Central District, Hong Kong

Located in the Central district, this red-brick French Mission Building, has green shutters, black wrought-iron details and a chapel added by French Catholic missionaries who gave the building its name. It is reputedly the location of the colony's first government house. It houses the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

The Mid Levels escalator is a sight to be seen. It stretches almost 2600 ft ( 800 meters) and links Central to the Mid-Levels and So Ho. If you go, take the time to explore the side street shops, cafes and restaurants. Be warned the escalators only go in one direction. The escalators go uphill 10:30 a.m. to midnight and go downhill during the morning rush 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Be prepared to walk down all the stairs unless you opt for public transportation or a taxi ride back to Central. Best time to go is after the morning rush.

Man Mo Temple is a little, blink-and-you'll-miss-it establishment tucked away amongst the concrete jungle in the Sheung Wan District. This temple was built to honour the God of Literature and the God of War (yes, interesting combo). The temple is unique in that coils of incense are hung from the ceiling which makes for quite an unusual sight. Watch for falling ash!

Also, there are two relatively famous and accurate fortune-tellers here who seem to have a large following amongst Asian celebrities stationed at the entrance to the temple, so check them out if you are so inclined!

Nearest MTR station is Sheung Wan (take Exit A2). You'll have to walk an additional 10 minutes from there.

Located in the heart of Hong Kong's CBD, The Centre is one of Hong Kong's most famous landmarks, ranking as one of the top ten tallest skyscrapers in the city. It stands at a height of 350m with 80 floors.

One IFC was completed in 1998 and has 784,000 sq ft set over 38 floors. It is very interesting building, & a wonderful addition to Hong Kong's skyline. I particulary like the inside, for it features a bright high ceiling lobby & contemporary design at its best. Located at ground level is IFC mall, which has a dynamic mix of retailers & 140,000 sq ft of landscaped garden.

Currently, they are building a Four Seasons Hotel beside IFC Mall, & surely it will be one of most sought after accomodations in Hong Kong.

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Cat Street (Upper Lascar Road) can easily be a shopping tip, but because it is such a fascinatiing street to walk down, even if you arent shopping, i feel its a must see while in Hong Kong.

Located in the Central District on Hong Kong Island, Cat Street is known for its Antiques (fake and real) collectables, and just some bizarre things. We wish we had the time to re-visit the street, because its a great place to bargain, and you can find some very different gift adeas there.

In its early history, the street was known for seamen's lodging, brothels, and a hangout for criminals and low-lifes. Ofcourse these days it's much different but still stands out on it's own among other markets in Hong Kong.

Soho is located in the Mid-levels district and is a steep hilly area of narrow streets which are best accessed via the Mid-levels Escalators. The area was only called Soho from the mid-1990s and some want the name changed as it associates the area as being one of disrepute with red-light connotations. The area, in fact, is the main entertainment zone of the Central district with countless bars, cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries and antique stores gathered around the streets of Staunton Street, Elgin Street and Caine Road. It's good to visit the area at different times of day to witness the life that goes on here and the entertainment on display.

Central is HK's main business district and accomodates many of the high class hotels and high-rise buildings, including the new International Finance Centre (IFC) 2, which currently is HK's tallest building (416m) and the fifth tallest building in the world overlooking the whole city like a giant toothpick.

The pier of the famous Star Ferry is also located in Central as well as the piers of the various outlying islands ferries.

Statue square was once home to Hong Kong's City Hall that was demolished in 1933. Today, the Legislative Council Building sits on the east side of the square. In the center of the square stands a statue of Sir Thomas Jackson, who was the manager of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank from 1876 and 1902. Previously, the square also contained statues of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and Edward VII, until they were taken by the Japanese during WWII and later returned.

Today this park is a peaceful place, though packed shoulder to shoulder with citizens enjoying each others' company. I have never seen more people in such a small area!