Discover with Timothy
21st Anniversary as Content Creator

Soho 荷南美食區, Hong Kong

Soho nightclubs, Central, Hong KongSoho nightclubs, Central, Hong Kong
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HK_Central_night_%E4%BC%8A%E5%88%A9%E8%BF%91%E8%A1%97_Elgin_Street_Soho_Bourbon_St_bar_shop_
Cafe_de_Paris_Sept-2010.JPG
Author: Zhoungshong
photo licensing

Soho 荷南美食區 is an entertainment precinct within Central, on Hong Kong Island. The name Soho, which first came into use in Hong Kong in 1996, is derived from "South of Hollywood Road", in similar fashion to how SoHo in New York City got its name. Nonetheless the people who named it probably had Soho entertainment district in London in mind. The area is centred around Staunton Street and Elgin Street.

The rejuvenation of Soho is attributed to the Central-Mid-levels Escalator, which opened in 1993, making it easier to reach the area. Until then, Soho was just a grimmy, dilapidated area populated mostly by the elderly. The opening of the escalator resulted in a urban transformation, bringing in restaurants and night clubs to the area. It has the first full time comedy club in Asia.

As with elsewhere in downtown Hong Kong, Soho is a densely developed, congested area with high rises all closely packed together. Most of the buildings here have commercial businesses on the ground level and residences on the upper floors. The flats here were favored by expatriates as it is within walking distance to the business district.

Shelley Street-Staunton Street Intersection, SohoShelley Street-Staunton Street Intersection, Soho
Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HK_Central_Soho_%E4%BE%9D%E5%88%A9%E8%BF%91%E8%A1%97_Elgin_Street_Shelley_Street_Nov-2010.JPG
Author: Lapovims
photo licensing

The Democratic Party was against having the area named Soho, preferring to have it called the Elgin/Staunton Street Themed Dining Area, in an affort to dissociate the area with alcohol consumption. It was like trying to empty the ocean.

What to see in Soho

  1. Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum
    Museum celebrating the renowned Chinese statesman, housed in Kom Tong Hall at Castle Road.

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

 Discover with Timothy Food Channel

 Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

 Share your travels and/or ask a travel-related question

Join the Penang Travel Tips Facebook Group to share photos, tips and anything related to your travels, or ask travel-related questions.

Map of Roads in Penang

Looking for information on Penang? Use this Map of Roads in Penang to zoom in on information about Penang, brought to you road by road.

Discover with Timothy

Let me take you to explore and discover Penang through my series of walking tours on YouTube. You may use these videos as your virtual tour guide. At the beginning of each video, I provide the starting point coordinates which you may key into your GPS, Google Maps or Waze, to be navigated to where I start the walk, and use the video as your virtual tour guide.

Disclaimer

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. The author endeavours to update the information on this page from time to time, but regrets any inaccuracies if there be any.

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Copyright © 2003-2024 Timothy Tye. All Rights Reserved.