Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan is one of the oldest thoroughfares in Hong Kong. Today, this culturally significant road and the web of narrow, hilly streets surrounding it are rapidly gentrifying, with the area of Taipingshan Street in particular having transformed into a trendy enclave of cafes, galleries and hip boutiques. Despite the forces of change that grip this historic part of the city, one doesn’t have to look far to find physical relics of the past and old trades that are still going as strong as ever. In fact, the old and the new often stand cheek-by-jowl in this still essentially quiet and pleasant area of Hong Kong Island, and it’s this layered mix of lifestyles, architecture and urban scenery from different periods in time that lends Sheung Wan its distinctive character. On this tour we’ll see this fascinating mix of history and modern-day buzz that Sheung Wan has to offer. Tour Highlights - Hear local trade stories and get a few life tips from the female owner of a classic tai pai dong (street side canteen), who is herself a Sheung Wan native, through and through - Visit vintage Chinese shops that sell i) inventive paper offerings that the living burn for the dead and ii) quirky Chinese medicine. At these stops, we’ll explain the ins and outs of the wares on sale as well as how the trades they belong to are quintessentially Sheung Wan - Hear stories of humour and surprise from colonial Hong Kong at important sites of Chinese religious worship, both on and off the beaten track. We’ll appreciate and decipher a beautiful piece of Chinese temple architecture, as well as explain Chinese folk religious beliefs and practices, along with their importance to Sheung Wan and the history of the city as a whole - Set foot on the epicentre of the devastating bubonic plague of 1894, which was the worst public health disaster ever to befall Hong Kong, and learn about how the episode changed the city forever - See and discuss the good and the bad of the wave of gentrification that is sweeping through Sheung Wan, as we slow our steps, surrounded by a unique backdrop of heritage architecture, and re-engage with our fair city Language English (Cantonese and Mandarin options are available for private group bookings. Please email [email protected] for details.) Meeting point Upper fountain at Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen's Road Central (Nearest MTR Exit: Sheung Wan E1) Price $250 per person for a scheduled walk. Tour duration: Approximately 2.5 hours