Is North Point a good place to stay in Hong Kong?

North Point is a good base if you want everyday Hong Kong, good-value rooms and an easy ride into Central. North Point station has the Island Line and the Tseung Kwan O Line, the trams run along King's Road, and Causeway Bay is a short hop west. It suits repeat visitors, budget-minded travellers and anyone who prefers local streets to shopping malls.

The area is dense and lively, with residential towers, small shops and some of the best wet markets on the island. On Chun Yeung Street the trams rumble right through the market stalls, the cooked food centre above Java Road Market serves cheap, noisy dinners, and the Fujianese community runs many of the local restaurants. Along the harbour, a promenade runs past the ferry pier, and Oi! hosts art exhibitions in an old clubhouse on Oil Street.

The downside is that North Point is a working district rather than a sightseeing one. The streets are crowded and noisy, some buildings look tired, and the big sights in Central, the Peak and Tsim Sha Tsui all need a ride on the MTR or the tram. Nightlife is limited to local restaurants and a few hotel bars.

What makes North Point worth considering is the mix of value and character. Hotels cost less than in Central or Causeway Bay, several have harbour views, and you can eat in the markets and ride the tram past them like a local, with the centre only a few stops away.