Kowloon Tour

Tour Details

About the Tour

Category: History
Duration: 3 hours
Location: Hong Kong

Photos & Highlights

Tour of Hong Kong’s lively Kowloon district
Led by a local historian or journalist
Clock Tower, Chungking Mansions, Jordan Street, and Fuk Tak Temple

Tour Description

While the Central district attracts many visitors, the vibrant district of Kowloon might be one of the best places to visit in Hong Kong in order to get a real feel for contemporary life in the city. With the recent student rebellions here and the debate over the influx of mainland Chinese, the world is turning its eyes to Hong Kong. This three-hour Kowloon tour is led by a local expert, historian, or journalist. During our time together we'll explore how Hong Kong has evolved since its handover from the British back to China and the social implications on today's youth and culture, visiting the lively Jordan neighborhood and several Kowloon markets.

Bright Lights, Big Ideas

On July 1st, 1997, the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to China ended more than 150 years of British control. There was much speculation as to how this would impact not only Hong Kong's importance in world business, but also the daily lives of local Hongkongers. Now, more than 20 years later, Hong Kong has regained its economic power. Yet, four-month-long student protests in 2014 once again drew attention to the conditions and evolution of the Special Administrative Region to which Hong Kong was granted. (For a deeper look at Hong Kong's history under British rule, try our Hong Kong City Tour.)

We'll begin this Hong Kong tour by laying these foundations as we cross over to Kowloon on the Star Ferry from the Central district. As we cruise in the shadows of a vast sea of high-rise towers that continue to flow on either side of the harbor, our expert guide—a scholar of contemporary Hong Kong history—will give us a critical background on the transfer of sovereignty and key events since then.

Arriving on the Kowloon side, we'll focus our attention on the rapid rise of this once sleepy district, and some of the forces driving that growth. We'll pause beneath the historic Clock Tower on the pier and consider the incredible contrast with the new development which surrounds it, most of which dates to the last several years. We'll then work our way through the bustling streets of Kowloon, many filled with luxury shops and pharmacies that cater to mainland Chinese, leading us to discuss the dynamics between these visitors and the locals, or the challenges created from these shops driving out the businesses that have long existed here. Our guide will share surprising economic and demographic information and paint a portrait of this dynamically evolving city, as well as the Kowloon neighborhood.

Kowloon Markets and Jordan

As we pick our way through the bustling streets of Kowloon, we'll stop in at Chungking Mansions, with its thrifty guest houses and Indian restaurants, where we can turn our attention to the social side of the story and learn about the intense multiculturalism of Kowloon. We may stop to discuss the Mosque or the Fuk Tak Temple before we meander through the park, a refreshing breather from the buzz of the streets. By now, feeling a bit peckish, our path may take us to the famous Australian Dairy Company or to a street vendor for a little snack before we explore some of the area's night markets. (For a deeper culinary exploration, check out our Hong Kong Food Tour.) We may enjoy delicacies such as nai cha (Hong Kong-style milk tea), Taiwanese bubble tea, or freshly baked bo lo bao (pineapple bun). We'll end our tour of Hong Kong's Kowloon district in the vibrant area of Jordan, the epicenter of Hong Kong youth culture to address how some of the new generation are embracing the future, while some of their peers are turning towards Chinese tradition heavily influenced by the mainland.

Take Aways

By the end of our tour of Hong Kong's Kowloon district, we'll have a good sense of the political, social and cultural changes in Hong Kong since the British handover of power.

FAQ

Where does it start? Where does it end?
The tour begins at Star Ferry pier in Central on Hong Kong Island. Typically, the tour ends in the Jordan area of the Kowloon district.

Where You'll Start

Tour Experts

Adelina

Originally from Macau, Adelina has lived and studied architecture in different parts of the world before settling in Hong Kong to pursue a career in architectural conservation in practice and research. She received her BA in Architecture from the University of Berkeley and has recently completely her MA at the University of Hong Kong. This architectural perspective allows her to add an additional layer to the Hong Kong that she describes during her walking tours. She takes pride and pleasure in discovering off beat areas and perceiving the city through both her lens and that of her clients. She is also a self-proclaimed milk tea and egg tarts connoisseur who is fascinated by the mystical charm of everyday Hong Kong.

Halley

Halley is a renown Hong Kong artist, receiving his MVA in Studio Arts from the Hong Kong Baptist University. He enjoys walking around the city to explore and discover the local city fabric, which is what his artworks are deeply inspired by. He is particularly interested in observing the locals' living creativity connected with daily life objects and plants. Halley presents his artworks regularly worldwide, including London, Basel, Miami, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Taipei and Guangzhou. He has exhibited in Art Basel Hong Kong every year since 2013. Specializing in visual arts and culture, Halley is familiar with local art and cultural spaces and artifacts, including independent art spaces and art events. He has few years experience running a homestay business, and has been leading arts and cultural tours such as the Fotanian Open Studios, Gallery Walk along the SoHo area, JCCAC and Sham Shui Po area. Halley is eager to share the true cultural fabric and city texture of Hong Kong with visitors from all over the world!

Victor

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Victor earned his Bachelor's Degree in Translation and Master's Degree in Sustainable Tourism from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. As a registered tourist guide in Hong Kong, Victor is passionate about exploring off-the-beaten paths and surprising every guest with the hidden side of the city. With his love of exploring the globe, Victor traveled to Sweden for studies and Mexico for volunteer work - to name a couple of the different countries where he has spent time. However, even after having been to many countries, Victor still loves Hong Kong's cuisine the most and would proudly say that it is unbeatable. Besides food, Victor loves to hike around Hong Kong's hidden mountains and country parks, which occupy 40% of the total area of his city.

9 Reviews – (4.82)

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Leo was a fantastic guide, and he was happy to share his inside knowledge of Hong Kong. We learned a lot about the city and visited areas that we would not have found on our own.

Susan

Mar. 22, 2019

The tour was great- i really enjoyed the look at Hong Kong's history and it's present as told through architecture and geography. Halley was personable, fun, and knowledgeable.

Grant

Oct. 10, 2018

Ed has a ton of information on HK and is an interesting story teller. This was our last CT in HK and in design, it overlapped with out prior tours. Ed helped make it new.

James

Nov. 9, 2017

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