Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [58]
Muslims are welcome to attend services here, but non-Muslims should ask permission to enter. Remember to remove your footwear.
OCEAN TERMINAL Map
2118 8666 24hr hotline; www.harbourcity.com.hk; Salisbury Rd; 10am-9pm; Star Ferry
Located to the north of the clock tower is Star House (3 Salisbury Rd), a frayed-looking retail and office complex. At its western end is the entrance to Ocean Terminal, the long building jutting into the harbour. It is part of the massive Harbour City shopping complex that stretches for half a kilometre north along Canton Rd and offers priceless views of Tsim Sha Tsui’s western waterfront.
The stunning blue-and-white colonial structure located on the hill above where Canton and Salisbury Rds meet is the Former Marine Police Headquarters (opposite), which was built in 1884. Following a lengthy redevelopment of the site, there are new shops, cafes and restaurants, together with a luxury hotel, which should be in operation on the site by the time you read this.
* * *
TRANSPORT – TSIM SHA TSUI
Macau Ferries The China ferry terminal ( Map) is on Canton Rd.
MTR Tsim Sha Tsui station ( Map) on the Tsuen Wan line empties onto both sides of Nathan Rd. There’s also a long tunnel linking it with Tsim Sha Tsui East MTR station ( Map), the terminus of the MTR East Rail, although a couple of travelators make it less of a haul.
Star Ferry The pier ( Map) is at western end of Salisbury Rd.
* * *
Return to beginning of chapter
TSIM SHA TSUI EAST & HUNG HOM
Eating Click here; Drinking Click here; Nightlife Click here; Sleeping Click here
The large triangular chunk of land east and northeast of Tsim Sha Tsui proper ( Map), which was built entirely on reclaimed land, is a cluster of shopping centres, hotels and theatres. There are none of the old, crumbling buildings of ‘real’ Tsim Sha Tsui here –and, like most reclaimed areas, it has that soulless, artificial feel that will take decades to remove. But two of Hong Kong’s most important museums are located here, and it offers an excellent vantage point from which to admire the harbour and the Hong Kong Island skyline.
Among the features of Hung Hom, the contiguous district to the northeast, are the massive MTR East Rail station, on Wan Rd; the 12,500-seat Hong Kong Coliseum ( 2355 7234; 9 Cheong Wan Rd), which hosts concerts and sporting events; and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University ( 2766 5111; Hong Chong Rd), which is opposite the station.
Tsim Sha Tsui East is defined by Chatham Rd South to the west and Salisbury Rd to the south. The limit to the east is Hong Chong Rd, backed by the Hong Kong Coliseum and Hung Hom train station. To the north it ends at Austin Rd.
Hung Hom is further to the north and northeast and divided by the Hung Hom Bypass into two parts: the station and coliseum on the west side and residential Hung Hom to the east.
TSIMSHA TSUI
TSIM SHA TSUI EAST PROMENADE Map
Star Ferry
One of the finest city skylines in the world has to be that of Hong Kong Island, and the promenade here is one of the best ways to get an uninterrupted view. It’s a lovely place to stroll around during the day, but it really comes into its own in the evening, during the nightly Symphony of the Stars, a spectacular sound-and-light show involving 20 buildings on the Hong Kong Island skyline, which runs from 8pm to 8.20pm. The new Deck ‘n Beer bar located here (Click here) is a great spot to have an alfresco, waterside drink (weather permitting).
Along the first part of the promenade is the Avenue of the Stars, which pays homage to the Hong Kong film industry and its stars, with handprints, sculptures and information boards, a brave but ultimately lacklustre effort to celebrate Hong Kong’s film and TV industry.
The promenade officially starts at the New World Centre shopping centre and runs parallel to