Victoria Harbour has long been Hong Kong’s pride and joy. Awash with tugboats, cruise ships, ferries and the occasional floating art installation, the storied waterway flows between a canyon of skyscrapers right through the city’s heart.
Historically, the land around the harbor was predominantly used for maritime trade and shipping. In the late 20th century, when the city’s main port moved northwest of Kowloon, urban planners saw an opportunity to rethink the industrial waterfront spaces and capitalize on their scenic potential for tourism and recreation.
On either side of the dazzling waterway, the shoreline has become a magnet for revitalization projects. From a new promenade connecting Central and Causeway Bay to the art-fueled West Kowloon Cultural District, several recently revamped waterfront areas have made Victoria Harbour all the more alluring.
If you’re ready to explore the coastline, here’s how to make the most of the city’s shape-shifting harborfront on your next trip to Hong Kong.
Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town
Home to indie art galleries, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and traditional mom-and-pop shops, Hong Kong Island’s Western district has a laidback vibe that’s easy to fall in love with. And now, the waterfront area adds yet another calling card.
Stretching about 2.5 miles along the harbor’s edge, the recently revitalized Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town promenades (linked together via a side street) offer a pleasant morning stroll, thanks to pedestrian-only boardwalks, landscaped green areas, community gardens, outdoor seating, art installations and playgrounds.
After taking in the harbor views in Kennedy Town, don’t miss a chance to dine at an old-school dim sum spot, like Sun Hing, or an alfresco restaurant by the water, such as Breeze Bistro, a casual Mediterranean eatery with incredible sunset vistas.
Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade
Anchoring the Kowloon peninsula is Tsim Sha Tsui, a lively district known for its shopping, dining, markets and cultural experiences. Over the past decade, the vibrant waterfront stretch in front of the historic Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star The Peninsula Hong Kong has dramatically transformed.
Among the highlights is the recently renovated Hong Kong Museum of Art, home to a vast collection of ancient Chinese and contemporary international art. Keep walking east along the water, and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Victoria Dockside, a culture and design district with green spaces and alfresco art installations. The revamped Avenue of Stars (lined with celebrity statues and handprints), ultra-luxurious Five-Star Rosewood Hong Kong, shopping and art hub K11 MUSEA and lots of outdoor spots to relax and unwind are also nearby.
Regent Hong Kong is another new face on the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. This serene waterfront hideaway was the place to see and be seen in the 1980s when it first opened. After a couple of decades as InterContinental Hong Kong, the Regent is back and better than ever, thanks to a new look and feel envisioned by Hong Kong-born architect Chi Wing Lo.
If you’ve worked up an appetite, don’t miss the refreshed experience at Nobu Hong Kong, which returned earlier this year after pressing pause during the hotel renovations. Just around the corner, newcomers like The Dining Room at Rosewood promise refined Italian gastronomy in a beautiful atmosphere with a fantastic bar and vast wine cellar.
West Kowloon Cultural District
Just 10 years ago, the West Kowloon peninsula was still a massive construction site embattled by delays. Things started moving in 2016 when key venues began opening across the 100-acre peninsula built on reclaimed land. First came the M+ Pavilion for exhibitions, then the Freespace music venue and later the Xiqu Centre for traditional Chinese theater.
As more venues debuted on the banks of the harbor, they slowly created the vibrant hub for art lovers you’ll find today. The lush, peaceful waterfront destination is now home to nearly 20 cultural venues, including heavy hitters like the flagship M+ museum and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, as well as countless restaurants and cafés.
After perusing the diverse exhibitions or catching a show, try Rest Coffee Gin, PANO or Mosu Hong Kong (the offshoot of the well-regarded Mosu in Seoul). If you’re keen to stay nearby, we recommend Five-Star The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, which has witnessed the peninsula’s transformation up close. Here, you’ll enjoy astounding harbor views from the top floors of the ICC — the tallest building in Hong Kong.
Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay
Long divided into slices, the roughly 2.5-mile stretch between Central and Causeway Bay has finally been stitched together by walking paths and public parks. The reimagined waterfront spaces now feature massive event venues for festivals like Clockenflap or the Hong Kong Wine and Dine, manicured gardens and plenty of space to stretch out with a good book and a bottle of wine.
If you have little ones in tow, head east to Wan Chai, where you’ll find a new water sports center full of family-friendly fun. Rent pedal boats for a cruise around the water, refuel at the new HarbourFun rooftop restaurant and bar, perse pop-up art installations or soak up the atmosphere on the colorful harborfront staircase.
Continue to Causeway Bay to check out the historic typhoon shelter, where Hong Kong’s fishermen have found refuge from punishing typhoons for decades, then retrace your steps to Central, where you’ll see lots of new places to dine and unwind. Make a reservation at Argo, the Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong’s glittering new bar, or take it all in from above at swanky Cardinal Point, a new rooftop restaurant and lounge atop Landmark Mall.
Take to the water
Of course, there’s no better way to experience Victoria Harbour than with an hour or two on the water. Choose from cheerful Star Ferry rides to more luxurious affairs. For example, the Dukling harbor cruise invites passengers aboard an authentic Chinese junk boat with iconic red sails to see the sights while learning about Hong Kong’s maritime culture.
Meanwhile, the Aqualuna embarks on a stylish, modern junk boat ride with comfortable loungers and cocktails. It’s perfect for an evening cruise to see the Symphony of Lights — a choreographed multimedia show featuring synchronized lights, music and lasers across iconic buildings like the Bank of China Tower, the HSBC Building and the ICC.
Even The Peninsula Hong Kong has joined the fun. Last year, the 1928 hotel launched Afternoon Tea Voyages aboard a renovated Star Ferry. While sipping bubbly and nibbling on delectable scones, you’ll enjoy live music, stunning skyline views and a front-row seat to Hong Kong’s evolving waterfront.
