Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Stanley
Chek Chue
Star Ferry Pier
Tin Sing Ma Tau
M
MEDIA
Newspapers and magazines.
Local English-language dailies are the
South China Morning
Post
and
The Standard
; the
China Daily
is a Hong Kong-published version of China's na-
tional English-language daily. The
International Herald Tribune
, edited in Paris, is printed
simultaneously in Hong Kong six days a week.
Radio and television.
Hong Kong has two free-to-air TV channels in English and, since
2014, four in Chinese. Six English-language radio channels provide a broad range, from
easy listening to news. The BBC World Service broadcasts 24 hours a day at 675 kHz.
MONEY
Currency.
Hong Kong's currency is freely convertible, and is pegged to the US dollar at a
rate of around 7.8. The Hong Kong dollar is divided into 100 cents. Banknotes, in denomin-
ations of HK$10, HK$20, HK$50, HK$100, HK$500 and HK$1,000, are issued by three
local banks, Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, the Bank of China and the
Standard Chartered Bank. Coins, however, are minted by the Hong Kong government; they
come in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 cents and HK$1, HK$2, HK$5 and HK$10. The
image of the British queen has been replaced by the bauhinia tree flower, Hong Kong's re-
gional emblem.
Currency in China and Macau.
China's currency is
renminbi
(RMB) or
yuan
. In Shen-
zhen, Lo Wu stores will accept Hong Kong dollars and convert to RMB on the spot, but you
may lose out. Taxis and other retailers want RMB so it may be worth changing money be-
fore crossing the border. In April 2014 HK$1 = RMB 0.79.
Macau's currency is the
pataca
and is completely interchangeable with Hong Kong dollars
in Macau only.
