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Uniquely HK
Feature Story
Mesmerising Harbourfront Walk Along Hong Kong Island.
t’s long been the goal of the Hong Kong Government to create a continuous promenade along the city’s famed Victoria Harbour. That vision recently came one step closer with the completion of a section connecting the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai to Tamar Park at Admiralty, and on to the Central Harbourfront. Further west, the government also not long ago finished another segment, connecting the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park in Sai Yin Pun to the Western District Cargo Working Area, famously dubbed ‘Instagram Pier’.
So, for the intrepid, with a few minor detours, one can now enjoy panoramic views of the Hong Kong’s world-famous harbour all the way from Wanchai to Kennedy Town, with dramatically different vantage points along the way. We have mapped out the route and highlight some of the most prominent landmarks or destinations along the way. The walk is of course basically level. Along the way, you’ll see joggers, strolling passers-by, aspiring anglers, busking singers or dancers, romantic couples, children and millennials looking for that one Instagram photo spot for social media fame. It’s a real slice of the Hong Kong you might otherwise miss. A good time for this promenade stroll is in the early evening, as the building lights come on and giant neon billboards help transform the city into a magical, glittering metropolis. And, as one of the world’s safest cities, it’s perfectly fine to walk at night.
Come along then and be immersed in the fantastic views of Hong Kong’s iconic promenade.
Wanchai Ferry Pier: Start at the Wanchai Ferry Pier which you can reach by bus or – ideally – by taking the Star Ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. The rooftop garden offers the perfect spot to take in your first panoramic views of the harbour, the skylines across and the hills to the east. You’ll likely want to have a camera to hand.
HKCEC Bauhinia Square and Comix Park: Just a short walk from the ferry pier is Bauhinia Square, right outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The man-made promontory that HKCEC sits on means you get an unimpeded view of both the skyline in Central and Kowloon across. The square is also now home to a large collection of sculpted figures of locally famous comic figures and everyday icons.
Tamar Park: The newly completed segment connects Bauhinia Square to Tamar Park – a large open space featuring expansive lawns, eclectic sculptures, sitting spaces, and an amphitheatre. You can admire the spectacular views of the striking Government complex behind you, the skyscrapers in Central, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon across the harbour.
Central Harbourfront, the Observation Wheel and the Central Ferry Piers: Adjacent to Tamar Park is the Central Harbourfront, and then next to it is the Observation Wheel – Hong Kong’s own version of the London Eye, still nestling under the skyscrapers of Central behind you. The plaza space around the Wheel and alongside the ferry piers is a haven for buskers and aspiring karaoke singers in the evening, all vying for attention with their amped-up portable music systems.
Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park: From Central Ferry Piers, take the short walk through the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal Building, along an access road, and back along the promenade leading to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park. The park, which commemorates modern China’s founding father, features a large circular lawn, water fountains, sculptures, an open plaza, children’s playground and a sports centre and swimming pool complex,
Promenade, Western Wholesale Food Market: Remarkably, the waterfront outside of the Western Wholesale Food market was turned into a pleasant promenade, with some of the piers nicely landscaped. This stretch from the Park to Instagram Pier is often busy, with residents out and about enjoying the fresh sea air.
Instagram Pier (Western District Cargo Working Area): From the promenade you soon reach the famous Instagram Pier, a public cargo pier jutting out onto the harbour. The site has become a social media hotspot as visitors enjoy an intimate view of the harbour where it is easy to capture fantastic photos of the pier set against the harbour, the quirky and colourful containers, the mountains and the cityscape behind. It’s also one of the best spots to get a shot of a gorgeous sunset over the sea and the islands peeking from over the horizon. The throng of people posing for a super shot is itself a spectacle.
New Praya Kennedy Town: You’ll want to go back outside to Shing Sai Road and continue westward to the praya in Kennedy Town, where trendy restaurants and bars line the streets. You may want to stop for a tasty meal or a drink to quench your thirst before you finish the walk.
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Forbes Street Masonry Wall Trees: This is a short detour worth taking. Just past the praya, walk inland along Cadogan Street until you hit Forbes Street where you turn right. You’ll be greeted by the stunning sight of large banyan tress with their roots splayed across the hefty old walls of a park, stretching for almost a hundred metres.
Old City Boundary Stone: Around 1900, the main district of Hong Kong was the City of Victoria, which occupied the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. Its boundaries were demarcated by boundary stones and many are still in place. The westernmost one is in Kennedy Town on Sai Ning Street. Retrace your steps from Forbes Street until you hit Victoria Road where you turn left. Continue westward and Sai Ning Street is on your right. The boundary stone is near the end of the street.
From this westernmost point of the northern Hong Kong Island shoreline, you can return toward central by bus or MTR, taxi or – with a short walk back east – the iconic ‘Ding Ding’ tram.
