Although Hong Kong is a relatively compact city, it is divided into eighteen districts, each with its own unique characteristics, distinctive sights and activities. Wan Chai, one of Hong Kong's most popular districts, is gradually reinventing itself from its past as an R&R destination for visiting sailors to a lively inner city hotspot. The best way to experience the different facets of the district is by wandering through its active streets and jam-packed alleys.

Like most of Hong Kong, Wan Chai - which means "small bay" in Cantonese - began as a quaint Chinese fishing village. Signs of the past are still visible from the presence of maritime street names such as Ship Street and the Hung Shing Temple, devoted to a virtuous official who was dedicated to the sea. After years of development and land reclamation, neither Ship Street nor the Hung Shing Temple at 129 Queen's Road East is located on the water anymore, but in spite of the district's growth, much of Wan Chai retains an old Hong Kong feel. There are a number of street markets and wet markets that are frequented daily by nearby residents, selling everything from teapots and china to fruit and vegetables. The largest is on Tai Yuen Street, south of the Wan Chai MTR station. Another Wan Chai landmark is the Old Wan Chai Post Office, the oldest surviving post office in Hong Kong, at the corner of Wan Chai Gap Road and Queen's Road East.

During the Vietnam War, Wan Chai became a red light district, mostly catering to American servicemen who still arrive on Fenwick Pier multiple times a year. Popularised through films such as The World of Suzie Wong, its reputation as a haven for girlie bars has not entirely been shaken, even though many of the bars of this type are in retreat. Wan Chai nightlife still caters to visitors through British-style pubs and Western-influenced restaurants. Many revellers end up in the bars along Lockhart Road, Luard Road and Jaffe Road for all-night dancing and drinking, and even now the area has a seedier vibe than Lan Kwai Fong in Central. Don't miss our bar listings on page 47 for trustworthy nightlife recommendations.

Throughout the 1980s, Wan Chai was the site of a number of revitalisation efforts that ushered the district into a new era, including the construction of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts at 1 Gloucester Road, an academic and performing arts venue that hosts many of the city's diverse cultural events. The district's development reached a new height in the 1990s with the Wan Chai Development Project. Often controversial and involving large-scale land reclamation, the massive project resulted in the creation of one of the city's most recognizable buildings, the waterfront Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre. In July 1997, the Convention and Exhibition Centre was the site of the official handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule. Perched at the tip of the extension to the Convention and Exhibition Centre is the Forever Blooming Bauhinia, a six-metre tall statue of Hong Kong's symbol, the Golden Bauhinia. The statue is a gift from the people of the People's Republic of China to mark the momentous occasion of the reunification with China.

Around the same time, the new Wan Chai began to attract more and more small- to medium-size businesses that were feeling the crunch of skyrocketing rents in Central. This domino effect brought a growing demand for trendy restaurants, hip shops, stylish hotels and upscale bars in the area. Today Wan Chai is home to around 170,000 residents, but more than 600,000 commuters work in the district. The Starstreet Precinct, made up of low-rise buildings, art galleries, dining enclaves and boutique furniture stores on Star Street and its adjoining lanes, is the most visible example of Wan Chai's neighbourhood-based transformations.
Exploring the different faces of Wan Chai and experiencing its harmonious blend of old Hong Kong and lively, modern district is intriguing. The district is easily accessible by MTR (alight at Wan Chai station).

Top Five Wan Chai

1. Visit the Golden Bauhinia for its daily flag-raising ceremony at 7.50am. On the first of every month, the police silver and pipe band joins the honour guard, weather permitting.

2. Act like a local and stroll through the area's fascinating outdoor street markets.

3. Ride a tram through the busy district to catch the bright lights at night.

4. Enjoy a full day of culture by browsing the galleries of up-and-coming artisans along Star Street and then taking in a performance at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.

5. Party till the wee hours of the morning in one of Wan Chai's hedonistic bars along Lockhart Road.