Kowloon Travel Tips

Banks: 09:00-14:30, Monday to Friday; 09:00-12:30 Saturdays
Post Offices: 08:00-18:00, Monday to Friday; 08:00-14:00 Saturdays
Department Stores and Shops: 09:30-19:00, daily
Museums: 10:00-16:00, daily; 10:00-20:00, Saturdays
Business Offices: 09:00-17:00, Monday to Friday; 09:00-13:00, Saturdays

In general, Kowloon is a safe place for visitors. Violent crimes against tourists are rare and if you use your common sense, you shouldn’t encounter any trouble. The main threat in Kowloon is pickpockets. These petty thieves often work in gangs using distraction to grab your wallet or cut open your purse then pass the valuables to an accomplice who runs off. Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay are favourite sites for these thieves, so be extra cautious here as well as on crowded transports like the MRT. The Kowloon police are very helpful and can usually speak English. 

Electricity: 220V, 50Hz, with two-prong sockets.

Visitors don’t need any special vaccinations to visit Kowloon. However, you should be up-to-date with basic inoculations such as tetanus and hepatitis. The sanitation in Hong Kong is good, so you can safely drink the tap water. However, there’s always a chance that your body will react negatively to foreign bacteria in the water. Drink bottled water if you want to be totally safe. Also check that your street food and seafood has been thoroughly cooked. 

There are excellent medical facilities in Kowloon should you fall ill and most of the hospital staff and doctors speak English. Many of the high-class hotels even have their own medical team on staff. For minor problems, Watson’s and Fanda have pharmacies all over the city open until 21:00. 

Kowloon Hospital : +852 2762 6111

Before the British handed Hong Kong back to the Chinese, both English and Cantonese were official languages of the city. Most residents in Kowloon speak Cantonese and probably a bit of English, but you may find that English isn’t widely understood outside of the tourist and shopping areas.

The basic unit of currency in Kowloon is the Hong Kong dollar ($), which is divided into 100 cents. Bills come in denominations of 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10 dollars. Coins come in denominations of 10, 5, 2 and 1 dollar, as well as 50, 20 and 10 cents.

There aren’t any currency restrictions in Kowloon, so you can exchange your money into Hong Kong dollars at every bank, hotel, airport and private money changer. Thanks to the ubiquitous shopping atmosphere, there are exchange offices everywhere. As usual, banks offer the best rates. ATMs are now an established entity in Kowloon, and you will find them on every corner. All major credit cards are accepted in Kowloon, just be prepared to pay a three to five percent service charge.

Visitors 18 years and older may bring 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco and one litre of spirits. The usual restricted items such as fresh food, meat, firearms, pornography and drugs are illegal and will be confiscated. Due to the city’s notorious reputation for smuggling in and out of Hong Kong, bags are checked carefully.

Since Kowloon was a British territory for so long, visitors will find that the social atmosphere here is not quite as raw as in mainland China. Even so, be prepared for crowded city streets and people pushing their way past you to the head of the line or the door of the bus. Just get into the mood and push your way through like everyone else. Handshakes are more common in Kowloon than in other parts of China, but don’t be surprised if the locals simply ignore you. The concept of saving face is still a big part of social life in Kowloon, so try not to lose your temper in public. While Kowloon is certainly more progressive than the rest of China, the usual social rules still apply. Dress casual but somewhat conservative, and conversation topics that focus on the government, autonomy or politics in general are better avoided. Don’t take photographs of anything that appears to be militarily sensitive or of the people themselves unless you ask first.

Dining Etiquette
Even the nicest restaurants in Kowloon have a pretty relaxed dress code. In Chinese restaurants, your meal will start with a hot towel to clean your hands and face. The only utensil you’ll find on the table is a pair of chopsticks. This always presents a special challenge to the uninitiated, so either practice a bit before your arrive in Kowloon or learn quick once you get here. It’s okay to pick up the bowl of rice and scoop it into your mouth using the chopsticks and many places will be able to provide a fork or spoon, though they may look down on your incompetence.

There are also some superstitions connected with chopsticks to be aware of. Dropping a pair of chopsticks will bring bad luck, as will crossing them during your meal. However, crossing the chopsticks when you have finished eating signals to the waiter that you are ready for your bill. Don’t order seven dishes, as this number is reserved for the ghosts. As you’ll quickly notice, slurping soup is perfectly acceptable, as it shows your appreciation for the food. Toothpicks are also used at the table, but keep one hand over your mouth while you pick away. Another interesting custom is to tap three of your fingers on the table to show thanks to the person pouring tea for you.

Citizens of the UK can enter Kowloon with just a passport and can stay for six months. Citizens of most other countries also need only a passport valid for one month beyond your arrival date, but can only stay for three months. Immigration officials might request to see your return ticket or proof of funds, but this is rarely a problem.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board has dozens of offices in Kowloon and Hong Kong. This excellent bureau offers a wealth of information, maps and brochures. They can be found at: 9-11/F Citicorp Centre, 18 Whitefield Road and contacted on: +852 2508 1234