7 Best Apps When Traveling In Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the most exciting cities in the world, but visitors can find it daunting and overwhelming. Thankfully, modern technology is here to help you navigate this bustling Asian metropolis. So while you’re packing your bags, don’t forget these worthwhile additions to your smartphone.

MTR Mobile

by MTR Corporation Limited

You wouldn’t imagine that Hong Kong’s highly efficient subway system, the MTR, could be made any more convenient, but this handy app manages to do it. There’s a neat Trip Planner featuring a map of the subway system; choose any two stations to find out how long the journey will take and how much it will cost. The app also contains information on station facilities, shops, exits and nearby malls, and there’s also a helpful section for tourists who want to visit popular attractions. Free.

OpenRice

by OpenRice.com

To find restaurants in Hong Kong, forget Yelp and use OpenRice instead. This app contains up-to-date listings of every restaurant, café, and bar in the city, right down to the last streetside juice stall. You can search using filters like district, cuisine, spending per head, and view thousands upon thousands of user-uploaded reviews and photos. Neat tools include the bookmark feature, and also a shortlist feature to help you narrow down your favorite choices. Free.

HK Weather

by Conceptable

This neatly designed app grabs data from the Hong Kong Observatory and Environmental Protection Department and presents you with a plethora of current weather information such as temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and more. The app includes a nine-day weather forecast, sunrise and moonrise times, and a cyclone tracking feature. Free.

Hong Kong Typology

by Christ & Gantenbein AG

This curious little app is for the architecture enthusiasts out there. Created by a Swiss architectural firm, it’s geared toward educating people about 20th century urban design. It’s a great way to learn more about the history of Hong Kong’s architecture using real-life examples, ranging from notable buildings like Mei Ho House and Chungking Mansion to relatively unknown buildings. The buildings are meticulously catalogued to include floor plans, photos and factual information. Free.

Hong Kong Taxi Translator

by Triple Happiness

If you don’t speak Cantonese, this will be a lifesaver when communicating with non-English speaking taxi drivers. The app lets you find the written Chinese and phonetic Cantonese translations of Hong Kong addresses in English. An important feature is the ‘taxi card’, which displays a Chinese address in a large, readable font that you can flash at your driver. More than 3,000 names of streets, buildings, schools, hospitals, beaches, parks, malls and sightseeing spots are included. $0.99 in the US App Store.

TrailWatch

by TrailWatch

This user-friendly app is a comprehensive guide to hiking in Hong Kong. You can browse trails shared by other users, and filter by useful categories (e.g. beginner, scenery, family). Use the app to plan trips and track your journey in real time. What’s more, the app purposefully combines leisure with conservation – users are encouraged to report incidents such as littering, environmental destruction, and evidence of tree felling. Free.

HKG My Flight

by Airport Authority Hong Kong

This app will ensure that your stay in the city will be entertaining and hassle-free to the last minute. It provides all the information you need to take full advantage of the airport, including shopping, dining and entertainment facilities as well as art exhibitions happening in the airport. It also contains the latest flight information and floor plans of the airport. Free.