Hong Kong Island Guide: Central, Sheung Wan, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, With a Half-Day Walking Route

The north shore at a glance

If Hong Kong is two sides of a harbour, the island side holds the financial district, old markets and older neighbourhoods stacked up the hillside. Everything sits close enough to walk or hop between by tram.

Central: the escalator, PMQ and Tai Kwun

The Mid-Levels Escalator is a covered outdoor system climbing the hill from the business streets to the Mid-Levels district, passing lanes of restaurants and bars along the way. PMQ is a design hub in a former police married quarters, and Tai Kwun is a conserved complex of the old police station and prison, now a heritage and arts centre.

Sheung Wan: dried seafood streets and Man Mo Temple

Sheung Wan is still the traditional dried goods district. Streets such as Des Voeux Road West and Wing Lok Street put dried seafood, herbs and mushrooms out in front of the shops. Walk uphill to Hollywood Road to find Man Mo Temple, where incense coils hang from the ceiling, with antique shops and galleries lining the street.

Wan Chai and Causeway Bay

Wan Chai mixes wet markets and local eateries with modern office towers, a good place to stop for a meal. Causeway Bay is the busiest shopping district on the island side, with malls and shops side by side and heavy crowds in the evening and on weekends. If shopping is not your plan, treat the two districts as meal stops and people-watching, and keep your energy for the older streets of Sheung Wan and Central, which reward slow walking more than the malls do.

Ding Ding trams and the Star Ferry

• Ding Ding trams run along the north side of the island. They are slow but easy, you pay with Octopus as you get off, and the upper deck gives the best street view.
• The Star Ferry crosses Victoria Harbour from the Central pier to Tsim Sha Tsui. The ride is short and the best way to see the skyline while crossing.
• Octopus works on trams, the Star Ferry and the MTR. Details are in “Transit Cards: Suica, T-money, Octopus and EasyCard”.

MTR stations and exits to use

MTR exits are labelled with letters and numbers, such as Exit A or D2, and list the malls or streets they lead to. Always read the destination list inside the station rather than relying on a code remembered from an article.

Data and maps on the island

Mobile coverage in Hong Kong is strong, including inside MTR tunnels, though narrow lanes and tall hillside buildings can make GPS drift a little. Google Maps works normally, and Wi-Fi.HK hotspots at piers and public areas are a backup. Wi-Fi.HK is open, so avoid banking on it.

A half-day walking route

1. 1Start at Central stationTake the exit signed for Pottinger Street or Lan Kwai Fong and walk up to Tai Kwun.
2. 2On to PMQ and Hollywood RoadContinue up the slope to PMQ, then follow Hollywood Road west.
3. 3Stop at Man Mo TempleVisit Man Mo Temple before heading downhill to the dried seafood streets of Sheung Wan.
4. 4Take a tram to Wan ChaiBoard an eastbound tram to Wan Chai or Causeway Bay and finish with dinner.

To continue on the other side of the harbour, see “Kowloon Guide: Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po”. For the whole-city overview, read “Hong Kong Travel Guide for First-Timers: Areas, Sights, Transport”.

Wear comfortable shoes because the slopes are fairly steep, and on hot, humid days split your walking between morning and evening. Check the forecast in the My Observatory app before you set out, especially during typhoon season.

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