Introduction

Looking up the plight of steps in Sai Ying Pun can easily turn a person off, but don't let that get to you! If you turn away and wander off, you'll be missing out on all the goodies that awaits you in this hidden gem.

Whether you're looking for a good story, a visit down memory lane, a detailed take on the environment, a look into people's lives, or if your tummy is just constantly rumbling, you've landed on the right blog! So click and read away but most importanly...

(Members from left to right: Romina, Jacqueline, Troy, Kammy, and Winnie)

Enjoy! :)

An Old Hong Kong in Modern Hong Kong

Although Sai Ying Pun is an area in Hong Kong and well known to Hong Kong citizens, I have never been here in my whole life.

This was my first time to Sai Ying Pun, so I was very excited about the excursion trip that I just couldn't sleep the night before, which resulted in me waking up late the next morning. We were supposed to meet at the Sheung Wan MTR station at 1:30pm, but I woke up at 1:15pm. OH MY GOSH!!! My group mates decided to have lunch first. Meanwhile, I tried my best to join them as soon as possible. 

Ladder Street

I finally met my group mates at 2:45pm, but another challenge was already waiting – the ladder street! Ladder Street literally consists of only steps. I used up all my energy to climb up these steep steps. Then, we headed north directly to our destination.

Western District Community Centre

 After a 15 minute walk, we reached Sai Ying Pun. An old Hong Kong was the first impression I had. Here at Sai Ying Pun, lots of historic buildings could be found, such as Hong Kong Kau Yan Church and Western District Community Centre. These buildings made me feel I have travelled back to the British colonial period. Furthermore, people living here all had a slow pace, like the old times. Unlike typical Hong Kong citizens, they ate slowly, walked slowly, worked slowly, and they never rushed, not even one of them. Everyone seemed to be enjoying their life in Sai Ying Pun.



By looking at the people, I fell into a temporal illusion. Although I have been in Sai Ying Pun for just 2 hours, I felt like I have been there for 2 weeks. This was not something bad. On the contrary, I fancied having this experience.

Indeed, Sai Ying Pun is where I long for. As I dislike the fast pace of Hong Kong, I always wish to live in a place where to be in a hurry is not necessary. And now, I have found it – Sai Ying Pun. Hence, I have made up my mind... I will move to Sai Ying Pun in the future.

Written by Troy

Historic Haunted House

  This is the famous “ghost house” on High Street, named “Sai Ying Pun Community Complex”. Although many locals regard it as a haunted place, it has a history of 120 years and an extraordinary architectural style.

This kind of building is rarely seen in Hong Kong. It is similar to Italianate Renaissance architecture. As we see in the picture, the block is built with a base of granite boulders and several solid square columns. The elegant appearance among the modern buildings in Sai Ying Pun obviously stands out in a unique way. In virtue of the special architecture style, it was assessed to be one of the Grade I Historic Buildings in Hong Kong.


The building has been located here since 1892. Originally, it was a dormitory for European nurses of the Civil Hospital. In the 1940s, it became a mental hospital for patients nearby. During the Japanese occupation period, rumour has it that the Japanese used the building for maltreatment towards the war prisoners. After the liberation of Hong Kong, it was recovered to be a mental hospital again. In 1961, due to the establishment of Castle Peak Hospital, it was changed into a day patient clinic for mentally ill patients. Ten years later, the clinic was removed and the building was kept abandoned until its reconstruction in 2001 and is now today’s community centre.

Sai Ying Pun Community Complex

The view from 3rd floor of Sai Ying Pun Community Complex

As the building was a mental hospital and rumored to be a place of execution before, the building has been said to be full of the hatred of the souls of the departed. During the period of abandonment, haunted stories were heard one after another. Up to now, we could still hear of people exploring the ghosts inside. Our group had gone into the building that day. We were not sure if it was our psycho-effect or some other “effects”, but the desolate environment and the silence throughout the area made us feel uncomfortable.

Written by Kammy

Along the Slope

Sai Ying Pun, ‘Sai’ meaning 'west' in Chinese, is located in the west of Sheung Wan, east of Shek Tong Tsui, north of Bonham Road and south of Victoria Harbor on Hong Kong Island. It was built on top of steep mountain slopes made of granite and flat reclamation areas extending along the north coast. The streets are divided horizontally, the First, Second, Third and High street; then vertically, the Eastern and Western street, forming a rectangle which resembles the shape of the Chinese word ‘目’.

The unique geographical composition of Sai Ying Pun makes it the perfect place for stairs and slopes. The up-and-down curves are complicated and indirect, and, because of the same reason, this area is often used to film racing scenes in local movies. It also has its charm when the old style five story houses create a big contrast with the skyscrapers that are seen in the background.

As it is multi-layered, according to the hill's shape, it is not difficult to find classical masonry stone retaining walls, which not only alleviates hazards from landslides but also provides a growing site for rare stone wall trees.  

  In Sai Ying Pun, where roads are narrow, greenery is often not taken into consideration and, under this circumstance, stone wall trees, usually banyans, take up no additional ground space and sprout between the open joints of the constructed walls. It has high ecological values, including shielding the pathways from heat in summer time, providing habitats for birds and insects, ensuring the wall integrity by absorbing excess water and improving the air quality by filtering dust and particulates.

 

When walking up the steep slopes or long stairs of Sai Ying Pun, you'd want to take a break to catch your breathe, but try to think of the strong survival will of the stone wall trees and you will definitely have the motivation to move on.

Written by Romina

Inhabitant in an Urban Area

Since the Sai Ying Pun MTR station is not accessible just yet, people who want to go to Sai Ying Pun by MTR must get off at Sheung Wan Station. It takes around fifteen minutes to walk from Sheung Wan to Sai Ying Pun. Although these two places are very close, the people in these two areas have totally different styles.

Busy Hong Kongers

When you leave the exit of the Sheung Wan Station, you can see most people wearing suits and holding a briefcase. Some people are crossing the road in a hurry. Some are talking on the phone or using their iPads. All of them have a poker face on and seem busy. Even the people sitting in restaurants having their lunch are also hard at work on their phones. They are so focused on the screen that, I think, they forgot what they are eating.

After you walk through Sheung Wan and step in to Sai Ying Pun, everything changes. The movement of the people becomes slower than that of Sheung Wan. Most of them are in casual wear and the smile on faces makes others feel comfortable. When primary school students are leaving with their parents, the children talk loudly with them and tell them about what had happened at school. Sometimes I could hear them laughing about something funny that happened. When I was passing one of the restaurants in Sai Ying Pun, I saw people really enjoying their food. At one of the tables, customers were talking to a man who seemed to be the owner of the restaurant. The big smile on their faces show that they were happy to talk to each other.

Although Sheung Wan is a place where people are always busy, Sai Ying Pun, a place close to Sheung Wan, has a totally different aspect. The people in Sai Ying Pun know how to enjoy their lives while those in Sheung Wan always focus on their job.

Written by Winnie

Long Lost Delicacies

Hong Kong has been known to be a paradise for international cuisine, and foodies like me have known and tasted the wonders that places like Central and Mong Kok have to offer. Unfortunately for Sai Ying Pun, most people won’t even go past Soho or the Western Market in Sheung Wan to grab a bite to eat. I myself believed that the Island starts in Chai Wan and ends at Sheung Wan, but little did I know that beyond this area lies a gourmet’s heaven.


All those steps that connect the streets of Sai Ying Pun can easily get a person to work up an appetite with all that climbing. While walking up Eastern Street to High Street, I’m already welcomed by local and international delicacies from old and new Hong Kong. To my left, I see an old-school bakery that still sells their bread on separate hot pans stacked on top of one another, and right next to it, a good ol’ won ton noodles restaurant. To my right, it seems as though the world has turned and time has gone forward as I see a Mexican taco joint, Taco Chaca, serving everything from burritos to cheesy nachos... muy bien.

The variety of restaurants in Sai Ying Pun caters to anyone’s appetite. It’s home to renowned vegetarian restaurant Grassroots Pantry, which promises an incredibly healthy experience for diners. We also see the likes of Japanese teppanyaki at BBQ and genuine Italian eats at Jack’s Pizzeria. If desserts are what one aims for, Sweet Classroom gives their diners a treat with their classroom themed décor and delicious local desserts like milk tea pudding, and Eat My Cakes bakes some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever tasted.

All those mentioned were just a few of the many goodies one can find in Sai Ying Pun. With its continuous development, this up-and-coming neighbourhood has been getting more attention; which is perfect for us foodies because that just means more places to discover and try out!

Written by Jacqueline

Transportation Information

If you want to pay a visit to Sai Ying Pun as well, here is some information that may help you:

1) Take the MTR and get off at the Sheung  Wan Station;
2) Take the A2 exit and go to Hillier Street;
3) Take either No. 1 or No. 5B of the Citybus;
4) Get off at the "Centre Street" Station

OR, you may also choose to take the tram to get to Sai Ying Pun:
Get off either at the "Eastern Street" or the "Western Street" Stop

"Eastern Street" Stop

"Western Street" Stop