4 Must-Have Apps for Life in Hong Kong

29 Aug 2018 | Veronica

Delete those photos from 3 years ago, get rid of that ex’s phone number that is just bad news in your phone anyways, do whatever you need to make space for these 4 apps to get you through daily life in Hong Kong.

1. Google Translate
Don’t be scared to walk into restaurants with all-Chinese menus! Download Google Translate and get live translations just by holding your phone over the characters. Granted, the translations are far from perfect but it can usually help to know the basic idea.

2. TakeTaxi-HK Taxi Translator
This app lets you to type in your destination in English, and then get large print translation for you to show the taxi driver. Future update is promised to include phonetic pronunciation for you to learn the Cantonese names!

3. Moovit
Bypass Google Maps for Moovit in Hong Kong. Get more accurate route suggestions and live updates about bus arrival time for all the different transit companies in the city (although you’re still be on your own for the red minibuses).

4. WhatsApp
This is on the list just in case someone missed it. Socially acceptable uses of WhatsApp (emojis and all): talking to your boss, placing orders at some restaurants, contacting businesses for their hours, messaging police, asking your home country’s consulate general a question… It’s all happened. Oh, and getting into social WhatsApp groups used for sharing the best memes, organizing junks, and hearing the news faster than the local media can write about it.