The Essentials for Living/Visiting Hong Kong

This post is geared for people who are either planning to visit or move to Hong Kong. Below is a list options that have made my life a lot easier.

The Essentials:

DISCOVER HONG KONG - this is your all-in-one place to go to get information about the city

Forums - going to the local forums to ask other Expats or Locals questions is a first step for me, remember, use the SEARCH function, as most topics have been discussed thoroughly in the past.

• Geoexpat (mobile app "Geoclicks")
• Asiaxpat

Food - after landing in Hong Kong, I was tired, hungry, without money, and seriously wondering how I would get my next meal. 

• Openrice (mobile app available)
• Tripadvisor (mobile app available)
• Wellcome and Park-n-Shop are the two major grocery store chains in HK

Using the mobile app for Openrice and Tripadvisor make finding food very easy.

Banking - which bank you choose is up to you and your preferences, but Hong Kong is full of banking services and convenience. Branches and ATM's are located almost everywhere and once you have a bank account set up you can take advantage of some of the following tips.

• Free ATM withdrawal for HSBC and Hang Seng customers at each branches ATM location.
• Free ATM withdrawals for account holders of JETCO banks
• EPS - the option to get "cash back" at many merchants in Hong Kong

Transit - Hong Kong is known for it's world class, clean, and efficient transportation. Getting around the city is very easy as long as you have some basic knowledge.

• MTR - the train system in Hong Kong can get me to 90% of the places that I need to go, and for the other 10% I use:
• Minibus, KMB, Citybus - Here is my previous post about the app I use
• Taxi - Take note of the taxi color, this indicates that the taxi only operates in a certain area. Also, if you notice an open taxi zooming past you, odd are it's a Cross Harbor taxi going to the closest Cross Harbor taxi stand.

Housing - Here are two easy to use websites for searching for Apartments, however getting out and just walking around the area you are interested in has proven to be a great strategy for many people I know.

• Squarefoot
• Gohome

Octopus Card - It's hard to put into words how easy life is when you have an Octopus Card here in Hong Kong. Here are some of the places you will be able to use this card:

• MTR and Buses
• Taxis (this is slowly being introduced, so don't count on this option)
• A large number of Merchants (grocery stores, convenience stores, some restaurants)

Nightlife - the nightlife scene in Hong Kong is usually restricted to Lan Kwai Fong or Knutsfor d Terrace, but don't let that stop you from venturing out to other areas and mingling with the locals. 

• OpenBar - this is a very helpful app to see the deals  for the week