Sham Shui Po district guide: housing, transport and school nets
Sham Shui Po district covers Sham Shui Po, Cheung Sha Wan, Lai Chi Kok, Mei Foo, Shek Kip Mei, Nam Cheong and Yau Yat Chuen. It has many walk-up tenements, and large estates at Mei Foo and around Lai Chi Kok and Nam Cheong stations. The Tsuen Wan and Tuen Ma lines serve it, and the district is Primary One school net 40.
What is Sham Shui Po district like?
Sham Shui Po district is in north-west Kowloon. Sham Shui Po itself is a long-established working-class neighbourhood with street markets and clusters of fabric and electronics shops; Cheung Sha Wan and Lai Chi Kok have changed from factory areas to offices; and Yau Yat Chuen is a low-density residential area.
The area names most used when searching are Sham Shui Po, Cheung Sha Wan, Lai Chi Kok, Mei Foo, Shek Kip Mei, Yau Yat Chuen and Nam Cheong.
What kinds of home are there?
The older parts of Sham Shui Po and Cheung Sha Wan have many walk-up tenements, and subdivided units are common. Mei Foo Sun Chuen is the largest private estate in the district. Banyan Garden, Liberté, The Pacifica and Aqua Marine near Lai Chi Kok Station, and the estate above Nam Cheong Station, are newer large estates.
Public estates include Shek Kip Mei Estate and So Uk Estate; Yau Yat Chuen is mainly houses and low-density homes.
How do you get around?
The Tsuen Wan Line stops at Sham Shui Po, Cheung Sha Wan, Lai Chi Kok and Mei Foo; the Tuen Ma Line at Nam Cheong and Mei Foo; the Tung Chung Line at Nam Cheong; and the Kwun Tong Line at Shek Kip Mei. The West Kowloon Highway and Ching Cheung Road lead towards the New Territories and the airport. Yau Yat Chuen is closer to Kowloon Tong Station.
Schools and school nets
For Primary One central allocation, Sham Shui Po district is school net 40 (Sham Shui Po District).
Nets are drawn by home address and may change each year, so check the address against the Education Bureau's information before buying or renting. For secondary school places, Sham Shui Po district is one secondary school net, and a pupil's net follows the district of the primary school attended, not the home address.
Shops, parks and services
Sham Shui Po is full of street markets, the Apliu Street stalls and fabric shops, and prices are relatively low. The district has malls such as Dragon Centre, Lai Chi Kok Park and Caritas Medical Centre.
What should you check when looking in Sham Shui Po?
These points come up often in this district. The details of an individual home still need checking with the lister one by one.
- Subdivided units: tenancies are regulated by Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance, so before signing learn the rules on the term, rent increases and utility charges, and check the separate meters and fire safety arrangements.
- Walk-ups: check the state of the stairs and common areas, any unauthorised structures, and whether the building is under a repair order.
- Flats near the West Kowloon Highway or railway tracks: listen for road and train noise at different times of day.
- Redevelopment: find out whether the building is inside a renewal project and how nearby works will affect it.
Common questions
Which school net is Sham Shui Po district in?
For Primary One central allocation, Sham Shui Po district is school net 40 (Sham Shui Po District). Nets are drawn by address and may change each year, so rely on the Education Bureau's information for an individual address.
Where in Sham Shui Po district are the newer estates?
The newer large estates are around Lai Chi Kok Station, Nam Cheong Station and the Cheung Sha Wan waterfront; the older streets near Sham Shui Po and Cheung Sha Wan stations are mainly walk-ups and redeveloped single blocks.