There’s nothing like discovering a city on foot. You are able to notice key details that you wouldn’t be able to see if you were travelling by car or in a tour bus. And one of the best locations to go on a little adventure in Hong Kong is the West Kowloon district, which is currently being showcased under an intriguing ‘neighbourhood programme’ which was recently launched by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).
Starting from the beautiful shoreline at the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), the West Kowloon neighbourhood programme extends to Yau Ma Tei and Pitt Street, and spans along Nathan Road to reach streets and paths around Austin Road, Jordan.
HKTB has carefully crafted a series of five unique walking tours that will allow visitors to experience this vibrant location at the ground level. The walking tours are focused on themes such as Heritage & Craftmanship, Cultural Arts and Culinary Arts, introducing visitors to an as-yet-undiscovered perspective of West Kowloon.
And for those looking for the next beautiful location to share on their Instagram or TikTok, there is no better place to start than the beautiful art and cultural district.
Street Art
For true urban explorers, the real thrill is being able to spot a beautiful piece of street art, capturing scenes or people unique to the city. And West Kowloon is a veritable treasure chest of unique murals located on the sides of buildings, shop fronts, and even a flight of stairs.
Among the must-see street art works:
1. Vision Signage Production, Reclamation Street, Yau Ma Tei
Commissioned as a tribute to the business owner Mr Sin, the mural depicts him sitting at his workstation with an electric drill and a fret saw, two of the essential tools that he uses for his craft. Among Mr Sin’s regular customers are numerous local and international film studios, and he has helped to create props that have been featured in 90% of films produced in Hong Kong!
2. Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market, Waterloo Street, Yau Ma Tei
This colourful mosaic mural perfectly captures the history of the fruit market, which is also located in one of Hong Kong’s most iconic cultural heritage buildings. For generations, the citizens of Hong Kong have come here in order to obtain their fresh produce, and the mural pays homage to that classic market tradition.
3. Red Brick Building, Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei
On the right side of one of Hong Kong’s old tenement buildings, you can find a surrealist mural piece created by Italian artist Pixel Pancho in 2017. This silent robot sentinel stands proudly overlooking the street, dressed in a Mandarin vest adorned with windows and air conditioners, and keeps watch over the people hurrying towards their next destination.
4. Mido Café, Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei
A popular pit stop for visitors looking to satisfy their cravings, Mido Café has been serving customers since 1950. Its interiors have largely remained the same for over 70 years, with mosaic flooring, old-school ceiling fans and retro wooden tables. This mural on its side, created by a famous local illustrator, perfectly depicts captures the dining atmosphere of the café in yesteryears.
Skylines & cityscapes
Lovers of arts and culture should also pay a visit to the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD), Hong Kong’s newest and hottest cultural hub. It is the perfect place to spend an entire day exploring, with its state-of-the-art museum facilities, award-winning architectural marvels and panoramic views of Hong Kong’s sweeping skyline.
For those who enjoy experiencing cultural events in the great outdoors, the Art Park is the perfect place to watch live music and dance performances. Afterwards you can enjoy a leisurely picnic on the grass overlooking the waterfront promenade that runs along Victoria Harbour, which is also a great place for sunrise and sunset photography. It is also a great place for jogging or biking, if you want to burn off some extra calories.
WKCD is also home to a series of notable art and culture hubs that will provide hours of enjoyment. The first is M+, the newly opened facility described as Asia’s first museum of contemporary visual culture. The strikingly-designed building is intended to become the cornerstone of WKCD, encompassing 20th and 21st-century visual art, design and architecture and moving images.
Several exhibitions are already on display in M+, including Hong Kong: Here and Beyond, a multi-medium exhibition that captures the city’s transformation from the post-war decades to the present day, as well as From Revolution to Globalisation, an art exhibition that surveys the cultural dynamism of contemporary China from the early 1970s to the present.
Besides visual art, stage performances are also to be found at WKCD. For contemporary performances, Freespace is a versatile space for pushing artistic boundaries and promoting creative exchanges, utilising spaces like The Box, a venue for experimental productions and events, and The Room and The Studio, two multipurpose venues earmarked for everything from workshops to exhibitions.
Even traditional cultural performances are on display at WKCD, thanks to Xiqu Centre, which provides the perfect venue to watch Chinese opera. Besides stage shows, the venue also provides a space for film screenings and immersive activities designed to educate visitors about this beloved art form.
To find out what else you can discover in West Kowloon, stay tuned for part three of theSun’s special feature. For more information, visit discoverhongkong.com.
