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Wanchai aka Wan Chai

Also "red light district" -- though really it hasn't been a real red light district since the 70's.  The bars moved to Lan Kwai Fong in the 80's and the strip clubs moved to Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui, while the brothels moved to Sham Shui Po and Yau Ma Tai.

So what's left in Wanchai is small office buildings, furniture shops, art shops, household repair and decoration -- both retail and wholesale in each of those areas.

A few historic relics are left behind -- and I don't mean the very few "go-go bars" -- there is a Pak Tai Temple with a three metres copper image of Pak Tai as well as Chai Kung Woot Fat Temple, or the Temple of the Living Buddha.

Tai Yuen Street gives a strong local flavour.  Over 100 stalls there selling all kinds of things - household goods, dry goods, Chinese herbs and toys.  Unfortunately, the government is planning to rebuild the area and move these stalls into neat new indoor market.  I fully understand it's more hygienic and looks neater and cleaner, but it loses the atmosphere!

If you are looking for modern culture then there are also the Hong Kong Arts Centre which is really very nice, inside at least, and the Academy for Performing Arts (APA) which has a nice little coffee shop that most people don't know about.

For the geeks a visit to the Wanchai Computer Arcade would be a good side trip.

Click here for a list of hotels in Wanchai.

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