Anyone who knows me for like a minute will figure out that I love mail. Hate the junk,…read moresolicitations and bills, but I love the hand written note and card. I am old school that way and believe in putting pen to paper with the written word. I was happy to find a post office in my hood when we recently moved to Sheung Wan. As an English speaking person, I was happy to find all individuals who are working at the post office speak English. They are quite nice really....dealing with those often long lines of people all day, I am glad they all seem quite nice. Avoid the long lines and absolutely do not go around the end or the beginning of the month, where it seems like every 8 out of 10 people in line are there to pay a bill. Horribly convenient if you want to pay a bill (versus on-line I suppose), but horribly inconvenient if like me that you are sending snail mails like birthday cards and postcards back to the US. There are moments when I am here and feel like this is really a bill paying facility that happens to do postage. There is an "express" line if you have 3 bills or less and it is hit or miss if that lane is busy. I also find the post office is the only place that I can spend the abundance of small coinage like 5, 10, 50 cent pieces where they do not look at me in horror when I whip out my change purse. Good way to get rid of the small change we accumulate all too often in Hong Kong.

I visited this location several times during December so I could send my extra AF Christmas cards…read moreall around the world. The lines were daunting at times during lunch, but because this office is bigger with more counters open, the line moved fast. At most, I waited about 15 minutes to get to the counter. Your other option in Central is to go to the Wyndham street post office, but I still prefer this Sheung Wan location for the multiple counters and faster service.

The post office is conveniently located in TaiKoo Shing. Times I've been here it doesn't get too…read morecrowded. This branch offers standard services like registered mail, buying stamps and mailing packages. Won't get service with a smile but I have not been to a post office in any country where I have gotten that.

This location is the HQ for Hong Kong's General Post Office 郵政總局. The queue moves very quick and…read moreis, of course, full service efficient. There is an abundant number of civil servants whisking as the work each window servicing customers, ergo the queue move quickly. There are p.o. boxes for rental available. Shipping materials as boxes are also available. On the lower level is the philatelic shop where visitors can purchase stamps and stamp yearbooks. The philatelic shop is extensive from exquisite, elaborate stamps for collection to the simplest stamps for usage. One word: wow. As philatelist I am enamored and stunned with the extensive selection and elaborate beauty. The staff in the philatelic shop are very professional, and exhibit good customer service and is proficient in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.

It does the most basic jobs in the most basic way…read more You can't really compare Post Office with FedEx or DHL, and for government-owned post office, the one in HK is probably some of the best. In this General Office you can find the most, if not all, services provided by HK Post. As common as posting your Christmas cards, or as obscure as Postal Boxes, this is truly the heart of post service in HK. And indeed, it is located in one of the prime spots in Central, which if it's not the government, the office probably would have located elsewhere. Now why the 3 stars? Because the post offices, General Office included, is the only thing doesn't change in the last two decades. While you can practically use Octopus to pay for anything in town, nope, you have to queue up for stamps, either you'd like to have one or 10 dozens. They do have a machine that accepts coins - who have coins with them in the pocket these days?? So yeah, until they have the following, General Office will stay 3 stars: some electronic scales that calculate stamp fee automagically, a vending machine for stamps (options of 1s or 10s, and in different values maybe?), and a vending machine for envelopes and small standard mailboxes in different sizes. None of these would cost the government any serious money, but none of these would happen any time soon, 'cause otherwise where would we place the abundant number of civil servants?

The post office is like a souvenir store, where you can send a postcard to friends, family or…read moreyourself here. The stamp costs about HKD 5 for international postage, and the four types of postcard each costs about HKD 3.

It was my first time mailing something in Hong Kong, so I was so confused. Not to mention, Google…read moreMaps was unhelpful as always. I had such a hard time finding this place, but it's literally on the 10th floor of the shopping center, Windsor House. I waited on line to buy a stamp, but it wasn't a sticker stamp, so I asked them how to stick it on, and they looked at me like I was stupid LOL. But anyhow, they guided me and let me know I can just drop my postcard in the mailboxes outside. Very clean and spacious post office.

Long lines around lunch time are a pain. At least the staff are friendly and helpful when you do…read moreindeed finally get to the counter. If you haven't been here before, it's a bit hard to find in Windsor. Just follow signs for any elevator that goes to floor 10 and then you'll see it once you leave the elevator hallway. Useful info: there's a stamp machine set into the wall by the slots for outgoing mail, so use that instead of standing in the line if you can.

Easy access within walking distance from where I was staying. Would recommend if you're staying the…read morearea and need to mail items.

I was waiting for a package from the States and they tried to deliver it while I was out and about…read more I expected to see a slip of paper saying they will either try to redeliver it or I should go to the post office to pick it up, but I didn't get either. After waiting another two days to see if they would deliver it, I decided to take matters into my own hands and just go to the post office. When I asked the lady about it, she said that they tried to deliver it but I wasn't there but it's out for delivery again today so go home and wait for it. I ran home in hopes of not missing the mail man again. When the mail was finally delivered, I got the slip that said my package is waiting at the post office and I should go there to pick it up :( With this slip in my hand, I walked AGAIN to the post office and retrieved my package. I don't understand why the mailman didn't originally put the slip in my mailbox instead of needing to MAIL the slip to me and I don't understand why the lady at the post office told me that the package was out for delivery when it clearly wasn't. Besides the false information and ordeal of getting my package, this post office is just like any other post office.

Spending a day at Immigration Tower is sort of like going to a DMV in the states. Depending on the…read moretime of arrival, it be disorganized, crowded and above all, confusing. There is a certain level of efficiency here, but chaos tends to reign supreme. Since Immigration Tower is actually quite big, it's important to know how to get there. Take get out the Wanchai exit A1 and walk the footbridge north until one reaches the dead end building. From there walk through the security guys and let them know you're heading to the main lobby of the immigration offices. Naturally, there are all sorts of people here. Immigrants, expats tend to dominate the ID card area, but there are also folks who are just looking to square away their travel / visa situations as well. English is definitely spoken here, but one's mileage will vary depending on how good the desk agent is. It is important to come prepared, so do a little research on their official website (http://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/index.html) ahead of time. There are copy machines on the 4th floor and ATMs are available on the bottom level in case cash is needed. When it comes to the ID session, the picture taking is the most fun. Choice of photo and autoadjust is pretty awesome. Don't get too carried away though, the desk agents have a several other hundred people waiting behind you.

The longest wait ever to extend my visa here…read more You pretty much grab a number and then sit down and wait to be called. I waited about 2.5 hours for my number to be called. You can't even leave the place without knowing if you're called. Once you're called it goes pretty fast with the processing.