The main language spoken in Hong Kong is Cantonese, which is different from Mandarin, the most common language spoken in mainland China. Some people in Hong Kong can also speak or understand Mandarin, especially when communicating with visitors from other parts of China. Because Hong Kong was once a British colony, English is also one of the official languages. I have noticed that English is especially common among younger people and in places like schools, businesses and tourist areas.
Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong Dollar (HKD) as its currency. While cash is still accepted in many places, I have noticed that contactless payments are also very popular. People often use Alipay, WeChat Pay, and the Octopus Card to pay for things.
The Octopus Card is especially useful because it can be used not only in stores and restaurants, but also for public transportation such as the MTR (train system) and buses. WeChat is also commonly used as a messaging app, making it both a communication and payment tool.
Some stores and restaurants accept Visa and Mastercard, but in my experience it is about a 50/50 chance that they will.
