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Causeway Bay and Wan Chai Travel Guide
Buy Hong Kong DollarsCauseway Bay and Wan Chai at a glance
Causeway Bay and Wan Chai, east of Admiralty on Hong Kong Island, are the city's shopping and nightlife districts: department stores and malls around Times Square, the green expanse of Victoria Park, and in Wan Chai an old-and-new mix of markets, restaurant streets and the harbourfront convention centre. Both are on the MTR Island Line, a few minutes from Central.
On most Wednesday nights from September to July, Happy Valley Racecourse holds Happy Wednesday: floodlit racing ringed by towers, with gates opening two hours before the first race, usually between 6:40 pm and 7:15 pm. The public enclosure costs HK$10, but visitors aged 18 or over get in free on their passport, and the Tourist Badge for the Members' Enclosure costs HK$130. Under-18s are not allowed in. The 2026/27 season runs to 14 July 2027, and a few Wednesday meetings move to Sha Tin, so check the fixture list.
Victoria Park is free and open 24 hours, busy with tai chi in the early morning. Golden Bauhinia Square on the Wan Chai harbourfront holds a flag-raising ceremony at 8 am every day and is a good spot for the 8 pm Symphony of Lights. For cheap eats, the cooked-food centre at Bowrington Road Market is open from 6 am to 2 am.
Indian passport holders can stay 14 days visa-free after the free online Pre-arrival Registration. There is no sales tax, but most restaurants add a 10% service charge and hotels a 3% accommodation tax.
What to see and do
The highlights in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai, and which of them cost anything.
Happy Valley Racecourse
Wednesday-night racing from September to July. The public enclosure is free for visitors aged 18 and over who show a passport (HK$10 otherwise), and under-18s are not admitted.
Victoria Park
Causeway Bay's big green space, free and open 24 hours, with tai chi groups in the early morning and big fairs at Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn.
Golden Bauhinia Square
The gilded bauhinia sculpture outside the convention centre on the Wan Chai harbourfront, with a flag-raising ceremony at 8 am daily and harbour views.
Paying in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai
For the Hong Kong dollar itself, entry rules for Indians, Octopus and how much cash to carry, see the Hong Kong travel guide, and our guide to the Hong Kong dollar against the rupee.
Octopus or a contactless Visa or Mastercard pays on the MTR, including the Airport Express; RuPay is not on the MTR's list of accepted cards. A standard Octopus costs HK$200, including a HK$50 refundable deposit, and the Tourist Octopus sold at the airport costs HK$170, of which HK$128 is usable value. Keep HK$500 to HK$1,000 in cash for the wet markets and small stalls, and when a terminal or ATM offers rupees, choose Hong Kong dollars.
What Causeway Bay and Wan Chai actually costs
Set the length and style of your trip to see what to budget, in Hong Kong dollars and Indian rupees.
Indicative, excluding international flights and accommodation, per person per day. Converted at the verified mid-market rate on 3 October 2026, HK$1 ≈ ₹12.27, not a Matrix board rate.
Budget roughly ₹4,300 to ₹19,640 per person per day on the ground, excluding flights and accommodation.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Happy Valley public enclosure | Free for visitors 18+ with a passport; HK$10 otherwise |
| Happy Valley Tourist Badge (Members' Enclosure) | HK$130 |
| Victoria Park and Golden Bauhinia Square | Free |
| Cha chaan teng meal | HK$40-90 |
| Standard Octopus (includes HK$50 deposit) | HK$200 |
Getting around
Wan Chai and Causeway Bay are one or two stops apart on the MTR Island Line, the trams run through both along Hennessy Road, and walking between them takes 15 to 20 minutes. For Happy Valley, walk about 15 minutes from Causeway Bay MTR, or take a tram to the Happy Valley terminus beside the course.
Common mistakes in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai
Flying without a PAR slip
Airlines check the printed, signed Pre-arrival Registration slip at boarding and turn away passengers without one. It is free and usually approved instantly online.
Bringing children to the races
Under-18s are not allowed into Happy Valley Racecourse at all, even with an adult.
Paying at the racecourse gate
Show your passport: visitors aged 18 and over get into the public enclosure free. Without it, entry is HK$10 by Octopus.
Assuming every Wednesday is at Happy Valley
A few Wednesday meetings in 2026/27 move to Sha Tin, and there is no racing in the summer break. Check the Jockey Club fixture list.
Causeway Bay and Wan Chai FAQs
Not for stays of up to 14 days, but you must complete the free online Pre-arrival Registration (PAR) with the Immigration Department before you travel. Approval is usually instant. Print the slip on blank A4 paper and sign it, because airlines check it at boarding. It is valid for six months and several visits, your passport needs at least six months' validity, and a new passport needs a new PAR.
The public enclosure costs HK$10, but visitors aged 18 or over get in free on their passport. The Tourist Badge for the Members' Enclosure costs HK$130.
Mostly on Wednesday nights from September to mid-July, with gates opening two hours before the first race, usually between 6:40 pm and 7:15 pm. A few Wednesdays move to Sha Tin, so check the fixture list.
No. Under-18s are not allowed into Happy Valley Racecourse, even with an adult.
One or two stops on the MTR Island Line, a tram along Hennessy Road, or a 15 to 20 minute walk.
On 3 October 2026 one Hong Kong dollar was ₹12.27 at the mid-market rate, so HK$100 is about ₹1,230.
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