Just when you thought that you had seen enough of Hong Kong, the city pulls you right back in.
Done with the usual food and shopping trips; why not explore the city in greater detail? Each district promises to be a destination in its own right. Currently under the spotlight, the Sham Shui Po district is a living museum showcasing multiple historic sites, characteristic architectures, religious buildings, local diners, hawker stalls, shopping malls and bazaars, comprising the unique lifestyle of Hong Kong, where visitors can wear, eat, walk and live just like the locals.
Located in the heart of Kowloon, Sham Shui Po is one of Hong Kong’s oldest districts reflecting a lot of local culture. This neighborhood was the center of many industrial and commercial activities and now mirrors the development of the entire city.
The current Hong Kong Tourism Board’s promotion of Sham Shui Po as a tourist attraction is a part of its initiative to promote the city’s less familiar areas and encourage tourists to discover Hong Kong like a local. HKTB leverages on the local elements to speak for itself, positioning the district as the place to experience the most down-to-earth local culture.
“In the 1950s and 1960s, the area became the heart of Hong Kong’s textile manufacturing industry and has remained popular for it. It prides itself of its dining scene that spreads from traditional noodles to creative desserts. The district is also known for its role in shaping the local way of living being the birthplace of local housing. A walk around Sham Shui Po would be a great way to explore and experience the neighborhood. Sham Shui Po is a district of simple pleasures.
As a predominantly workingclass district, it offers a lot of cheap but cheerful experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in the city. Instead of glitzy, glass-paneled skyscrapers, here you’ll find buildings that hide a rich history behind the humble façades,” said Raymond Chan, the regional director of Southeast Asia Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Sham Shui Po is home to and the self-sufficient working-class community as part of its down-to-earth charisma. Together with different points of interest, visitors can get to experience the lifestyle of ordinary Hongkongers, under the theme of “Every Bit Local,” focusing on what locals wear (Hong Kong’s DIY Hub) and eat (Simple Flavors), the way they live (Experience the Community) and where visitors can walk (Explorations on Foot).
Routes going to Sham Shui Po can be found at the HKTB web site, complemented by video navigation and route-finding functions on Google Map. For more information about Sham Shui Po, visitors can conveniently access the HKTB web site by scanning the QR codes on the visitor signages via their mobile phones, or by using the HKTB mobile app “My Hong Kong Guide.”
City explorers new to the district would be happy to know that two key thematic clusters are found near the MTR exits. “An MTR line runs directly between Central MTR Station and Sham Shui Po MTR Station. There are available recommended walking routes intended to help visitors appreciate Sham Shui Po better. These walking routes best introduce the history, creative trends, authentic food and treasure hunting hotspots,” shared Chan.
A day tour can comprise of a market experience in Sham Shui Po. Apart from its popular electronic products stores, the clothes market is also pleasingly chaotic, where fashion designers come to buy wholesale fabrics while everyone else rifles through the piles of street fashions.
At night, Sham Shui Po goes with a different vibe with street markets teeming with great finds on clothes, shoes, gadgets. Tourists can also enjoy local food at Hong Kong’s popular “Dai Pai Dong,” a favorite among locals.
Independent travelers can stay at the Mei Ho House, Hong Kong’s oldest public housing complex and was once part of Shek Kip Mei Housing estate. Regenerated by the Hong Kong Youth Hostels Association, this historic building reopened to the public in October 2013 as the YHA Mei Ho House Youth Hostel. It also hosts the Heritage of Mei Ho House museum, featuring Shek Kip Mei’s public housing history through the 1950s to 1970s through a mixture of donated exhibits and firsthand anecdotes from former residents.
For those who would like to connect with Hong Kong’s creative scene, a good option is to stay at Wontonmeen, a diverse living space that boasts 11 stories of artists, journalists, musicians, designers, teachers, comedians, curators and wing chun disciples.
Other hotel options can be found in the surrounding neighborhood, like Mongkok, which is just two MTR stops away.
From January to July 2018, a total of 509,353 Filipino tourists have already visited Hong Kong. The Philippines is one of Hong Kong’s top visitor source markets with the highest tourist arrivals recorded among Southeast Asian countries last year at 900,000. With The Sham Shui Po district promotion, arrivals are expected to hit the 1-million mark.
Image credits: Hong Kong Tourism Board