaurants and bars, and on the entire public transport system.

For additional information, please visit the Hong Kong Council on Smoking & Health website.

Tipping
The addition of a 10% service charge to hotel and restaurant bill is customary, with additional tipping optional.

Emergency Numbers
The emergency number for Police, Ambulance and Fire Services is 999. The number can be dialled free on any land line or mobile phone.