Kowloon, Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Kowloon District honors Chinese traditions while brandishing cutting-edge style

If Hong Kong Island is the yuppie brother with a hip edge, then Kowloon is the sassy sister who never forgot her Chinese roots. Kowloon is south of the mainland, part of Hong Kong’s New Territories, forming a peninsula that juts down toward Hong Kong Island. Visitors will find it easy to travel back and forth between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island; with the most popular method being the Star Ferry, which is boarded at the waterfront. In addition to being convenient and cheap (about $2), the Star Ferry affords magnificent skyline views, especially at night.

Kowloon is the most densely populated part of Hong Kong. Restaurants and shops abound and the flow of people is nonstop. It’s all part of Kowloon’s charm.

A good place to start a day of sightseeing is from atop Lung Cheung Road Lookout Point, the highest point of land in Kowloon. The site provides panoramic views of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour.

Other places of interest include the Hek Kip Mei Estate, a neighborhood that preserves the way Hong Kong looked in the 1950s; Chi Lin Nunnery, a Buddhist temple with Tang dynasty-style architecture; and the Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, a revered Taoist temple.

Museums of note include the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Space Museum.

One of Kowloon’s biggest draws is its markets, where travelers can bargain for a wide range of goods. The Ladies’ Market is the district’s largest, where shoppers can find knock-offs of designer goods and electronics. The Night Market, which sells a little bit of everything, opens around 6 p.m. and runs until midnight. Two colorful markets, the Flower Market and the Bird Garden, adjoin each other.

1 2 3

Rate this content

Select ratingPoorOkayGoodGreatAwesome