Hong Kong & Macau - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 120

delta, the latter also served by fast Skypier
ferry connections.
You can also fly directly to Macau (see
p.156).

may find that the price of a single is
mostly more than half the price of a
double. Doubles cost around HK$450-
700, while singles range from HK$200-
420. he majority of these guesthouses are
located in high-rises, the names of which
tend to end with “…Mansions” and thus
unrealistically raise your expectations.
An alternative is to stay in youth
hostels , most of which are also located in
high-rises, though you do get a few in
more peaceful, out-of-the-way locations.
hese typically come with common area,
lockers, and a plethora of information on
the city. Dorm prices can be as low as
HK$140. Free wi-fi is found in all
accommodation reviewed.
Accommodation in Macau is generally
more expensive, as there is a dearth of
cheap lodgings, and tends to consist of
guesthouses rather than hostels. As most
cater for mainland tourists, many won't
speak English, making it di cult to book
some of them in advance. Prices often
shoot up at weekends. To get the best
rates for many guesthouses, book your
room through an external website and,
if possible, in advance.

VISAS
Most nationalities need only a valid
passport to enter Hong Kong , although the
length of stay varies. British citizens get
180 days, whereas citizens of the EU,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the
US can stay for up to 90 days, and South
Africans are allowed 30 days. Check the
latest visa requirements at W immd.gov.hk.
he easiest way to extend your stay is to go
to Macau and come back.
To enter Macau , citizens of the EU,
Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,
Canada, and the US need only a valid
passport and can stay for a period
between 30 and 90 days. he simplest
way to extend your stay is to go to Hong
Kong and re-enter Macau at a later date.

3

GETTING AROUND
Hong Kong's public transport system
is e cient, extensive and inexpensive,
although crowded during rush hour.
he MTR (Mass Transit Railway) system
- overground, underground and light rail
- and the main bus routes are easy to use.
Few taxi drivers are fluent in English,
however, so get someone to write down
your destination in Chinese characters.
For details of public transport in
Macau, see later in the chapter (p.157).

FOOD AND DRINK
One of the great culinary capitals of
the world, Hong Kong offers not only
superb, native Cantonese cooking but
the full gamut of regional Chinese
cuisines and perhaps the widest range of
international restaurants of any city
outside Europe or North America. his is
due in part to the cosmopolitan nature of
the population, but also, perhaps more
importantly, to the incredible seriousness
attached to dining by the local Chinese.
Hong Kong residents eat out regularly,
and foodie culture thrives.
In Macau, Macanese food is a tempting
blend of Portuguese and Asian, and
Portuguese and Chinese restaurants also
abound. In both Hong Kong and Macau,
the water is fit for drinking.

ACCOMMODATION
Hong Kong has plenty of budget
accommodation, most of which is located
in Kowloon. he lion's share of the budget
market is taken up by guesthouses - flats
converted to hold as many tiny private
rooms (singles, doubles, triples and quads)
as possible. hese typically come with
equally tiny bathrooms where you can
shower while sitting on the loo, a/c, TVs,
kettles and telephones. Tall Westerners
may discover that the majority of beds
will be too short for them. Solo travellers
won't have trouble finding rooms, but

HONG KONG
As well as the joys of dim sum - a Hong
Kong speciality meaning “little eats”, and
other Cantonese dishes - the city offers