Asia and Oceania

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There are confirmed cases of H1N1 swine flu in Hong Kong. These include both imported cases and cases of local human-to-human transmission.  The Hong Kong SAR Government have lowered their H1N1 mitigation arrangements.  Confirmed H1N1 patients and people they have come into contact with will no longer be quarantined.  Only those travellers who have severe conditions will be taken to public hospitals for medical assessment.  Travellers with mild symptoms will be provided with a face-mask and guidance notes for seeking medical consultation.   You can check for further updates on the number of confirmed and suspected cases through the Centre for Health Protection Hong Kong.
  
  
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. You should also monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. Check Swine Flu for further information.  Guidance about pandemic flu is available through the UK Department of Health.
  
  
• Although Hong Kong has separate immigration controls from Mainland China and separate legal and law enforcement systems, it could still be vulnerable to both terrorism directed at China, and the global threat from terrorism. Any attacks could be indiscriminate including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• In the first six months of 2009, 268,703 British tourists visited Hong Kong (Source: The Hong Kong Tourism Board).  Most visits are trouble-free.  The main type of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Hong Kong in 2008 was for replacing lost and stolen passports and petty crimes.  You should take sensible precautions against pickpocketing and other street crime. 
  
  
• In both 2006 and 2007 the Hong Kong press reported instances of spiked drinks, targeting both males and females. Whilst there have been no recent reports of this practice, you should ensure that anything you drink cannot be tampered with.  You should also be wary of accepting drinks from strangers.  See the Crime Section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• The typhoon season in Hong Kong normally runs from April to October.  See the Natural Disasters section of this advice and  Tropical Cyclones for more details.
  
  
• There have been a small number of cases of H5N1 being found in poultry and wild birds within the Hong Kong Specially Administered Region.  However, there have been no reports of human cases. The World Health Organisation (see WHO - Public Health Mapping and GIS Map Library) has confirmed human cases elsewhere in the region and there have been some human fatalities in China. If you plan to visit China please also view the latest China Travel Advice.
  
  
• We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.   See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.