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Hong Kong Landmarks and Viewpoints
Hong Kong Attractions
The Hong Kong SAR is known for its melding of history and modernity, east and west. And both Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula are a cornucopia of things to see and do. Let us introduce you to some of Hong Kong's finest landmarks, new and old.
The Peak
The view from the Peak will take your breath away… On a clear day, a simply stunning panorama can be viewed from the pinnacle of this landmark on Hong Kong Island.
The Peak – Hong Kong's premier tourist spot, about 500-metres high (1,085 feet above sea level) – is an ideal place to spend some quality time with family and friends. Enjoy a picnic on the Peak, where you will be serenaded by chirping birds and the gentle rustling of leaves.
The vista is enhanced by nature trails under the canopy of trees and the colonial ambiance of Victoria Peak Garden.
Take in the Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria for shopping, a visit to Madame Tussaud's wax museum, and linger for drinks or dine at one of the eateries with a dazzling night view. Even the most seasoned traveller will marvel at the beauty of Hong Kong.
And getting to the summit via a scenic seven-minute ride on the historic Peak Tram – built in 1888 – is an enjoyable experience in itself. So, take a trip up to the Peak to appreciate the allure of Asia's world city.
The tram departs from Central every 15 minutes, between 7 am and midnight daily. More information on getting around in Hong Kong
Cyberport
Located on the southwest coast of Hong Kong Island, this award-winning high-tech facility supports the IT, multimedia and telecommunications industries. In addition to providing grade-A offices, Cyberport is home to providing a luxury residences, Cyberport is home to the five-star Le Meridien hotel.
Cyberport is a US$2 billion (HK$15.8 billion) project managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited.
Designed to establish Hong Kong as the digital content and IT hub of the Asia-Pacific region, Cyberport is owned Company of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Cyberport regularly hosts international forums on such cutting-edge themes as global digital content and digital media research and development.
No trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a special visit to this futuristic IT flagship.
Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) Building
Completed in 1985 and said to be the most expensive building ever built, the 179-metres (587 feet) HSBC Building epitomizes the mix of an ancient practice with high-tech wizardry. Its design is based on the art of feng shui, in which the harmony of elements, shapes, sizes and colours is considered to be essential for producing and maintaining the proper balance of energy to generate prosperity.
When standing in the building's public plaza, you can see right into the heart of the building through a ten-storey glass atrium.
Bank of China (BOC) Tower
The soaring 70-storey BOC Tower is one of Hong Kong Island's most stunning landmarks. Designed by acclaimed architect I M Pei and completed in 1990, the design was inspired by the elegance of bamboo, and symbolizes vitality, strength and growth. The 367-metre (1,205 feet) building's geometric glass façade also makes it one of the most photographed buildings in the city.
Exchange Square and the International Finance Centre
Exchange Square, home to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, is formed by three adjacent blocks: One, Two and Three Exchange Square. This spectacular building complex has been recognised as an important achievement in architecture.
With its three towers of rose-coloured granite and silver glass, it is an aesthetic forum wherein some of the most important financial transactions take place.
Exchange Square is connected to the ifc – and the Airport Express Line's Hong Kong Station directly underneath – by a network of walkways. The ifc mall features trendy restaurants, fashion, beauty, and jewellery shops, and a cinema.
The ifc itself comprises two buildings, the first of which opened to the public in 1999. The second one (2ifc), with 88 floors, opened in 2003. The top floor is slightly higher than the viewing gallery at the Peak, making it the sixth tallest office building in the world.
As Hong Kong's tallest building (so far), 2ifc is expected to be usurped by the International Commerce Centre in Kowloon's Union Square, already under construction. Union Square is being constructed around the Airport Express Line's Kowloon Station. More about getting around in Hong Kong
The proposed International Commerce Centre also will house a seven-star Ritz-Carlton hotel with 300 rooms near the top of the tower. It will be the highest elevated hotel in the world! More about where to stay in Hong Kong
Statue Square, The Cenotaph and City Hall
On weekdays in Central's Statue Square, people quietly sit alongside the fountains during lunch breaks or after work, but on Sundays the venue puts on its party hat as thousands of Filipinas who work in Hong Kong rendezvous with friends for picnics in and around the Square on their day off.
In the middle of the square proudly stands a statue of Sir Thomas Jackson, former chief manager (1876 to 1902) of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation.
Not far away, across Chater Road, is the Cenotaph: a memorial to Hong Kong residents who died in World Wars I and II.
Facing Victoria Harbour, just steps away from Statue Square, is City Hall, which contains a concert hall, a theatre and, on the second floor, the ever-popular Maxim's restaurant, where dim sum is all the rage.
Victoria Park & the Hong Kong Central Library
The majestic statue of Queen Victoria on her throne was placed in Causeway Bay's Victoria Park after being was restored in 1952. The park includes a central lawn, a swimming pool, and children's play areas. The Park's tennis court even hosts international tennis tournaments on occasion.
This is one of downtown Hong Kong's cherished green areas where one can sit and enjoy a good book after visiting the grand Hong Kong Central Library just across the road.
The 12-storey Hong Kong Central Library facing Victoria Park opened in 2002. Its arch-shaped entrance symbolizes a gate to knowledge. It is a top-notch public library, housing a Multimedia Information System and a 24-hour book drop. Stop by for a little respite from the heat and noise of the city!
The Fringe Club & The Foreign Correspondents' Club
Central's Fringe Club, in a brick and stucco colonial-style low-rise structure built in 1913, originally was used as a cold-storage warehouse for ice and dairy products. The building is a historical site and, in 1984, it was taken over by the Fringe Club.
Since then, it has become a popular venue for art and crafts exhibitions, live theatre and music – such as the big band sound of the Saturday Night Jazz Orchestra – and the annual Fringe Festival. The building also features a rooftop beer garden and a cosy restaurant for romantic fine dining: M at the Fringe.
Next door to The Fringe is The Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC), a popular social and intellectual melting pot, where journalists and photographers rendez-vous with businessmen, bankers, authors and artists. The FCC facilities host a number of popular events, including Women in Publishing Society (WiPS) seminars.
Happy Valley & Sha Tin Racecourses
The Happy Valley Racecourse was built on reclaimed land and the first horse races were held there in 1846. Today, the course is highly sophisticated, with computerised betting and races broadcast on giant screens. In 1973, night races were introduced and continue to be successful.
The extra revenue raised was used to build Hong Kong's second racecourse, which opened in 1978 at Sha Tin in the New Territories. The Sha Tin Racecourse has transformed into one of Hong Kong's largest public parks, Penfold Park, enjoyed by thousands every weekend.
Cat Street
In Hong Kong's Western district, Upper Lascar Row – known as Cat Street – is a must-see on every visitor's itinerary. Crammed with antique shops and an open-air curio market, this quaint locale is ideal for discovering oriental bric-a-brac, eclectic souvenirs and gifts.
You'll find everything from Ming furniture and lotus lamps to Mao badges and ancient snuff bottles. Exercise your bargaining muscles to enjoy fabulous finds at reasonable prices.
Just a short stroll away from Cat Street you'll come across the photogenic Man Mo Temple, dedicated to the God of Literature (Man) and the God of War (Mo).
The Star Ferry & the Hong Kong Tram Line
In Hong Kong, one of life's simple pleasures is taking a ride on the Star Ferry from Kowloon across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island and back. For those of you who aren't looking for a luxury cruise, the ferries of Hong Kong are the way to go. Just get on board and relax as you sail away…
The decks of the ferries offer striking views no matter the weather. Romantics will not want to miss this ride, particularly at twilight time, when it is especially enchanting with Hong Kong's cornucopia of neon lights aglow all around you.
Another historical and economical way to get around Hong Kong – overland, this time – opened in 1904: the 13-kilometre-long Hong Kong Tram Line, which traverses Hong Kong Island from east to west on the north side. Double-decker trams were introduced in 1912.
Besides Hong Kong, Blackpool, England is the only other city in the world currently using a fleet of double-decker trams.
Murray House
Constructed in 1844 as the British army barracks, Murray House – originally located where the Bank of China Tower now stands in Central – is Hong Kong's oldest surviving western building of its kind, with western pillars supporting a Chinese-style tile roof..
Dismantled in 1982, it was restored and reopened in the Stanley district of Hong Kong Island in 1999. Today, the site hosts several restaurants and a small museum about its history, attracting hundreds of visitors each year.
Next door, you'll find Stanley Plaza, a shopping arcade that opened in 2001. Stanley is also home to Tin Hau Temple and Stanley Market.
Historic Cemeteries
The Stanley Military Cemetery is is a place of historical interest near St Stephen Bay on Hong Kong Island. Between 1841 and 1866, this triangular plot of land was used to bury deceased British soldiers and their families. Further burials took place there during the two World Wars.
Hong Kong Cemetery, in Happy Valley, is one of Hong Kong's early Christian cemeteries from the colonial period. It has both military and civilian graves and a special Japanese section has been designated for Shinto burials. Located not far from the racecourse, it rests alongside the Jewish, Parsee and Muslim Cemeteries, as well as the Roman Catholic St Michael Cemetery.
Chinese Temples
Is it possible to think of travelling anywhere in Hong Kong without paying a visit to a temple or two? Following is a sample of some of the most notable temples across the Hong Kong SAR.
Man Mo Temple (Buddhist)
Hong Kong's oldest and most important temple was built in 1840 and is named after its two principal deities: Man, the god of literature, who is dressed in red and holds a calligraphy brush; and Mo, the god of war, wearing a green robe and holding a sword. Funnily enough, Mo finds patronage from both the police force and triad secret societies. Two ornately carved sedan chairs in the temple were once used during festivals to carry the statues of the gods. There are giant incense coils hanging from the ceiling, purchased by temple-goers and these burn as long as three weeks.
Opening Hours: Daily 08:00 – 18:00
Monastery of 10,000 Buddhas
Clambering up over 400 steps to see the Monastery of 10,000 Buddhas might take a bit of an effort but it is really worth it. Alongside the steps leading up to the temple, there are golden life-sized Buddhas peppered over the hillside. At the top there is a pagoda that has many Buddha images of all shapes and sizes. All in all, there are over 13,000 Buddha images here and the view from the top is panoramic. A small vegetarian restaurant operates nearby the monastery.
Opening Hours: Daily from 09:00 – 17:30.Location: Sha Tin Town, on the eastern part of the New Territories.
Chi Lin Nunnery (Buddhist)
Diamond Hill: This nunnery is known for its bold architectural style and beautiful statues made from gold, clay, wood and stone.
Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple (Taoist)
Covering 18,000sqm and located in a tranquil natural setting remote from the nearby bustle of the city, the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple is, apart from being an important religious centre, a scenic attraction full of beautiful traditional buildings. This is where locals come to let their requests be known to the gods. Here, you will find the Unicorn (Confucian) Hall where Confucius is worshipped, Three Saints Hall, the Archives Hall, the Earthly Fountain, the Yue Hing Shrine where the Buddha of the Lighted Lamp is worshipped, the Bronze Pavilion (females not allowed entrance), and the colourful Good Wish Garden, lavishly decorated with many exotic examples of Chinoiserie. There is a small entrance fee.
Opening Hours: 09:00 to 16:00, closed Mondays.Che Kung Temple(Buddhist) Sha Tin
Che Kung Temple, a Taoist temple in Japanese style, was built to honour General Che Kung of the Song Dynasty (A.D. 960-1279). The current temple was built in 1993 on the same site as the original (still preserved behind but closed to the public) and there is a statue of the general himself inside. Che Kung Temple is a popular place amongst locals, who go to ask the general's spirit for good luck. There are also many fortune tellers working at this site.
Location: Sha Tin Town, eastern New Territories.Tin Hau Temple
About 60 temples across Hong Kong are dedicated, at least in part, to Tin Hau. On Hong Kong Island, they include one in the Tin Hau area, just east of Victoria Park, and one in Stanley district. On the Kowloon side, the Tin Hau temple in Yau Ma Tei is most famous: the square in front of it turns into the Temple Street Market at night. In addition, there are: four Tin Hau temples on Cheung Chau Island; one temple on Peng Chau Island; one on Ping Chau Island; one Tin Hau temple on Sai Kung Peninsula, and one on Tsing Yi Island in the New Territories. However, the Tin Hau Temple at Tai Miu Wan (Joss House Bay) is considered the most sacred.
