Shenzhen and Hong Kong are separated by just a river. Although I had long planned to visit Hong Kong, I was unable to do so for the past two to three years due to the pandemic. Now that the pandemic restrictions have eased this year, passing between Hong Kong and the mainland has also become relatively convenient, so I’ve included a trip to Hong Kong in my schedule.
I went to Hong Kong for a weekend trip with my wife. Before we went, I made some travel plans and arrangements that can serve as a reference for first-time travelers to Hong Kong.
Preparation
- Hong Kong and Macau travel permit, with pre-approval;
- Exchange for Hong Kong dollars, not too much, 200 HKD per person should be enough;
- Customs Traveler Fingerprint Service Declare health black code (valid for 24 hours, can be declared on the same day);
- Mobile data roaming service, can purchase a data package by searching overseas data in Alipay. After passing through customs, domestic data cannot be used, and without a data package, you will not be able to access the internet;
- Octopus card; most places in Hong Kong accept WeChat or Alipay for payments, and the settlement is based on real-time exchange rates. However, some places only accept cash or Octopus (such as some small convenience stores, Star Ferry, etc.), and using the Octopus card on the Star Ferry allows you to skip the ticket line, saving a lot of time. A group can use one card to pass through the gate.
- Umbrella; Hong Kong’s weather is as changeable as Shenzhen’s, and it can also provide sun protection on sunny days.
About purchasing an Octopus card, it’s best to buy one after crossing into Hong Kong. You can buy one at the port, but the exchange rate is at 1:1 with Hong Kong dollars. It costs 200 RMB to buy an Octopus card (200 HKD, 50 HKD deposit, 150 HKD inside), which incurs an exchange rate loss, resulting in a small loss of around ten RMB.
Customs Clearance
Customs clearance times at Shenzhen ports:
- Huanggang Port: 00:00—24:00;
- Luohu Port: 6:30—24:00;
- Liantang Port: 7:00—22:00;
- Shenzhen Bay Port (Passenger inspection): 6:30—24:00;
- Futian Port: 6:30—22:30;
- Wenjindu Port: 7:00—22:00;
- West Kowloon Station Port for Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-speed Railway: 6:30—23:30
I crossed through Futian Port, and the process was not complicated. On the Shenzhen side of the port, first swipe the black code to pass through the gate, and after entering, swipe the Hong Kong and Macau travel permit and verify the fingerprint to clear customs.
At security when I went, only the suitcase was checked; the backpack did not go through security.
After clearing customs on the Shenzhen side, I walked across the overpass to the Hong Kong side of the port, where I needed to swipe my Hong Kong and Macau travel permit and verify my fingerprint again. Make sure to use the visitor channel. After the verification, a customs clearance certificate will be printed, allowing a maximum stay of no more than 7 days in Hong Kong.
Itinerary
After entering the Hong Kong side, you can go downstairs to reach the Lok Ma Chau MTR station and take the Hong Kong MTR to the city.
The Hong Kong MTR allows payment with Alipay travel code; just get a Hong Kong travel code and make sure to use the purple gate that supports code scanning. Payment is settled with RMB, converted at real-time HKD exchange rates.
Tsim Sha Tsui/Victoria Harbour/Avenue of Stars
Lok Ma Chau - Hung Hom (East Rail Line towards Admiralty, 11 stops, about 40 minutes). Transfer at the same station to East Tsim Sha Tsui (Tuen Ma Line towards Tuen Mun, 1 stop), and exit at the J exit. You can walk through K11, and upon exiting, you’ll arrive at Victoria Harbour.
Enjoy the view of Victoria Harbour under the sun, and take photos along the Avenue of Stars (with celebrity handprints and the Golden Horse Award statue).
Walk along the seaside, taking breaks to enjoy the breeze. Along the way, you will pass the Hong Kong Space Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Art, both of which you can visit if interested.
There are many gold shops in Tsim Sha Tsui where you can buy gold jewelry, and the price of gold and processing fees are cheaper than in mainland China, making it quite cost-effective.
You can have lunch in Tsim Sha Tsui; there are many customers at Sister Wah’s Ice Room, so it’s recommended to take a number first; it usually takes about 1 hour to be seated. The pineapple bun tastes pretty good. Two people can spend around 150 HKD, and the portions are quite large, so you don’t need to order too much.
Across the street from Sister Wah’s Ice Room, there is a siu mai milk tea place that tastes decent, and you can buy a cup while waiting for your number to be called.
Take the Star Ferry to Central. After passing the Golden Horse Award statue, it’s not far to the pier, and you will walk past the Clock Tower. For ticket purchase, use a self-service machine at the pier (which only accepts 10 HKD and 20 HKD bills) or you can swipe your Octopus card, avoiding the ticket queue. Boats run frequently, and you can reach the other side in about 5 minutes.
The Star Ferry has upper and lower decks, with prices slightly higher on the upper deck.
Next to the Star Ferry, you can collect Hong Kong Welcome, which is a 100 HKD shopping voucher per person, which is quite convenient for dining or shopping.
Central
Riding the Star Ferry from Victoria Harbour to Central, you’ll find the Hong Kong Maritime Museum and the Central Ferris Wheel right next to it.
In Central, you can ride the Ferris wheel (20 HKD ticket price, AM 11 - PM 11). The seats near the entrance are better; after taking 3 laps, you can overlook the entire Victoria Harbour, which is very beautiful.
Tickets for the Ferris wheel can be purchased through Meituan, Ctrip, or Fliggy (approximately 25), allowing entry into the waiting area without the need to queue for tickets.
If buying tickets on site, you will need to line up for tickets first and then queue for the Ferris wheel experience. There are many people, and the queue is long. You can save about an hour’s waiting time by buying electronic tickets and scanning the QR code in your email.
Next to the Ferris wheel, you’ll find Haagen-Dazs, the Central Escalator, Stone Slab Street, Gough Street Graffiti, and Lan Fong Yuen.
The drinks at the milk tea shop underneath the Ferris wheel are not good, so I do not recommend it.
Convention and Exhibition Center
From the Central Ferris Wheel, you can walk along the waterfront promenade to the Hong Kong Reunification Monument (about 1.3km) and see the Hong Kong Bauhinia statue.
Enjoy the view of Victoria Harbour from the other side.
Causeway Bay
(Starting from the Central Ferris Wheel) Central MTR Station - Causeway Bay MTR Station (3 stops).
(Starting from the Hong Kong Reunification Monument) Exhibition Station - Admiralty Station (East Rail Line, 1 stop); transfer to the Island Line at Admiralty to Causeway Bay MTR Station (2 stops).
Causeway Bay is primarily for shopping, and it is very crowded. Nearby, you can explore Times Square and Sogo Department Store. If you want to shop, avoid roadside small shops and go to malls, Watsons, or Mannings instead.
There is also the largest bookstore in Hong Kong, Eslite Bookstore, located on the 8th to 10th floors of Hysan Place in Causeway Bay. They have some books that you can’t find in mainland China.
Return Trip
On the return trip, pay attention to the port times. There are many people at the port, and you will also need to declare the health black code, and security checks are required for exit.
Option 1: Take a bus back to Shenzhen from Times Square.
Option 2: Take the high-speed train back to Shenzhen from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station (arrive half an hour earlier); nearby subway stations: Austin, Kowloon.
Option 3: Take the subway back to Futian Port, taking the East Rail Line to Lok Ma Chau (last train at 9:30) or to Luohu Port (East Rail Line to Luohu). Make sure to check the customs clearance times to avoid missing your trip.
On the return trip, you also need to declare the health black code on the Customs Traveler Fingerprint Service.
Conclusion
This trip to Hong Kong was quite full, and I basically visited all the places I wanted to see, walking nearly 30,000 steps.
However, due to time constraints, there were still some places I didn’t visit. It is said that Hong Kong Disneyland has fewer visitors compared to Shanghai and offers more experiences, making it a good destination for my next trip to Hong Kong.
Overall, crossing from Shenzhen to Hong Kong is still very convenient, allowing one to experience a cultural atmosphere different from the mainland and the prosperity of the Pearl of the Orient. Moreover, there are many visitors from the mainland in Hong Kong, and in most cases, you can communicate in Mandarin without issues.
