Overnight at Grand Hyatt
Grand Hyatt – was within 10-15 minutes walking distance to the nearest metro. It was about 20 minutes walking distance from Hong Kong Park and the tram station to Victoria Peak. It also had a couple of restaurants and we were satisfied with the spacious room and service at the hotel.
- Victoria Peak
- Hong Kong Park
- Central–Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system
- Tai Kwun
- Elgin Street
- Man Mo Temple
- Dragon’s Back Hike
Victoria Peak – or simply the Peak, is a splendid viewpoint on Hong Kong island, which is about 400m above sea level that overlooks a dense cluster of 1000s of skyscrapers that are taller than 100m. As there was a big crowd waiting to take the tram up to the peak, we decided to take an Uber to the peak, and take the tram down.
You will need 2-3 hours at this place depending on the things you’d like to do here. We started with a visit to the observation deck in Peak Galleria.
Peak Galleria Terrace, Victoria Peak – This is a shopping mall and is also home to a free-to-visit observation deck on the third floor that offers great views of the city and South China Sea.
Sky Terrace 428 (Peak Tower), Victoria Peak – Standing at 428m above sea level, this is the highest viewing platform in Hong Kong, offering panoramic views of the city and harbor. You have to pay ($10 US) to access this viewpoint.
Lions Pavilion, Victoria Peak – This is another free multiple-level viewpoint only a minute’s walk from the sky terrace (or peak tower) and is a popular spot for taking pictures. The pavilion was built and funded by the local Lions Club as a gift to the public for their enjoyment and for visitors to enjoy the view.
Peak Circle Walk, Victoria Peak – The Peak Circle Walk is an easy and scenic 3.5km loop trail that takes about 60-90 min to complete. The path is paved and mostly flat and winds through wooded areas with viewing points and excellent view of Victoria harbor. It starts and ends near the Peak Tower.
Hong Kong Park – This beautiful park is located close to the Victoria Peak tram station. You can spend easily an hour here taking a relaxed stroll and checking out the pond, fountain, greenery, and aviary.
Central-Mid-Levels escalator and walkway system – A 20-min walk (or you can take an uber to Central Market) will take you to the starting point of the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, which is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world and was opened in 1993. it’s a series of 20 escalators, stretching for a distance of 800m up the mountain. The system has entrances and exits at various intersections, so you can go all the way to the top or disembark at any point. It takes about 20 min to travel all the way to the top, which we did. The system reverses direction to help commuters. It runs downhill from 6 am to 10 am and uphill from 10:30 am to midnight.
Central-Mid-Levels Escalator has a few sights along the way, including Tai Kwun complex, Elgin street with many diverse range of restaurants etc.
Tai Kwun – Within 5-10 minutes of riding the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, you will arrive at Tai Kwun complex, otherwise known as the former Central Police Station. Tai Kwun was originally a jail, used by the British back during the colonial years. The site was restored and reopened in 2018, with new additions to complement the historic architecture. The revitalization project focused on maintaining the authenticity and original characteristics of the heritage buildings while adding modern facilities. Today, Tai Kwun is a major destination for arts, culture, and community events, with a wide range of activities. The compound is defined and structured by two large courtyards – the Parade Ground and the Prison Yard.
Tai Kwun, Parade Ground – was once used for police drills and ceremonies. Today, it is a central public space for recreation and cultural events. The historic buildings in the complex now house shops, cultural facilities, and restaurants.
Tai Kwun, Prison yard – The yard has 6 glass structures near a group of white chairs, each holding a large stone. Prisoners would experience punishments, inspections, assemblies, and exercises here. The size of the glass structures take after the prison cells in the nearby B and D Halls. They hint at invisible barriers in our daily lives, and the stones on the chairs may mean the burdens we handle.
Elgin Street – This is another stop along the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator. This is a lively street famous for its diverse range of restaurants and bars, many with outdoor seating, contributing to its bustling atmosphere. We got off here and walked around reading all the menu outside restaurants and settled for lunch in the Greek restaurant.
Man Mo Temple – is a 10-15 min walk from Elgin street. The temple, distinguished by its green tiled roof, was constructed between 1847 and 1862 by wealthy Chinese merchants. It has three blocks – Man Mo Temple, Lit Shing Kung and Kung Sor. Visitors frequent Man Mo Temple to pray for prosperity and success offering incense sticks, vegetables and symbolic round fruits such as oranges.
Dragon’s Back Hike – This is a popular and scenic trail known for its undulating ridge resembling a dragon’s spine, offering panoramic views of the South China Sea and surrounding coastline. The hike is moderately difficult with a lot of uphill and downhill path/steps, for the first half. The path flattens out after halfway point. The hike has a few options –
- The full hike from Tei Wan to Big Wave Bay is approximately 8.5 km (5.3 miles) with about 191-221 meters of elevation gain.
- Shorter version 1 – a 2.9-mile (approx. 4.7 km) round trip to the Dragon’s Back Viewing Point and back, which can take 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Shorter version 2 – you can go 4.7km (170m elevation gain) and stop at Sho K and get the bus back at this point – This was the option we chose
From our hotel, we had to take a couple of bus (#780 and then #9 and get out at Tei Wan, the start of the hike). Uber is always an option, which we used on our way back as we were too tired to wait for a bus.