最后更新 2008年03月19日 Hong Kong quickie!  阅读(524)  

Going on a short trip to Hong Kong from the mainland can be a great shopping getaway for anyone who enjoys fine food and name brand products. This means it can be appreciated by most everyone I would bet!

I've been on the occasional “weekend shopping marathon” in Hong Kong more than a few times in my life as an expat in China. Flights from Pudong to HK can be a little expensive depending on the travel seasons and very difficult during holidays, but often there are package deals offered by Dragonair that include roundtrip air tickets and hotel room accomodations for just a few thousand renminbi. Check out deals at their website: www.dragonair.com.cn.   China Eastern has flights every few hours to and from PVG to HK each day, but their flights are often delayed or overbooked because of the low price of their tickets and poor management.  Of course if you can’t resist a cheap airline ticket, you can find their ticket prices on this website: www.ce-air.com.  Personally I find Dragonair a much better airline and well worth the extra cost for my flights to HK.

I'm always surprised at how much there is to buy in the Hong Kong airport. You can find every major name brand from Armani to Gucci to Prada to Zegna right near the terminal entrances where you wait for your plane. It's like landing in the middle of Plaza66. You can pay for your purchases in most any currency and everything is duty free being an international hub airport. Great savings can be found for many products ranging from designer clothing to perfume, but don't be fooled into thinking everything is cheaper in Hong Kong. You should definitely do your checking online and in stores at home to compare prices before you go and spend all your hard earned money in Hong Kong. Some products are actually more expensive there because of factors like currency exchange and the origin of the manufacturer. Recently, I've noticed the savings are getting smaller and fewer products are worth buying there as opposed to in Shanghai. As import taxes are becoming lower every year in China, the short trips just for shopping in Hong Kong are becoming less worthwhile, so my advice would be to go now while the bargains still can be found! 

Winter trips to the warmer climates in Hong Kong as a getaway from the bitter cold in Shanghai is enough incentive to take a trip, in my opinion. And if you enjoy fine cuisine of all types, there's no better place in the world. From western to fusion Chinese food, you can find the best restaurant to satisfy your taste, at any price. I recommend Lumiere in Central for the most unique fusion Chinese food you can find anywhere. Check it out for yourself when you find yourself in the neighborhood. 

Of course, next time when you're at the Hong Kong airport, stop by the local Internet Cafe and jump onto our website www.tripgarden.com and share your travel or shopping experience with us!