By air
Hong Kong International (HKG), ~35 km; the Airport Express takes ~24 min
East Asia · Hong Kong
Central, Hong Kong
Trams, escalators and old temples
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to December — clear and mild
Don't miss
Man Mo Temple
The Mid-Levels escalator
Tai Kwun
The Zoological and Botanical Gardens
Things to do
The Mid-Levels escalator
The trams
Man Mo Temple
Lan Kwai Fong at night
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Comfortable shoes
A quieter corner
PMQ, a former police married quarters turned design hub
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from the airport to Central?
Take the Airport Express, about 24 minutes from Hong Kong International (HKG), which is roughly 35 km away.
What should I see in Central, Hong Kong?
Man Mo Temple, Tai Kwun and the Zoological and Botanical Gardens, and ride the Mid-Levels escalator and the trams. Save Lan Kwai Fong for the night.
What's a classic meal in Central?
Dim sum in the morning, and roast goose.
What is PMQ in Central?
A former police married quarters turned design hub, worth a browse.
About Central
- Coastal
Where it is
Central is the business heart of Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island facing Victoria Harbour, with the Mid-Levels and Victoria Peak rising steeply behind it.
History
The British landed on Hong Kong Island in 1841 and laid out their first town, Victoria, along this shore, and Central grew into the colony's centre of government, banking and trade. Land reclaimed from the harbour has pushed its waterfront far beyond the original coastline, and the old Central Police Station compound has become the Tai Kwun arts centre.
People
Central is where much of Hong Kong works, in banks, law firms and offices, and Cantonese, English and Mandarin are all spoken. On Sundays many of the city's Filipino and Indonesian domestic helpers gather in its squares and walkways to meet friends, share food and sing.
Known for
- The Central–Mid-Levels escalator
- The double-decker trams
- Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road
- Tai Kwun heritage and arts centre
- The bars of Lan Kwai Fong
Did you know?
The Central–Mid-Levels escalator, opened in 1993, is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, running for more than 800 m up through the hillside streets.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.