<BGSOUND SRC="chung.mid"LOOP="infinite">

These two neighbouring harbour communities were born of tiny fishing villages. Today there is nothing tiny or village-like about them. Jampacked with action and wound tight with energy, neither of these districts ever seems to sleep.

Although you can find several international hotels, four cosmopolitan, Japanese owned department stores, office blocks that rival Central’s and Noonday Gun of Noel Coward fame. Causeway Bay and Wanchai are where the Chinese go to eat (and myself, while I was there), shop and be entertained. And they do it in droves. Causeway Bay’s food Street is an entire city block full of restaurants. You’ll also see plenty of street-side food stalls called dai pai dongs , cafes, pubs, and enormous Chinese restaurants, the size of ballrooms. You can join the locals and shop in the open markets and bazaars; just get in there and start bargaining. Or head to one of the big Japanese department stores; or Chinese emporiums selling silk, porcelain, jade and other mainland goods at very reasonable prices. You can also find good buys on electronic products in the little shops that line these streets.

Wanchai boasts the Academy of Performing Art, where everything from Chinese Opera to Shakespeare is performed. Find out what’s on by checking with the Urban Council at City Hall (near the Star Ferry). Wanchai is also famous for majong parlours, tatooists and Suzy Wong, the apocryphal character who’s spirit lives on late into the night, every night, in a cluster of discotheques and raunchy bars. This district is well worth a visit, just to see what really goes on. While I was in Hong Kong during my two visits, i’ve spent about each night in this amazing area.