Do I need cash in Hong Kong, or can I use cards?

The single most useful thing in Hong Kong is an Octopus card, a rechargeable tap card that goes far beyond transit. It pays for the MTR, buses and trams, and also works at convenience stores, many shops, fast food and small eateries. Get one at the airport or any MTR station and top it up with cash or card.

You can also add Octopus to a phone wallet, and locals use AlipayHK and WeChat Pay, but the physical Octopus is the simplest for a visitor.

Visa and Mastercard are taken at most shops, malls and restaurants, and contactless is common. When a card terminal or ATM asks whether to charge in US or HK dollars, always choose HK dollars. US dollars trigger dynamic currency conversion at a rate about 3 to 8% worse than your own bank's. Decline it every time.

For cash, use an ATM attached to a real bank, such as HSBC, Hang Seng or Bank of China (Hong Kong), which are everywhere. Use a debit card to avoid cash-advance fees.

Keep some HK dollars for the cash corners: street markets (such as the ones in Mong Kok), dai pai dong open-air food stalls, and small vendors, many of which take cash or Octopus rather than cards.

For the wider picture, see the Hong Kong money guide.

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