Hong Kong Real-World Travel Guide: TST vs. Central Stays, Type-G Plugs, Cash Diners & Packing List

At traditional Cantonese dim sum parlors (like Lin Heung Lau or Maxim’s Palace City Hall), servers often drop off a large glass or porcelain bowl alongside a pot of hot water before taking orders—do NOT drink it! That hot rinse ("sai chaan geoi") is for swirling your chopsticks, teacup, and spoon inside the big bowl for hygiene before a server whisks it away. Also, when your teapot runs dry, simply flip the lid slightly ajar on the rim—any passing waiter will top up boiling water without you waving a hand.

At beloved retro "cha chaan teng" diners—think Australia Dairy Company in Jordan for pillowy scrambled eggs or Lan Fong Yuen in Central for silk-stocking milk tea—embrace the chaotic speed: you WILL share a tiny booth with three locals ("daap toi"), ordering iced milk tea or lemon tea ("dong ning cha") costs HK$2–4 more than hot, lingerers get gentle side-eye once plates are empty, and cash (HK$100/500 notes, never HK$1,000!) is non-negotiable. Round out the afternoon comparing flaky sourdough Portuguese tarts at Bakehouse or Hashtag B against buttery shortcrust Cantonese egg tarts at Tai Cheong!

Two of the world’s greatest sightseeing rides cost less than a cup of coffee in Hong Kong. Along Hong Kong Island’s northern corridor (Kennedy Town through Sheung Wan, Central, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, and North Point), century-old double-decker "Ding Ding" trams charge a flat HK$3.00 regardless of distance: ALWAYS climb aboard through the REAR turnstile without paying, grab the front window seat upstairs, and tap your Octopus or credit card at the FRONT exit beside the motorman when stepping off! Crossing between TST and Central/Wan Chai? Skip the submarine MTR tunnel at least once for the 8-minute Star Ferry (around HK$5–6.5 on the breezy Upper Deck).

MTR subways, buses, ferries, and trams now accept direct Visa/Mastercard contactless taps right on their blue/light-blue readers, so short-stay visitors can technically ride without buying a physical card. Still, loading "Octopus for Tourists" on your phone (or grabbing a standard Octopus card) remains way smoother because Octopus also pays instantly inside 7-Eleven, Circle K, Wellcome supermarkets, McDonald’s, Mannings, and Peak Tram turnstiles where small card minimums or cash-only lines slow you down.