Hong Kong Taxi System

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taxi-translation-services

Why did that taxi drive past me?
On a daily basis, without fail, I see a confused look on a tourist’s face as a taxi drive right past them. They thought they did everything right, put out the arm, wave profusely, signaling to the taxi that I, the tourist, need your service. There are several causes for why the taxi failed to stop, or even glance over – the taxi was taken, the taxi couldn’t pick up the tourist in the restricted zone, the taxi is only willing to cross the harbor (as specified by the “out of service” sign covering the lit up taxi sign in the windshield), and sometimes, yes it happens, the taxi just didn’t want to pick you up.

On HK Island, Staying on HK Island
This is by far the easiest – simply hail down a red taxi that has its dome light on, and the “for hire” sign lit that is displayed through the windshield.

HK Taxi Dome Light

Hong Kong Taxi Dome Light

HK Taxi For Hire

HK Taxi For Hire

 On HK Island, Crossing the Harbor (Kowloon,etc)
This is usually when people get confused. Red taxis with their dome lights on, but have the “out of service” sign covering the “for hire” sign are looking for passengers looking to cross  the harbor. You can either hail down these cabs, or find a taxi stand that is strictly for cross harbor.

HK Taxi Dome Light

Hong Kong Taxi Dome Light

HK Taxi - Out of Service

Out of Service

Cross Harbour Taxi Stand

Cross Harbour Taxi Stand

Getting the the airport
Taking the MTR Airport express is the easiest, but if you need a taxi, any colored taxi will do.

How to get a red taxi by phone
Depending on your area and what taxi you would like, you can call them by phone:

Central 2574 7311
Wan Chai 2527 6324
Causeway Bay 2861 1008
Kowloon – Ferry Point 2728 8282

Full list here

What do the different colored taxis mean?
Red - Covers most of Hong Kong (minus a few parts of Lantau Island)
Green – Covers only the New Territories
Blue – Covers only Lantau Island

Do I have to tip?
Tipping is not required or expected, but if you would like to tip, anything up to $5 HKD will do.

How honest/reliable/safe are HK taxis?
Compared to other countries, HK taxis are extremely safe and reliable. I’ve never experienced a cab driver trying to scam me. Just make sure the meter is running. There are occasions when drivers will try to make a few extra bucks. During typhoons, or bad weather, drivers will try to negotiate flat rates that are 2-3x higher than the meter, but will notify you before you get into the cab.

What can I do when the cab driver doesn’t understand me?
There are many instances when the cab driver will not understand what you are saying and/or where you want to go. We at iAssist help alleviate these head-aches by providing real-time translation services for our members. In other words, we have agents standing by that will speak to the cab driver on your behalf – avoiding any confusion and providing a hassle-free journey. Learn more at our website on how you can take advantage of this service, as well as many others during your time in Hong Kong.

Other Resources
HK Transport Department – Fares
HK Transport Department – Useful Information
HK Tourism – Taxi tips, complaints, etc

 

Goldfish Street and Ladies’ Market

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Ever since I was a kid, I have kept fish as pets. Fishes ranging from the elegant Guppies, to the sloppy Goldfish and the playful Clownfish I have had them all. So with this, I always make it a point to check out where I can find the best supplies for the swimming bunch. Upon relocating to Hong Kong, I stumbled upon Tung Choi Street informally known as Goldfish Street. This jewel located in the heard of Mong Kok is home to a host of pet related stores. Pets ranging from turtles to tarantulas, guppies to Cocker Spaniel’s and more. In terms of supplies there isn’t anything you can’t find for your pet dog, cat or in my case, fish. I was looking to find a shop that could provide me with the necessary equipment to start a marine aquarium and this place had it all. They even had friendly knowledgeable storekeepers to chat with and learn from. For someone who is visiting or relocating to Hong Kong, I would definitely recommend a trip to Goldfish Street, as it is quite the experience.

On a different portion of Tung Choi Street, highlights another one of the city’s main features, shopping. This particular portion of Tung Choi Street is more famously known as the Ladies’ Market. Here lies one of the busiest, most vibrant, colorful parts of Hong Kong. For those who enjoy a good bargain, Ladies’ Market is a great place to get one and also explore the more local sights in the city. One should always come prepared to say no as bargaining happens, and that is part of the fun. This place sells things most night bazaars would, from graphic tees to inexpensive watches and even Halloween supplies.

Tung Choi Street spanning from Prince Edward Road all the way to Dundas Street, is a great place to spend half day, as these are prominent local attractions of Hong Kong. The area is also littered with great street food vendors, hot-pot restaurants and local fast food joints. This remains as a great recommendation for tourist, expats and even locals.

Getting there is easy – it’s only a short walk from exit B3 of the Mong Kok station.

We at iAssist, continue to expand our growing database about everything in Hong Kong. We can help you identify the right points of interest for your trip to this great city and to ensure you have a meaningful and pleasurable experience.  Even if you are not new to the city, we are sure that we would have you a surprise.

 

Pink Dolphins Tour

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Pink dolphins? Where?

I always enjoy taking a moment to get away from the grind, to become a tourist in my own city. It’s a great way to take advantage of what this great city has to offer, and do something new, in which most locals or expats have yet to experience.

I was definitely skeptical the first time I heard pink dolphins are living close by. How pink can pink dolphins really be? Even some of the pictures didn’t do justice. Before discounting them entirely, I decided to check out the tour first-hand.

A Bus to the boat

During the bus ride over from TST, we learned about the how some of the local infrastructure projects (a bridge to Macau, a new runway for the airport) are causing more and more dolphins to die each year. To make matters worse, toxic levels in the water continue to rise as over seventy ships traverse the area each hour. After a depressing 15 minutes of hearing all the facts, we finally moved on to some of the positive stories – a few of the dolphins have names and have been living in the area for 30 years. A few newborns have also made their appearance in the last few weeks, which we maybe able to spot.

Off we go

After forty five minutes, we arrived to the pier, boarded the boat, set sail – the excitement began to build while the skepticism remained. We sailed for thirty minutes before our first sighting. It’s pretty easy to miss if you’re not looking in the general direction and distance. After a few seconds of getting my bearings, I saw a pink fin emerge from the water, to only disappear a second later. While I realized it was early in the journey, I feared that what I saw would be indicative of the rest of the sightings. Luckily, that was put to rest quickly.

The sightings

After another fifteen minutes of sailing, my skepticism finally vanished. Watching a mother and baby dolphin jump through the air with the sun glistening off their backs – a spectacular sight indeed. Most of the pictures don’t really capture how bright pink these dolphins are. We spent the next half-hour at a standstill as more dolphins appeared, circling our boat. While we spent the early morning chasing them, they became comfortable around us when we turned off the engine. We spent a total of 2 hours on the boat, in which about half the time we were dolphin watching. The other half was a comfortable sail from/to shore, with a brisk breeze and the occasional sunshine.

Note: I didn’t take this picture, but we saw this several times during the trip, but was unable to capture it with my smartphone. 

Check – for a good time

Hong Kong has a lot of offer, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to check this one off the list. It was a nice, enjoyable day out on the water, where I was able to see a rare species in its natural form. I mentioned this trip to several friends, who all were unaware of its existence, but pledged to add it their Hong Kong bucket list.

We at iAssist, continue to learn the ins and outs of each neighborhood and activity in Hong Kong. We can help you identify the right itinerary for you, and ensure you have a meaningful and pleasurable trip to Hong Kong. You can check out our website to see everything we offer, including anything from reservations to an airport pickup.

Noodles on Gough

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Amongst the many uncovered food gems in Hong Kong, I frequent this one place in particular called Kau Kee, located on Gough Street in Sheung Wan. The quaint street is littered will very popular local eateries and among them lies a locally infamous beef noodle restaurant. As a fan of beef noodle soup, Kau Kee has brought its broth to perfection. Despite its long lunch lines, relatively cramped environment and noisy local atmosphere, I always still come back for more. I have always recommended the clear soup beef noodles and the curry beef noodles and I will continue to recommend them. This is a definite to-do for the foodies of the world.

The restaurant is also very strategically located as one is able to visit and walk the streets of Sheung Wan and Central before taking a lunch break at Kau Kee. Hollywood Road that is located parallel to Gough Street shows off some of the local artwork, antiques, and galleries with international reputation.

Address:

Kau Kee Restaurant

21 Gough Street
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

九記牛腩

中環歌賦街21號地下


 

Relocating to Hong Kong? Prepare yourself.

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I assumed that settling down in Hong Kong would be straightforward - big mistake! 

Relocation Services

I was excited when I landed in Hong Kong, as I was looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life. Little did I realize that excitement would be put on pause, and only return months later, after truly settling into one of the greatest cities on earth. After several frustrating encounters where I thought common sense would prevail and multiple trips to the same store, I learned that getting things done wasn’t always as easy as I was used to. In hindsight, I would have easily hired a company to take care of all the details and errands that would have made settling into Hong Kong much, much easier.

With a relocation service, I would have sought advice in these areas:

Obtaining a Hong Kong ID – Knowing what forms to fill out and where to go wasn’t difficult, but could have been much easier if I was told where the building was located, what floor to go to, and how the entire process works. Also, ensuring I had all the right paperwork filled out would have been reassuring as well.

Finding a real-estate agent - I ended up staying in serviced apartments for my first 7 months as I didn’t have time to find an agent, nor look at apartments that met my needs. Eventually when I saw some apartments, I saw many that weren’t close to what I would have wanted, slimming down the list to eligible places would have saved me hours.

Coordinating with the moving company – I didn’t have much time during the day, so even answering the phone to coordinate with the moving company became a difficult task.

Connecting with the community – Finding the right social groups and interests that fit my needs. Hong Kong is an easy place to meet people, but finding friends who I will connect with on a long-term basis is a little more difficult. Once I found the right social group, it was amazing how many we connected immediately. I would have never known dodgeball was a big sport/social circle here. Knowing what social circles are out there can be extremely helpful.

Furniture shopping – I was unaware of Ap Lei Chau, or the Wan-Chai furniture district existed, in which I could pick up or ship many of the items I needed. As a last resort, I found IKEA, but went with the assumption I could handle my ordering online or by phone. I was completely wrong, and ended up making several unnecessary trips simply to add an item or change the delivery date.

Finding the right clothing stores – Banana republic doesn’t exist here, what? I was amazed on how hard it was to buy clothes here. I just assumed it was as easy as buying goods online in the States… not the case. Knowing what malls were available that fit my criteria and budget took some time to find as well.

Finding the right tailor – Finding the right tailor isn’t an easy task. I went through 3 tailors and many fittings before I found the one I really happy with. Only, after some considerable research and recommendations did I find the tailor that fit my needs.

Opening the basic accounts – Opening a bank account was a huge ordeal that really opened my eyes on how things (don’t) get done in Hong Kong. Similarly, but not as bad, starting mobile and cable service had its own set of hurdles.

Utilities for a new apartment – I wanted to settle into my apartment as fast as possible. It took a bit longer as I needed to sign up for various utilities ( water, gas, and electric ) and scheduling appointments when I was available, which wasn’t often.

Finding the right helper – Hong Kong has many laws and restrictions on hiring helpers part-time or full-time. I was hesitant at first and only after finding a helper through a referral did I feel comfortable committing.

China Visa - Knowing what hours to queue up and when the offices are closed would have helped. I was unaware that government offices shut during lunch hours. So the next time I visited, I came 30 minutes before the office opened and my documents were processed much faster. Another big time saver was that I actually downloaded the forms and filled them out before making my way to the office.

Misc – In addition to all these, there were also some of the minor tasks that I was particular about – including getting a haircut or finding the right grocery store. Over time, I found the places that suited my needs.

With enough time and research, all these tasks can be figured out. But if I had someone in Hong Kong who was well connected, and already knew the inefficient short falls and the right places to go, it would have been saved me close to thirty hours of hard-aches and Google searches. In hindsight, I would have easily paid for a type of service like iAssist, simply to have peace-of-mind and allow me to focus on my job, the reason why I relocated in the first place.