Uniquely HK

Hidden Urban Treasures and Pleasures

We embark on a journey to discover the city's better kept secrets!

A first-time visitor to Hong Kong is bound to feel the excitement of visiting one of the world’s most iconic cities, and have a long list of things to see and do – likely the Peak, a tram ride, the Star Ferry, Central, Ocean Park, Disneyland, Stanley, Mongkok, and many more, all of them unmissable. Then one must leave sufficient time for shopping, dining, and enjoying the great outdoors. Together, such a line-up offers a real chance to experience the diversity in culture, cityscape, food and people of our unique home.

But to really feel the pulse of the city – its culture and heritage, and the local way of life – you need to visit so many more places, and not all of them well-known to visitors. Local markets, shopping outlets, tucked-away eateries, urban retreats, local art, below-the-radar but informative museums and more collectively weave a kaleidoscopic tapestry of Hong Kong to illuminate and enrich your stay. So come join us on this discovery tour; all you need is a keen spirit of adventure. We promise you’ll have fun along the way.

Art

Street Art in Sheung Wan :

This trendy art form has become a popular outlet for emerging local artists. The wall murals on the streets of Sheung Wan near Tai Ping Shan Street are particularly noteworthy. Check out the murals on Upper Station Street and nearby streets. You may have to wander it bit to find all of them.

Tai Ping Shan Street, Hollywood Street and nearby

Comix Home Base :

For lovers of comic books and animation cartoons, the Comix House, located in the heart of Wanchai, is a treasure trove of comic book collections and exhibitions from the past. Stylishly converted from a cluster of old working class residential houses, Comix Home Base is emerging as a trendy hang-out for young locals, and, of course, comic book aficionados.

7 Mallory Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Film Archive:

Tucked away in a quiet street in Sai Wan Ho in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island, this unassuming five-storey building is home to a fascinating repository of the Hong Kong film industry’s glorious past. The archive regularly hosts screening of old movies and its resource centre has all the information a movie bluff could dream of.

50 Lei King Road, Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong Island

Museum

Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence:

A museum converted from a military fort sitting on a steep hillside overlooking the entrance to Hong Kong’s magnificent harbour – you won’t find a more stunning setting. Yet, this intriguing museum with a spacious outdoor area offers much more. Inside the converted building are a series of multimedia galleries chronicling Hong Kong’s military history, including against Japan during World War Two. The scenery alone is worth the visit.

175, Tung Hei Road, Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong Railway Museum:

You may be surprised by the important part that rail transport played in Hong Kong’s development, with the famous Hong KongCanton Railway providing the primary link to Mainland China for many decades from 1910. Located in Tai Po Market in the New Territories, the Railway Museum has been converted from the Old Tai Po Market Railway Station building and features images, photographs as well as sample track, a locomotive, coaches and other train paraphernalia.

13 Shung Tak Street,Tai Po Market, Tai Po, New Territories

Police Museum:

This hidden gem tucked away near Stubbs Road on the way to the Peak is worth a visit as it tells the story of Hong Kong from the vantage point of Hong Kong’s police force, now 173 years old and arguably Asia’s finest. The quaint building packs a lot more artefacts and photographs than expected. Besides a comprehensive review of Hong Kong’s police force, visitors can view sobering displays of heroin-making devices as well as rare photographs of the city’s notorious triad activities and ceremonies.

27 Coombe Road, Mid-Levels, Central

Urban Retreat

Kwun Tong Promenade:

This small but visually impressive waterfront promenade is an integral part of the Kai Tak Promenade Redevelopment Project, on the site of a freight transfer wharf. A quirky tower structure evokes a stack of compressed recycled paper bales, typical of its former role, with fantastic lighting and mist effects at night. Visitors can enjoy a different view of the harbour and the promenade also has a performance area, children’s play zone, a boardwalk and a plaza. It’s a great place to sit and watch the locals.

Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, next to Kwun Tong Public Pier

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park:

This urban park in Sai Yin Pun in the western part of Hong Kong Island is a hidden gem even for locals as it is shielded from view by elevated expressways and a crossharbour tunnel. That just doubles the pleasure of finding it: a well-landscaped park with a water fountain, a promenade with a spectacular vista of the harbour, and spacious lawn for kids to run around on – a perfect respite from a busy day of sightseeing.

Access: pedestrian ramp on Connaught Road West, next to junction with Eastern Street

Heritage

Mei Ho House, Shek Kip Mei:

Hong Kong is renowned for its high housing density and small living spaces. The public housing estates of Hong Kong, which played an important part in the Territory’s development, best exemplify the crowded conditions. Shek Kip Mei was the site of the first public housing estate built in 1954, most of which has been torn down. Visit Mei Ho House, one of the original buildings preserved and converted into a youth hostel, and the nearby Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, converted from a flatted factory building, to get a glimpse of how people lived in those formative times.

Block 41, 70 Berwick Street, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon

Markets

Sham Shui Po:

The flea markets in Sham Shui Po are not exactly hidden gems, as they have become well-trodden tourist landmarks in their own right. Still, walking from street to street, scouting for bargains – whether electronics, fabrics, souvenirs or junk collectibles – surely is the ultimate treasure hunt experience. Vinyl album lovers should head to Vinyl Hero, which houses over 3000 albums of various vintages.

Ap Liu Street and nearby, Sham Sui Po, Kowloon

Shopping

Yue Wah Chinese Products Emporium:

Until China opened up in the early 1980s, various Mainland China–based department stores served as a commercial window into the country. Yue Wah is one of the few that survives. Even today, its large department stores feature traditional and popular Chinese products, including craft and clothing items, furniture, all made in the Middle Kingdom. It’s worth browsing and a great place to pick up souvenirs, with something to suit every pocket.

301-309, Nathan Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon

Foodie

Cooked Food Markets:

An eclectic feature of many of Hong Kong’s wet markets is the inclusion of a cooked food market, featuring several restaurants sharing a large common space and serving inexpensive but tasty grub. The offerings have become more refined and diverse and some even require waiting. Try the Queen Street Cooked Food Market in Sheung Wan and sample either the Italian eatery, Indian or Cantonese. Or visit Java Road Market and join the queue to eat at Tung Po.

(Edited on 5 Jun 2017)