Kowloon Activities

Your children may be too young to indulge in the mind-boggling array of shopping complexes that make up much of Kowloon’s persona, but this small peninsula does offer a few attractions which should interest the kids. One of the most advanced planetariums can be found in the Hong Kong Space Museum and the Museum of Science has over 500 exhibits, many of which are hands-on. Rounding things off are a couple of excellent parks where the kids can run around and burn off some energy.

Hong Kong Museum of Science
Scientifically fun and educationally informative, this interesting museum presents the mysteries of the world in an easy-to-understand way. Using a question-answer format, more than 60 per cent of the 500 exhibits are interactive, engaging children better than traditional static displays.

Hong Kong Space Museum
A real hit with most kids, this high-tech museum features one of the world’s most advanced planetariums and interactive models explaining the basics of space exploration. Weightlessness can be experienced through a fly wire exhibition and the Hall of Solar Science lets you check out our sun close up. A number of other interactive rides include a virtual paraglider and an actual multi-axis chair like those used to train astronauts. The Space Theatre shows seven movies each day highlighting space travel, the natural world and even sports.

Kowloon Park
As you’ll quickly notice, Kowloon is primarily an urban environment, so it helps to take a break every now and then and run around on some soft green grass. Kowloon Park offers a wide selection of activities for the kids, such as a fantastic swimming pool, a games area and an outdoor sculpture park. There are plenty of paths for walking and lots of grassy spots for laying around. A few ponds, a lake, streams and classic Chinese gardens make this a great place to unwind.

Kowloon literally means ‘nine dragons’ in reference to the nine mountains which flank the city to the north. In recent years, the city has tried to broaden its appeal by opening a number of interesting museums, most of which are concentrated in the expansive Hong Kong Cultural Centre. At the tip of the peninsula lies Tsim Sha Tsui, the heart of tourism in Kowloon. The Promenade is the best place for a stroll, offering stunning views of the Hong Kong skyline across the harbour. There are plenty of markets here, both traditional and modern, as well as the historic Walled City and a couple of very impressive Chinese temples. If you look hard enough, you’ll find more than just shopping in Kowloon.

Hong Kong Cultural Centre
This is Kowloon’s cultural showcase, despite its rather bland minimalist exterior. The building is used year round for arts festivals, music concerts and other special events. It is also the home of the Hong Kong Space Museum, with its wonderfully interactive exhibitions, and the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Hong Kong Museum of Art
Not limited merely to paintings and sculpture, this excellent and diverse museum presents the full gambit of Chinese artistic creations. Its collection is arguably the finest and most extensive in Hong Kong, making it a must-see if you have any interest in the heritage of Chinese culture. Antiques, ceramics, jade and traditional clothing stand side by side with ancient scrolls and calligraphy dating back centuries. Three of the five floors are dedicated to permanent exhibits, while the other two present rotating displays. It’s a great art gallery, conveniently located a few minutes from the Star Ferry.

Hong Kong Museum of History
This large building brings the 6,000 year history of Hong Kong and Kowloon to life through some 500 exhibits housed on four floors. Most of the displays are interactive, flashy and presented in both Chinese and English. They are also highly educational, focusing on themes such as the life sciences, virtual reality, robotics and many other interesting subjects. Its location next to the Science Museum makes it easy to tour both sites in one afternoon.

Kowloon Walled City Park
One of the original walled cities of the Hong Kong area has been preserved as a city park, complete with wonderful gardens, pavilions, sculptures and plenty of walkways. Although only the Old South Gate remains from the fabled Walled City, you can get a sense of these first settlers and their enclosed fortresses.

Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum
If you’d like to take a look at the old side of Kowloon, then visit this early Han Dynasty tomb which dates from around the time of Christ. The onsite exhibitions showcase funeral objects which were discovered in the tomb such as bronze works, pottery and small replicas of houses.

Man Mo Temple
Originally built in the 1840s, Man Mo is the oldest, most important temple in all of Hong Kong. It pays homage to two Chinese gods: Man, the deity of Literature, and Mo, the deity of war. The classic sweeping rooflines and ornate carvings make this one of the nicer temples to check out. Particularly interesting are the enormous coils of incense that hang from the ceiling. They can burn for up to three weeks and impart a undeniably mysterious ambiance to the whole scene.

Wong Tai Sin
Hong Kong’s most popular temple caters to all three of China’s major religions: Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Wong Tai Sin is also the most colourful and active in Kowloon thanks to the temple’s emphasis on fortunetelling. Worshippers come in droves every day to light incense and shake the container of bamboo sticks until one falls out. One of the fortune-tellers will then interpret the stick’s meaning and give advice on all matters. The surrounding gardens make for a pleasant stroll, and if you’re feeling ill you can seek treatment at the clinic which specialises in traditional Chinese herbal medicine.

Yaumatei
This incredibly lively part of Kowloon is simply awash with classic Chinese street scenes and offers a glimpse at the real side of Kowloon life. Elderly men sit around the public square playing Chinese chess alongside fortune-tellers looking to make your future more secure. At night the Temple Street Night Market comes to life with people hunting for bargains on used goods.

Eating out is one of the two major activities on offer in Kowloon. Local residents never tire of their own eateries because this city offers some of the finest cuisine from every corner of China, as well as many other global destinations. The sheer number of restaurants in Kowloon is staggering and you’ll find something to eat on every corner and down each lane. Chinese restaurants are typically noisy, crowded environments and the emphasis is on the food not necessarily the decor.

Most of the restaurants in Kowloon serve Cantonese cuisine, which happens to be the most popular variation of Chinese cooking worldwide. Cantonese cuisine involves fast cooking at high temperatures, either stir-fired in a wok or steamed in a bamboo basket. The Cantonese are notorious for insisting on freshness and use as little oil as possible to allow the natural flavours to come through. Seafood is a major component of Kowloon menus, so be sure and try a steamed whole fish with ginger or garlic. Prawns, squid and other sea life are also readily available, as are the controversial delicacies such as shark fin soup and swallow nest soup. Dim sum is another gastronomic experience not to be missed. First created in the 10th century, these incredibly tasty light snacks come in a number of shapes and flavours. In the same vein as sushi, you order piece by piece from a trolley or menu.

Most restaurants have English menus, but try to avoid the lunch rush from 13:00 to 14:00, when things get really crazy. You’ll probably want to make reservations most evenings, unless you’re eating at a casual place. Your bill will include every little thing brought to the table, so be careful what you order. Even though a service charge is often added to the bill, tips are still expected. Eating out in Kowloon is a real treat, so open the purse strings and enjoy yourself.

Many people equate Kowloon with shopping, and for good reason. The peninsula is littered with mega shopping complexes, specialised markets, boutique and brand name shops, and just about every other type of consumer establishment which will happily take your money. Even if you don’t plan to spend much of your hard-earned cash, the browsing and general is great fun. Kowloon’s two principal shopping strips are Nathan road and Tsim Sha Tsui East. Nathan road is commonly referred to as the Golden Mile and lights up with a neon haze after dark. Tsim Sha Tsui, of which Nathan road is a part, contains the highest concentration of shops in all of Hong Kong.

Harbour City, along the waterfront, is another major centre for shopping. For a more charismatic Chinese experience, check out Mong Kok’s densely packed throng of shops, many of which sell rare items. Temple street, with its jade market and constant flow of people is another great neighbourhood to explore. Whampoa Gardens, a restoration project at the old Kowloon Dockyard, has been transformed into a quirky concrete ship filled with restaurants, gardens and shops.

One of the great things about Kowloon is that despite the densely crowded urban conditions, there is plenty of open space just minutes away from the pavement. This helps keep the locals sane, providing a surprisingly wide array of hiking opportunities, beaches, swimming spots and golf links. If you need something more exciting, Hong Kong’s horse racing scene is among the liveliest in the world.

Beaches
Although beaches don’t usually pop into your mind when you think about Hong Kong, there are in fact hundreds of them scattered around the territory. Some 40 of these beaches around Kowloon are officially maintained and kept clean by the local government and are equipped with lifeguards and basic facilities. If you can get over the occasionally polluted waters, the scenery is very nice. Weekends and holidays see these beaches packed with locals throughout the warm season, so you may want to visit on a weekday.

Golf
It may not be particularly cheap, but the golf courses in Hong Kong are both beautiful and well-designed. The two public courses in the New Territories at Kau Sai Chau are the most affordable and still very scenic. The Hong Kong Golf Club, Discovery Bay Golf Club and Clearwater Bay Golf Club are all stunning courses with tremendous views over the South China Sea. Golf is becoming more popular every year in Kowloon, so be sure and make a tee time well in advance.

Hiking
Believe it or not, 40 per cent of Hong Kong’s land is allocated to public space. There are 23 public parks, most of which have a decent network of hiking trails. If you need a bit of exercise or want some fresh air with your views, you will find a trail that suits your ability. Hardcore hikers will want to explore the famous 97km MacLehose Trail, which traverses eight different parks. The 69km Lantao Trail loop, on Lantao island, is another winner. Passing a number of scenic spots, the highlight is a trek up to Lantao Peak, where the views will not fail to impress. Both of these classic treks can be broken up into smaller sections if you don’t want to put too much time into it. Other shorter and easier trails can be found all over Hong Kong, so check with the Tourist Board for a trail map and hiking guide.

Horse racing
If you are a fan of horse racing, then you’ll love the scene in Hong Kong. From September to June, a large percentage of Hong Kong’s residents join in the action at the Happy Valley race track, which was opened 150 years ago. The newer and more modern Sha Tin race track can hold 90,000 spectators, making this sport by far the most popular activity in Hong Kong. Naturally, the gambling aspect may have something to do with its popularity. Races are held every Wednesday evening and most Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Tai Chi
This ancient Chinese workout known as shadowboxing helps to balance the body and mind by releasing pent up energy. Most people have seen it being performed in parks around the world and if you want to learn the art of tai chi, Hong Kong is a great place to do it. Visitors can join a free one hour lesson in English which is put on by the Tourist Board.