We’ve all got to know our own neighbourhoods a lot better due to the pandemic. But thanks to international borders opening again, we will soon be able to visit fascinating neighbourhoods around the world. So come with us, on this virtual tour of Hong Kong’s eclectic West Kowloon and you could win a prize or two along the way.
West Kowloon is a culture clash in the best sense of the word.
A bustling, buzzing neon neighbourhood where shiny modern museums sit next to shops selling traditional crafts that have been in the same family for generations.
West Kowloon is the best of old Hong Kong – traditional temples, sizzling street food – alongside the new – high-end shopping and the brand new M+ museum highlighting twentieth and twenty-first-century visual arts.
And thanks to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, you have the chance to win one of nine prize packs (with 3 winners announced each week), as you explore this HK neighbourhood a little more.
Get ready to learn and win
How do you enter? Easy! Simply watch the video below and answer the quiz question in the entry form below for your chance to win.
But first, here are eight reasons why West Kowloon will become your new favourite ‘hood’:
8. Art of the matter
The art scene in West Kowloon is one of the best in Asia where you can immerse yourself in mega-museums packed full of modern art or visit the fast-disappearing art of handcrafted mah jong tiles.
The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) draws art lovers from all over to this incredible 40 hectares of reclaimed land dedicated to the presentation, teaching and immersion of local culture.
7. Take in the harbour
The West Kowloon Cultural District has been thoughtfully designed with loads of green space in the Art Park so locals can take their dogs for a walk or have a picnic on the vast lawns.
Find yourself a patch of grass to stretch out on and watch local life unfold or come for an evening stroll where you’ll see Hong Kong’s famous neon city lights reflected in Victoria Harbour.
6. Chow down on fantastic food
Another great cultural clash is on the plates of Hong Kong’s famous restaurants. Take a wander to find some of the city’s famous hidden diners where chefs take care of just a handful of diners with menus based on the day’s visit to the markets. Now that’s a story to tell people when you get home.
You can head to a flash celebrity chef affair, grab a Cantonese barbecue from a tiny shopfront, or head to Hooman, a café dedicated to people and their pets.
5. Meet the makers
What is so striking about West Kowloon is the creativity on every street. It might be something shiny and new from The Other Shop in M+ but there is also great tradition. Get a taste of old Hong Kong from Liu Ma Kee beancurd which has been producing pots of deliciousness for four generations. The love, care, and secret family recipe, means this is an experience not to miss.
4. Snap away the street art and theatre
There is always something to do on the streets of West Kowloon, and in particular the West Kowloon Cultural District. The area has commissioned world-renowned street artists to produce murals so the art and culture spill out of the museums and into everyday life.
You can catch some art or performance at the Freespace or Xiqu Centre which has everything from dance performances to documentary screenings.
3. See old and new Kowloon
Sitting next to these soaring new arts buildings are the artisans that have made West Kowloon one of Hong Kong’s most creative neighbourhoods for decades.
Tucked away in unassuming shopfronts are store like Sindart selling ornately embroidered traditional Chinese shoes or the Cheung Shing Fans Factory that has been selling hand-crafted sandalwood fans for over half a century.
2. Learn from time-honoured traditions
For a more historical take on the Kowloon Peninsula, pay a visit to the Yau Ma Tei district in the heart of Kowloon.
Here you can light some incense at the century-old Tin Hau Temple, grab yourself a bargain at the street markets or the Temple Street Night Markets or visit the historic old Kowloon Police Station.
If you are after a souvenir then the Jade Market is one of the best places in Asia to find this precious stone.
1. Just go with the flow
The best plan to have in West Kowloon is no plan at all. The district is compact, easy to get around and has excitement on every corner. So wander with a smile on your face and be open to those you meet along the way.
West Kowloon is all about honouring the past but looking to the future, celebrating tradition but making sure modern art and music are also on the agenda. This eclectic neighbourhood is all about creating modern traditions and exciting travellers who are keen to explore a place that is both familiar and startlingly new.
See you there.
Play to win!
This destination inspiration was brought to you by Hong Kong Tourism Board.
