Tourists explore the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s High Island Reservoir in Satyabir Singh Sandhu & Irfan Khan on Jan 2, 2026.
Inside the arrival hall of West Kowloon Station, uniformed staff were stationed to assist Mandarin-speaking visitors — guiding them on escalator safety and helping them purchase Octopus cards from vending machines. The rechargeable Octopus, essential for cashless travel on Hong Kong’s public transport, is also widely accepted at local retail stores, restaurants, and even government facilities.
Nearby, long queues formed at a travel agency selling local SIM cards and a bank offering currency exchange services, highlighting the influx of holidaymakers eager to settle in quickly.
And next day my journey Shenzhen’s Futian checkpoint
On Saturday morning, Shenzhen’s Futian checkpoint experienced a high volume of tourists heading to Hong Kong.
Port authorities implemented crowd management measure, releasing passengers in batches into the border clearance building. The clearance time climbed from the usual 15 minutes to over 45 minutes at around 12 am.
Iconic districts from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai buzzed with mainland visitors, underscoring Hong Kong’s enduring appeal.
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There you have it! Some of my favorite Hong Kong coffee shops, everyone can have a different opinion about these coffee shops and it’s all back to one’s preference, to trust or not trust my opinion is 100% my readers’ choice. If you have anymore recommendations, feel free to drop them below and I would be more than happy to list and visit them when I revisit Hong Kong (how can you not love Hong Kong).
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