Hong Kong Tips

I've had a couple of questions about travel tips for Hong Kong so here are five that might be helpful.

1. Buy an Octopus Card. This is Hong Kong's public transport 'smart card' and covers your journeys on tram, bus and the MTR plus the Star Ferry. You can also use it for making purchases in some stores and can top it up at MTR stations and most 7-eleven stores and some newstands. You can pick one up at the airport on arrival, the visitors card costs $150HKD ($50 of that is refundable within three months of purchase). I didn't need to top my card up until about day five so it goes a long way.
2. Staying on the Hong Kong side is probably the best for all the 'sights' - Stanley, Lantau, Macau, Middle Level escalators, The Peak, Hong Kong Park, Central, Soho, cultural and art centres etc. It is also a little more relaxed and 'Chinese' (lots of old buildings and delicious laneways). Kowloon offers more big name hotels, shops and the Temple Street Market. The tour companies also tend to make it easier to connect if you're on the Kowloon side (the pick up points in Hong Kong tend not to be a hotel but a central point whereas on Kowloon they will likely pick up at the hotel). And I heartily recommend the IBIS!
3. The MTR is incredibly efficient, clean and regular. The downside is the stations can be huge and it gets a bit exhausting if you need to transfer lines. You can save a lot of time though because the subways attached to the stations generally have multiple exits that bring you out very close to sights which might be harder to get to above ground.
4. The smog is horrendous so if you have respiratory issues take precautions in advance. The smog levels actually exceed the World Health Organisation standards most days.Signs around the islands advise you of the daily level.
5. Don't miss Macau, the Lantau Cable Car and a trip out to the New Territories. If you're only in HK for a couple of days I would recommend Stanley, the Temple Street Night Market, a Star Ferry trip and a walk along Connaught Road or Des Vouex Rd (from Central to Sheung Wan) which could include riding part of the Middle Levels escalator. The Murrays would suggest the Big Bus is probably a good way to cover a lot of territory in a short time.

Above all, enjoy. My philosophy is if you're going somewhere different then discover the different - otherwise why travel?