CAUSEWAY BAY HOTELS

Causeway Bay was one of the first areas in Hong Kong to have high-rises with buildings such as the World Trade Centre and the Excelsior Hotel being constructed in the 1970's and early 1980's. Now, shopping is the main thing here with commercial shopping rents in the area being the some of the highest in the world. (Madison Avenue is first.)

On the north of the area lies the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter. Plunging beneath Victoria Harbour between them is Hong Kong Island's entrance to the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, now one of several tunnels between the Island and Kowloon with the addition of the Western Harbour Tunnel. At the center of the area, shopping abounds in Little Japan (near the MTR station), Jardine's Bazaar, and Times Square. At the far southern end of the area, before the island rises dramatically towards Victoria Peak, is the horse-racing track at Happy Valley.

In and Around Causeway Bay

Happy Valley Race Track (Horse-Racing)

Holding its first horse race in 1846, Happy Valley is one of the oldest racing venues in Hong Kong. The track is very crowded on Wednesday evenings and on weekend afternoons during horseracing season from September to June.

Little Japan

Causeway Bay has alway been a popular shopping area but with the arrival of several major Japanese department store chains (Matsuzakaya, Mitsukoshi and, of course, the ten-story mega-store for Sogo) in the 1970's, the area, particularly around the MTR stop, has become known locally as "little Japan".

Hennesy Road/Yee Woo Streets

These roads are teeming with designer clothing stores including Lane Crawford which occasionally holds terrific sales with unbeatable prices. Be careful if you come to this area on a Saturday, however, as it's jam-packed full of shoppers.

Jardines Bazaar

The area still has plenty of Chinese flavor, too. For a glimpse, head over to Jardine's Bazaar just off Yee Woo Street where each street has a specialty. Irving Street has shops selling soya sauce and wine. Fuk Hing Lane has the famous Chinese delicacy 100 year-old eggs. Finally, Pennington Street is known for its Chinese Medical Halls and pawn shops.

Times Square

Completed in 1994, the massive Times Square center has changed the landscape of Causeway Bay. Locally designed (by Wong & Ouyang), the development of 2 million square feet is home to a twelve-story shopping arcade with over 200 shops, restaurants, and a Cineplex and topped off by two office towers which are named after their two largest tenants: Shell Tower at 39 floors and NatWest Tower at 46 floors. Just outside the myriad of shops, entertainment, is Times Square Plaza. Here you will find a huge Sony Jumbotron, the site of New Year's celebrations (as with its counterpart in New York), and the most popular meeting spot in Hong Kong.

Cross-Harbour Tunnel

The road traffic tunnel entrance is here and whisks you under Victoria Harbour to Tsim Sha Tsui East in a few minutes. If you are out after midnight on the other side of the harbor from your hotel, this (or the western access) is the most likely way you'll return.