Car hire Hong Kong
Hong Kong remains one of the world’s great bucket list destinations. With its fusion of east and west, dynamic food scene, vibrant nightlife and must-see tourist attractions, a trip to Hong Kong offers unforgettable experiences.
With its iconic skyline, you’d be forgiven for thinking Hong Kong, is all about a fast-paced city life. In fact, the Special Administrative Region (SAR) of Hong Kong on the southern coast of China is made up of the Kowloon Peninsula, the New Territories and more than 250 islands including Lantau, the largest, and Hong Kong island itself.
Avis opened its rental station in Hong Kong back in 1969 and has decades of experience in the territory of providing customers with the best transportation solutions to suit every need. Today our Avis rental location in Kowloon offers self-drive rentals (daily, weekly and monthly), long term leasing, chauffeur driven rentals and handles international reservations.
Why rent a car in Hong Kong?
While public transportation in Hong Kong is excellent, if you are wanting to head further afield beyond the region’s busy Central business district or urban Kowloon, Avis Hong Kong has a range of options from car rental to chauffer driven rentals.
However you choose to travel, there are plenty of scenic drives from the central district of Hong Kong. Renting a car in Hong Kong gives you the chance to experience more of this fascinating destination from the southern coast to the New Territories, from historic monuments and temples to the National Parks where you can glimpse Hong Kong’s wildlife and protected species.
How to get from Hong Kong Airport to Avis Kowloon
There are several ways to get from Hong Kong Airport to the Avis Hong Kong rental location in the East Ocean Centre in Kowloon. One of the most popular options for travel from Hong Kong Airport is the Airport Express train on Hong Kong’s MTR (Mass Transit Railway). The nearest MTR station to Avis Hong Kong in Kowloon is Tsim Sha Tsui Station. The journey will take you around 45min. There are also public buses and taxis which will all take between 45min to 1hr depending on the time of day.
Things to do in Hong Kong
From tall buildings with great views to high art and culture in some of the world’s most spectacular art galleries and museums, Hong Kong offers an experience on a scale like no other.
With its myriad food culture from Michelin star restaurants to street food, dining in Hong Kong is one of the big attractions and no visit is complete without eating dim sum – bite-sized steamed rolls filled with meat, fish or vegetables washed down with jasmine tea.
For panoramic views of the city take the tram ride up to Victoria Peak or to see the cityscape from the water, hop on the famous Star Ferry for an exhilarating ride from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. This ferry ride might also give you a taste for exploring the islands – there are more than 200 of them – including the salt pan island Yim Tin Tsai.
Every year, Hong Kongers and visitors alike enjoy some spectacular festivals among them celebrating the Chinese New Year in February. If you are there in the autumn, you might get to witness one of the most eye-catching, the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance which involves 100s of performers.
Hong Kong has some of the world’s best shopping from luxury outlets to street markets where you may need to haggle. Perhaps the most famous shopping area is Times Square which has 230 big name and designer brands across 16 floors.
Recommended day trips from Hong Kong
Whether you rent a car or choose a chauffeur driven vehicle, there some great road trips across the Hong Kong region. Head north for a tour of the New Territories, where highlights include the Sai Kung Peninsula and Sai Kung National Park. You can spot the macaque monkeys at Kam Shan and visit the 10,000 Buddhas Monastery in Sha Tin, regarded as one of Hong Kong’s hidden gems.
For family-friendly entertainment for all ages, the magic of Disney awaits at Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island. To get there from Avis’s rental location Kowloon take Route 3 (towards Lantau Island/ Airport), then join Route 8 (towards Lantau Island/ Airport), leave the highway at exit 5 to Penny’s Bay and follow signs to the resort.
Tips for driving in Hong Kong
The top tip for driving around Hong Kong is to plan your route carefully, use GPS and try and avoid peak times. Much of the driving in built up areas will be slow due to the volume of traffic, however away from the urban centres, the roads are good and road signs are generally in English as well as Cantonese.
It’s worth checking the driving rules in Hong Kong before you travel and pick up your hire car. In Hong Kong, unlike the rest of China, you will be driving on the left-hand side of the road. Pay attention to speed limits which are generally low at 50km/hr in urban areas reflecting traffic levels, while on the express way the speed limits are generally 70km/hr and 80km/hr but can be up to 110km/hr on newer roads. In the islands and on mountain roads, speed limits are lower at 30km/hr.