Above: a rustic tram
stopping at the crosswalk on Johnston
Road, a main street going through the Wan Chai district. |
|
Just east of the Admiralty & Central
district and west of Causeway
Bay, Wanchai is an interesting area.
It can roughly be divided into three sections: the new northern
section along the harbor,
the mid section, and the southern section at the foothill.
In the northern section,
perched on the Wanchai harborfront, the Hong
Kong Convention and Exhibition Center is a prominent structure
on the shore of the Victoria
Harbor. Although it's not government owned, it is still
practically the de facto venue for major state banquets.
In other times, major exhibitions and trade shows fill its schedule.
Some exhibitions are so popular that people start waiting in line days ahead just to get the
special deals. The comics and computer exhibitions are two of such. The annual book exhibition also draws quite a crowd - close to one million over the span of about a week.
Bauhinia Square, the square at the waterfront of the HK Convention and Exhibition Center, has a monument that
commemorates the British rule of Hong Kong for over 150 years. Daily raising of the flag can be viewed there around 7:45am if the weather permits.
|
|
|
|
Above: Above: Known to
the locals as the "blue house", this old building is
a landmark in the
southern part of Wan Chai.
Then
in the southern section closest to the hillside, there is the
more local residential area with some interesting side streets
and rustic old buildings, but some of them have been or will be
torn down. However at least one of them, home to an old pawn
shop, has been preserved and renovated for fine dining (on
Johnston
Road near the MTR
staton).
Another one, named Blue House by the locals, has been classified
by the government as a "declared monument" - a grade
I historical building. It is located on Stone Nullah Lane. It's
blue because some years ago, when the government was revitalizing
the area, they had an abundance of blue paint! The building is
still being lived in. (2009.7.19)
|
Above: a side street in Wan Chai
with two glowing neon
signs of restaurants.
|
|
|
 
Above left: a delivery vehicle parked
in front of the to-be-demolished wet market.  |
|
The mid section in between has a street where stores related
to renovation have congregated. You'll find interior design companies,
raw material shops for tiles, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, etc.
Then in this section is also the bar district that's been around
for decades.
Worth mentioning is the revolving restaurant in Hopewell Center where you can get a meal and a great view of the city. It's located in the southern section.
If you would like to see some local sights, the street market in Wan Chai is one place to check out. It may not be as big as the
Ladies' Market in Mongkok,
but this is less 'touristized'. Many locals come here to do their daily shopping. With the butcher shops and fish shops,
you'll get a glimpse of Hong Kong life.
I won't want to miss mentioning the Wan Chai Computer Center located in the building right next to the
Wan Chai MTR station. It has two floors of computer and consumer electronics stores. And then there's
the 298 Computer shopping center a bit down the road.
|
|
 
Above: a sidewalk shoesmith
As time advances, sidewalk shoesmiths like this (photo on the left) are not as common a sight nowadays.
|
|
|
Directions 
Wan Chai is easily reached by tram,
by Star Ferry from Tsim
Sha Tsui (aka TST), Kowloon, or by MTR
(just get off at the Wan Chai station on the blue line).
updated 2011.4.2
Wan Chai map
(updated
2011.6.18)
-
|
 |
| Above:
Wanchi area viewed from Victoria
Peak. Two clearly visible landmarks: the Central
Plaza on the left and Hopewell Center on the right. |
|
|
12hk.com
view from the revolving restaurant in Hopewell Center
hotel
restaurant hot spot
attraction