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A Hong Kong Major Market Find – Ladies Market

July 12th, 2010 8:00 am

The best part of Hong Kong is that it is completely connected by the MTR metro and hence any part of Hong Kong can be reached by this fast and cheap mode of transport. The nearest station for reaching Ladies Market is Mong Kok. Once you get off from the train just ask the directions to the Ladies Market. It is just about 4 blocks away from the station.


Once you enter Ladies Market you will see stalls on either side of narrows streets. Here you can buy everything from school bags, pencil boxes, designer t-shirts, fancy watches, purses, half pants, trousers, etc. The prices are quite reasonable but here is where your bargaining power will come in handy. You can bargain with the shopkeepers and at the end of the day you can save about a few hundred dollars. And you can also buy Souvenirs such as Chinese table mats, Chinese umbrellas, etc. Hence you get the best deals only at Ladies Market. However if you are interested in electronics then don’t forget to visit the concrete shops. There are plenty of them around Ladies Market.

There are some top branded stores alongside the Ladies Market. Hence you can buy everything from the cheapest to the most expensive form one area. There is the Elements Mall as well as the Festival Walk Mall where you get branded goods. There are many restaurant and drink options around the Mong Kok station. Pizza Hut is very near and this place is brimming with people throughout the day. You will have to wait round 20 minutes in order to get a table but the wait is worth it as the place is quite happening with young girls and boys ordering their favorite pizzas.

The Ladies Market has the distinction of being the largest outdoor shopping area in the whole of Hong Kong. Hence if you don’t learn the tricks of bargaining quickly then the shopkeepers will have a field day with you. Hence never just offer any price that they quote. Bargain for at least 50%. Hence if you are quoted a price of 100 HKD then you should quote about 50 HKD. Hence you can take home lots of products from the Ladies Market. The market is open till about 11.30 pm at night and the crowds pour in normally in the evening.

Apart from the Ladies Market you can also try the Night Market which is situated across Temple Street. This is a good market to buy electronics such as digital cameras and mobiles. This market is open throughout the night and hence it rightfully deserves the name of Night Market.

Why Do Global Entrepreneurs Gravitate to Singapore and Hong Kong?

June 15th, 2010 9:21 am


A growing number of individuals and private businesses are increasingly deciding to incorporate in Singapore and Hong Kong. Both countries offer a good infrastructure, with a pro-business and pro-talent culture which is reflected in the country’s immigration policies, regulatory environment, and the openness of its people. Moreover, their governments have ensured policies related to laws, regulations and taxation that promote the growth of entrepreneurship and commerce in their respective countries.

Hong Kong and Singapore have been consistently topping the list in the Doing Business Report compiled by the World Bank every year. This is due to the business-friendly policies followed in both the countries like low import and export costs, well-framed laws for protecting investors, and labour regulations that favour employers.

Both countries have again been ranked at the top of the list in the Doing Business 2010 Report. For the ‘Ease of doing business’ index, Singapore and Hong Kong are ranked at first and third positions respectively, whereas, for the ‘Starting a business index’, Singapore and Hong Kong are ranked at the third and eighteenth positions respectively.

Hong Kong as a Business Destination

As one of the rising economies in Asia, Hong Kong is a preferred choice for business incorporation for many entrepreneurs. Already recognized as South East Asia’s key financial services and investment hub, Hong Kong is poised to become the main international financial centre in Asia, and is vying with Shanghai, Tokyo and Singapore to claim the top spot.

Hong Kong is preferred as a home-base by many companies doing business in Asia. There are many U.S. and European multinational companies using it as a gateway to China, and similarly many mainland China businessmen are using Hong Kong holding companies for real-estate deals.

Hong Kong businesses can gain the tax benefits related with most tax havens without compromising on their image as in the case of being based in a tax haven. Around 109,000 new companies were registered in Hong Kong in 2009 alone, which is, a record for the city. Starting a new business is a quick and simple procedure.

To make it even more attractive to investors, the Hong Kong government wants to make it still quicker and easier to set up a corporation in the country. By early 2011, the government plans to set up electronic incorporation and registration of businesses, allowing a businessman anywhere in the world to set up a company in the country through the Internet in just a few minutes.


Singapore as a Business Destination

Singapore is a well developed and flourishing free market economy which has an open and corruption-free environment, a low tax regime and a per capita GDP at par with many developed countries in the west. It is the main centre for trading oil and other energy products, and is a key hub for currency trading.

The regulatory changes introduced by the Singapore authorities have attracted many international fund managers to transfer their operations to the city. While Japan and Hong Kong are the key players in the region’s hedge fund management field, Singapore is rising as one of the preferred Asian locations amongst hedge fund managers for fund start-ups. Singapore is climbing the hedge fund ladder at a quick pace due to the comparatively simple registration process, which is a critical issue when deciding the place to set-up.

Singapore is also keen to become an Islamic banking hub, predominantly in the area of wealth management and it working at setting up a regulatory system for the same. It will benefit greatly from being located near the Islamic states of Malaysia and Indonesia, and it has also attracted interest from Middle Eastern investors. Another key selling point is that unlike other jurisdictions, there is no need to rent or purchase a physical office in Singapore for incorporation. Virtual office services are legally permissible and can be easily set up by a local professional services firm. Singapore’s corporate tax rate is now at 17% and it allows many tax exemptions for new startup companies. Also, there is no capital gain tax in Singapore. All these factors make the country an ideal jurisdiction for business incorporation.

Hong Kong Disneyland Resort

June 15th, 2010 9:20 am


Hong Kong Disneyland is located on the island of Lantau, positioned to look out over Penny’s Bay and the Chinese Sea. Started as a joint operation between The Walt Disney Company and the Hong Kong SAR government, Hong Kong Disneyland brings the magic of Disney to a whole new environment, respecting the aspects of the culture of the country where it makes its home. The park boasts 2 glamorous hotels, the Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Hollywood Hotel.

Hong Kong Disneyland has some of the attractions that will be familiar to visitors of Disney’s other parks. Main Street looks like a piece of Americana transplanted, with the Hong Kong Disneyland Railroad for a trip around the park. There’s also Adventureland, with the exciting Jungle River Cruise and all of the animal sights and sounds. Tarzan has made his home in Adventureland, where guests can take a ride on a raft to cross to Tarzan Island where they can visit Tarzan’s Tree House. For those who love the movie The Lion King, there is a musical performance based on the story as well – The Festival of the Lion King.

In the original Disneyland, Fantasyland is well known for the symbol that people think of when speaking of Disney – Cinderella’s Castle. Hong Kong Disneyland’s version is the castle of Sleeping Beauty, where children can explore the fairy tale and their own imagination. They can also visit the grotto of another Disney princess, Snow White. Cinderella is there too, represented by a beautiful carousel ride. There’s everyone’s favorite bear at The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride. More popular Disney rides include the Mad Hatter Tea Cups and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Children and grown-ups can watch a 3-D movie with all the favorite Disney characters at Mickey’s PhilharMagic or The Golden Mickeys at Disney’s Storybook Theater.

The fourth area, Tommorrowland, gives visitors a Disney vision of the future. The three main attractions include 2 of the fastest most exciting rides in the park. Space Mountain is a literally rocketing rollercoaster. Orbitron lets you pilot your own jet through the sky of whirling planets. You can also play a cosmic game of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters with the whole family.

Visitors can choose to stay inside the park at one of the two beautiful new hotels. The Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel is designed to take you back in time to the grandness of the Victorian era. The European influence is obvious in the 400 luxuriously appointed rooms. Guests can enjoy spa services at the hotel as well. At Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, the 600 guest rooms are decorated in an art deco style, meant to bring back the allure of the golden age of Hollywood.

Although the park exposes local visitors to traditions and exhibits from the Western world, local culture is honored as well. At the opening ceremonies children sang in English, Cantonese and Putonghua. The Hong Kong Children’s Choir was followed by other local traditional performances such as Chinese acrobats and dancers performing a Lion Dance. The culture of the Hong Kong region is also reflected in the cuisine served throughout the park. Yes, guests can find food that is more often served in the West, but also local dishes that they’ll enjoy as well.