The Central district is the heart of Hong Kong. It forms the city's financial, business and administrative core, the key banks, hotels and smart shops are here, and its ranks of high-rise buildings make up the most dramatic portion of the city's fabled skyline. Whether you're staying locally or not, it is an area you will come back to time and again.

Many of the key sights are here: the Star Ferry terminal, the Lower Peak Tram Terminal (for access to the Victoria Peak) and the Hong Kong Park and its fascinating Museum of Tea Ware. So, too, are many of the key streets - Queen's Road, Des Voeux Road and Connaught Road - as well as some of the best shopping centres, notably the Landmark and Prince's Building. 

For many years Central was Hong Kong. After the Union Jack was planted on Hong Kong Island in 1841 (on a spot a little to the west of the district's present core), the area, which became known as Victoria, developed quickly, thanks largely to its proximity to the harbour. Some of the earliest trading houses established their headquarters here, notably Jardine Matheson & Co and Butterfield & Co - their descendants retain a presence to this day - and for years the area remained a predominantly European enclave. 

Over the years land reclamation has pushed the waterfront further from Central's old historic centre, though this has done little to diminish the area's importance - real estate here is still some of Asia's most expensive -nor the sense that this is the part of the city where East and West are most spectacularly combined.

Small and reasonably compact, the Central area is easily seen on foot, as is the district to the west - Sheung Wan -though you may want to take a tram to reach the key districts to the east: Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. Crossing between Central and Kowloon across the harbour could hardly be easier - just jump aboard the Star Ferry.