Drink/ja

Note: The minimum age for drinking in a bar is 18 years. There is usually a requirement for young adults to prove their age, especially when going to a nightclub. The accepted ID in clubs is either your passport or a Hong Kong ID card. Photocopies are rarely accepted due to minors using fake documents.

Where to Drink

Lan Kwai Fong (Central), Wanchai and Knutsford Terrace (Kowloon) are the three main drinking areas where locals, expats and tourists mingle together. Here you will certainly find a party atmosphere, but don't expect the drunken brawls and rowdiness that you might be used to back home. If you come to Hong Kong, and get drunk, you will certainly risk drawing considerable attention to yourself if you cannot hold your drink.

• Knutsford Terrace, near the Miramar hotel is perhaps best described as the 'Lang Kwai Fong' of Kowloon, and has a large number of bars and restaurants of variable quality that cater for mid-range budgets. A little smaller and less frenetic than Lan Kwai Fong, but this narrow street is also a popular meeting place on a Saturday evening.

• Ashley Road, between Nathan Road and the Ocean Terminal shopping mall, features many Western restaurants and bars.

• Wan Chai (灣仔) is much more than a couple of blocks of girlie-bars populated by drunken American sailors; after all, the World of Suzie Wong was just a work of fiction set in Wan Chai during a bygone age. Located between Causeway Bay and Admiralty, Wanchai has an inner-city feel that makes it an interesting but safe area to walk around at any time. Wan Chai has traditional street markets that, unlike many other neighbourhoods, are still outdoors. In the so-called wet-markets, butchers hang animal carcasses on large hooks that overshadow pavements and fishmongers have stalls with live fish that do their best to escape. Between Johnston Road and Queen's Road East are numerous alleys that are worth exploring if you are looking for traditional family-run shops selling anything from tropical fish to cheap clothing.
• Lan Kwai Fong (蘭桂坊) in Central (中環) , a small area just southwest of Central Station focussed on the L-shaped street of Lan Kwai Fong and also including parts of D'Aguilar Street, Wellington Street and Wyndham Street forming a square around Lan Kwai Fong. The area is packed with restaurants, bars and clubs. Popular with expatriates and local customers.

What to Drink

Tea

As with the rest of China, tea is a popular beverage in Hong Kong, and is served at practically every eatery. Chinese teas are the most commonly served, though many places also serve Western-style milk tea.

Alcohol

Lan Kwai Fong

Some Chinese people do drink a lot but don't expect the binge-drinking culture found in some western countries. There are many neighbourhoods in Hong Kong without much in the way of a bar or pub. Drinking alcohol with food is acceptable, but there is no expectation to order alcohol with your meal in any restaurant. A number of popular eateries do not sell alcohol because of a license restriction.

The minimum age for drinking in a bar is 18 years. There is usually a requirement for young adults to prove their age, especially when going to a nightclub. The accepted ID in clubs is either your passport or a Hong Kong ID card. Photocopies are rarely accepted due to minors using fake documents.

Some clubs in Lan Kwai Fong have imposed a dress code on customers including tourists. As a general rule, shorts or pants that are above knee length should be avoided.

Drinking out in Hong Kong can be expensive. Beer usually starts from HK$50 for a pint and more in a bar popular among expats. However, away from the tourist trail, some Chinese restaurants may have a beer promotion aimed at meeting the needs of groups of diners. In cooked food centres, usually found at the wet markets, young women are often employed to promote a particular brand of beer. Convenience stores such as Circle-K, and supermarkets all sell a reasonable range of drinks. In Lan Kwai Fong, the 7-Eleven there is a very popular 'bar' for party-animals on a budget.

During Wednesdays and Thursdays Ladies night applies in some bars in Wan Chai and Lan Kwai Fong, which in most cases means that women can enter bars and clubs for free, and in some rare cases also get their drinks paid for the night. At weekends, several bars and clubs in these areas also have an 'open bar' for some of the night, which means you can drink as much as you like.

San Miguel (Cantonese name: Seng Lik), Tsing Tao (Ching Dou), Carlsberg (Ga Si Bak), Blue Girl(Lam Mui), Heineken(Hei Lik) and Sol are popular in the town. There is no longer any tax on wine or beer in Hong Kong.

Cost of drinks

There are many coffee shop and Cafe in Hong Kong, therefore you can enjoy a cup of brew at anywhere. Beside that, there are many take-away beverage store selling Taiwanese flavored tea. No matter where you are, having a drink could never be a problem.

Beverage	HKD	USD	€	£
Mineral Water	7	0.90	0.69	0.58
Sparkling Water	18	2.32	1.78	1.49
Coca Cola	7	0.90	0.69	0.58
Espresso	15	1.93	1.48	1.24
Double Espresso	18	2.32	1.78	1.49
Latte	30	3.87	2.96	2.49
Cappuccino	30	3.87	2.96	2.49
Mocha	33	4.25	3.26	2.73
Chocolate	30	3.87	2.96	2.49
Beer	11	1.42	1.09	0.91