The salty air whispers secrets. West Bay in Hong Kong. That’s where we stand now. Feel the mist on your face.
West Bay isn’t just a bay. It’s part of Sai Wan a historic area encompassing Sai Ying Pun Shek Tong Tsui Belcher Bay and Kennedy Town. For some it’s just Kennedy Town. A vital part of Victoria City it was.
Imagine the 1800s. Chinese immigrants found refuge here. Europeans lived nearby but separated by High Street. Sai Ying Pun blossomed. Sewers arrived in 1880. Streets were paved. But tragedy struck in the 1890s. A bubonic plague devastated Sheung Fung Lane. Tai Ping Shan suffered too.
Shek Tong Tsui. The name echoes from an ancient stone pond mined by Hakka people. Land reclamation in 1903 transformed the area. A fire destroyed brothels. Governor Nathan moved all of Hong Kong Island’s brothels to Shek Tong Tsui. It became a vibrant red-light district. Opera houses and restaurants thrived. Rouge the famous film captured this era.
Belcher Bay. Named for Edward Belcher who surveyed Hong Kong Harbour in 1841. It was once part of the ‘Bay of Trash’ along with Gin Drinkers Bay and Tseung Kwan O. Now it’s a bustling port. Ships load and unload goods. Belcher’s Street connects Victoria Road and Queen’s Road West.
Kennedy Town. The western edge of Victoria City. Named for Governor Arthur Edward Kennedy. Land reclamation in 1886 and later expanded the area. Seven boundary stones mark the city’s edge. One stands in Kennedy Town.
West Bay’s history isn’t confined to the past. The Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government is here. Many refer to West Bay as a metonym for the office itself. The past present and future intertwine here at West Bay. A testament to Hong Kong’s enduring spirit. A vibrant place of history change and resilience. Breathe it all in.