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Wong Tai Sin
By LUXE City Guides; images by Calvin Sit
Temples and Towers
Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong’s only landlocked district, is home to an intriguing mix of temples and towers, colour and calm, a heady mix that’s quintessentially Hong Kong. The neighbourhood is named after the god Wong Tai Sin; his portrait can be found inside the vibrant Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, where believers flock to present offerings and ask for good fortune. The temple draws the biggest crowds on the eve of Chinese New Year, when visitors rush in to burn their incense sticks for luck at the turn of midnight.
A more serene side of Chinese religion can be found at Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden, where the large Tang-style Buddhist complex and garden offers a tranquil place to escape the city and learn about Chinese culture. However busy life may get, you are guaranteed calm respite here.
Some surprising alternative attractions have also emerged — thanks to a little help from social media. While Wong Tai Sin’s 22 public housing estates are a vital part of Hong Kong’s social history, few would have predicted that one of them would become celebrated as the city’s most “Instagrammable” destination.
Built in the 1960s, Choi Hung Estate was the largest public housing development of its kind at the time, originally housing over 43,000 residents. In recent years, a new wave of photographers has fallen in love with its rainbow-coloured facade and nostalgia-tinged basketball courts, sharing their images with the world and breathing fresh life into one of Hong Kong’s oldest examples of public housing. Meanwhile, hiking up to Lion Rock Country Park will provide yet another perspective of the district, and indeed, the whole of Hong Kong.
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Burn incense at Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple and wish for good fortune for the year ahead.
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See what fate has in-store with a reading at Wong Tai Sin Fortune-Telling and Oblation Arcade.
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Soak up the serenity of traditional Chinese landscaping and water features at Nan Lian Garden.
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Find inner zen at the calming Lotus Pond Garden and Hall of Celestial Kings at Chi Lin Nunnery.
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Snap photos at the rainbow-coloured Choi Hung Estate, one of the oldest of its kind in Hong Kong.
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Head up the hills at Lion Rock Country Park for sweeping cityscape views.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board disclaims any liability as to the quality or fitness for purpose of third party products and services; and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy, adequacy or reliability of any information contained herein.
Information in this guide is subject to change without advance notice. Please contact the relevant product or service providers for enquiries.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this guide, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and LUXE City Guides accept no responsibility for any obsolescence, errors or omissions contained herein.