Take advantage of Hong Kong’s free Internet.
If you’d rather not rent a portable router or change sim cards for your Internet needs, then consider downloading the official Wi-Fi.HK app to take advantage of Hong Kong’s numerous free Wi-Fi hotspots. Other apps that you may find handy for your next trip may be found here.Be adventurous, gastronomically speaking.
I know it’s hard to leave our comfort zone, which – in this case – would be dining establishments with English-speaking staff (e.g. McDonald’s, The Spaghetti House, KFC), but unfortunately, you’ll end up spending more money that way as well.To minimize your dining expenditure, consider the following alternatives:
- Buy packed ready-to-eat meals from groceries like Citi Super and Well Come (afterwards, you can then enjoy them at nearby parks or food courts in malls)
- Buy instant meals or even onigiri from convenience stores like 7-11 (they have microwave ovens you can use for reheating) and enjoy them in the comfort of your hotel / hostel room.
- Try popular local fast food joints like Café de Coral or Maxim’s MX, both of which accept Octopus payments.
- Try local hole-in-the-wall congee and/or dim sum places. Not all of them might have English-speaking staff, but most of them do have English menus.
Lastly, if you’re in the mood for something fancy, then how about using Eatigo to enjoy fabulous dining at a discounted rate? For those unfamiliar with how Eatigo works, this app basically provides you discounted rates for a wide array of restaurants.
How much discount you get to enjoy depends on the time of your reservation: in most cases, you get to enjoy as much as 50% off if you’re fine arriving earlier or later than regular meal times.
And in case you’re concerned about whether this app is reliable or not – there’s no need to worry on that score. We’ve already successfully made use of Eatigo several times for restaurant reservations here in Manila, and we hope to use it as well on our Hong Kong next trip. Click here to download the app.
Use Klook to book for admissions.
In one of our previous trips, we were able to take advantage of Klook’s offer for discounted admission to Ngong Ping 360. Even better, having a Klook voucher allows you to skip queues and enjoy almost immediate entry to your chosen attraction.Also, if you take a look at the package options offered, you might notice that you can save more money if you take advantage of their timed entry for round-trip offers (i.e. cable car rides after 2:30 PM). It will, however, also mean lesser time to spend exploring the park so be sure to weigh your options before booking.
P.S. Click here for other (non-Klook) e-coupons you may find useful for your upcoming trip.
Take advantage of year-round credit card offers.
If you have to choose which of your credit cards to use for your next HK trip, then HSBC and Standard Chartered should be your hands-down choices.In one of our previous trips, we were able to enjoy 10% off when we had dinner at the Harbour City branch of Crystal Jade (they also have a branch in BGC High Street, in case you’re interested). Just click here to know more about which shops and establishments offer year-round discounts for HSBC credit cardholders.
As for Standard Chartered, some of their best offers include but are not limited to ---
- 15% off for the lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner buffets at all Marco Polo hotels
- Free meal voucher if you pay for your Hong Kong Disneyland ticket using your SC credit card
- 50% off for the Signature Suite at Hotel Madera Hong Kong and Hotel Madera Hollywood
- Round trip ticket for Turbo Jet Ferry + lunch buffet (Monday to Friday) at The Parisian Macao for as low as $510 HKD per person
- Just click here for a complete list of year-round offers from Standard Chartered.
Skip the Airport Express if possible.
Generally speaking, you’ll always save more money by taking the train or bus to get from Point A to Point B rather than taking the cab and especially if you’ll be coming from the airport.In this link, you’ll find a fare table for how much a single or round-trip ticket costs when using the Airport Express.
A single trip to Kowloon Station using the Airport Express will set you back by $100 to $105 per person. However, if you were to take one of the airport buses, you’ll only have to pay $40 per person. That’s a huge difference, right?
You can use this interactive search route if you’re unsure of which bus to take, and it even provides snapshots of its bus stops to make sure you don’t get lost.
P.S. The Airport Express is, of course, always the better option if comfort is your number one concern (seats are guaranteed for all passengers, and there’s always ample space for your luggage). If you would rather take the Airport Express to your hotel and you’re traveling with friends or family, check out their Group Travel promo to enjoy discounted fare.
P.P.S. Click here for more budget-saving transportation hacks with the help of your reloadable Octopus card.
Bonus Tip: The best museums are free on a Wednesday!
In the event that you’ve got some free time in your hands on a Wednesday, then you’re in luck since that also happens to be the best day of the week to visit museums in Hong Kong.To start with, visit the Hong Kong Space Museum and Hong Kong Museum. Both are located in Tsim Sha Tsui and offer free admission only on Wednesdays.
Most other museums, however, are free year round and open six days of the week –
- Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre & Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence (closed on Thursdays)
- Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong Railway Museum, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (closed on Tuesdays)
We hope you find the above tips helpful, and remember – every (Hong Kong) dollar you save counts. It all adds up in the long run!
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