Hong Kong is known for it´s soaring skyscapers, being a shoppers dream and amazing food. However the metropolis is only covering 30% of the land and the remaining 70% is forest. It is so by law and is one of the reasons for the sky high prices on land and building permits.
I went to Hong Kong with a purpose, my friend´s wedding, but I had two days to explore the city and enjoy the food, as well as a little bit of shopping. This is my second time in Hong Kong and I absolutely adore the city and know I will be back one day. Both times I have not made it out of the skyscraper maze, but next time I will go on some of the iconic hikes. Therefore, this is my list of things that you should explore in the forest of skyscrapers.
1. Monster Building (Yik Cheong)
This is a popular photo spot and me like many others set out to get a good picture.
In Cantonese the building is named Gwai Ouk Daai Ha (鬼屋大廈) which translates to haunted house (Gwai Ouk) mansion (Daai Ha), which seems fitting even though people are still living here.
When I got there I was uncertain if I should enter or not as there is not really any direction. But it is open into the courtyard where most people take their photos. Pass a few shops and then you will be standing in the courtyard.
The people living here is used to visitors after the filming of the movie Transformers. I do want to remind you that this is their daily life and not an actual tourist sight, so be polite and respect the residents. They have had to fence in some of the places were previous toursits has been climbing and there is also a drone ban.
However, this is an amazing Instagram spot!
2. Choi Hung Estate
The rainbow coloured building is another hotspot for Instagram photos.
When I arrived, I was surprised that the photo spot were on top of a parking lot. There were also a few other people there for photographs, but most people were doing morning exercise or playing basketball.
I have heard that this building might be renovated, so an iconic photospot will be removed, so you have to visit fast if you want to see it.
I rarely do seek out the Instagram spots, but these two are worth all the hype and will definitly make your Instagram photos pop. To be completely honest, Hong Kong is such a beautifully unique city where old meets new and it is hard to take a bad photograph. There are also so many good places to take photographs that are yet to trend on social media.
3. A shoppers dream
Anybody that loves shopping will love it in Hong Kong. There are a lot of areas to choose from, all with their distinct style. My personal favorite is Causeway Bay as I had a store I wanted to visit there. But I do highly recommend areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui which has malls like K11 Musea and Harbour city, two amazing shopping malls you should definitly visit.
This honestly the end of day 1, as I had to get ready for my true purpose in the city. Moving on to my second day where I explored more of the city and I found the cutest cafe, which I will recommend at the end.
4. Kowloon Walled City
After breakfast (at the cutest cafe), I finally made it to Kowloon Walled City… or what is left of it. It is only parts of the south wall that is left standing. The area is now made into a beautiful park which host memorial plaques and exhibits.
Though barely anything remains, this was one of the higlights for me. Kowloon Walled City was once it´s own ecosystem with intertwined lives and businesses thriving between the tight walls, before it was torn down in 1994 due to safety. If you decide to visit, I suggest you look at the videos with interviews of the previous residents, it was very interesting to listen to (or read the subtitles).
5. Promonade at Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Park
It has a great view of Victoria Harbour and along your promonade you will see sculptures of people and characters that has beenmade due to their cultural, historical or social significance.
On the picture to the right you can see McDull, a beloved cartoon character in Hong Kong. Along the walk you can also see statues of Bruce Lee, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, Queen Victoria and Avenue of Stars among others.
6. Highest bar in Hong Kong
This place was very high up on my list and I went here after dinner with my friends.
If you want a better view of Victoria Harbour this is where you want to go. Along with great drinks and food, they also have an amazing view of the sunset. Just as we were leaving it had started to set and it was stunning.
Disclaimer: Did not get to see the very end as we were preparing to leave, but still oh, so stunning.
The price is a little high, but I will blame that on me for needing the fanciest drink.
This was it for my second day, besides my speakeasy tour, most of my last day I spent just walking around and trying new food.
7. Art Lane
I simply love graffiti art and Art Lane has that, as an open-air gallery. It is still a very young addition to the city and came to in 2018. Here you will find walls, entire buildings, staircases and windows covered in art. It is very fun to walk around here and see people´s creativity.
8. Hollywood Road Park
Not far from Art Lane lays Hollywood Road Park. An artificial park designed in traditional Chinese architectural style in the year 1990.
Though the garden is small it has everything a traditional Chinese garden should have: traditional pavillion, pebble pathway and an artificial pond.
The park also have exercise equipment, children´s playground and a resting area. If you walk from Art Lane like me you will truly appreciate the nice shade provided by the trees while you take a short break.
9. Man Mo Temple
Man Mo Temple is one of the oldest temples in Hong Kong and is just a short walk from Hollywood Road Park. The temple is hidden among the skyscrapers and dedicated to Man Cheong (the God of Literature) and Kwan Tai (the God of War).
Like me you may find it strange to have those two Gods in the same temple, but it reflects a traditional Chinese concept of balance and complementary virtues. The two Gods compliment eachother in the belives, and Man Mo Temple represents how to embrace both the pen and sword in society.
10. Victoria Peak, Ngong Ping Big Buddha and Tai O
If this is your first time to Hong Kong, I do higly recommend visiting these three places. As I have been here before and visited them then, I did not do so this time as I wanted to see more of the city.
Victoria Peak – Gives you an amazing view of Hong Kong and you can also take the Peak Tram up. For the tram you will have to get on at Garden Road in Central and it takes a bit under ten minutes to reach the top.
Ngong Ping Big Buddha – Is a 34 meter bronze statue and one of the world´s largest statues of a seated Buddha. There is a exhibition inside of the statue which you can enter after climbing the 268 steps up.
Tai O – Is a fishing villa not far from Ngong Ping Big Buddha and this was my favorite of the whole trip the first time I went. It is famous for it´s stilt houses built over the water and it showcases Hong Kong´s fishing heritage. I recommend eating here or getting on one of the boats for a small excursion.
Cutest Cafe
The second day in Hong Kong I went to eat breakfast at this cute cafe by Kowloon Walled City. It is called Tai Wo Tang Cafe and the store was originally operated as a Chinese traditional medicine shop, but the current owners renovated it and made it into a cafe. However they kept the original decor which included the wooden medicine cabinets which is behind the counter.
The medicine shop started it´s business in 1932 and ceased operations in 2017. It was in 2018 Tai Wo Tang Cafe opened and the interior is now a mix of the nostalgic ambiance of the medicine shop which blends with the new.
The address: 24 Nga Tsin Long Road, Kowloon City, Hong Kong
This was the end of my trip to Hong Kong, among strolls and shopping I had a great time. The city has so much to offer and hopefully I can return soon for some unforgettable hikes and more adventures under the skyscrapers, but for now I am happy I got to see even more of Hong Kong.
I also got to explore some of the bars on my second day, most of them being speakeasy bars.
Here are the hidden doors you have to find in Hong Kong.
Rover Saga 