| Welcome to Hong Kong, a unique, fast-moving and ever-changing metropolis with abundant vitality, dynamism and diversity. Imbued with Chinese character, Hong Kong is a vibrant fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, offering a contrast-filled kaleidoscopic of experiences. |
Population and Language
About 6.81 million people live in Hong Kong. Almost 95 percent of the population is Chinese. Chinese and English are the official languages. |
Climate
• Spring (Mar - May): Between 18° - 27°C (64° - 80°F),
• Summer (June - Sept): Between 26° - 33°C (78° - 91°F)
• Autumn (Oct – early Dec): Between 18° - 28°C (64° - 82°F)
• Winter (late Dec – Feb) Between 14° - 20°C (57° - 68°F) |
Currency
The local currency is the Hong Kong dollar (HK$), which is pegged to the US dollar at a rate of US$1=HK$7.8, although the rate varies slightly. |
Entry Regulations
Visitors must hold a valid passport which should be valid for at least one month after the planned departure from Hong Kong. Visitors from most countries are not required to obtain visas for periods varying from seven days to 180 days, depending on nationality. Check with any Chinese embassy or consulate or the Hong Kong Government’s Immigration Department Website (www.immd.gov.hk/index.html). Visas for Mainland China can be obtained in Hong Kong through China Travel Service (HK) Ltd. or China International Travel Service Hong Kong Ltd. |
Custom Allowance
Visitors may bring 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco into Hong Kong duty free. For liquor, the limit is one-litre bottle of wine or spirits. Please check before departure as these are subject to change. |
Airport Departure Tax
Passengers 12 and over must pay HK$120 for the Air Passenger Departure Tax, which is usually included in the price of the ticket. Passengers who arrive in and depart from Hong Kong within the same day are exempt from paying departure tax. |
| Macau is located in Guangdong province, on the western bank of the Pearl River Delta, at latitude 22º 14º North, longitude 113º 35º East and connected to Gongbei District by the Border Gate (Portas do Cerco) isthmus. |
Population and Language
The total population is estimated at around 557,400. About 94% are ethnic Chinese, from different provinces, namely Guangdong and Fujian. The remaining 6% includes Portuguese, European and other nationalities. Chinese and Portuguese are the official languages, Cantonese being most widely spoken. The official languages are used in government departments in all official documents and communications. English is generally used in trade, tourism and commerce. |
Climate
• Spring (Mar – early May): Between 18° - 27°C (64° - 80°F),
• Summer (May - Sept): Between 20° - 32°C (68° - 89°F)
• Autumn (Oct – early Dec): Between 17° - 27°C (64° - 81°F)
• Winter (late Dec – Mar) Between 12° - 20°C (54° - 69°F) |
Currency
The Pataca (MOP$) is divided into 100 avos and it is Macau's official currency. There are banknotes and coins in the following denominations:
Coins: 10, 20 and 50 avos; 1, 2 and 5 Patacas.
Banknotes: 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Patacas.
By the decision of the Government the Pataca is linked to the Hong Kong dollar (HK$). The exchange rate is MOP$103.20 = HK$100.00. |
Entry Regulations
All visitors must hold a passport or a valid travel document. Visas are required by all visitors except:
a) Nationals of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cape Verde, Croatia, Czech, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania and the United Kingdom(6 months) for a stay up to 90 days;
b) Nationals of Australia, Canada, Chile, India, Indonesia, Kiribati, Malaysia, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Philippines, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, the United States of America and Uruguay for a stay up to 30 days;
Check with any Chinese embassy or consulate or the Macau’s Immigration Service Website (http://www.fsm.gov.mo/psp/eng/EDoN.html). |
Custom Allowance
Visitors may bring 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco into Macau duty free. For liquor, the limit is 1 liter of beverages of alcoholic strength by volume exceeding 30% vol. Please check before departure as these are subject to change. Please visit http://www.customs.gov.mo/en/index1.htm. |
