Soho

Named for its location, South of Hollywood Road, Hong Kong’s Soho lives up to the bohemian reputation of its namesake, with a maze of shops, restaurants and bars that teem with life day and night. Less glamorous than its upmarket neighbour Lan Kwai Fong, it’s the haunt of cash-strapped students and travellers with an eye for fashion and a taste for the good things in life.Soho covers the area between Hollywood Road and Queen’s Road Central, and one of the best ways to get there is by escalator. The 800-metre Central-Mid-levels Escalator is the world’s longest outdoor covered system, built in 1933 to take residents of the affluent Mid-levels down the steep hill to the Central business district. During the morning and evening commute the escalator is packed with office workers, while at other times of the day and evening it offers a quick and convenient route for Soho’s shoppers and sightseers, diners and clubbers.Soho by day is a great place to hunt for bargains among the eclectic jumble of fashion boutiques, art galleries, antique stalls and furniture shops. You’re sure to spot something interesting and different that you won’t find in the chain stores. After exhausting the shops, grab a bite to eat in one of the countless restaurants that line the streets. Look out for venues that advertise “tea sets” – cut-price menus usually served between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Go native with rice balls and dim sum in a traditional Asian eatery, sample alternative cuisines from the four corners of the world, or play it safe in one of the excellent Western-style restaurants that are tried and tested by choosy expats.Soho by night is one long party, starting with “happy hour” in the early evening when you can kick-start the fun with half-price drinks. As the sun goes down, the lights go on in the bars and clubs and the streets are packed with revellers. It’s a perfect place to make friends and mingle with Hong Kong’s hip crowd.The Central-Mid-levels escalator begins at the junction of Cochrane Street and Queen’s Road Central, and is reached from Exit C of the MTR Central station.