View source for Lan Kwai Fong

{{Short description|Small square of streets in Central, Hong Kong}}
{{EngvarB|date = April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{For|the 2011 Hong Kong film|Lan Kwai Fong (film)}}
{{Redirect|LKF}}
{{Refimprove|date=September 2007}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Lan Kwai Fong
| native_name             = {{native name|zh-Hant-HK|蘭桂坊}}
|settlement_type          = 
| image_skyline           = LKF Street View01.jpg
| image_caption           = The area is home to many bars catering to expats
| coordinates             = {{Coord|22.280972|114.155528}}
| coor_pinpoint           =
| coordinates_footnotes   =
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = [[Hong Kong]]
| subdivision_type1       = Neighborhood
| subdivision_name1       = [[Central, Hong Kong]]
| area_total_sq_mi        = 
| population_total        = 
| population_as_of        = 
| population_density_sq_mi= 
| timezone1               =
| utc_offset1             =
| mapframe          = yes
| mapframe-zoom     = 17
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| mapframe-point    = none
}}
{{Chinese
|t=蘭桂坊
|h=Lan<sup>2</sup> Gui<sup>4</sup> Fong<sup>1</sup>
|y=Làahn Gwai Fōng
|ci={{IPAc-yue|l|aan|4|-|gw|ai|3|-|f|ong|1}}
|j=Laan4 Gwai3 Fong1
|p=Lánguì Fāng
}}
[[File:Lan Kwai Fong during day.JPG|thumb|Lan Kwai Fong in 2011]]
[[File:HK Central 蘭桂坊 Lan Kwai Fong 加州大廈 Carlifornia Tower Dec-2015 DSC CIAO Chow restaurant 026.JPG|thumb|Lan Kwai Fong in 2015]]

'''Lan Kwai Fong''' ([[Traditional Chinese characters|Chinese]]: 蘭桂坊), often abbreviated as '''LKF''', is a small square of streets in [[Central, Hong Kong|Central]], [[Hong Kong]]. The area was dedicated to [[Hawkers in Hong Kong|hawkers]] before the [[Second World War]], but underwent a renaissance in the mid-1980s. It is now a popular [[expatriate]] haunt in [[Hong Kong]] for drinking, clubbing, and dining. The street Lan Kwai Fong is L-shaped with two ends joining with [[D'Aguilar Street]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hongkong/island/lan-kwai-fong.htm|title=Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong: Famous Bar Street, Budget|website=www.travelchinaguide.com|access-date=2020-04-17}}</ref>

==Location==
Lan Kwai Fong as an area is defined by D'Aguilar Street and the smaller lane, Lan Kwai Fong, an L-shaped, cobble-stoned lane. Both streets turn 90 degrees to form a rectangle. It is near the [[Mid-Levels]]. Its eating and drinking establishments are considered upmarket in price and the area is also considered a tourist spot. From the west side of the rectangle, [[Wo On Lane]] and [[Wing Wah Lane]] extend to host several more spots for drinks and food. The area arguably extends to [[Wellington Street, Hong Kong|Wellington Street]] and [[Wyndham Street]], through to the [[Fringe Club|Hong Kong Fringe Club]]. It is also home to a small number of [[art galleries]].

==History==
Before the Second World War, Lan Kwai Fong was dedicated to [[Hawker (trade)|hawkers]].

In early days, the square housed many [[mui yan]] ({{Lang|zh-HK|媒人}}), female marriage arrangers who were intermediaries between two families in traditional times. It was consequently known as '''Mui Yan Hong''' or '''Hung Leung Hong'''. {{cn|date=December 2015}}

After the opening of the disco club "Disco Disco" by Gordon Huthart on 23 December 1978 in the basement of 40 [[D'Aguilar Street]], the development of the Lan Kwai Fong area accelerated, and it became known worldwide. The disco club was popular among celebrities and [[expats]] until it closed in 1986.<ref>{{Cite web|last=馮敏兒|date=2015-11-07|title=今晚落老蘭？蘭桂坊的前世今生|url=https://theinitium.com/article/20151107-culture-lankwaifong/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310163420/https://theinitium.com/article/20151107-culture-lankwaifong/|archive-date=2021-03-10|access-date=2018-02-22|website=端傳媒}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-02-23|title=【TBT】WHY THE 70S CLUBS CHANGED HONG KONG'S NIGHTLIFE EVER SINCE|url=http://www.milkx.com/zh/living-culture/TBT+WHY+THE+70S+CLUBS+CHANGED+HONG+KONGS+NIGHTLIFE+EVER+SINCE|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310163356/http://www.milkx.com/zh/living-culture/TBT+WHY+THE+70S+CLUBS+CHANGED+HONG+KONGS+NIGHTLIFE+EVER+SINCE|archive-date=2021-03-10|website=MILKX}}</ref>

Inspired by [[Montreal]]'s [[Crescent Street]], the Montreal-raised businessman [[Allan Zeman]] opened a restaurant called "California" on Lan Kwai Fong in 1983, as a place for expats,<ref>{{Cite news|title='The future is China': Billionaire from Montreal becomes vocal Beijing booster in embattled Hong Kong|language=en-CA|work=nationalpost|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/world/the-future-is-china-billionaire-from-montreal-becomes-vocal-beijing-booster-in-embattled-hong-kong|access-date=2021-12-20}}</ref> earning him the nickname "the Father of Lan Kwai Fong" ({{Zh|t=蘭桂坊之父|labels=no}}). 

Between 2011 and 2015, a massive change was underway, following Zeman's decision to replace his block in Lan Kwai Fong, which led to a substantial area of Lan Kwai Fong becoming a construction site.

==Special occasions==
The crowds during special occasions such as [[Halloween]] or [[New Year's Eve]] put the place at a literal standstill with the large numbers. [[Hong Kong Police Force|Police]] control is employed at such times, to manage the crowds.<ref name="nanfangdaily1">[http://www1.nanfangdaily.com.cn/b5/www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/zt/rdzt/hkhg10/200706120014.asp 蘭桂坊：廿四味與啤酒共存] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003425/http://www1.nanfangdaily.com.cn/b5/www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/southnews/zt/rdzt/hkhg10/200706120014.asp |date=2007-09-28 }}</ref>

==Street culture==
In recent years,{{when|date=October 2023}} street performing has become a new scene in Hong Kong's street culture. Some of the performers decide to set their stages at Lan Kwai Fong, usually with the medium of singing and playing guitar in an acoustic setting.

==1993 New Year's Eve human crush==
[[File:Junction of D'Aguilar Street and Lan Kwai Fong.JPG|250px|thumb|Location of the incident]]
On 1 January 1993, 21 people were killed and 62 injured in a large-scale [[human crush]] whilst celebrating the [[New Year's Day]] in Lan Kwai Fong.<ref name="nanfangdaily1"/><ref>{{cite news| last=Yiu | first=Enoch | title=King of the hill looks to Hollywood's heights | newspaper=South China Morning Post | date=27 March 2006 | url=https://www.scmp.com/article/542094/king-hill-looks-hollywoods-heights}}</ref> More than 15,000 people were crammed into the area for the New Year countdown at the time. As midnight approached there was a crowd collapse. The [[Government of Hong Kong|Hong Kong government]] appointed [[Court of First Instance (Hong Kong)|Court of First Instance]] judge [[Kemal Bokhary]] to conduct an inquest into the disaster.<ref name="MiddleTemple">{{citation|periodical=Oriental Daily News|title=包致金女兒曾涉高買|url=http://www2.news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/2/1/1/1410422/1.html|date=2010-01-28|access-date=2010-01-30|archive-date=1 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201011536/http://www2.news.sina.com.hk/cgi-bin/nw/show.cgi/2/1/1/1410422/1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The stringent crowd control measures now in force at major holidays and events are a direct consequence of the inquest's recommendations.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

==Transport==
There are several ways to access Lan Kwai Fong other than taxi, which include:
*[[MTR]], [[Central station (MTR)|Central Station]], Exit "D2"
*[[Tung Chung line|Tung Chung Line]]/[[Airport Express (MTR)|Airport Express]], [[Hong Kong station|Hong Kong Station]], Exit "B2" or "C"
*[[Bus|Public bus]], route no. 12, 12M and 13

==See also==
* [[List of places in Hong Kong]]
* [[List of restaurant districts and streets]]
* [[List of streets and roads in Hong Kong]]
* [[Mid-Levels]]
* [[SoHo, Hong Kong]]
* [[Tourism in Hong Kong]]
* [[Wan Chai]]
* [[Melvis]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Cheng|first=Sea-ling|editor-last1=Mathews |editor-first1=Gordon |editor-last2= Lui|editor-first2=Tai-lok|title=Consuming Hong Kong |publisher=[[Hong Kong University Press]] |date=2001 |pages=237–262|chapter=Consuming Places in Hong Kong: Experiencing Lan Kwai Fong|isbn=9789622095465}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Lan Kwai Fong}}
*[https://lankwaifong.com Official website of Lan Kwai Fong]
*[http://www.lkfgroup.com Official website of Lan Kwai Fong Group]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080518022121/http://www.lkfe.com/ Official website of Lan Kwai Fong Entertainments]

{{Coord|22|16|51.5|N|114|9|19.9|E|display=title|type:landmark}}
{{Central, Hong Kong}}
{{HKislandroads}}
{{Human stampedes}}

[[Category:Central, Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Restaurant districts and streets in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Human stampedes in 1993]]
[[Category:1993 in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Roads on Hong Kong Island]]