With temples and skyscrapers, traditional markets and high-end boutiques, dim sum shops and classy lounges, this energetic district is where old meets new.

Wan Chai is a historic and dynamic commercial district of Hong Kong Island. Once a fishing community set on the shores of Victoria Harbour, today Wan Chai is a juxtaposition of traditional and modern Hong Kong. Discover temples and tenement houses in the shadow of neon-lit towers. Visit Wan Chai to tour wet markets, dine at innovative restaurants and party at karaoke bars.

Begin your day watching the flag-raising ceremony at waterfront Golden Bauhinia Square. Stroll along the Expo Promenade for views across the harbour to Kowloon. On the western side of the promenade is the Reunification Monument, which honours the 1997 handover of Hong Kong. Attend an anime, book, comic book, jewellery or other fair at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Enjoy visual and performing arts via exhibitions, movie screenings and theatre productions at the Hong Kong Arts Centre. Nearby is the 1,227-foot-tall (374-metre) Central Plaza. Appreciate panoramic views of the Hong Kong skyline and mountain peaks from the 46th-floor observation deck.

For a blend of cultural venues and architectural landmarks, walk the Wan Chai Heritage Trail. Visit the humble Hung Shing Temple and large Pak Tai Temple, famous for its lifelike statues of deities. Learn about the lifestyle of local communities at the Hong Kong House of Stories, housed inside the historic Blue House. Note the curved modern architecture of the Old Wanchai Market building.

Visitors of all ages will find something of interest at the many toy stores along Tai Yuen Street. Browse the antique stores on Queen’s Road East and stroll busy wet markets along Wan Chai Road and adjacent alleys. The stylish Starstreet Precinct blends cafés with boutiques and lifestyle stores. Head to Lockhart Road for late-night bars and nightclubs.

Wan Chai sits between the Central and Causeway Bay districts of Hong Kong Island. Travel here easily via public buses, trams or the metro. Experience an iconic and picturesque arrival to the area by catching a ferry from Kowloon to Wan Chai Ferry Pier.