Fast Facts About Hong Kong
1. Telephone System
Public telephones in Hong Kong belong to the following 6 types:
Yellow telephone only for local calls: accepting 1- or 2- HKD coins
Yellow telephone for international calls: accepting 1-, 2- or 5- HKD coins
Silver telephone: accepting 1-, 2- or 5- HKD coins
Telephone accepting magnetic cards and coins for international calls
Silver telephone accepting credit card and coins
New telephone accepting magnetic card, credit card and coins.
2. Working Hours of Banks
9a.m to 4p.m (no break) from Monday to Friday and 9a.m to 12.30p.m on Saturday
3. Toilet
Toilet can be found in street corners, parks, malls and parking lots, free of charge.
4. Smoking
Smoking is forbidden in public transportation tools and certain public places.
5. Tip
Some hotels and restaurants will levy a 10% service charge while customers may add other 5% tip. For restaurants that don’t levy a service charge, a 10% tip is expected. Tip taxi drivers, bellboys, and restroom attendants.
6. Other
Emergency call 999
Hong Kong Tourist Association Tourism Hotline: 25081234
Complaint hotline (including taxi complaint): 25277177
The Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: 28246111
Hong Kong International Airport: 21818888
Postal Directory Hotline: 29212222
7. Local-Currency
The local currency is the Hong Kong dollar, which is divided into 100 cents. Bills come in denominations of HK$20 (grey), HK$50(blue), HK$100(red), HK$500 (brown) and HK$1000 (yellow). Coins are issued in denominations of 10 cents, 20 cents, and 50 cents, HK$1, HK$2, HK$5 and HK$10.
Interestingly, Hong Kong currency is issued by three local banks, rather than by the government as in most other economies. The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (often shortened to Hong Kong Bank) and Standard Chartered Bank have long been Hong Kong’s two designated note issuers. Though the bills issued by each share the same colours, their design is different. In May 1994 the Bank of China became the third note-issuing bank. In a further bow to 1997, the two British banks stopped issuing notes carrying references to the British monarchy, switching to designs that are more palatable to the Chinese government.