The Wan Chai district (灣仔區), or simply Wan Chai or Wanchai, is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, located in the north of Hong Kong island. The district includes the areas of Causeway Bay and Happy Valley. Population (2000): 190,300.

Nevertheless, Wanchai often refers to the area surrounding the MTR station of the same name, and located between Admiralty on the west and Causeway Bay on the east.

Wan Chai was made famous as the location of the novel and then film The World of Suzie Wong. Today it could be described as the heart of the city with its girlie bars (no topless, no naked), discotheques, restaurants, hotels, shops and more. It is still the preferred area for visiting US forces.

This area of bars and strip joints is still popular with visiting sailors, who arrive on Fenwick pier, which has the only McDonald's that serves alcohol (beer) in Hong Kong—there are plenty of things to do and see if you have something else in mind. Johnston Road and Queen's Road East are the two major streets in the area, but the streets and little alleys in between are much more intriguing. Export clothing shops line the streets of Johnston Road and Luard Road and offer by far some of the best value in Hong Kong. Be prepared to dig your way through piles of pants, shirts, skirts, dresses and baby clothes. Spring Garden Lane and Wanchai Road also are must-sees in the area and will give you the chance to see where many of the locals shop for vegetables, fruit and household items.

After a big day out, Delaney's, Joe Banana's and Carnegie's are just a few of the popular spots in Wanchai to grab a drink or dance the night away. Wanchai North, which lies on the other side of Gloucester Road, is a cluster of high rise office towers and hotels.

Facing the harbour in Wanchai is the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, a building boasting the world's largest "glass curtain" (built 1994-1997), a window seven stories high. Just west of Wanchai is the area known as Admiralty, a cluster of office towers, hotels and shopping centres. There is not a lot to see here, but Pacific Place is one of the nicest shopping centres in Hong Kong with mostly middle and high-end stores like Marks and Spencer, Seibu, Armani and Chanel, as well as a variety of restaurants and movie theatres.

The Central Plaza, the second tallest skyscraper in Hong Kong, is located in Wan Chai.

The ceremony of the hand-over of Hong Kong from Britain to China was performed in Wan Chai. The first cross harbour tunnel in Hong Kong is also linking Wan Chai with Hung Hom.

See also

• List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong

External links

• Wan Chai District Council (http://www.districtcouncils.gov.hk/wc/english/welcome.htm)
• Electoral Boundary Map (http://www.info.gov.hk/eac/pdf/distco/maps/dc2003b.pdf)
• Rotary Club of Wanchai (http://www.rotary.org.hk/wanchai/)