On a map, exploring Causeway Bay, one of Hong Kong's premium shopping and dining districts, looks like a simple task. The district is a small one, adjacent on the east end to the lovely Victoria Park and on the west end to the nightlife hub of Wan Chai. While the streets of the area are not mapped out in a straightforward grid, they appear easy enough to navigate, with multiple entrances to the MTR station and accessible bus stops.

All of this is quite true until you alight at the Causeway Bay MTR station and walk into one of the most happening places in the world. The area is a maze of main streets, jam-packed intersections, vibrant alleys, raised walkways and even underground passages, thanks to its extensive subway station. The streets swarm with fellow tourists and shoppers, music blasts from beneath the illuminated billboards and the tall buildings are full from the ground up with shops, restaurants and bars, each different from the next. There is a lot to see, but the best part about Causeway Bay is that there's more than meets the eye.

Causeway Bay is Hong Kong's equivalent to midtown Manhattan, home to its own Times Square and countless stores and restaurants, but the history of the two couldn't be more opposite. Before colonization, Causeway Bay was a murky swampland whose coastline formed a well-protected harbour. Junks and sampans docked in this natural typhoon shelter, now replaced by the yachts of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club.

After the arrival of the British, Causeway Bay began its transformation. One may thank Jardine Matheson, one of Hong Kong's largest and longest-established trading houses, for quite literally putting the area on the map, when the company bought up the first plot of land to be sold by public auction in present-day Causeway Bay in 1841. According to legend, in the mid-19th century Jardine Matheson fired a gun at passing ships at an inappropriate time from this spot and was ordered to fire it promptly at noon every day for punishment. The tradition lives on, and the Noon-Day Gun is still fired daily at noon, followed by eight bells. The Noon-Day Gun is accessible from a tunnel linking the World Trade Centre and the Excelsior Hotel to the Marina Club and Noon-Day Gun site.

From the days of the first commercial land sales and Noon-Day shot, Causeway Bay has grown into a consumption junction. The area acquired its name after massive land reclamation and the construction of a large causeway along the water in the 1950s. With more land came more development, and with more development the district evolved into a hub of activity.

Today Causeway Bay oozes with shopping choices, and the small shops and high-rise malls are local favourites. The biggest shopping hubs in the district are located in four areas. First, Times Square at 1 Matheson Street is home to numerous restaurants and stores, including the much loved, beautifully laid out department store, Lane Crawford. Second, Lee Gardens and Lee Gardens Two on Hysan Avenue offer everything high-end. Third, Jardine's Bazaar and Jardine's Crescent host outdoor markets with everything from dresses to shoes tucked away in its nooks and crannies for bargain shoppers. Finally, the Yee Wo Street intersection where three shopping maestros converge: Sogo, the mega Japanese department store at 555 Hennessy Road; Island Beverly, a hip conglomerate of boutiques, at 1 Great George Street; and luxury alley on Paterson Street. Stores are not just located at ground level; instead, they fill up space on any available floors, so when exploring don't be afraid to hop on an escalator or into an elevator. Getting lost only unearths unexpected finds, and the options are almost endless.

Once a sheltered swamp, now a shopping paradise, it seems there is never a downtime in Causeway Bay. Whether you are window shopping or on a spending spree, the district's bright lights and busy corners represent Hong Kong's transformation from barren rock to densely-packed shopping capital.

Typhoon Shelter

Where to Shop