Sheung Wan is Hong Kong's up-and-coming boutique district. More expatriates and well-heeled residents are moving to new serviced apartments or luxury high-rise buildings in one of the oldest parts of the city, with streets still famed for their dried seafood and herbal shops. Residents enjoy the mix of local charm and hipness.
Western - as the area is also known - is in the northwest of Hong Kong Island and within walking distance of Central's business district and SoHo's dining and entertainment spots. It is home to a blend of commercial and residential addresses, with some modern apartments refurbished from older buildings.
Sheung Wan's main high street is Queen's Road Central, which snakes through the back of the district and is a major access point to the historic Western Market, the mid-19th-century Man Mo Temple and Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal. Lined with antique, speciality design shops and galleries, Hollywood Road also cuts through the area, leading directly to trendy SoHo.
If you want to stay in the neighbourhood, more cosy cafes and fine-dining restaurants have started popping up along Hollywood Road, from a bustling New York-style brasserie and Italian eateries to an Argentine steakhouse and French restaurants.
If you work in Central, the quickest way to get to work during rush hour is to walk. Many residential buildings in Sheung Wan are about five to 10 minutes by foot from Sheung Wan MTR station. From there, Central, Admiralty, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui stations can all be reached within 10 minutes.
There is a huge bus terminus underneath Exchange Square in nearby Central, and many buses run along Des Voeux Road and Connaught Road. Outside peak hours, it's easy to hop into a taxi and reach neighbouring districts within minutes. However, getting to Tsim Sha Tsui by taxi could take 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic.
For a weekend getaway in Macau, frequent ferries operate the one-hour trip 24 hours a day. For those in a hurry, there is also a helicopter service to the enclave. The Airport Express from Hong Kong Station in Central whisks travellers to the airport in 24 minutes.