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Hong Kong > Areas, Districts, Quarters, Villages & Islands > Tsim Sha Tsui
Tsim Sha Tsui is either a tourist's nightmare or heaven, depending on the person's mindset and experience. It is certainly the most touristy area of the city with all of the usual consequences entailed. To the experienced traveller, it will therefore not come as a surprise that Tsim Sha Tsui moneylenders offer the worst exchange rates in town.
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Not Chungking Mansions but very much alike |
Many popular hotels are found in this district, as well as the infamous Chungking Mansions, a gigantic hovel containing shops, apartments and backpackers' hostels which are regularly raided by the police. As an additional "bonus," fires occur in the building complex about twice a year.
From a shopping point of view, the area south of Austin Road offers interesting opportunities. Because so many shops cluster in the area selling similar items, some of them feel compelled to reduce prices into the bargain range. To spot these deals, however, buyers need good knowledge about the article and its usual pricing. Deals can be found for souvenirs, Chinese articles, clothes, shoes and luggage. Not recommended is the purchase of electronic equipment unless the shop is QTS-certified. To engage in a fully fledged shopping frenzy, visit the giant Harbour City shopping complex located on the Southern end of Canton Road.
On the restaurant front, Tsim Sha Tsui offers many cheap eateries to customers with no particular aesthetic requirements. Better and upper-class restaurants are found above or below street-level and have to be accessed via stars or elevators. Absent seem the modern eateries with interesting food at good prices which are, e.g., so easily found in Causeway Bay.
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Tsim Sha Tsui as seen from across Victoria Harbour |
Walking in Tsim Sha Tsui is harassing by day and night, since packs of male hawkers for Indian tailors will cluster at certain street (inter)sections and pounce on white people, trying to drag them into their employer's shop. They will cross the street to get you, and even if a hawker has seen you refuse three previous offers, he will nevertheless address you with his "Sir, Sir, Madam, Madam, tailor, tailor!" and put his leaflet-armed hand in your way because he is certain to be the lucky guy. Additional Indian hawkers will parrot "Copy watch, copy watch" at you. This harassment can become quite stressful.
However, there are ways to deal with it. Never hurry or run. Just walk calmly on, even if a hawker is standing in front of you, either without looking at him or by fixing him with a disgusted Medusa stare. The hawker will move his body or hand out of your way at the last moment. If you want to create some additional distance, walk past giving him the cold shoulder. Note that in Hong Kong, it is highly unusual that you will be touched by a hawker. Should it happen, do not suffer it, but order the person to keep his hands off.
In correspondence with the other particularities of the area, beggars are also more frequent in Tsim Sha Tsui than in other parts of the town.
Over the past few years, the government has worked on improvements for the area. One of the most beautiful results is the by law hawker-free Avenue of Stars with its wonderful view of the famous Hong Kong skyline.
| Interested in making this area your holiday base? Check out its suitability on our Hotels by Area page. |
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