Wai Chai

» Hong Kong, Guang Dong

Wai Chai Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Just east of the Central district, Wanchai district is an interesting area. Wan Chai is identified in tourist circles for its two specialities, shopping and nightlife. The bustling commercial centre, located in the vicinity of the Central District, offers not only astonishing range of shopping but also fun-filled nightlife. Besides, it also holds several impressive old and modern buildings.

Shopping

Located between Causeway Bay and Admiralty, Wan Chai has an inner-city feel that makes it an interesting but safe area to walk around. Streets of Hong Kong offer stupendous range of shopping. Galaxy of shopping malls provide all that a high-end visitor needs. The area is also suited for buying computer hardware and applications.

Street markets

Wan Chai Street Market is curious mixture of modern and conventional items. The locals find the market useful to purchase household goods. One can hit Chinese furniture shops to purchase useful and fancy wooden items.

Johnston Road and Queen's Road East are the two major streets in the area, but the streets and little alleys in between are by far the most intriguing. Export clothing shops line the streets of Johnston Road and Luard Road and are by far, some of the best values in Hong Kong. Be prepared to dig your way through piles of pants, shirts, skirts, dresses and baby clothes.

Spring Garden Lane and Wanchai Road also are must sees in the area and will give you the chance to see where many of the locals shop for vegetables, fruit and household items. Clothes can be picked at very competitive prices from the Spring Garden Lane.

Nightlife

Number of bars and clubs are located in Wan Chai. Late night parties are a trend in the locality. Tourists and locals love to join the party in the clubs and bars. Neon lights illuminate the nightlife, when people are busy in filling their lives with fun. Wan Chai becomes rowdy at nights, brimming with great fun.

Excellent bars

After a big day out, Delaney's, Joe Banana's and Carnegie's are just a few of the popular spots in Wanchai to grab a drink or dance the night away.

• Carnegies
  It is a very nice bar with a split level, mezzanine style. Frequented by expats and locals alike it is a good place to meet, if not a little cramped when busy times. Carnegies often features live football and other sporting events.
• Dusk Till Dawn
  Previously Rick Cafe, this is very popular with expats, and some Philippina, and Thai women. The happy hour is excellent and runs from 5:30pm to 8:30am, with a pint of Tetleys at reasonable price. Later on though the crowd can be very mixed, and it really very much depends on the quality of the band that is playing. The quality does vary, but it is definitely worth popping in to check it out.
• Joe Bananas
  Stay there and do a lot of food promotions of late. A good venue is located at 23 Luard Road, Wan Chai with the happy hour from 11:00am to 10:00pm

Sightseeing

On the north end of Hong Kong, old buildings coexist with modern architectures. The old buildings remind us of the Hong Kong in the past and are the specimens of the British and Chinese influence, while the modern architecture shows us Hong Kong's journey to the 21st Century. Some favorite places for people to visit in Wan Chai are: the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, the Museum, and Bauhinia Square.

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center

The most notable place is the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. In the Center is Xinyi Hall where the ceremony marking Hong Kong's return to China in 1997 was held. This beautiful hall looks like a sea-gull spreading its wings.

Bauhinia Square

In front of the Xinyi Hall is Bauhinia Square. The sculpture of golden bauhinia there is a present that was given by the Chinese mainland government to celebrate the founding of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Every day there is a flag raising ceremony in honor of Hong Kong's returning to China.

Blue houses

Known as the "blue houses", these blue buildings in Wanchai constructed some decades ago is a well-known landmark to the locals especially those living in Wan Chai area.

Dinning

Cha chaan teng

Cha chaan teng are local-styled fast-food restaurants, selling milk tea and Chinese pastry. Many of the restaurants can be found all along Jaffe Road. Numerous tea shops offer cheap Chinese herbal tea, like leong cha (lit. cool tea) and 24-mei.

Dai pai dong

Dai pai dong, open-air restaurants in a big tent, is another classic restaurant type that appeared in Wan Chai. Despite the often unclean and uncomfortable eating conditions, many people are attracted to the freshly-made steamed rice roll, congee and chow mein early in the morning. Due to urban renewal projects in recent years, most of these restaurants are fading away.

Yum cha

Yum cha, is the name associated with having dim sum. People usually have "one bowl with two pieces," meaning a cup of tea with two dim sums, for breakfast. There were three old-styled dims restaurants remaining in Wan Chai, namely Lung Mun, Lung To, and Lung Tuen. Lung Mun is the only one still operating. A number of Buddhist cuisine restaurants are also available in the area.

Various restaurants

The 1980s also saw an expansion of Western cuisine restaurants in Wan Chai. Nowadays, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai and Indian restaurants are all very common. There are also many fast food restaurants serving Cantonese and other Chinese dishes, including the franchised Maxim's and Cafe de Coral. Jaffe Road and Lockhart Road are famous for pubs.

How to get there

• Ferry
  The Star Ferry arrives at Wan Chai Pier from Hung Hom and Tsim Sha Tsui.
• MTR
  The Tsuen Wan Line from Kowloon passes Admiralty. From here the Island Line passes through Wan Chai and Causeway Bay stations.
• Tram
  The tram runs from Kennedy Town to Sai Wan Ho.

Attractions around » Hong Kong, Guang Dong

Natural Scene

• Victoria Peak
• Victoria Harbor
• Repulse Bay
• Wanchai-Causeway Bay
• Kowloon
• Aberdeen
• Sai Kung Peninsula
• New Territories
• Sha Tin

Historical Site

• Star Ferry

Cultural Site

• Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Nightlife

• Lan Kwai Fong
• Wai Chai
• Armani

Day Entertainment & Sports

• Hong Kong Disneyland
• Hong Kong Ocean Park
• Sha Tin Racecourse
• Happy Valley Horse Racing
• Dragon-I

Shopping & Leisure

• Lan Kwai Fong
• Ladies Street
• Causeway Bay
• Stanley
• Wai Chai
• Tsim Sha Tsu
• Central
• Stanley Market

Wai Chai Highlights

Bar in Great China

• Lake Houhai
• Lan Kwai Fong
• Foreign Tourist Street
• Night Club Street on Hengshan Road
• International Beer Town
• Wai Chai
• Kundu Bar Street
• Sanlitun Bar Street
• Xintiandi Bar Street
• Maoming South Road Bar Street
• Tongren Road Bar Street
• Yandang Road Bar Street
• Hard Rock Cafe Beijing
• Sasha's Bar
• Bourbon Street Bar
• Julu Road Bar Street
• Armani
• Baby Face
• Suzie Wong Club
• Mexican madness night at Zapata's Bar

Shopping Street in Great China

• Wangfujing Walking Street
• Tunxi Ancient Street
• Nanjing Road
• Shopping Heaven on Xujiahui Street
• Barkhor Street
• Foreign Tourist Street
• West Street
• Liulichang Culture Street
• Central Street
• Hefang Street
• Grand Bazaar
• Panjiayuan Collection Market
• Quanyechang Bazaar
• Dongtai Road Antique Market
• Shopping on Fuzhou Road
• Kaili Sunday Market
• Wai Chai
• Moslem Street
• Shiban Street
• Kundu Bar Street
• Lhasa Carpet Factory
• Shuyuanmen Street
• Fishermans Wharf
• Ancient Culture Street
• Pudong New Area
• Yandang Road Bar Street
• Kashgar Bazaar
• Jinli Street
• Tian Xia Shua Du
• Xi'an Antique Market
• Stanley Market
• Binhai Road
• Chunxi Road
• Senado Square
• Nanshi Food Street
• Xintiandi Area
• Wenbaozhai Tourist Shopping Center
• Red Market

Wai Chai FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. How is the weather like in Hong Kong?
2. When is the most popular time to visit Hong Kong?

  Shopping

1. When is the best time to shop in Hong Kong?
2. Top ten tips for shopping in Hong Kong

  Other Hints

1. What I need to know about Visa and Passports?
2. Is it easy for me to exchange money here?
3. How to tip in Hong Kong?
4. Information Directory Desk
5. Useful Numbers

• How is the weather like in Hong Kong?

  Hong Kong has a sub-tropical climate, being temperate for nearly half the year, with cool, dry winters and hot, humid summers. March and April are very pleasant.

  May to August is hot and humid with occasional showers and thunderstorms, and the highest temperatures often exceed 31C. Winter lasts from January to March with January and February more cloudy, when occasional cold fronts followed by dry northerly winds.

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• When is the most popular time to visit Hong Kong?

  Hong Kong is an all-year-round destination. The most popular time to visit is from the middle of September to the end of February, when the weather is cooler.

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• When is the best time to shop in Hong Kong?

  Summer is possibly the best time to shop in Hong Kong as incredible deals are offered during the annual Hong Kong Shopping Festival. The massive sales draw shoppers from all over Asia every year.

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• Top ten tips for shopping in Hong Kong

  1 Compare Prices
  
  Check the price of the item you want to buy in your home country first. When arriving in Hong Kong you should check out some of the larger department stores or reputable dealers for your product. It's better for you to start bargaining when you know how much the goods cost.
  
  2 Understand the Exchange Rate
  
  This may sound simple, but many tourists get ripped-off here is because they don't know the exchange rate - make sure you do.
  
  3 Know the Product
  
  Know exactly what you want to buy.
  
  4 Choose Your Shop Carefully
  
  The Hong Kong Tourism Board has a Quality Control Scheme that vets shops on pricing, honesty and a host of other attributes - these shops generally don't offer bargains but are reputable. Unless you are confident of price and product, you should also avoid shops that don't clearly display the price of an item.
  
  5 Shop Around
  
  If you're determined to go bargain hunting, shop around. Hong Kong salespeople are notoriously aggressive when negotiating, however the ball is in your court, if you don't like the salesperson or the price quoted is to high, move on to the next store.
  
  6 Check the Product
  
  Hong Kong shops have an undeserved reputation for using switch and bait tactics, this involves showing you one product but placing an inferior item in the box. This practice is not widespread, nevertheless you need to make sure what you think you're buying is what you leave the store with.
  
  7 Compatibility
  
  Ensure compatibility. Check the voltage and broadcast of any item you want to buy.
  
  8 Warranty
  
  Make sure the product has an international warranty. This can be a problem with 'Parallel Imports', these products are usually brought into Hong Kong by someone other than the official importer, and are often electronic items. Although cheap, their warranty is usually void.
  
  9 Beware of Bootlegs
  
  There are plenty of bootleg and illegal products on Hong Kong's streets, which police usually turn a blind eye to, however if you are found with these at customs, they are subject to confiscation and you possibly to conviction.
  
  10 Last Call
  
  If you're in dispute, call the Consumer Council Hotline on 2929 2222 for assistance, you can also approach uniformed hawker police who patrol markets.

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• What I need to know about Visa and Passports?

  A visa is needed to enter Hong Kong from other countries. However, provisos of stay depend on the nationality, and some nationalities are allowed to come in as visa-free tourists for the period of one month. Among them are the US and EC nationals. The previous one year unconditional visa on arrival with work permit has been changed after the handover to a six month tourist visa on arrival.

  Tourists who enter with a visitor's permit are not permitted to work. Those who are taking up employment in Hong Kong must obtain an advanced work permit from the Immigration Department. Usually, the company of hire will assist with the necessary paperwork.

  When traveling around the country, be sure to carry along your passport or a photograph identity, just in case. The Immigration Department is strict with its regulations on illegal outsiders, so - to be on the safe side - the passport would come in handy.

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• Is it easy for me to exchange money here?

  Currency is Hong Kong Dollar. As the old saying goes, 'more banks than rice stalls in Hong Kong': moneychangers are everywhere. Please check the exchange rate and the service fee.

  Customers with AMEX cards can draw Hong Kong Currency through ATMs directly and those with VISA and Master cards can draw local currency from ATMs marked for Visa or MasterCard electronic currency.

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• How to tip in Hong Kong?

  Some hotels and restaurants levy a 10% service charge while customers may add other 5% tip. For restaurants that don't levy a service charge, a 10% tip is expected. Tip taxi drivers, bellboys, and restroom attendants.

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• Information Directory Desk

  • 1018 English
  
  
  • 1083 Cantonese
  
  
  • 1088 Mandarin Chinese
  
  
  • 1013 International directory



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• Useful Numbers

  • Complaint hotline (including taxi complaint): 2527 7177
  
  
  • Tourist Hotline of Hong Kong Tourism Board: 2508 1234
  
  
  • The Immigration Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region: 2824 6111
  
  
  • Postal Directory Hotline: 2921 2222
  
  
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