Hong Kong is one of the safest cities you could travel to. People might question it after the political unrest that occurred in Hong Kong or post pandemic, however Hong Kong is slowly but surely easing back to normality.
Crime in Hong Kong
Crime rates in Hong Kong are at a low. According to statistics released by the officials, Hong Kong has actually seen a significant drop in violent crime and homicides as the years have gone. Though they slightly increased during the unrest (2019 – early 2020), it surely isn’t a figure that puts travellers into harm’s way . With crime rates staying low and good and readily available healthcare on hand, Hong Kong should be in your safe travels list.
When it comes to petty crime in Hong Kong such as pickpocketing and theft, these also stay quite low in the figures of statistics but if you do want to take that extra step to be cautious, have a heads up on areas that tend to be jam packed and crowded such as there Ladies Market, Temple Street Market or inside Chung King Mansion, these are just some places which can be more prone to crimes as such. If anything, wherever you are here in Hong Kong or somewhere else, take care of your valuable belongings and also have them with you in a secure bag. Worst comes to worst, visits the areas mentioned above during less crowded times such as avoiding peak hours and weekends.
Hiking Trails – Potential Risks
If you are going to be taking any kinds of hiking trails, Hong Kong does house a number of species that you might come across. Snakes could be something you might come across while on a hike – majority are non venomous, however we do get the occasional cobras, pythons which are quite rare. Wild boars are also home to Hong Kong and they have been coming up a lot in the news these recent years, these are more of a likely find than snakes but if you do, give them their space and don’t try to approach them. Leave them be and they will not harm you. You might come across wild dogs and monkeys on some of your hiking trails and again best is to avoid them and let them be.
Tap Water in Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s water though under many official websites will say that it is safe to drink right out of the tap, it’s still a habit for locals here to boil it before they drink it. Even if the water is safe, it is difficult to guarantee the pipes in the building you are staying in are contamination and bacteria free hence the safest option should be to boil the water in a kettle provided at the hotel you’re staying before drinking it.
It’s always good to take safety precautions and educate yourself about potential risks before visiting your planned destination. Hong Kong is indeed a safe city where you will hopefully experience safe travels!
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