Chungking Mansions

Chungking Mansions is a famous building in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. It is located at 36-44 Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. The building is well-known as nearly the cheapest accommodation in Hong Kong with a single bed of US $8 one night. Though the building is supposedly residential, it is made up of many independent cheap hotels, shops, and other services. The strange atmosphere of this building is sometimes called by some "the scent of Kowloon's Walled City".

Chungking Mansions features a labyrinth of guesthouses, curry restaurants, African bistros, clothing shops, sari stores, and foreign exchange offices. It often acts as a large gathering place for some of the ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, particularly Indians, Middle Eastern people, Nepalese, Sri Lankans, Bangladeshis, Nigerians, Europeans, Americans, Pakistanis, and many other peoples of the world. The building was completed in 1961, at which time Chinese residents predominated. Now, after more than four decades of use, there are nearly 4,000 people living in the Mansions.

With this lively mix of guest workers, mainlanders, local Chinese, tourists and backpackers, the Chungking neighbourhood is one of the most culturally diverse locations in Hong Kong.

In a study by CUHK anthropologist Prof. Gordon Mathews, it is revealed that there are people from at least 120 different nationalities who have passed through Chungking Mansions in the past year. In the issue of TIME Magazine on May 7, 2007, Chungking Mansions was elected as the Best Example of Globalization in Action in its annual feature The Best of Asia .

Building structure and housing

Chungking Mansions is 17 stories tall and consists of 5 blocks, A, B, C, D, and E.

From the entrance, Blocks A, B, and C are on the left, while blocks D and E are on the right.

There are two lifts in each block, one of which serves even-numbered floors,

the other one odd-numbered floors; there is often a queue for this lift.

Stairs are also available.

Chungking Mansions contains the largest number of guesthouses in Hong Kong in one building,

with 1980 rooms in total. The rent is low, ranging from HK$60 to HK$380 per day (as of 2006).

Since it offers some of the cheapest rates in town, it has become a legendary haunt for backpackers and budget travellers.

It is not expensive to buy a flat in Chungking Mansions.

The price of a flat in the Mansions currently ranges from HK$1,000,000 to HK$2,000,000 (as of August 2006) or about US$150,000 to US$300,000.

Getting there

Since Chungking Mansions is in a good location, tourists can easily get there via various kinds of transport.

The building is not far from the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station, and several airport buses run by it (A21 No14-Bus Stop).

For tourists arriving from mainland China by train, the best way to reach there is to take the KCR to East Tsim Sha Tsui railway station from Lo Wu.

Businesses

While the Mansions nominally are intended for use as housing, there is a large variety of commercial establishments in the building.

Trading

The interesting combination of people in Chungking Mansions has caused a special trading environment to develop. Many businesses deal are import/export businesses of parallel goods to Asian and African countries.

Food

There are many restaurants inside that attract visitors from all over the world. For example, some small and family-run Indian and Pakistani restaurants with traditional Indian curry and Nepalese food are very well-known and have lot of customers from Hong Kong. These restaurants offer reasonable prices. Due to competition between the very large number of restaurants inside the Mansions that are similar in style, many of them send staff to distribute leaflets on the streets to aggressively promote their restaurants.

Money exchanging

There are many money changers in the lower floors of the Chungking Mansions to provide exchange services, due to the high number of people living or doing business there are from all over the world. However, note that in order to make money themselves, none will pay the official bank rate and none will exchange foreign coins or minimal amounts.

Local retailers

Chungking Mansions has a shopping arcade where the shops sell not only traditional items from all over the world, but also trendy goods. Some of the shops found in the Mansions are different from those that are outside on the streets, selling articles which are imported from Asia and Africa. Computers, DVDs and VCDs, clothing, and some traditional snacks from foreign countries can be found inside Chungking Mansions.

Internet Access

A number of cafes operate Internet access from the Chungking which along with text messaging has become a lifeline for immigrants. For example, one cafe operates in a small room with a half-height second story accessible by a ladder, but its friendly staff more than makes up for the close quarters.

Also, the density of population means that wireless service may be available, either because the wireless station operator has by default set up a *pro bono* service or intends to do so.

Surrounding environment

Chungking Mansions is located in one of the busiest districts of Hong Kong; there are many different kinds of shops around the Mansions. For example, the Update Mall, where one can find many shops selling clothing, accessories, and photo-stickers, is a few steps from the Mansions.

Kowloon Park is anchored by a Mosque and this structure and the park itself is a popular refuge from the crowding of the Chungking Mansions and the surrounding area. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre including the Museum of Art is conveniently close by.

Companies inside

Block A

 * TWH-Tai Wan Hotel Hong Kong
   Oriental Pearl Hostel
   Li's Hostel
   ChungKing Hotel
   Hong Kong Downtown Backpackers
   Tsim Sha Tsui Hostel

Block B

Block E

Kowloon Park

Hong Kong Museum of Art

Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Clock Tower, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Museum of History

Hong Kong Disneyland

Hong Kong Observatory

Wong Tai Sin Temple

Nathan Road, Hong Kong

Ocean Terminal, Hong Kong

The Peninsula Hong Kong

Hong Kong Science Museum

Hong Kong Space Museum

Star Ferry

Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre