Save money in Hong Kong

Some people would say the only way to save money in Hong Kong is not come at all? It’s not true, there are plenty of ways in this pricey city to make sure your credit card doesn’t get put through the shredder.

Below we’ve put together some top tips on how you can save money in Hong Kong; from cheap food to free Hong Kong scenic spots.

Save money with cheap tea sets
Eating out in Hong Kong is certainly not the biggest problem you’re wallet is likely to have. Street food from dai pai dongs and Cantonese neighbourhood restaurants is eminently affordable. But you can save a little bit more with tea sets.

Run by many mid range Hong Kong Hong Kong tour guide restaurants both Chinese and Weste a tea set is effectively a prix fare menu you’ll usually get a starter or soup, a main, maybe a desert and certainly a drink - all for HK$60 to $HK80, depending on the restaurant. The price is usually around a 30% reduction on the full price of the menu. Tea sets change each day and are usually written up somewhere on the board of the restaurant.

You can also find listings of tea sets in local magazines, such as Hong Kong magazine and Time Out. Most tea sets are usually only available on weekdays and served sometime after 2-2.30pm.

Pay less at Hong Kong hotels
The usual torpedo to any tourist budget in Hong Kong Hong Kong hotels are expensive. Getting a saving on them is not straightforward and the usual recommendations apply; book early and be flexible on dates. More than many other cities Hong Kong suffers from wild seasonality in prices. There are a number of conferences and events here that push prices up to eye watering levels. Aside from this there are some booking agents and specific hotels that offer discounts which can alleviate some of the pain.

Sightseeing for free
Unless you have kids in tow, in which case you’ll be reaching deep into your pockets for a trip to Ocean Park or Hong Kong Disneyland, deeper if it’s both, Hong Kong is a very cheap place to sightsee. The city’s best attraction is its bustling street life; the bright lights and energy of the city streets. The night markets, stunning skyline and architecture and temples and beaches are all free. There are very few paid attractions here worth visiting.

Public transport prices
It’s very reasonable to get around Hong Kong Hong Kong city guide; whether by train, tram, bus or ferry but to get the full advantage of cheap public transport you’ll need to use an Octopus Card. These stored value cards let you swipe in and out of just about all forms of transport in Hong Kong and charge far less for your jouey than when buying single tickets.

Cheap drinks in Hong Kong

If you like a pint, you may not like Hong Kong. Prices of beer, wine and anything else with alcohol are potentially ruinous. To save money take advantage of Happy Hours. These were once single hours when Hong Kong publicans slashed the price of selected drinks in half. These days the phenomenon has taken off and there are Happy Hours stretching for three or four hours, Mad Hours, Sad Hours and numerous other similar promotions.

With careful planning, apart from the crucial hours of 10-12 on Fri and Sat, it’s possible to constantly stay in happy hours by bar hopping around. Lan Kwai Fong with its dozens of bars is the best destination top 10 China tours.

 

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