Hong Kong - Super Expensive?

[randiuno]

Thought I might stay a couple of days in Hong Kong on my way to Philipines in November. I looked at the Lonely Planet Guidebook (budget travelers gospel), and it says you need $350 to $700 per day (U.S. American) to be comfortable in Hong Kong...Is this true?

I will have to skip Hong Kong if that is the case...Any experience would be appreciated.

Randi.

[Snick]

You don't need that much, sure they weren't quoting HKD, not USD. ?

[4:17]

I haven't been since 2005, but unless it's changed drastically, that seems almost ridiculously high. I could see a business traveler on an expense account dropping that much on a hotel/transport/food in HK -- the Kowloon Holiday Inn is going for $300 a night on Agoda right now -- but your average tourist? No ...

Granted you will pay more for working girls than you would in Bangkok, by way of example -- but I'm guessing that wasn't part of Lonely Planet's estimate (and it's still way cheaper than back home in the States -- at least it was 7 years ago). I think some more research may be in order before you write the idea off ...

[MalcolmR]

I spent a couple of days in HK about this time last year and found it quite inexpensive. I think they are quoting HK dollar as I probably spent about $300 NZ (excluding hotel costs and some small gifts for my LB) all up and this included good meals, a trip to the Peak and other touristy stuff.

Other than a short business trip to Malyasia a few years fefore that, I haven't been elsewhere in Asia and although I travel outside of Australasia annually, this has been to North America and Europe which I find very expensive due to the currency exchange. So I'm basing my HK trip on my experiences in these other places so I thought HK was a lot of fun and also quite inexpensive.

[Donniedee]

I was there about six weeks ago (not my first visit) and it is no more expensive than a middling European capital city. I stayed at the Marco Polo in Kowloon - which is very nice and pricey, but other than that, taxi's food and shopping is comparable to anywhere else.

Eat in Lang Kwai Fong.

Monger in Wan Chai

Tell taxi driver to take the 'old' tunnel if travelling from Kowloon to Hong Kong island. Or take the Star Ferry across - recommended - and jump in a taxi the other side.

Stanley Market for a nose around.

V.

[kelly2]

_{I live in Hong Kong, and it's a lot cheaper than UK cities for many things (eg taxis). Dining, boozing and whoremongering can be cheap too, if you know where to go. But, if you go to Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai as suggested above, expect to pay high prices, as these locations are for tourists, rich locals, or businessmen with generous expense accounts.}

[SLBT]

Cheers for the insight lads. I have been meaning to take a side trip to HK for a few days myself.

@ kelly2, where would you suggest to go apart from Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai?

I suppose we all want to do a bit of sight seeing whilst there, well I would anyway. The ferry option sounds a great idea as well.

[kelly2]

For food I'd say go to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST), as it has a great choice of restaurants, much cheaper than Central has. 3 course Set Lunches in pubs and mid-range eateries there are only 8 to 10 USD during weekdays. Good bars there as well.

Go to Yau Mau Tai and Mongkok at night for shopping - Temple Street Market, for example

Try Sham Shui Po too, it has loads of copy and legit computer stuff in the Golden Shopping Centre, just outside the MTR station. Drinking and eating there are as cheap as chips, complete with a sleazy ambiance as it is a bit of a red light district.

If you need a girl, check the Miss148 or 161sex websites - they have the pics, addresses and prices of hundreds of hookers all over HK. For example, a pretty young Thai hooker in an apartment in Sham Shui Po will cost about 35 - 40 USD all-in for a half hour of sex. Chinese girls are often slightly more expensive.

While in HK get an Octopus Card at any MTR station, you can use it to pay on all the public transport, 7-11s, McDonald's, in fact most shops, saving a lot of hastle.

For sightseeing I'd just go on the MTR, head to the New Territories and get of at random stations. Look around, it's a whole other world. Or, head to the outlying islands such a Lamma or Peng Chau - you can get a ferry from the outlying islands ferry pier in Central.