Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

The Area
Tsim Sha Tsui today is known for its shopping, akin to Causeway Bay, hotel accommodation and tourist attractions. Many villages had been established in the location before Kowloon was ceded to the British Empire in 1860. TST in Chinese means Sandy Mouth and was a port that exported incense trees brought in form the New Territories. It was then known as the fragrant quay. After it was ceded to the British in 1860, TST was known as a garden community mainly for foreigners, but in the early 20th Century, it eventually became a place for the Chinese to live in order to encourage trade. Garden houses were replaced with crowded residential blocks and major developers such as Harmusjee Naorojee Mody and Catchick Paul Charter were active in the development of TST. In 1888 the development of the Star Ferry offered regular transportation between Central and TST and the area flourished ever since. Now, Tsim Sha Tsui remains a tertiary service sector provider (banking), as in Central, Admiralty and Wan Chai. Skyscrapers are largely being developed as the height restrictions have been dropped with the closing of the Kai Tak Airport.

Transportation
Tsim Sha Tsui is serviced by the MTR Tsuen Wan Line with the TST station exiting in all directions and to all major developments in the area. The KCR East Rail was extended from the Hung Hom Station in 2004, giving passengers easy access to the Chinese border. Ferry services such as the Star Ferry connect TST to Central and Wan Chai, various hydrofoil services out of Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal on Canton Road link TST to Macau, Guangzhou and other places in the Pearl River Delta. There is an extensive network of bus routes that make TST a destination or an en rout destination.

Schools
There are no international schools in the area.

Leisure Entertainment and Shopping
From the Ocean Terminal/Harbor City heading up Peking Rd. until Nathan Rd, there are a myriad of shopping, restaurants and entertainment hubs of all kinds which will dazzle your mind and senses. Chungking Mansion on the way offers cheap Indian dining options and Granville and Cameron Rd offer a great variety of cheap factory outlets for the night shoppers. Other than shopping, there is the greatest concentration of museums and cultural centers varying from the Science, Space, History and Art to the Cultural Center filled with exhibits and a perfect venue for shows of all kinds. The largest high-tech outdoor fountain show is in the Centenary Gardens and is called the Pillar of Heaven. During the holidays, the Tsim Sha Tsui and the Empire Center have the largest piece of festive lighting in the world. Exotic cuisines are found through Hillwood Rd at the North of Observatory Hill and into Knutsford Terrace. Kimberly street is famous for its Korean restaurant and is named Koreatown. Chungking Mansion, Georgetown Parade are also famous stops for Indian food and money changers. Kowloon Park is a popular destination. In the preserved Whitefield Camp, the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Center and the Health Education Exhibition and Resources Centers are located.