125 Best Sights in Hong Kong, China

A one-stop showcase of independent Hong Kong design, this enclave of shops, pop-ups, and workshops is set inside the old Police Married Quarters, a modernist housing complex built in 1951. You can take the elevator up either of the main residential buildings to explore a beehive of boutiques selling clothes, handbags, leatherware, metalwork, and more. There's also a small history exhibition on Level 5 of the Staunton Block, where you can learn about the police families who once occupied the small units now serving as shops. PMQ is easily reached by taking the Central--Mid-Levels Escalator. 

Built in 1906, this peaceful Buddhist monastery is located adjacent to the Tian Tan Buddha. The grounds feature stately halls with many intricate statues, carvings, and paintings, as well as landscaped gardens with koi fish ponds. The Grand Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas houses, like its name, 10,000 golden buddha statues and is a sight to behold. There is a popular vegetarian restaurant on-site.

This street is roughly at the spot where Captain Charles Elliott stepped ashore in 1841 to claim Hong Kong for the British empire. Back then, this was the waterfront, but aggressive reclamation means it is now several blocks inland. At the top of the street stands Hollywood Centre, home to the nonprofit contemporary art space Asia Art Archive.

This creative community hub is representative of several such spaces popping up in Hong Kong that encourage community interaction. The design of the building is a nod to the industrial heritage of the neighborhood, where the world's largest sugar refinery once stood. The space houses a theater, a workshop, and a community kitchen, where activities like educational tours and culinary lessons are regularly held.

The beach in this upscale neighborhood is large and wide, and can get very crowded on summer weekends. Two huge statues, of the goddesses Tin Hau and Kwun Yam, stand at the east end of the beach, part of a kitsch collection of shrines and statues built in the 1970s. Look for a famous apartment building with a hole through it—following the principles of feng shui, the opening allows the dragon that lives in the mountains behind to readily drink from the bay. To get here, take Bus 6, 6A, or 260 from Exchange Square Bus Terminus in Central. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Whether you enter Sha Tin by road or rail, you'll be amazed to find this metropolis in the middle of the New Territories. One of the so-called "new towns," Sha Tin underwent a population explosion starting in the mid-1980s that transformed it from a town of 30,000 to a city of more than a half million. It's home to Sha Tin Park and the fantastic Hong Kong Heritage Museum, which is devoted to Chinese history, art, and culture.

Traditional trades are plied along this street. There are blocks dominated by tailors or shops selling Chinese cookware or everything you need to set up a household shrine. Nearby Ning Po Street is known for its paper kites and for the colorful paper and bamboo models of worldly possessions (boats, cars, houses) that are burned at Chinese funerals.

This seaside locale is Southside's easternmost village, home to a few beach shops and casual restaurants selling Southeast Asian fare. The main reason to make the trip is Shek O Beach, an enticing crescent of golden sand facing rocky offshore islands. You can also cut through town and cross a bridge to the "island" of Tai Tau Chau, which is really a large rock with a lookout over the South China Sea. Hikers should head to nearby Shek O Country Park, known for its bird-watching and coastal views. To get here from Central, take the MTR to Shau Kei Wan (Exit A3), then take Bus 9 to the last stop (about 30 minutes).

Known for its chic neighborhood bars and urbane eateries, this roughly defined area on the western edge of Central gets its name from being south of Hollywood Road. The bars here are a chiller alternative to the rowdier drinking spots in Lan Kwai Fong, while the narrow lanes reveal hips cafés, eclectic restaurants, and independent boutiques. This hilly neighborhood is reached by the Central--Mid-Levels Escalator, also the very reason for the rise of SoHo as a drinking and dining destination.

A gap in the skyscrapers accommodates the graceful Gothic form of this Anglican church, completed in 1849 and one of Hong Kong's oldest European-style buildings. Inside, the rows of cane wicker pews and low-slung ceiling fans will transport you to the early days of the British administration.

This wedgelike building includes a pair of stained-glass windows by Remo Riva that represent visions of "Hong Kong Today" and "Hong Kong Tomorrow."

This easygoing peninsula town lies south of Deep Water and Repulse bays. You'll find a row of waterfront pubs and restaurants, and great shopping in Stanley Market, full of casual clothes, cheap souvenirs, and cheerful bric-a-brac. Stanley's beach is the site of the Dragon Boat Races every June. For war buffs, Stanley Military Cemetery has graves of British and other Commonwealth soldiers who died during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II. To get here from Exchange Square Bus Terminus in Central, take Bus 6, 6A, 66, or 260.

The neoclassical building on Statue Square's east side, completed in 1912, originally served as the Supreme Court and now houses the Court of Final Appeal. In front of this building stands the Cenotaph, a monument honoring those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. The plot of land on which this public square stands was gifted by HSBC, whose headquarters dominate the southern end, with the stipulation that no building constructed there could block the bank's view of the harbor.

It's worth the trek almost to the mainland China border to visit this 19th-century home of merchant and philanthropist Man Chung-luen. The surefire path to becoming a big shot in Imperial China was passing civil service examinations, but few people from Hong Kong—which was hicksville at the time—made the grade. Man Chung-luen proved the exception in 1875. Congratulatory tablets from the emperor hang in the house's entrance hall. The room layout, beautifully decorated doors, and roof ridges are all characteristic of Qing-dynasty architecture. Stained glass and rococo moldings reflect European influences, a result of the British victory over China in the Opium War of 1841. Women could watch guests unobserved from an upper gallery, which also has an enclosed courtyard for stargazing, charmingly called a "moon playing chamber." To reach the house, cross over the road outside Sheung Shui station (Exit A1) and take Bus 76K toward Yuen Long; alight at San Tin, 5½ km (3½ miles) away. The five-minute walk to the mansion is signposted from there. Alternatively, get a taxi from the station—one way costs HK$40.

The name means Big Hat Mountain, and at 3,140 feet this volcanic outcropping is Hong Kong's highest point. Due to particularly mercurial weather, the peak, often called "Foggy Mountain," is covered in clouds almost daily. But when the mist—and pollution—clears, the view stretches all the way to Hong Kong Island. Trails to the peak pass by caves created by Japanese soldiers during World War II and countless wild tea bushes.

Tucked away on the western end of Lantau, this fishing village inhabited largely by the shuishangren, literally "people on the water," some of whom continue to live in stilts houses. There's a temple dedicated to Kwan Tai, god of war, that was established in the 15th century. Remains of salt pans line part of the shoreline, and a glance beyond the coast sometimes rewards you with a sighting of a rare Hong Kong pink dolphin. The 1902 Tai O Police Station, on the village's southwest tip, has been restored and converted into the Tai O Heritage Hotel, a great place for tea, or a continental meal.

Centered on Tai Ping Shan Street, the area known as Tai Ping Shan (the Chinese name for Victoria Peak, which towers above it) is one of the city's oldest residential districts. This gentrifying neighborhood retains a local feel, with arty shops, small temples, and cozy cafés to pitch up in. 

This company hosts guided trails through the Tai Po Kau forest in the New Territories. The forest is known for its wide variety of flora and fauna and is popular for bird-watching. Guests have a chance to visit a butterfly garden during the half-day tour.

The name means "big market," which it more than lives up to. In the heart of the region's breadbasket, this utilitarian town's main open-air market is a feast for the eyes, with baskets of lush green vegetables, freshly cut meat hanging from racks overhead, fish swimming in tanks awaiting selection, and all types of baked and steamed treats. The ground floor is a wet market, the first floor has dried goods, and the second floor is all about hawker stands.

This 670-acre extension of Hong Kong's largest park is packed with challenging trails, like the Mount Parker Trail and Sir Cecil's Ride, that reward hardworking hikers with stunning views of Hong Kong's skyline. Another interesting sight is the Wartime Stoves, relics of cooking ranges built by the government in 1938 in anticipation of war. Since Hong Kong fell soon after the start of the Battle of Hong Kong on 8 December 1941, it's thought that the stoves have never been used. The densely forested park is also home to rich wildlife, including the elusive Chinese leopard and the Hong Kong newt, making this a compelling stop for both history and nature lovers.

One of Hong Kong’s most unusual and rewarding hikes is this 5 km (3.1 mile) downhill ramble that reveals a side of the island most people never see. A series of beautifully preserved reservoirs, bridges, aqueducts, and dams, designed by British engineers during the early colonial era to provide clean drinking water to Hong Kong’s rapidly expanding population, are surrounded by rolling hills and a whole lot of serenity. To reach the trailhead, take a taxi to Wong Nai Chung Gap, by the residences of Hong Kong Parkview, from where it’s about a 1.6 km (1 mile) walk.

Fishing villages and a nearly 400-year-old temple highlight Tap Mun Island, also known as Grass Island, where strong waves periodically beat the shores. Many visitors opt to have a seafood lunch at the New Hon Kee Seafood Restaurant. Thereafter, enjoy an "is this still Hong Kong?" moment while watching cattle graze at the hilltop pavilion. A kaito (local ferry) from Wong Shek pier in Sai Kung Country Park will speed you to the island; however, public transit access to Wong Shek pier is limited to weekends and holidays.

You climb some 400 steps to reach this temple, but look on the bright side: for each step you get about 32 Buddhas. The uphill path through dense vegetation is lined with 500 life-size golden Buddhas in all kinds of positions. Be sure to bring along water and insect repellent. And once you get to the top, prepare to be dazzled: the walls of the main temple are stacked with gilded ceramic statuettes. There are nearly 13,000 here, made by Shanghai artisans and donated by worshippers over the decades. Kwun Yam, goddess of mercy, is one of several deities honored in the crimson-walled courtyard.

Look southwest on a clear day and you can see nearby Amah Rock, which resembles a woman with a child on her back. Legend has it that this formation was once a faithful fisherman's wife who climbed the mountain every day to wait for her husband's return, not knowing he'd drowned. Tin Hau, goddess of the sea, took pity on her and turned her to stone.

The temple is in the foothills of Sha Tin, in the central New Territories. Take Exit B out of Sha Tin station, walk down the pedestrian ramp, and take the first left onto Pai Tau Street. Keep to the right-hand side of the road and follow it around to the gate where the signposted path starts.

Don't be confused by the big white buildings on the left of Pai Tau Road. They are ancestral halls, not the temple.

This incense-filled site is dedicated to Taoist sea goddess Tin Hau, queen of heaven and protector of seafarers. The crowds here testify to her being one of Hong Kong's favorite deities—indeed, this is one of over 100 temples dedicated to her. Like all Tin Hau temples, this one once stood on the shore. Kowloon reclamation started in the late 19th century, and now the site is more than 3 km (2 miles) from the harbor. The main altar is hung with gold-embroidered cloth and usually piled high with offerings. There are also two smaller shrines inside the temple honoring earth god Tou Tei and city god Shing Wong. Surrounding Temple Street night market is a fortune-telling hot spot: you may well be encouraged to have a try with the chim. Each stick is numbered, and you shake them in a cardboard tube until one falls out. A fortune-teller asks you your date of birth and makes predictions from the stick based on numerology. Alternatively, you could have a mystically minded bird pick out some fortune cards for you.

Agree on a price before your fortune, as bargaining with fortune-tellers is common.

Block upon block of tightly packed stalls overflow with clothes, bags, and knickknacks along Tung Choi Street in Mong Kok. Despite the name, items for women, men, and children are for sale. Most offerings are imitations or no-name brands; rifle around enough and you can often pick up some cheap, cheerful basics. Haggling is the rule here: a poker face and a little insistence can get you dramatic discounts. At the corner of each block and behind the market are stands and shops selling the street snacks Hong Kongers can't live without. Pick a place where locals are munching and point at whatever takes your fancy. Parallel Fa Yuen Street is Mong Kok's unofficial sportswear market.

All that remains of the old Tung Chung village is the hulking granite Tung Chung Fort. Considering how this neighborhood has become absolutely overcome with housing developments and shopping, that any vestige of pre-British remains makes it that much more fascinating. The first fortification on this spot was built during the Song Dynasty, some time in the late 1100s CE; the current structure dates from 1832, although it was refurbished in 1988.

With time on your hands, take a trip out to the western end of the Mid-Levels to see the imposing Edwardian-era buildings of Hong Kong's oldest university. The institution opened in 1912 with its first faculty, the Faculty of Medicine, which had been known as the Hong Kong College of Medicine since 1887. Today the exteriors of University Hall, the Hung Hing Ying Building, and the Tang Chi Ngong Building are on the government's Declared Monument List.

Hong Kong Island's largest park is a welcome breathing space on the edge of Causeway Bay. It's beautifully landscaped and has recreational facilities for soccer, basketball, swimming, lawn bowling, and tennis. At dawn every morning hundreds practice tai chi chuan here. During the Mid-Autumn Festival it's home to the Lantern Carnival, when the trees are a mass of colorful lights. Just before Chinese New Year (late January to early February), the park hosts a huge flower market. On the eve of Lunar New Year, after a traditional family dinner at home, much of Hong Kong happily gathers here to shop and wander into the early hours of the first day of the new year.

Pak Tai Temple in Wan Chai (not to be confused with Pak Tai Temple in Cheung Chau) is the largest temple on Hong Kong Island and a reminder of Wan Chai's early development. Built in 1863 by the local community, the Taoist shrine honors Pak Tai, the Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven. Its colorful, intricate carvings, imposing statues of deities, and handcrafted ceramics roof make it well worth a visit. Conveniently, the temple is located close to other attractions like Blue House and Wan Chai Market. 

Sheung Wan's iconic market, a hulking Edwardian-era brick structure, is a good place to get your bearings. Built in 1906, it functioned as a produce market for 83 years. Mostly of interest to architecture buffs, today it's a shopping center selling fabrics. Nearby you'll find herbal medicine on Ko Shing Street and Queen's Road West, dried seafood on Wing Lok Street and Des Voeux Road West, and ginseng and bird's nest on Bonham Strand West.