Best Photography Locations in Hong Kong
Hong Kong — is not only a vibrant economic center of the world, but also a photographic haven. It is the perfect city to write with your camera. From the hustling bustling concrete jungle, to the luscious forests, to the vast ocean, there is a place for everyone in Hong Kong. If you think there are too many options to choose from, here are my top 10 favorite photography locations in Hong Kong. They are listed in alphabetical order, because it is too cruel to rank these! Take out your camera, or smartphone, and start snapping!
1. Airport South Perimeter Road 飛機維修區
📍https://goo.gl/maps/2hnrACNL6pzghvmDA
🚌 Bus S52 from Tung Chung to Aircraft Maintenance Area
⏰ Around Sunset
Hong Kong International Airport is one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world. Even during the age of Covid-19, there is still a significant cargo traffic. The South Perimeter road around HKG is the perfect spot for plane spotting and catching a unblocked view of the sunset. The best spot to stand is directly under runway 07R (marked on Google Maps link) to watch the 747 cargo planes land meters above your head. You can also use a zoom lens to catch the passenger planes landing on runway 07L in the distance.
2. Braemar Hill 寶馬山
📍https://goo.gl/maps/ABgoH1NdZ5pHgoTD8
🚐 Minibus 25 from Causeway Bay MTR to Braemar Hill Bus Terminus
⏰ 1 hour before sunset (or earlier to get a better spot)
Braemar Hill, a lookout south of North Point on Hong Kong Island is perhaps on one the best locations for cityscape views both Hong Kong Island, and Kowloon. Even though it is off the beaten path, and takes some effort to get up there. The journey is worth it. The breathtaking 360 degree view of Hong Kong is like nothing you will see anywhere else in the city. It feels like as if you are standing above Hong Kong and literally looking down on the city beneath you. If you are going there at night, remember to bring a torch, as there are no lights on the road up to the peak. Go early to get a good spot, because many photographers will be there too.
3. Choi Hung Estate 彩虹邨
📍https://goo.gl/maps/xEbcii6C8TT8LE8Z6
🚇 Choi Hung MTR Station Exit C4
⏰ Any time of day or morning to avoid crowds
Choi Hung, Cantonese for rainbow, is a home to arguably the most “Instagram famous” building in Hong Kong. The estate is painted with vibrant rainbow colors and has therefore attracted photographers and tourists from all over the world. If you want a beautiful Pantone colors in your photos, this is the place to go. However it is important to note that this estate is the actual home of many people. When visiting, please be quiet and respectful of your surroundings.
4. Devil’s Peak 魔鬼山
📍https://goo.gl/maps/H35UGCEkj3RbYByj7
🚇 Yau Tong MTR Station Exit A1
⏰ Around sunset
Similar to Braemar Hill, Devil’s Peak offers panoramic views of Hong Kong. However, the scale you see is completely different. While Braemar offers a relatively close up perspective of the city, Devil’s Peak offers a wide and vast view of Hong Kong. With Eastern Kowloon in the foreground, Hong Kong Island to the far left, and Kowloon Peninsula to the far right, you see the entire Hong Kong landscape in one panoramic shot. Be sure to bring an ultra wide angle lens if you own one. On the eastern viewpoint, you can also look out into the oceans of Sai Kung with HKUST in the distance.
5. Mong Kok 旺角
📍https://goo.gl/maps/oEHkabgrmuK5Mwfu7
🚇 Mong Kok MTR Station
⏰ Night
Mong Kok is one of the major shopping districts in Kowloon home to the famous Ladies’ Market, Flower Market, and numerous food stalls. Even though you can visit Mong Kok at any time of day and get the most out of the shopping and eating experience, the best time for photography is at night when the neon signs light up the streets. It seems impossible, but the area gives off a cyberpunk, retro, and modern styles all at once. You have to explore and see for yourself. It really does feel like you are in an 80s Hong Kong movie.
6. Peng Chau 坪洲
📍https://goo.gl/maps/kiLTxmhiUii6Jrj2A
⛴ Ferry from Central Pier No. 6
⏰ Any time of day
Peng Chau is my favorite Outer Island in Hong Kong and is also great for street photography. Unlike its larger counterpart Cheung Chau, Peng Chau has a hip vibe and fewer tourists. Be sure to visit the House of Craft which is like an outdoors art museum. Random but interesting artifacts are scattered around the small alleyways near the craft house. Peng Chau is a great weekend island getaway if you are looking to relax and take some colorful shots from the gram.
7. Sham Shui Po 深水埗
📍https://goo.gl/maps/tr9MjAQELMFzAdfe6
🚇 Sham Shui Po MTR Station
⏰ Daytime
Sham Shui Po is a neighborhood in Kowloon which retains the “Old Hong Kong” vibe. With the city being famous for its towering skyscrapers and car filled streets, the area around Sham Shui Po is great for walking about and experiencing what a local Hong Kong neighborhood feels like. Vendors line up the street making the area feel like one giant market. There are interesting characters everywhere you look. You can also find some of the city’s best cheap eats here allowing you to get a great meal for less than HK$30.
8. Tai Kwun 大館
🚇 Central MTR Station Exit D1
⏰ Any time of day before close
Tai Kwun, the only interior location on this list, is a center for heritage and culture converted from the former Central Police Station. Today is home to unique exhibits and great for architecture photography. The area is no short of geometric shapes for your photography creativity. JC Contemporary is where you will find the famous spiral staircase. After a stroll through the museums, check out Bar at Armoury for some drinks.
9. Tai O 大澳
📍https://goo.gl/maps/KJpAMBwAmXojbLaD8
🚌 Bus 11 from Tung Chung to Tai O
⏰ Any time of day
Tai O is a small village on the western tip of Lantau Island. The village, known as the “Venice of Hong Kong” is famous for its stilt houses, floating above the Tai O Creek. The village is a truly unique sight different from any other fishing village in Hong Kong. You can hop on a boat ride through the village waterways and out to sea. If lucky, you might even catch the mythical pink dolphin. There is a lot to see and eat in Tai O, well worth the two our trip from Hong Kong city center.
10. West Kowloon Cultural District 西九龍文化區
📍https://goo.gl/maps/7hdhtJZ4YDeqkYgx6
🚇 Kowloon MTR Station Exit E1
⏰ Afternoon and sunset (weekdays to avoid large crowds)
For me personally, West Kowloon Cultural District is the location on this list I have been to the most times. West Kowloon is a park where your dogs can roam free, where you can bring your significant other on a romantic data, and where you can have an unblocked view of the horizon and sunset. In the North west, you can see the Container Terminal. In the south west, you have Hong Kong Island. The park gives a similar view of Hong Kong Island as Tsim Sha Tsui, but there are fewer tourists, which is definitely a plus!
