Central Hong Kong

Central Hong Kong is where it all happens. This is where the rich and powerful indulge themselves in wealth and glamour. And as the home of many corporate headquarters it features some of the coolest skyscrapers. This area is cosmopolitan with very many Westerners compared to other parts of the city. Probably because of this, it plays a vital role in the Hong Kong nightlife.

Accomodations here are dominated by some of the city's most prominent luxury hotels, like the Four Seasons and the Mandarin Oriental. Brilliant nightlife, high-end shopping, and great communications to other parts of the city makes this an excellent place to stay, if you can afford it.

Central is bordered by Sheung Wan to the west and Admiralty to the east. It is also connected by tunnel to Kowloon on the other side of Victoria Harbour, making easy to cross by road or rail. An older but still very popular way of getting across the water to Tsim Sha Tsui is to take the classic Star Ferry. The Macau ferry terminal is also located here.

History of Central Hong Kong

The settlement here was the starting point of metropolitan Hong Kong which would then continuously grow with ever new urbanised areas. Like so many other places in the British Empire, the city was originally named Victoria after the then-incumbent queen of Britain. The mountain-top right above is still known as Victoria Peak and is the most popular sightseeing destination in the city. You can reach it from Central by taxi, bus, or the famous Peak Tram.

As the origin of modern Hong Kong, it has remained its administrative centre with several important goverment buildings, including those on Government Hill. Further down is Statue Square, with the former supreme court building which now houses the legislative council (known as "LegCo").

Statue Square is also home to the headquarters of several large banks, which have been part in shaping Hong Kong as a major financial centre.

Entertainment

Soho

One well-travelled route of exploration is up the long set of escalators and walkways that lead you towards the "Mid-levels". You will find a cluster of nice restaurants and bars in the famous Soho area (South of Hollywood Road). Here you can pick the cuisine of your liking, whether it be Chinese, Italian, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese etc.

Since Soho is in an expensive area with many affluent expatriates and tourists, prices are quite high relative to other Hong Kong restaurants, but it's still fairly cheap compared to what many visitors would have paid back in their home countries.

Lan Kwai Fong

A literal stone's throw away from Soho is Lan Kwai Fong, or LKF for short. Lan Kwai Fong is Hong Kong's best and biggest clubbing zone, with lively action every night. This place is very popular among the expat population and tourists alike, but many locals also come out to play.

As you might expect, the atmosphere is a little bit wild, but in a good sense!

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