Sheung Wan

Hong Kong

The old trading district west of Central, with dried-seafood shops, Hollywood Road's antique galleries, Man Mo Temple and the creative PMQ.

Best for First visit · Budget

Transport: 4/5
Sights: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Quiet: 3/5
Food: 4/5

Typical mid-range hotel ~$205/night · 5 min to Central

See hotels in Sheung Wan

Why stay here

Temples, antique streets and old shops
Next to Central, for less
Boutique hotels and serviced apartments

Who should stay here

Couples
Return visitors
Travellers who want character near the centre

Not ideal if…

You want big hotels with pools
You dislike steep streets
You want lively nightlife

What it's like

Sheung Wan was where the British first landed in 1841. Its streets still smell of dried seafood and herbal medicine, while Hollywood Road and Cat Street sell antiques and the incense-filled Man Mo Temple stands among them. PMQ, the old police married quarters, is now a hub of local design shops.

It's a calmer, more characterful base than Central, a short walk or one MTR stop away, with small boutique hotels and good-value serviced apartments. Streets climb steeply inland, and evenings are quiet apart from a handful of cocktail bars.

Best streets and sub-areas

Hollywood Road & Cat Street
Antique shops, galleries and Man Mo Temple.
Des Voeux Road West
Dried-seafood and herbal-medicine shops.
Tai Ping Shan Street
Quiet lanes of cafés and small temples.

Getting around

Nearest stations: Sheung Wan MTR (Island Line), trams along Des Voeux Road and the Macau ferry terminal.
To Central: About 5 minutes
From Hong Kong International Airport: About 35 minutes: Airport Express to Hong Kong station, then one stop on the Island Line.

Nearby attractions

Man Mo Temple
Smoky 1847 temple hung with giant incense coils.
PMQ
Design shops and studios in the former police quarters.
Western Market
Edwardian market building at the tram terminus.

Where to eat and drink

Tai Ping Shan cafés
Coffee and brunch in quiet lanes.
Cha chaan tengs
Old-style cafés for milk tea and pineapple buns.

Where to stay in Sheung Wan

A few hotels we'd book in this area, at different budgets.

Boutique pick

Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong

Why we like it: Chinese-styled hotel in the lanes between Sheung Wan and Central.

Typical mid-range rate in Sheung Wan: ~$205/night

Check availability

Best value

ibis Hong Kong Central & Sheung Wan

Why we like it: Simple rooms, some with harbour views, at the western end.

Typical budget rate in Sheung Wan: ~$115/night