These articles below can also be found in the June 2009 issue of Serviced Apartment Guide:
 |
 |
|
|
Right in the heart of the city, the Central district not only contains Hong Kong’s CBD, it’s also a hub for a truly cosmopolitan array of restaurants, shops, hotels and nightclubs. It’s where the suits brush shoulders with the tai-tai’s, tourists, families and shopaholics – everyone in fact comes to Central.
The Bank of China Tower, International Finance Centre (IFC), Exchange Square, HSBC Headquarters Building, Jardine House and Statue Square are major landmarks. Due to the mix of gleaming skyscrapers and old-colonial buildings, ultra-modern malls and traditional street markets, you get a clear glimpse of Hong Kong past and present in Central – plus superb harbour views.
Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) is the famous (or infamous) party capital of Hong Kong. It’s particularly popular among expatriates and tourists, and is a great spot for dining, drinking and dancing. LKF’s cobbled streets take up a relatively small area within Central, but it’s big on energy and noise, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Just above is Wyndham Street which has more bars, pubs and fine-dining restaurants to choose from, including Dragon-i, the hippest club in town.
A more calm and arguably elite crowd can be found amid the trendy narrow streets of SoHo, the name denoting South of Hollywood Road, which is a hop, skip and a jump from LKF. Here you’ll find international restaurants, small boutiques, art galleries and antique stores. It’s also an increasingly popular place to live and work, as many of the classic Chinese walk-up apartments have been remodelled.
The Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, the world’s longest escalator system, a tourist attraction in itself, links Mid-Levels (a luxury residential area half way up the peak) with Central, and passes through SoHo. Wherever you are in Central you have easy access to the MTR, Airport Express Link, buses, mini-buses, taxis and ferries. But the escalator is a particularly convenient option for commuters.
Just a 10-minute walk west of Central, Sheung Wan is a flourishing residential and commercial area, home to a growing number of professionals. As in SoHo, old Chinese buildings are juxtaposed by new apartments, and gourmet restaurants and vintage stores are cropping up all the time. The Man Mon Temple built in 1847 and the Cat Street antique market are popular tourist sites, as is Western Market, the oldest surviving market building in the city.
Admiralty, a mere 10-minute walk and one MTR stop east of Central is basically an extension of the CBD. Pacific Place is the premier mall-cum-business hub in the area, and it boasts designer stores, high-rating restaurants, a stadium-seating cinema and A-grade offices. You’ll also find three five-star hotels, as well as one of the greenest spots in town, Hong Kong Park, which leads into Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens. The Admiralty Centre, United Centre, Far East Financial Centre, CITIC Tower and Lippo Centre are prominent buildings in the vicinity.
A recent addition to the Central district, Star Street, just east of Admiralty is the latest up-and-coming place to hang out with its trendy cafés, bars, design studios and restaurants. Take a walk through for evidence that Central has a lot on offer culturally – it’s not just the most fashionable district in which to live and work.
Central
|
