Hong Kong hits you fast. One minute you’re stepping off the plane, the next you’re surrounded by neon signs, the smell of roasted duck wafting from street-level shops, and crowds moving with a purpose you can’t quite match yet.
It’s exciting. It’s overwhelming. And if you’re not careful, it’s easy to waste time, money, and energy on mistakes that could’ve been avoided with a little insider knowledge.
I’ve spent enough time in this city to know where travelers trip up, and I’m going to walk you through the pitfalls so you don’t have to learn them the hard way.
Things to Avoid in Hong Kong
Hong Kong rewards smart travelers who know how to move through the city like locals. Here are ten mistakes you’ll want to skip so you can spend more time enjoying this incredible place.
1. Relying on Taxis When the MTR Exists
Your feet are going to hurt after a long day of exploring, and that red taxi idling at the curb looks tempting. Don’t do it. Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway is faster, cheaper, and far less stressful than sitting in traffic while watching the meter climb.
Taxis here aren’t necessarily expensive by international standards, but they’re not the bargain you might expect either. A ride from Central to Causeway Bay could easily cost you HK$80-100 during peak hours. The MTR? About HK$10. That same journey takes maybe 10 minutes on the train, while a taxi could take 30 minutes or more if you hit traffic. And trust me, you’ll hit traffic.
The MTR system is genuinely one of the best in the world. It’s clean, efficient, air-conditioned, and runs until around 1 AM most nights. Signs are in English and Chinese. You can’t really get lost. The stations connect to shopping malls, office buildings, and major attractions. Once you figure out the color-coded lines, you’ll wonder why you ever considered anything else.
There are exceptions, of course. Late at night when the MTR stops running, or if you’re headed somewhere obscure in the New Territories, a taxi makes sense. Just know that taxis are your backup plan, not your primary transportation.
2. Skipping the Octopus Card on Day One
You land at the airport, tired from the flight, and you think you’ll figure out transportation as you go. Big mistake. Get an Octopus card before you even leave the airport. This isn’t optional travel advice. This is me telling you that this little card will save you so much hassle that you’ll want to send me a thank-you note.
The Octopus card works on every form of public transport: MTR, buses, trams, ferries, and even the Peak Tram. You just tap it on the reader and go. No fumbling for exact change. No standing in line to buy tickets. You can also use it at convenience stores, vending machines, many restaurants, and even some parking meters. It’s basically how Hong Kong runs.
Here’s what makes it brilliant. You can buy one at the airport for HK$150, which includes a HK$50 deposit and HK$100 in stored value. When you leave, you return it and get your deposit back (minus a small fee if you’ve had it less than three months). You can reload it at any MTR station, 7-Eleven, or Circle K. The whole system is designed to keep you moving.
Without one, you’re constantly dealing with coins and ticket machines. With one, you’re tapping and walking like you own the place.
3. Limiting Yourself to Hong Kong Island’s Tourist Strip
Victoria Peak, Lan Kwai Fong, the Central escalators. These are fine. They’re popular for a reason. But if your entire Hong Kong experience happens between Central and Causeway Bay, you’re seeing maybe 15% of what this place offers.
Kowloon alone deserves at least two full days of your attention. Mong Kok feels like a different city compared to the polished streets of Central. The markets there sell everything from goldfish to electronics to knock-off sneakers, and the energy is chaotic in the best way. Yau Ma Tei has Temple Street Night Market, where you can eat clay pot rice and get your fortune told. Sham Shui Po is where locals actually shop for fabric, electronics, and street food that hasn’t been sanitized for tourists.
Then there’s the New Territories and the outlying islands. Lantau Island has beaches, hiking trails, and the Big Buddha. Lamma Island has a car-free, laid-back vibe that feels worlds away from the skyscrapers. Sai Kung is where Hongkongers go for seafood and waterfront walks. These places exist, they’re accessible by public transport, and they’ll show you a side of Hong Kong that most visitors never see.
The tourist areas are convenient and impressive. They’re also just the beginning.
4. Eating at Restaurants with Giant Picture Menus in Tourist Areas
You’re hungry. You’re in Tsim Sha Tsui or Central. You see a restaurant with a laminated menu full of glossy photos showing every dish. The prices seem reasonable. You think you’ve found a good spot. You haven’t.
These restaurants aren’t necessarily bad, but they’re rarely memorable. They’re designed to feed tourists quickly and efficiently, with food that’s been adapted to what they think you expect. The ingredients are fine. The preparation is acceptable. But you’re in a city with some of the best Cantonese food on the planet, and you’re eating mediocre tourist versions.
Real Hong Kong food happens in three places: cha chaan tengs (local diners), dai pai dongs (open-air food stalls), and restaurants where locals actually eat. You’ll know them because the menu might not have English, the staff might not speak much English, and there definitely won’t be pictures. This is a good thing. Point at what other people are eating. Use your phone’s translation app. Order the wrong thing by accident and discover something amazing.
Some of my best meals in Hong Kong cost less than HK$50. Pineapple buns at a cha chaan teng. Wonton noodles at a place with four tables. Roast goose from a shop that’s been on the same corner for 40 years. These aren’t Instagram-famous spots. They’re just good food that locals have been eating forever.
If you want to eat well in Hong Kong, follow the office workers at lunch and the families at dinner. They know where the real food is.
5. Standing on the Left Side of the Escalator
This sounds minor until you do it and suddenly feel like you’ve committed a social crime. Hong Kong takes its escalator etiquette seriously. Stand on the right. Walk on the left. This isn’t a suggestion. This is how things work.
The city moves fast, and escalators are part of the infrastructure that keeps everything flowing. People have places to be, and they’re not going to politely wait behind you. They’ll push past, give you annoyed looks, or mutter something you probably don’t want translated. You’re blocking the flow. You’re the pebble in the stream.
This applies everywhere: MTR stations, shopping malls, the famous Mid-Levels escalators. Right side for standing, left side for walking. Lock it in your brain. Make it automatic. Your first day, you might forget. That’s fine. Someone will probably bump into you as a reminder. After that, you’ll remember.
It’s such a small thing, but getting it right makes you feel less like a tourist and more like someone who knows how the city works. Plus, you avoid the death stares from commuters who are already having a rough day.
6. Assuming Everything Will Be Cheap Because It’s Asia
This myth needs to die. Hong Kong is expensive. Not everywhere, not everything, but you need to adjust your expectations before you arrive. This isn’t Bangkok or Hanoi. This is one of the most expensive cities in Asia, and in some categories, one of the most expensive cities in the world.
Accommodation costs can shock you. Budget hotels that would be $40 a night elsewhere might be $100 here. A tiny private room in a hostel could easily hit $60-80. That cozy apartment you’re eyeing on Airbnb? Check the square footage. You might be paying $150 a night for 200 square feet. Real estate prices in Hong Kong are astronomical, and that reality trickles down to visitors.
Alcohol is pricey unless you’re buying from a convenience store. A beer at a bar can easily cost HK$60-80 ($8-10 USD). Imported goods at supermarkets carry a premium. Western food at restaurants costs more than you’d pay back home. Even local food, while cheaper than tourist restaurants, isn’t dirt-cheap anymore. A basic lunch might run you HK$50-70.
The good news? Some things are still affordable. The MTR is cheap. Street food and local restaurants won’t break the bank. Markets offer good deals if you bargain a bit. You just need to be strategic about where you spend money.
Budget accordingly. This isn’t a destination where you can wing it and assume everything will work out cheaply.
7. Trying to Drive or Rent a Car
Don’t even think about it. Hong Kong has some of the best public transportation infrastructure anywhere. You don’t need a car. You don’t want a car. A car in Hong Kong is an expensive liability that will complicate your trip in ways you can’t even imagine yet.
Parking costs are insane. Traffic is dense. Roads are narrow. Driving is on the left side if you’re not used to that. Signs might confuse you. GPS sometimes sends you down roads that aren’t really roads. And here’s the thing: even locals avoid driving in Central and busy areas because it’s genuinely not worth it.
The MTR, buses, trams, ferries, and minibuses can get you anywhere you need to go. They run frequently. They’re affordable. They’re reliable. If you really need a car for some specific reason, like exploring remote parts of the New Territories, you can rent one for a day. But for 99% of what you’ll want to do in Hong Kong, a car is not just unnecessary—it’s actively making your life harder.
Save yourself the stress and the money. Let Hong Kong’s public transport system do what it does best.
8. Ignoring the Ferry System
Everyone knows about the Star Ferry that crosses Victoria Harbour between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. It’s iconic, it’s scenic, and it costs about HK$3. You should absolutely take it. But there’s a whole network of ferries that most visitors never discover, and that’s a shame because ferries offer some of the best views and experiences in Hong Kong.
Ferries run to Lantau Island, Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, and other outlying islands. They’re cheap, comfortable, and often faster than you’d think. The upper deck on a sunny day is one of the best spots to see the Hong Kong skyline. You get the city from the water level, which gives you a completely different perspective than looking down from Victoria Peak.
Some ferries have air-conditioned cabins on the lower deck and open-air seating upstairs. Some sell snacks and drinks. Some have regular commuters who use them every day, mixing with tourists who have just discovered this affordable way to island-hop. It’s a nice blend of local life and travel experience.
Check the schedules because they vary, and some routes are more frequent than others. But don’t write off ferries as just a tourist gimmick. They’re legitimate transportation that Hongkongers use, and they happen to come with fantastic views as a bonus.
9. Overpacking Clothes Like You’re Going Somewhere With Seasons
Hong Kong is hot and humid for most of the year. Unless you’re visiting in January or February, you’re dealing with heat that makes you sweat just walking to the MTR station. Overpacking heavy clothes is a rookie mistake that leaves you doing laundry in your hotel room or buying new lightweight stuff because everything you brought is wrong.
Pack light, breathable fabrics. Cotton, linen, moisture-wicking materials. Shorts and t-shirts are perfectly acceptable everywhere except maybe high-end restaurants. You don’t need three pairs of jeans. You don’t need that jacket “just in case.” The air conditioning indoors is strong, sure, but you’re not spending your whole trip inside.
Here’s what makes this easier: laundry is everywhere. Cheap laundromats, laundry services at budget hotels, even some hostels have machines you can use. You can wash clothes every few days and be fine with half the wardrobe you were planning to bring.
Comfortable walking shoes are non-negotiable. You’ll walk more than you think. Everything else can be minimal. Hong Kong has every clothing store you can imagine if you need something. Don’t weigh yourself down before you even start.
10. Missing the Local Tea Restaurants (Cha Chaan Teng)
If you visit Hong Kong and never set foot in a cha chaan teng, you’ve missed something essential. These local diners are where Hong Kong actually eats. They’re loud, crowded, no-frills, and serve food that defines the city’s culinary identity.
Cha chaan tengs blend Cantonese and Western influences in ways that shouldn’t work but absolutely do. You’ll find French toast dripping with peanut butter and condensed milk. Macaroni soup with ham. Pineapple buns with a slab of butter. Milk tea that’s strong enough to wake you up and sweet enough to keep you going. Egg tarts that are perfect little custard clouds. This is comfort food that locals grew up with, and it’s delicious in a way that fancy restaurants can’t replicate.
The atmosphere is part of the appeal. You might share a table with strangers. The staff will take your order quickly and expect you to eat and leave without lingering too long. Everything happens at high speed. But that energy is authentic Hong Kong. This is how the city refuels between work shifts, meets friends for breakfast, or grabs a quick dinner.
Prices are reasonable. Ordering can be intimidating if you don’t read Chinese, but most places have pictures or basic English descriptions. Point and smile. You’ll figure it out. And what you’ll eat will be more memorable than any fusion restaurant in Central, charging triple the price.
Wrapping Up
Hong Kong reveals itself to travelers who pay attention. Skip the common mistakes, make smart choices about transportation and food, and respect the rhythms of how the city actually operates. You’ll save money, avoid frustration, and get a much richer experience.
This place rewards curiosity and flexibility. Get your Octopus card, take the MTR, eat where locals eat, and explore beyond the postcard views. Hong Kong has layers that take time to appreciate, but that’s exactly what makes it worth visiting in the first place.
