Not as trendy as Causeway Bay, not as glamorous as Central, not as quirky as Wan Chai. North Point is not the kind of neighbourhood you fall in love with at first sight, but don’t dismiss it out of hand – give it a chance and its unpretentious, eclectic charm will soon win you over.
North Point has always been known as a magnet for immigrants, especially the Shanghainese who came in droves during the instability of the Chinese civil war, which ended with a Communist victory in 1949. They brought with them a love of entertaining, turning North Point into one of the city’s main leisure destinations. But the area has also been known as a military base and site for large scale infrastructure projects. The North Point Battery, built in 1879, was followed by the Royal Yacht Club in 1900. In 1919, Hong Kong’s second power station was built in North Point, servicing Hong Kong Island until it was decommissioned in 1978.
In recent years, gentrification has swooped down on North Point. Boutique hotels and luxury micro-apartments now sit next to ageing apartment blocks, decades-old street markets and shabby malls. Will the two continue to co-exist, or will the new completely push away the old? That remains to be seen. For now, there’s plenty to explore.
1/ Electric Road, Power Street, Tong Shui Street, Fort Street
2/ Tin Hau Temple
10 Tin Hau Temple Road, Tin Hau. Open daily, 7:00-17:00.
3/ Chun Yeung Street / North Point Wet Market
160 Tsat Tsz Mui Road, North Point. Open daily, 6:00-20:00. Tel. +851 2564 1381; +852 2563 4340.
4/ State Theatre
279-291 King’s Road, North Point.
In a way, the history of the State Theatre epitomises the rise and fall of North Point as a centre of entertainment. Built by impresario Harry Odell as the Empire Theatre in 1952, the place was as glamorous as movie theatres could get back in those days, with a 56-foot cinema screen, a diamond-shaped ceiling and 1,400 seats. An adjacent shopping mall and block of flats were built in 1958, and the following year it was renamed State Theatre. In the years that followed, it played host to legendary Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng, among other celebrity performers.
The theatre is also known for its unique architecture: a listed Grade I historic site, it is the only Hong Kong building in possession of a an arch bridge roof structure, which created a column-free auditorium for the theatre. In 1997, the State Theatre shut down after 45 years of service. Walking into the theatre’s rundown mall on a weekday evening reveals a strong musky aroma with a distinct mix of old leather and incense. There is dust everywhere, and half the shop gates have relocation notices stuck on them.
Being conferred Grade I status hasn’t shielded the State Theatre from threat of development. When New World Development, a majority owner of the whole State Theatre site, which includes the former theatre space, shops in the arcade and the residential block, declared that it’d redevelop the building, the city’s heritage buffs got to work. The result was a full-blown public awareness and advocacy campaign that included videos about Odell and testimonies from well-known Hong Kong actor Kenneth Tsang Kong. It was only then did New World changed its tune, saying that it would consider measures to conserve the theatre.
5/ Sunbeam Theatre
423 King’s Road, North Point. Hours vary according to performances; see website. Tel. +852 2856 0162.
6/ Tsat Tsz Mui Road
Many a child have been haunted by the backstory to Tsat Tsz Mui Road, whose name translates as “Seven Sisters Road.” According to urban legend, there were seven women who lived in North Point during the 19th century. Though not related by blood, they pledged their lives to each other. When one was forced into marriage, they decided to commit suicide by jumping into the sea together. Once a tranquil beach, Tsat Tsz Mui Road is now a humble artery that runs through the eastern part of North Point, best known for restaurants of all types and sizes, from Cantonese to Indian.
7/ Model Housing Estate / North Point Housing Estate
740-748 King’s Road, Quarry Bay.
8/ Ritz Ballroom
885-939 King’s Road, Quarry Bay.
Art Exploration
9/ Oi!
12 Oil Street, North Point. Open Monday, 14:00-20:00; Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-20:00. Tel. +852 2512 3000.
10/ Para Site Art Space
22/F, Wing Wah Industrial Building, 677 King’s Road, Quarry Bay. Open Wednesday-Sunday, 12:00-19:00; closed on Monday, Tuesday and public holidays. Tel. +852 2517 4620.
Secret shopping
11/ Sam Kee bookstore
Shop 19, B/F, King’s Centre, 193-209 King’s Road, North Point. Open Monday-Saturday, 12:30-22:00. Tel. +852 2578 5956.
12/ Chinese Goods Centre
395 King’s Road, North Point. Open daily, 10:30-21:30. Tel. +852 2856 0333.
Café life and eateries
13/ MOM Livehouse
B39, 7 Seas Shopping Centre, 113-121 King’s Road, North Point. Open for performances; see website. Tel. +852 9770 0200.
14/ Brew Note Roaster
19 Fort Street, North Point. Open Monday-Friday, 8:30-19:00; Saturday-Sunday, 8:30-20:00. Tel. +852 2562 9990.
15/ Coffee 101
Shop 12, G/F, Braemar Hill Shopping Centre, 45 Braemar Hill Road. Open Monday-Friday, 8:00-18:00; Saturday-Sunday, 10:00-18:00. Tel. +852 2338 2521.
16/ Kam Ping Street
Outdoor exploration
17/ Aroma Walk
Tin Hau Fragrant Flower Pathway, Tin Hau Temple Road, North Point.