On the Waterfront

A stroll on Hong Kong’s newly completed promenade

On the Waterfront
A stroll on Hong Kong’s newly completed promenade

At the end of 2025, Hong Kong opened the last section of a waterfront promenade that now stretches almost all the way along the island’s north shore. It runs from Kennedy Town, at the western end, to Shau Kei Wan in the east, a total of around thirteen kilometres … assuming you don’t get sidetracked.

So I set out one morning to hike along it and was sidetracked before I even started. I used to live in Kennedy Town years ago, so I have a bit of a soft spot for it. Back then, its Fung Shui was rock bottom, there was an abattoir across the road, a mortuary, an incinerator and the MTR didn’t go there.

But then the abattoir closed, new housing was built, and the MTR trains duly arrived. And on this bright and blustery morning, they brought me back. I decanted out of exit C and swung left into Forbes Street. I know this road well, although these days there is a line of fashionable restaurants along one side. The other side is home to about twenty or so noble old banyan trees, whose roots cascade down a granite block wall. Many of them have been there for over a hundred years, ignored until quite recently. They have now become a popular Instagram backdrop.

It is still a few minutes’ walk away from the start of the promenade, though. For anyone wishing to go directly there, the bus might be a better option, the 5B, 5X and 10 all terminate where the promenade starts, as do the 101 and 104 from across the harbour.

Kennedy Town is named after Arthur Kennedy, Hong Kong’s seventh colonial governor. In the past, its waterfront was an area of docks, godowns and warehouses. Some of the old piers have been absorbed into the promenade, creating pleasant adjuncts with lawns, benches and shelters.

Banyan tree roots on Forbes Steeet (left). Chilling out on repurposed piers

Some of the piers that were too unstable to be repurposed are now vantage points for egrets eying the waters for an early lunch. Other anglers use a rod and line, though they are fishing for pleasure rather than survival. On a section of the boardwalk further along, near Tamar Park, information boards detail which denizens of the deep can be caught in these waters, and which ones are either venomous or poisonous.

It is quite possible to walk the entire length from end to end. Watching the skyline change, on both sides of the harbour, is fascinating in its own right. But there are plenty of diversions along the way that will appeal to the curious traveller.

Lovers of religious architecture will want to visit Lo Pan Temple in Kennedy Town. It is a bit of a climb up Sands Street to Ching Lin Terrace, where it is located, but the old steps have been augmented with a lift and an escalator. Lo Pan is the patron of builders and carpenters. The small but well-preserved temple, which was built in 1884, is embellished with murals and intricate ceramic dioramas created at the famous kilns at Shiwan, near Foshan.

Before the airport moved to its current location, arriving flights used to fly low over Kowloon to land at Kai Tak. Because of the building restrictions, this necessitated that all the buildings across the peninsula were of a uniform height. Since the limits were lifted in 1998, the buildings have mushroomed, but it is still possible to look across and trace the line of the original height limit.

A space to practice, Lo Pan Temple, and keeping a keen eye out for lunch

While the promenade is mostly continuous, there are a few short breaks. One of these occurs just after Belcher’s Bay bus terminal. The waterfront here is still used for loading and unloading cargo, so the route follows the road for about 700 metres before a left turn leads back to the shoreline, and around the far side of the wholesale fruit market. A large sign points the way. Unfortunately, it does so rather late, and I make an inadvertent tour of the tram depot along the way. I actually enjoyed it. I’ve always been a bit of a railway enthusiast, but it might not be everybody’s cup of tea.

The original waterfront

There isn’t a single millimetre of shoreline along the harbour front that hasn’t been reclaimed at some point in history. The original coast is traced by Queen’s Road. That is now about half a kilometre inland from the Macau Ferry Terminal at the Shun Tak Centre. Look out for the old Western Market building on the other side of Connaught Road. The market was first established in 1844 on Queens Road, but the current building dates only as far back as 1906. Queens Road passes about 200 metres behind it.

Western Market (left), Possession Street

Forking off from Queens Road is an insignificant-looking hill called Possession Street. It was at this point, on the morning of January 25, 1841, that Captain Belcher and the crew of HMS Sulphur first landed on Hong Kong Island. Commodore Sir J. G. Bremer arrived the following day and hoisted the British flag, formally taking possession of Hong Kong.

The Shun Tak Centre is linked to the IFC Mall via an elevated walkway. In both places, there are restaurants and coffee shops. Podium 4 of the latter boasts a roof garden linking the two office towers. The taller of the two had a cameo role in The Dark Knight movie, where Batman hitched a lift on a passing airplane from its roof. I replenish my caffeine levels and head back down to the waterfront

Hong Kong Harbour from the IFC Mall roof garden (above), sailing junks, and Star Ferry

The Central piers are always a hive of activity. Ferries carry people to and from various parts of Kowloon as well as commuters from numerous outlying islands. Buses, taxis, an ice cream van and a constant stream of joggers add to the hubbub. In the afternoons, junks with bright red sails can sometimes be seen parading on the water. They are owned by a local restaurant group and are available for hire. For those of more modest means, the Star Ferry, which shuttles between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, has got to be the best value cruise anywhere on the planet.

The small but interesting Maritime Museum is at Pier 8, while Piers 9 and 10 are for public use. The junks often moor here in the early evenings to take on their passengers. There is an observation wheel and a large event space here, where a carnival, which usually takes place between Christmas and the Lunar New Year, the Hong Kong Wine and Dine festival, and concerts are held.

There are several open spaces along the way. The old dock at HMS Tamar was filled in to create a nice park where staff from the nearby legislative council and other government buildings spill out for a lunchtime stroll. Joggers are omnipresent along most of the route, but there are also lanes for cyclists, and numerous exercise machines, pedalled mostly by pensioners while scrolling the social media. Play areas for children are always well subscribed after school hours, there are dedicated spaces for pets, and musicians can easily find spots to practice without upsetting the neighbours.

Open spaces and play areas for young and old alike

Trains and boats and guns

At the Convention and Exhibition Centre, tour groups pose for photos at Golden Bauhinia Square, where a flag-raising ceremony takes place every morning at 07:50. An unused pier in Causeway Bay has been turned into an MTR exhibit called Harbour Station, with two carriages from one of the first units that entered service in 1982 on display. On my visit, a group of students were doing homework inside. There is also a small boating lake and a little cafeteria.

The firing of the Noonday Gun is a tradition that goes back to the early days of the colony. The gun originally sat on the very first plot of land that was sold to a Western company after the British takeover. Jardines won the bid, and they got into the habit of firing the gun every time their taipan arrived or departed.

According to legend, the practice upset a senior naval officer, as such salutes were usually reserved for high-ranking government or military officials. As a penalty, Jardines were ordered to fire it every day at twelve sharp in perpetuity. I must admit, though, I prefer Noel Coward’s theory that it was fired to rouse tardy staff from their slumbers as detailed in his song, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. The gun, a three-pound Hotchkiss Mark 1 naval gun, now points out over the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter.

Firing the Noonday Gun (above), Harbour Station MTR exhibit and sunset on the Tin Hau breakwater

One of the best places in town to watch the sun set is on a hundred metre breakwater that juts out into the harbour at the other end of the shelter. There is a futuristic art installation and spectacular views of both the Hong Kong and Kowloon skylines.

Continuing east, the location of the Kai Tak Airport is betrayed by two enormous cruise ships moored alongside what was once a runway. But otherwise, the architecture gradually changes from shiny office, hotel and bank buildings to residential blocks.

In Quarry Bay park, Hong Kong’s original fire boat, the Alexander Grantham, has been hauled ashore and is now an interesting museum. The vessel was built at Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock in 1952. Named after the colonial governor of the time, it served for fifty years before being replaced in 2002. It was hoisted into its current location and opened to the public a year later.

Alexander Grantham fireboat museum (left), and Shau Kei Wan typhoon shelter

By the time I reach Shau Kei Wan, the promenade is much quieter; even the joggers have turned and gone back the other way. All that remains of what was once a vibrant fishing village is the typhoon shelter and a temple honouring Tam Kung. According to legend, Tam Kung was a native of Huizhou, in Guangdong, during the thirteenth century. His ability to predict the weather, control the wind and rain, and cure sickness made him popular with fishermen.

The temple was built in 1905, and although the building has been renovated much over the years, the interior has retained its mystique. Kwan Tai, the god of war and righteousness, Wong Tai Sin, the emperor of Heaven, and Kwun Yum, the goddess of mercy, are also venerated here. I pay my respects, with the afternoon sun streaming into the open courtyard, and wander off in search of a fortifying bowl of noodles. It’s been a long walk.

Tam Kung Temple

Related: On the Trail of Two Monasteries

Exploring Hong Kong’s New Territories

The New Territories represents around 85% of Hong Kong’s total land area. It is an area of coastal wetlands and mountains boasting a history of more than a thousand years. There are many ancient monuments, well-maintained hiking trails and outlying islands with old fishing communities. Yet to most visitors, it remains largely unknown.

I spent the Covid years researching, writing and photographing it. Exploring Hong Kong’s New Territories is 332 pages with around 400 colour photographs plus maps and directions. More information here