● Currency HKD, pegged to the US dollar ● Visa-free stay up to 90 days for many nationalities ● Getting around Octopus card on MTR, tram & ferry ● Airport Express Central in 24 min ● Tap water boil before drinking ● Emergency number 999
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Staying connected: SIM cards & Wi-Fi

Hong Kong has dense, reliable mobile coverage across almost the entire urban area and most hiking trails, making staying connected straightforward compared to many destinations.

SIM cards and eSIMs

Prepaid tourist SIM cards are sold at the airport, convenience stores and phone shops around the city, typically offering a set data allowance over a fixed number of days. eSIMs from international providers are an increasingly common alternative, letting you activate a Hong Kong data plan before you even land, without swapping a physical card.

Free Wi-Fi

A government-backed free Wi-Fi network covers many public buildings, libraries, parks and MTR stations, alongside widespread free Wi-Fi in cafés, malls and hotel lobbies — useful as a backup even with a local SIM.

What to check before you fly

  • Whether your SIM/eSIM covers 5G if your phone supports it, and whether data is genuinely unlimited or capped with throttling after a threshold.
  • Whether it also covers a planned Macau or mainland China day trip, since Hong Kong plans don't always roam into those separately regulated territories.
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