Hong Kong (47)

Taxi queues at Central Station main exit may be very long at times. Try the dropping-off area one floor higher where many more taxis are available.

If greeting a group it is important to greet the most senior member first. As a hierarchical society it is important to constantly recognise seniority.

If you intend to change insert a local sim card into your mobile phone when travelling, be sure that you keep a note of your important telephone numbers. Often numbers are stored on the sim card so when you swap out your home sim card for the local one, you may find that you can't access your phone book anymore. Alternatively, make sure you use the option of saving numbers onto the phone rather than the sim.

When in Hong Kong - check out the Haagan Daz in Lan Kwai Fong, Central, for an Ice Cream fondue. I haven't found this available anywhere outside Asia (although I may be proved wrong). The dish features different flavours of ice cream, fresh fruit and a warm chocolate fondue dip. Perhaps for those with a sweet tooth.

'Ley ho ma?' (That's 'How are you?' in Cantonese) and welcome to Hong Kong. You'll be arriving at Hong Kong International Airport (www.hongkongairport.com), just 25 minutes away from the Hong Kong Island and regular winner of the Best International Airport award. Hong Kong International Airport (IATA Code: HKG) serves as the gateway to this buzzing city or as a hub to further connections to the rest of Asia. Terminal 1 serves as the low-cost terminal and features a full sized cinema as well as the Hong Kong essential - shops. Yes, shopping (along with eating) is the national pastime in Hong Kong with shops staying open until late. Service is generally good (as long as you are spending money) and best of all - Hong Kong is has no sales tax.

Tip 1: Forget the 'duty-free shops' at the airport. The whole of Hong Kong is duty-free so the airport is often the most expensive places to buy your souvenirs. The Hong Kong Airport Express train offers an efficient way straight to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island. Note that Kowloon station is not very well connected to the MTR (the distances are quite large - if carrying a suitcase, you may want to take a taxi from the station).

Practicalities and getting around
As a former British Colony, Hong Kong is a breeze to navigate even for the most novice business traveller. Signs and announcements are typically in three languages (Mandarin, Cantonese and English, although written Mandarin is the same as Cantonese) so as long as you can read English you shouldn't have a problem getting around. Most people in the main business areas also speak English but it's always worthwhile having the address of where you want to go to written down in Chinese, just in case your taxi driver doesn't know the English name for the destination (street names have both English and Chinese names - sometimes they don't correlate and they certainly aren't pronounced the same). The Hong Kong Dollar is pegged to the US Dollar so this is the most common currency of exchange.

Tip 2: If you have spare US Dollars on you, it may be more cost efficient to change USD into HKD as the exchange rate will be fixed. However, given the current weakness of the USD vs GBP, you might want to capture a good rate now. (www.hsbc.com.hk)

Tip 3: Get yourself an Octopus card - accepted as payment on the MTR and public transport systems - buy one with an Airport Express ticket included at the airport (www.octopuscards.com).

Where to stay
Hong Kong benefits from a strong portfolio of hotels which can cater for all tastes and budgets - ranging from the surprising and excellently located YMCA to the pinnacle of luxury - the Peninsula Hong Kong. However, one common denominator can be found across most hotels - service is generally outstanding and standards are higher than those found in North America and Europe. Hong Kong is split across three key areas - New Territories, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. New Territories is the area that borders China and is not usually frequented by business travellers and tourists alike. Given the lack of business or tourist interests in this area, I would not recommend staying here. Kowloon is connected to the mainline and features shopping (the national pastime), food (the other national pastime) and business. This area tends to be slightly older than Hong Kong Island but it does benefit from slightly more space (which is hard to come by in Hong Kong) and offers greater value for money.

Tip 4: Always ask the hotel if offers special corporate rates. Most tend to do and you may be able to benefit from a complimentary upgrade or better price.

Kowloon hotel recommendations

Budget
YMCA - USD120 per night
Located on Waterloo road right by the Peninsula hotel, this YMCA is unlike any other YMCA in the world. Despite the name, it functions more as a main stream hotel rather than a hostel, offering clean and modern rooms are at great prices. Staff are friendly and down to earth. Location is perfect for exploring all that Kowloon has to offer.

Tip 5: If you want a taste of luxury - why not upgrade to a suite at the YMCA. This could at a cost similar to that of a normal luxury hotel room.

Standard
Marco Polo Prince - USD180 per night
Located as part of the huge waterfront (Harbour Plaza) shopping complex, you will never be short of all things to do in this classic Hong Kong institution. This hotel forms part of the Marco Polo chain and you will find other Marco Polo hotels adjacent to this hotel. Well located for shopping and perfect for journeys on the star ferry. Traffic in this area can sometimes be bad which means travelling by car is not ideal.

Luxury
Peninsula - USD450 per night
Look up luxury in the dictionary and you may find the Peninsula Hong Kong listed. Every whim and care is catered for in this five-star complex. Famed for its old colonial style, high tea still features strongly on the tourist trail. As a guest, you will benefit from access to the first class spa and pool facilities. Try whiling away the day and escaping the rush of the city as you sip cocktails by the pool. Rooms are luxurious as expected and even the smallest detail is catered for.

Hong Kong Island recommendation

Budget
Lang Kwai Fong Hotel - USD200 per night
Small but well formed, the Lang Kwai Fong Hotel is actually located about a 10 minute walk from its expat haven namesake but the hotel is close enough to wonder back to after a night out. It is also five minutes away from Hong Kong's Soho district which is famed for its al fresco dining and the outdoor escalator which claims to be the world's only outdoor escalator. Rooms are small but the location is excellent for anyone wanting to stay centrally without the cost.

Standard
Lanson Place - USD250 per night
This boutique hotel is the real gem of Hong Kong. Set back from the hub of Causeway Bay, shopping and dining are just moments away. Rooms are well decorated and feature small kitchenettes. Breakfast is generally included in room rates and the hotel staff are very helpful. Rooms feature flat screen TVs and DVD players. The hotel lends out DVDs and books as part of its library. The gym is well equipped and modern.

Luxury
Four Seasons - USD450 per night
Perfectly located on top of Hong Kong Station (connected to the Airport Express), this bastion of luxury does not disappoint. The rooms are bright and well appointed and can overlook the harbour. Conveniently located by the International Finance Tower, the Four Seasons hotel boasts one of the most convenient locations for business meetings. As a business traveller, you may find it very convenient for your trips in and out of the airport and to meetings.

Where to eat

Hong Kong's streets are filled with places to eat. Depending on how adventurous you are, you can eat for as little as a couple of USD and be very satisfied with the fresh and delightful food. Food halls also offer a convenient and accessible way of finding a quick lunch. Recommended food halls include Pacific Place and the shopping centre attached to Kowloon Tong. Try market stalls (they have been cleaned up post-SARs) for a true experience of local Hong Kong. The one over the road from Soho, Causeway Bay, is the most accessible (although apparently the most expensive according to locals).

What to do

Top ten Hong Kong attractions that won't take too much out time out of your schedule. Estimated time for each is included so that you can squeeze it into your busy schedule.

1. Peak tram - great views of the city travelling up the Peak Tram.
www.thepeak.com.hk
Time required - 2 hours

2. Star ferry - cross the harbour with classic style on board the famous (and fantastically cheap) Star Ferry.
www.starferry.com.hk
Time required - 20 mins

3. Shopping - shop till you drop at huge shopping malls. Try Pacific Place, Hong Kong Island and Harbour City, Kowloon
www.pacificplace.com.hk
Time required - 2 hours

4. Ladies market (Tung Choi Street) - better to browse rather than buy, this market features cheap goods and 'almost authentic' goods.
Time required - 1 hour

5. Stanley market - step away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy this small former fishing town and its market.
Time required - 2 hours

6. Ocean Park - if family are accompanying you, then take them to Ocean Park for some marine-themed fun.
www.oceanpark.com.hk
Time required - 5 hours

7. Causeway Bay - best seen at dusk - watch the hip and trendy come out to meet for movies, karaoke and of course food and shopping. Check out the Times Square shopping centre and restaurant complex.
www.timessquare.com.hk
Time required - 2 hours

8. Happy Valley racecourse - check online to see the race timetable. Get yourself a general admission ticket or arrange a box for an experience you can bet on. www.happyvalleyracecourse.com
Time required - 3.5 hours

9. Ride a tram - be taken back to Hong Kong's colonial past whilst riding on these trams that run through Hong Kong island's central district.
www.hktramways.com
Time required - 20 mins

10. High team at the Peninsula - OK, not so much Hong Kong but luxury at its finest. Enjoy fresh pastries in a delightful setting. Reservations recommended.
hongkong.peninsula.com
Time required - 2 hours

If you have a spare day or two in Hong Kong, then you may want to pop over to Macao to experience the 'Las Vegas of Asia'. Whilst it may not be to some people's tastes, thoses who do enjoy the gambling (and smoking) will love the adventure it brings.

Jump on one of the regular ferry shuttle services from Hong Kong Island or even the airport and dart off to Macao in a quick shuttle ride. Those of you who have visited before will note that new hotels are popping up everywhere. This influx of capital means that top brand name hotels are moving in to get a slice of the pie. Before you travel, look for local adverts, websites and mailing lists and find out if any new hotels are opening. You may be able to get a room as part of a 'soft launch'. This allows you to test the hotel's facilities before the official launch date. Whilst not all things will be open and working (eg shops and restaurants), the rooms will be new and there should be a certain energy in the air. As an added bonus, you will get a deeply discounted room rate and may even be upgraded to experience and test out better rooms.

When dining in Hong Kong or China, do not place your chopsticks vertically into your rice bowl when not in use. This is seen as a symbol of death and can cause offence.

There is nothing worse than having to navigate through some of the world's busiest airports whilst lugging around a heavy laptop as well. Enter EeePC from Asus. This low cost (USD300-700) computer allows you to surf the web (wi-fi), review documents and send emails. Not only does this little gem compete with normal laptops on price, the small dimensions (22.5cm (W), 17cm (D) and 2-3.38cm (H) and 1kg weight make it ideal for the business traveller. The latest model (EeePC 900) features an 8.9 inch screen, 12-20GB hard disk and built in webcam. Great for keeping in touch with the office or home. Whilst it certainly won't replace your laptop for long business trips (the keyboard is slightly small) and lacks the power for full scale presentations, it is ideal for the short business trip or using whilst commuting.

If you are bored of the same old faces in the expat world that surrounds Lan Kwai Fung in Hong Kong Island, then why not jump on the star ferry to Kowloon and explore some of the bars facing the harbour. You are more likely to bump into locals and will still be served with a smile, just at a fraction of the cost.

Hong Kong benefits from one of the world's most competitive mobile telephone markets. Whilst handsets are generally more expensive than elsewhere, sim cards are exceptionally good value.

A GBP10 sim card should provide you with more than enough credit for a short stay in Hong Kong and allows you to keep in touch with locals and fellow travellers. Sim cards are available at local convenience stores and are easy to use with dual-language instructions.