Best areas to stay in Hong Kong for expats: a neighbourhood guide

The best areas to stay in Hong Kong for expats: how to choose

Wikivoyage splits Hong Kong into Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and Lantau. Wikipedia's article on the island lists four districts: Central and Western, which includes Central, Sheung Wan and the western Mid-Levels; Wan Chai, which includes Causeway Bay, Happy Valley and the eastern Mid-Levels; Eastern, which includes North Point, Quarry Bay and Shau Kei Wan; and Southern, which includes Aberdeen, Stanley, Repulse Bay and Pok Fu Lam.

Space is the constraint behind every choice. Britannica says Hong Kong is limited in space and natural resources and faces persistent problems of overcrowding, and that lowlands make up less than a fifth of the land. In practice that means compact flats, tall buildings and short distances between very different streets, so check floor area, the floor level and the walk to the MTR before booking.

Wikivoyage notes that English is widely spoken by white-collar professionals but that Cantonese is the main language, and that locals may not recognise English street names. Having the address in Chinese characters is a practical help for taxis.

Central and Sheung Wan: the business and dining core

Wikivoyage calls Central the main centre of finance and government and the main focus of most tourists. For an expat with an office in the business district it is the shortest commute, and the Island line, the tram and the ferry all meet nearby.

Sheung Wan lies to the west, in the same Central and Western district. It is a short ride along the Island line, which Wikipedia says was extended west to Kennedy Town and HKU in 2014, with Sai Ying Pun following in 2015. If you want to be near Central without living in it, those western stations are worth checking on a map.

Are serviced apartments in Wan Chai a good choice for expats?

Wan Chai is one of the most convenient bases on the island. Wikipedia describes it as a dense, busy commercial area with many small and medium-sized firms, office towers, parks and hotels in Wan Chai North, and a major exhibition and convention centre. It is also known for long-established nightlife, with Lockhart Road and Jaffe Road forming one of the island's two main bar districts.

That mix explains why short-stay and serviced accommodation clusters around it, and why a search for serviced apartments in Wan Chai is one of the most common routes into Hong Kong. Wan Chai station is on the Island line, and Exhibition Centre station on the East Rail line opened in the 2022 extension to Admiralty. Trams run along Johnston Road and Hennessy Road.

Wikipedia also notes that Wan Chai is among the oldest and most densely populated parts of Hong Kong and that many older buildings face urban decay. Check the street at night, particularly near the bar streets, and ask which floor the apartment is on. Causeway Bay, next door, is one of the most visited northern neighbourhoods according to Wikivoyage, and a tram loop links it to Happy Valley.

Mid-Levels, North Point and the Southside: residential alternatives

Wikivoyage describes the Mid-Levels as the residential area halfway up the mountain, reached via the Escalator. Wikipedia says the Central-Mid Levels escalator opened in 1993, covers more than 800 m horizontally and more than 135 m vertically, and describes it as the second-longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world; about 78,000 pedestrians used it daily as of late 2016. It runs from Queen's Road Central to Conduit Road. Hills are the cost: expect slopes on any walk that does not follow the escalator.

North Point and Quarry Bay, in the Eastern district, sit along the north shore and the Island line. Wikipedia lists them with Shau Kei Wan and Chai Wan. They suit people who want to trade the centre for a calmer routine while staying on the same line as Central.

Wikivoyage describes the southern side of the island as an upmarket residential area with the island's best beaches, such as Repulse Bay. Wikipedia says the South Island line, which opened on 28 December 2016, was the first MTR link to the Southern District. The south suits families and people who work from home, but allow longer for trips north.

Getting around Hong Kong: MTR, trams, Octopus and the airport

Wikipedia reports a 10-line MTR rapid transit network plus 12 light rail lines, with 179 stations as of December 2022 and more than five and a half million trips on an average weekday. Octopus, the contactless stored-value card launched on 1 September 1997, works on the MTR, trams, buses and ferries according to Wikipedia, and Wikivoyage notes that some red minibuses do not accept it. A tourist version, Octopus for Tourists, launched in August 2020, and mobile versions exist. Check which options suit a longer stay.

Trams have run along the north shore of Hong Kong Island since 1904, according to the operator, and Wikipedia says they run mostly parallel to the Island line between Kennedy Town and Shau Kei Wan. Wikivoyage says passengers board at the rear and pay at the front, that trams run from 6 am to midnight and that they are not air-conditioned. The Star Ferry crosses the harbour between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central.

The Airport Express runs between Hong Kong station and the airport in 24 minutes, according to Wikipedia, with five stations on the line. Passengers on some airlines can check in and drop off bags at Hong Kong or Kowloon station before travelling.

Typhoons, humidity and seasons: when is Hong Kong easiest?

The Hong Kong Observatory says about 80 per cent of the rain falls between May and September, with June and August usually the wettest months and January and December the driest. Afternoon temperatures in summer often exceed 31°C. It names July to September as the most likely months for tropical cyclones affecting Hong Kong, and says they can occur from May to November, with September the most likely month.

Wikivoyage says typhoons seldom halt local business for more than a day and calls autumn a more comfortable season, since spring tends to be more humid and rainy. It puts typical winter temperatures between 10 and 20°C and says most buildings have air conditioning while winter heating is less common. The Observatory says urban temperatures can drop below 10°C.

For an expat arriving for the first time, the practical advice is to avoid booking a flight-critical day in typhoon season and to ask whether the building has backup arrangements. Wikivoyage's note about heating is worth remembering for a winter stay.

Practical tips for a long stay in Hong Kong

Ask for the exact floor area and whether the apartment has a washer. The long-stay accommodation checklist covers the questions to settle before booking, and the monthly serviced apartments guide explains how monthly terms work.

If you are moving for work, see serviced apartments for relocation for how temporary housing fits around a move, and the business travel serviced apartments guide if a company is arranging the stay. Walking a prospective address at night and in the rain is cheap and informative.

Comparing Hong Kong with other Asian bases

Many expats compare Hong Kong with other regional hubs. See Singapore neighbourhoods for longer stays, aparthotels and serviced apartments in Singapore, Tokyo and Bangkok for comparison.