Wan Chai
- by
- Isabel Foo
Sitting on the north shore of Hong Kong, Wan Chai (literally translated as “small cove”) was one of the first developed areas on the island. Densely populated, and bounded by Canal Road to the east, Arsenal Street west and Bowen Road to the north, the neighbourhood gained infamy as Hong Kong’s red light district. The go-go bars along Lockhart Road are a testament to its seedier past, but modern day Wan Chai offers much more than company for lonely sailors. With a thriving restaurant scene, more coffee shops than you can shake a stir stick at, and a unique mix of old and new, it’s a neighbourhood that offers enough to fill both your Saturday night and Sunday morning.
La Station
Cheong Fun Wang
Odd One Out
Okashi Galleria x Calbee Plus
Monocle
Capital Cafe
Kasa
Classic Canto. Modern twist.
Cosmos Books
Hopewell Centre elevator
Pak Tai Temple
Coffee Academics
Kapok
Leekeestore
Bowen Road Fitness Trail
Motorino
Bread & Beast
Nlostnfound
Tak Yu Cha Chaan Teng
Enjoy a HK milk tea at this HK cafe
LA CREMERIE
The best French cheeses in Hong Kong
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Bowen Road Fitness Trail
High above Wan Chai, offering picture perfect views of the district, Bowen Road is bordered by Magazine Gap Road in the west and Stubbs Road in the east. This 4km, car-free path is not just for runners. There are parks, playgrounds and plenty of photo-ops that capture the concrete jungle-meets-actual-jungle nature of HK. Bonus points if you take the short hike up to Lover’s Rock—a phallus-shaped boulder used as a pilgrimage point for women with relationship and fertility issues. Insert your own Wang joke here if you must.