Visiting Hong Kong can be expensive, but doing some research and planning ahead can help you save some money. This post will share some tips on how to save money when traveling in Hong Kong.
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase an item, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Transportation
Getting around Hong Kong is convenient, there are several public transportation to choose from.
You can save money by having an Octopus card
Did you know that purchasing a single-fare MTR ticket from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui costs around $12?
Using the Octopus card, the fare for the trip mentioned above is only $10.3. Tourists can refund the balance of the Octopus before they leave Hong Kong.
MTR Fare Saver
There are a few MTR Fare Savers around Hong Kong. If you pass by or live near one of these MTR Fare Savers, tap your octopus and save $2 on your next ride from designated stations. For instance, if you are shopping inside Harbour City, there is one near The Gateway. You can tap your octopus and get a $2 fare discount if you go to the Austin or Tsim Sha Tsui station. The location of the MTR Savers can be found here.
Take the Star Ferry when traveling between Central, Wanchai, and Tsim Sha Tsui
Star Ferry is an affordable option when traveling from Central/Wanchai to Tsim Sha Tsui and vice versa. However, it is slower than taking the MTR and the location may not be very convenient. On weekdays, taking the ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui costs around $4-$5 for the lower deck and upper deck respectively. The fare is slightly higher on weekends and public holidays at about $5.6 – $6.5.
Take the tram when traveling on Hong Kong Island
The tram is the cheapest way to travel and also the slowest public transportation on Hong Kong Island. For adults, it costs $3 only. You can travel from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan with the same fare, but it will take you more than one hour to reach your destination. I usually take the tram when I’m not in a hurry and when I need to travel short distances (e.g. Central to Causeway Bay or Kennedy Town to Sheung Wan). For more information on fare and tram schedule, check out their official page here.
Buses
Some buses go to the same destination but the fare is different. For instance, if you want to go to The Landmark in Central from Southorn Playground, you can take bus 101 or bus 5B. However, if you get on bus 101, the fare would be $7.2 while the fare of the 5B bus is only $4.4. The reason why some buses are more expensive is because they will pass by toll gates, just like bus 101. So the next time you are waiting for the bus, check and compare the fare posted at the bus stop.
Shopping
Hong Kong is a tax-free port, it is a shopping heaven for shopaholics. Some shopping malls have discounts when you reach the minimum purchase and use specific credit cards. But tourists sometimes do not have these credit cards. So the only advice that I can give for this category, is to bring your own bag.
Bring your own bag
In an effort to reduce plastic waste, Hong Kong started charging plastic bags. Each plastic bag costs $1. This also applies to plastic containers used for takeaways. So remember to pack some reusable eco bags when you visit Hong Kong.
Accommodation and Activities
For accommodation and activities, my go-to place is Klook. I always check the prices before booking anything. For accommodation, Klook is not always the cheapest, but it has pretty great deals and flash sales. For activities, most of the time it saves me some money.
Avoid public holidays
It is difficult to find a hotel reservation with affordable prices within the city center because the prices of the hotels can soar during Hong Kong and China public holidays. Attraction tickets also are more expensive on peak days than on regular days.
You can save money on tickets by using Klook
If it is unavoidable to travel during peak season, you can check out Klook. It is a booking platform for all sorts of activities and services. I have been using Klook for more than 6 years now for many of my travels, and the booking and redemption are always seamless. Popular theme park tickets such as Hong Kong Disneyland can help you save up to 7%.
If you are new to Klook, you can register using my referral link to get a HK$30 discount promo code. On the payment page of Klook, you can use the promo code or credits that you’ve earned to save some money.
Booking and completing activities with Klook will earn you Klook credits, these credits can be used on your next booking (10 credits = HK$1). By sharing your experience, you can earn more credits and help people get a glimpse of what to expect from that activity.
That’s about it. I hope this post will help you save some money in Hong Kong. If you need more information regarding planning your visit to Hong Kong, you can check out my other post here.