Conventions mingle with strip shows

Wan Chai, just east of Central, is one of Hong Kong’s oldest settlements. For as long as anyone can remember, it’s also been home to Hong Kong’s seamier side of life, first with prostitutes working over sailors as soon as they got off trading ships, then during the Vietnam War when it was a popular destination for U.S. servicemen. The World of Suzie Wong, Richard Mason’s 1957 novel that was made into a movie (worth watching for its shots of old Hong Kong) does an excellent job portraying the era’s prostitution and racial prejudice.

Although Wan Chai’s raunchier side still exists, especially along Lockhart, Jaffe, and Luard roads where there are strip shows and pickup bars, the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, a familiar sight on the waterfront with its curved roof and glass facade, has brought respectability, as well as an influx of business hotels and restaurants. Near the convention center and on the waterfront is Bauhinia Square, a popular spot for watching the nightly Symphony of Lights. Many Chinese companies are located here, along with a high density of residents. In other words, Wan Chai has a bit of everything, making it difficult to categorize this slice of Hong Kong life.