Wan Chai Gap Road

By National Geographic

As you find yourself amongst lush greenery along Wan Chai Gap Road, you will be amazed at how close nature is to the bustling neighbourhood of Wan Chai, which showcases some of Hong Kong’s most dynamic culture and history. In the busy streets, traditional and state-of-the-art buildings are juxtaposed beside each other, reflecting the area’s rich heritage. A 1.5-hour walk will take you through dense trees and unique rock formations, which form the basis of local folklore, and offer you a great view of the city’s striking skyline.

Lee Tung Avenue & the Old Wan Chai Post Office

Lee Tung Avenue, known as the Wedding Card Street, was the place to get wedding invitations designed and printed. Three traditional tong lau tenements built in the 1940s still stand, as testimony to the area’s history. Continuing along Queen’s Road East, you will pass by Hopewell Centre, Hong Kong’s first circular skyscraper, before arriving at the Old Wan Chai Post Office. The oldest surviving post office in Hong Kong, it features a tiled pyramidal roof, gables, and plaster mouldings.

Blue House & Wan Chai Gap Road

Situated on Stone Nullah Lane, the Blue House Cluster consists of three tong lau tenements: Blue House, Yellow House, and Orange House. It lights up the street spectacularly and adds a sense of nostalgia to the area. The balconies on the four-storey Blue House make it a rarity among Lingnan-style tong lau, which usually don’t have balconies. Later, walk up Wan Chai Gap Road for a different view of the city.

Lovers’ Rock

Also called Wan Chai Green Trail, Wan Chai Gap Road goes from crowded city streets to lush greenery. Take a slight detour to visit the 9-metre-tall Lovers’ Rock on Bowen Road, a granite monolith where many locals pray for a happy marriage and fertility to allegedly positive effect. It attracts the most pilgrims during the Seven Sisters Festival, informally known as “Chinese Valentine’s Day”, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. The Green Trail is worth a visit, if just for the sweeping view of Happy Valley and Causeway Bay’s skyline.

Police Museum

Continuing on Wan Chai Gap Road via Bowen Road, you will find yourself enshrouded in lush canopy above trickling streams. On your way back down, check out the Police Museum, which offers an interesting look at the history of the Hong Kong Police Force, with exhibits including old uniforms, equipment, firearms, and other artefacts. Particularly recommended are the galleries that feature information on the triads, as well as replicas of old heroin manufacturing facilities.

Trip ideas:

The Old Wan Chai Post Office has been renovated and now houses the Environmental Resource Centre. It is open to the public and offers workshops on Sundays.
On the ground floor of the Blue House, you can find the Hong Kong House of Stories. Take a guided tour to learn about the people and community of the Blue House Cluster. Check out more information on their website.
There are 11 informational signs along Wan Chai Gap Road that explain the relationship between urbanisation and the natural environment.

Info

Area:: Wan Chai District
Starting point:: Lee Tung Street
End point:: Police Museum
Average hiking time:: 1.5 hours
Distance:: About 3 km
Refuel:: Fuel up at a café or restaurant on Lee Tung Avenue or Queen’s Road East, where you’ll also find supermarkets and convenience stores.
Difficulty:: Moderate

Steep ascent at the end of Wan Chai Gap Road; the rest is flat.

How to get there

To the starting point:

MTR Wan Chai Station Exit A3; take the tram and get off at O’Brien Road.
MTR Hong Kong Station Exit A; take buses 6, 6A, 15, or 66 from Central Bus Terminus to Amoy Street; or buses 75, 90, or 97 to Southorn Playground.

From the end point:

Take bus 15 to Wan Chai, Admiralty, or Central.
Take bus 15B to Causeway Bay.

Wan Chai Gap Road

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