Kowloon

Kowloon means Nine Dragons, a name that supposedly relates to the range of eight hills snaking around the north of the peninsula – the ninth dragon is in reverence to the emperor himself. While the south of the peninsula is dominated by the harbor and its manifold attractions, farther north you’ll find Kowloon Park, hidden old temples and lots of markets that offer both shopping and the chance for a taste of an older Hong Kong.

Victoria Harbour

Victoria Harbour, enjoyed from Kowloon, offers one of the world’s greatest cityscapes. Arresting by day, the view intensifies with the addition of neon at night, and becomes a blaze of lasers and light during the nightly 8 pm Symphony of Lights and at Christmas and New Year. If you can tear your eyes away from the harbor view, looking inland you’ll see a number of significant buildings. Heading east from the Star Ferry Terminal, you’ll pass the Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower, which was built in 1921 and is the only remaining relic of the old train station. Immediately to the east you’ll see the sweeping curves of the Hong Kong Cultural Center. However, despite its fantastic location, the Hong Kong Cultural Center appears a little drab in comparison with the architectural monuments that surround it and is considered by many to be a wasted plot of extremely valuable land. This aside, its roofline and use of angles can provide some good photos, especially on blue-sky days. Next is the Museum of Art, behind which sits the shiny white dome of the Space Museum. A little farther along the shoreline you’ll come to the Avenue of Stars, which follows an elevated walkway out over the waters of the harbor. Walking along the harbor’s edge and raised pathways is a popular evening pastime and you might also see impromptu plays or musical performances as well as tai chi and ballroom dancing. If you want to get out onto the water, either take the Star Ferry or go on a harbor cruise, many of which leave from this vicinity.

Also of interest here are the Hong Kong Space Museum and Stanley Ho Theater, located at 10 Salisbury Road, Tsimshatsui. The informative Hong Kong Space Museum offers a number of interactive exhibits and is divided into two sections, with Space Science located on the ground floor and Astronomy on the first floor. Both have some fun interactive features, including a gravity machine that simulates movement on the moon. Still, much of what you’ll see is a little worn and the museum could definitely do with a revamp. The attached Stanley Ho Space Theater is more worthwhile and offers larger-than-life Omnimax movies covering a range of topics that change monthly. The permanent ‘Sky Show’ on the Hubble Space Telescope takes you on a journey into outer space and will leave the kids wanting to become astronauts!

Avenue of Stars

Acknowledging Hong Kong’s significant movie business, the Avenue of Stars includes paving stones, hand prints and a couple of statues paying tribute to the territory’s greatest stars. Although you may not recognize many of the names, ones to look out for include Jackie Chan’s handprints and a large bronze statue of Bruce Lee. Thus Hong Kong’s Avenue of Stars doesn’t really match up to the USoriginal, but the elevated promenade affords great views across the harbor.