Hong Kong is a world class city and business hub for Asia.

Around 350,000 expatriate are living in Hong Kong. The city also hosts around 29 million international tourists each year. As Asia’s most cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong boasts all the services and support structures to make living and working in Hong Kong feel like being home from home without losing its unique culture and identity that makes it Hong Kong.

Social Networking
When you are living in Hong Kong, it is easy to meet new people and make new friends in Hong Kong. Many people choose to join private clubs, chambers, consulates, associations, special interest groups and networking clubs to meet foreign nationals. You can also join online communities and discussion forums one example is Hong Kong Asia Expat.

Language
The official languages of Hong Kong are Chinese and English and the usual language of business is English. Road signs are in both Chinese and English. Hong Kong has a population of seven million and many Hong Kong people speak English, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Housing
It is possible to choose a contemporary high-rise apartment in walking distance of the office and Hong Kong’s renowned nightlife scene or a country house on one of Hong Kong’s outlying islands.

Transport
It is easy to get around Hong Kong by foot or public transport which is cheap and plentiful. Forbes magazine has judged Hong Kong to have the world’s best commute. Many people don’t bother to have cars because taxis are available 24×7 and only cost around HK$30 for the average journey.

Shopping
Hong Kong is known as Asia’s retail paradise. Many people come to Hong Kong just for the shopping, which has no sales tax or VAT. The shopping varies from world-class luxury brands in the city’s extensive shopping malls to street markets where it is possible to pick-up a bargain. The supermarkets stock a wide range of food items and amenities for the expatriate community.

Cuisine
Hong Kong is Asia’s culinary capital. The city has over 15,000 bars and restaurants catering for all international cuisines and price ranges. You can choose to dine at Hong Kong’s first 3 Star Michelin restaurant have a hurried bowl of noodles in a street side stall or enjoy the á la carte menu in one of Hong Kong’s beach side taverns.

Nightlife
Hong Kong’s nightlife is legendary; the dining, bar and clubbing scene offers the widest range of choice and variety in Asia. Many malls and markets stay open very late to let office workers enjoy another favourite Hong Kong pastime – shopping! There are many mainstream cinemas and some art cinemas, featuring blockbusters as well as low budget productions. Films are often shown in English with Chinese subtitles.

Media
Hong Kong enjoys constitutionally-guaranteed free press and freedom of speech. Hong Kong is home to a large variety of local and international media including 46 newspapers and 640 periodicals, 5 domestic TV stations as well as satellite and cable TV, and 169 Internet service providers. So you never feel out of touch.

Countryside
Although most people associate Hong Kong with its iconic harbour skyline, surprisingly over 40% of Hong Kong is protected country parks, mountains and beaches. So at the weekend most Hong Kong people either head for the numerous hiking trails or to the beach, or enjoy a day’s cruise around Hong Kong’s numerous islands on a junk.

Sport
With its multicultural population a wide variety of sports are played and enjoyed in the city. You can choose to join a private club or take advantage of the numerous public sport amenities if you want to be active, but, if you want an easier option, you can just enjoy the spectacle. Famous annual sporting events include the Hong Kong Sevens, Hong Kong Marathon and Dragon boat racing. Horse racing at Sha Tin and Happy Valley is one of the most popular spectator sports attracting tens of thousands of people every week who want to enjoy a flutter on the horses.

Art and Culture
Hong Kong has a lively arts and entertainment scene offering something for everybody throughout the year, from Cantonese opera to major touring rock concerts. Hong Kong has many art centres, concert halls, museums and libraries. The annual Arts Festival and other cultural events feature top performers from around the world.

Healthcare
Hong Kong has one of the world’s highest quality public and private healthcare systems. In addition to the many Government clinics and hospitals, Hong Kong has a broad range of private practitioners who offer healthcare ranging from Western medicine, to traditional Chinese medicine and holistic approaches.

Schools
Hong Kong has more international schools than any other city in Asia. The city has about 50 international schools range from kindergarten up to secondary education and offer over 10 curricula including UK, US, Australian, French, German, Japanese, Canadian, Korean, Singaporean and the International Baccalaureate.

Weather
Hong Kong has a sub-tropical climate and, in the summer months, can be affected by typhoons and black rainstorms. The Hong Kong Observatory constantly monitors the weather and, when a bad typhoon or black rainstorm is imminent, people are given good notice to return home until it passes.

Safety
Hong Kong has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and is the envy of other international cities.

Public Holidays
With its English colonial roots and multi-cultural population Hong Kong celebrates both Western and Chinese public holidays.

Travel
Situated at the heart of Asia and home to the region’s busiest airport, if you ever tire of Hong Kong you can always hop on a plane and visit one of Asia’s other cities for a long-weekend break. It is also very simple to travel home with direct flights to many of the world’s international cities.

Pets
Hong Kong allows quarantine-free entry for inoculated animals from nearly 40 countries and enjoys reciprocal agreements with many of these countries, via a pet passport scheme. Details are available from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. The city has numerous veterinary, kennel and cattery services, as well as specialists in transporting your pet to or from your home country.

Work Life Balance
Hong Kong people enjoy a good work life balance thanks to the compactness of the city and its excellent public transport network. Spouses are entitled to work and many choose to do so because it is easy and affordable to employ full-time live-in helpers who can look after the household chores and the children during the week.