Flights to Hong Kong, fees and surcharges?!?

TomC5

toots666 wrote: »

TomC5 - stay over in the HK island - there's more english translated/english speaking people there. Kowloon have some but rare (although shopping/markets are better there!) New terriority - great to see it, but if you don't know chinese, it might be hard to know what you are ordering etc - not many english translations there - but worth a visit, its abit more rural in parts.
Wishing tree in New teriority is actually very very famous, used to be able to through this wishing packet up to make a wish, but they've banned that now as it damaged the tree.
Alcohol wise, local beer are cheap in cafes etc. not many pubs in NT, there's some in Kowloon and lots in HK island, and they're quite expensive for drinks there, ranging from £5-10 a drink (i've experienced! 0_0) food wise, cafe etc are cheap, of course you get the nicer places and charges more. Make sure you look at resturants on first or second floors of buildings too - some hidden gems, and good deal! (we went for a japanese food buffet in TST and it was only about tenner a head, all drinks and food and dessert, really good fresh sushi and cooked food too!!!)
Recreational activities are expensive if you compare to what you can pay for, for food there, but its relatively standard tourist prices i think. on Wednesdays you can get in museums for free i think - worth checking to see if they still do that.
have fun on your trip!!!

zepsgal - check out emirates for flights as well - when i checked in april for trip, it came back cheapest!!!

Thanks Toots! I'v been mainly looking at HK Island but I'll take all of what you said above into account

Lucifa42

OP: Welcome to the wonderful world of Air Passenger duty, the ridiculous tax we have to pay.

Just to illustrate how stupid it is:

Business class flight with BA from Heathrow to Hong Kong in Feb 2013 returning a week later.

£3195 return

Another flight with all the same details, but this time starting in Amsterdam and connecting through Heathrow so you end up being on the *same* plane as the flight above.

£1645 return

A saving of 1550 quid all because you started outside of the UK, now you do obviously have to get to Amsterdam to take the first flight, but I'm sure one could manage that for less than 1550

Now I chose Business class to give the best illustration of the difference, unfortunately you don't quite get the same savings with Economy, it is about £100 less but that's not enough to offset the cost of getting to Amsterdam.

Voyager2002

toots666 wrote: »

TomC5 - stay over in the HK island - there's more english translated/english speaking people there. Kowloon have some but rare (although shopping/markets are better there!) New terriority - great to see it, but if you don't know chinese, it might be hard to know what you are ordering etc - not many english translations there - but worth a visit, its abit more rural in parts.
Wishing tree in New teriority is actually very very famous, used to be able to through this wishing packet up to make a wish, but they've banned that now as it damaged the tree.
Alcohol wise, local beer are cheap in cafes etc. not many pubs in NT, there's some in Kowloon and lots in HK island, and they're quite expensive for drinks there, ranging from £5-10 a drink (i've experienced! 0_0) food wise, cafe etc are cheap, of course you get the nicer places and charges more. Make sure you look at resturants on first or second floors of buildings too - some hidden gems, and good deal! (we went for a japanese food buffet in TST and it was only about tenner a head, all drinks and food and dessert, really good fresh sushi and cooked food too!!!)
Recreational activities are expensive if you compare to what you can pay for, for food there, but its relatively standard tourist prices i think. on Wednesdays you can get in museums for free i think - worth checking to see if they still do that.
have fun on your trip!!!

zepsgal - check out emirates for flights as well - when i checked in april for trip, it came back cheapest!!!

I found the whole of Hong Kong very easy. Even where they don't speak English, they are so commercially minded that they will find some way to understand what you want and complete the transaction. And that includes the New Territories, with their islands, beaches and mountain nature reserves.

The tourist information service is probably the best in the world. They have a kiosk in the airport arrivals area (before the final exit from the secure area, so look out for them before you go out or you will not be allowed back in to find them). The best advice is to pick up leaflets when you first arrive, and perhaps go to their place in town for further information once you have recovered from your flight.

As a rule of thumb, accommodation on Hong Kong island costs more than in Kowloon, and I don't think it is worth paying the difference to be on the other side of the harbour.

totallybored

toots666 wrote: »

TomC5 - stay over in the HK island - there's more english translated/english speaking people there. Kowloon have some but rare (although shopping/markets are better there!) New terriority - great to see it, but if you don't know chinese, it might be hard to know what you are ordering etc - not many english translations there - but worth a visit, its abit more rural in parts.
Wishing tree in New teriority is actually very very famous, used to be able to through this wishing packet up to make a wish, but they've banned that now as it damaged the tree.
Alcohol wise, local beer are cheap in cafes etc. not many pubs in NT, there's some in Kowloon and lots in HK island, and they're quite expensive for drinks there, ranging from £5-10 a drink (i've experienced! 0_0) food wise, cafe etc are cheap, of course you get the nicer places and charges more. Make sure you look at resturants on first or second floors of buildings too - some hidden gems, and good deal! (we went for a japanese food buffet in TST and it was only about tenner a head, all drinks and food and dessert, really good fresh sushi and cooked food too!!!)
Recreational activities are expensive if you compare to what you can pay for, for food there, but its relatively standard tourist prices i think. on Wednesdays you can get in museums for free i think - worth checking to see if they still do that.
have fun on your trip!!!

zepsgal - check out emirates for flights as well - when i checked in april for trip, it came back cheapest!!!

Don't forget that Emirates has a very generous 30kg baggage allowance too! It might also be the A380 plane on that route (Bkk to HK was when I flew with them in the summer).