One of the most prosperous cities in the world, Hong Kong, is the center of international trade. This unwalled city also takes pride in being the first-class landscape for diverse culture and thriving business, which catalyzes over 15000 restaurants, the highest density in the world.
It’s not hard to imagine that such a wonderful city has also been known as a shopping paradise. As a hub of trade, Hong Kong provides enormous shopping sites ranging from chain stores, malls, boutiques, local designers to luxury shopping malls.
Shopping has been a unique tourist experience in Hong Kong as it attracts thousands of millions of people from all over the world. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about shopping in Hong Kong. Here is the outline.
Visiting Hong Kong is not expensive
People usually wonder about the cost of living in Hong Kong before visiting the city. As a matter of fact, living in this cosmopolitan city could be expensive mostly due to the premium markets, tourism industry, and business. However, living in Hong Kong is worth the cost when all the things are counted. Compared with other bustling metropolises such as New York, Hong Kong provides affordable food, leisure, transportation, and so on. The cost actually depends on how extravagantly you plan to live.
Traffic in Hong Kong
The city offers stable, convenient, and affordable public transportation. You can reach any part of the city by taxis, buses, and metros. The traffic network in Hong Kong is cleaner, faster, and safer than in other big cities like London.
One way to travel cheaper is to buy an Octopus card that offers a discount for any public transit. You can get this card from almost any convenience store in Hong Kong and all you have to do is to top it up and swipe the card every time you enter public transit.
You could live in guest house that costs as low as $20 a night or stay at a three-star hotel for about $80 per night. The price of course goes up if you choose a five-star hotel. However, it might not be so comfortable if you choose to stay at dorms or guest houses.
The price of food in Hong Kong could also be low. There are just too many options you could choose, from cheap street food to traditional fast-food joints. Most of them require only several dollars but provide the best authentic Chinese or foreign cuisines. The supermarkets in Hong Kong offer diverse ingredients so it would not be a problem if you want to make your own meals at home.
Besides, many tourist attractions in Hong Kong are free to the public. It won’t require a single dollar if you go hiking and enjoy the natural view or explore Hong Kong cultures. In short, it’s affordable to explore Hong Kong during holidays though the living cost in the city could be high.
In conclusion, living in Hong Kong is relatively affordable depending on your living activities. Almost prices of different levels are available in Hong Kong, from pricey hotels and restaurants to single-dollar street food.
Shopping in Hong Kong is most recommended
One of the most top experiences you must have while visiting Hong Kong is to go shopping. Hong Kong offers terrific shopping places where you could almost get anything you want, from traditional Chinese souvenirs, cosmetics, electronics to trendy fashion clothes.
The top two shopping areas in Hong Kong are Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. Popular places include Mong Kok and Jordan in Kowloon and Central and Causeway Bay in Hong Kong Island.
One reason why Hong Kong is a shopping paradise is the duty-free policy on imports. The prices of products across the world are not charged any extra tax here. Combined with the fierce competition from numerous brands and companies, the low taxes help maintain a low-level products price.
If you want to go shopping in Hong Kong and buy things cheaper, there are two major sales every year when the prices will be much lower. These two sales are the Summer and Winter sales. The former lasts from July to September and the latter from December to February. Make sure to plan ahead so that you could maximize the traveling experience in Hong Kong.
You don’t have to worry about the payment issue in Hong Kong as all major credits including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are in common use. However, make sure to bring cash since open street markets, where the prices are more negotiable, only accept Hong Kong dollars.
Why Shopping in Hong Kong is the Best
Owing to the low taxes, low exchange rates as well as beneficial policies, Hong Kong has been famous for a long time as a shopping paradise.
Hong Kong vs. Korea, Japan
The attractiveness of Hong Kong, however, has decreased in these years compared with about a decade ago. Regions like Korea, Japan, and Singapore are also producing their own luxury products to draw people’s attention.
In 2015, the deals of Chinese luxury products in Hong Kong decreased by 25% in Hong Kong. In Japan, however, the number tripled. A growing number of Chinese mainland travelers prefer to go shopping in Korea or Japan instead of Hong Kong. Plus, the real estate and rent prices has been increasing in Hong Kong, preventing lower retail prices.
Hong Kong vs. Singapore
Singapore is also one of the most expensive metropolises in the world, although people living there tend to claim that the cost could be low. The difference of shopping between these two regions lie in the prices and the product variety. It is possible to get things with a low price in Singapore as it offers GST refunds. The shopping options, however, are rather limited. There is no doubt that Hong Kong is still an excellent city to go shopping building on both the beneficial policies and various local and foreign products.
Taken together, the position of Hong Kong being the best shopping tourist city is unshakable. The low taxes, no VAT or sales tax and diverse products include but not limited to foreign luxury, mid-tier clothing brands, cosmetics, and electronics still attract a number of shoppers. Coupled with the delicious food and diverse culture, Hong Kong offers the best city living experience.
Conclusion
Hong Kong continues to glow and attract people from all over the world with its low-price and abundant products, friendly and favorable policies, convenient public transit, as well as diverse food and culture. Go enjoy the best shopping experience next time you are looking to buy luxuries!
