Best Hong Kong Hidden Gem
Winner: Tai O
Aromas of shrimp paste permeate the air, seafood hangs up to dry and boats in search of pink dolphins set off – all in this traditional stilted fishing village on the western tip of Lantau Island.
‘Tai O is the Venice of the Orient. I’m amazed by such a well-kept fishing village. It even has a heritage conservation hotel.’ -Alvin Soon, president of Breitling Asia and part of our panel of travel experts
Best Hong Kong Hidden Gem Shortlist
Peng Chau Family Walk
The small outlying island of Peng Chau is home to a picturesque walking trail that takes visitors around the island past small beaches with the option to climb the 95-metre Finger Hill to enjoy panoramic views.
High Street, Sai Ying Pun
A mix of old and new, High Street is great for a wander, home as it is to a wealth of restaurants, zero-waste grocery and beauty stores, and boutiques, as well as several beautifully maintained colonial buildings.
Kowloon Walled City Park
The former site of the infamous Kowloon Walled City is now a picturesque garden, but it does feature preserved artefacts pertaining to the park’s past as an infamous den that existed in the grey area of the law.
Red Brick House Market
This old warehouse building in Kam Tin houses more than 50 shops, selling a range of handicrafts, from candles and collectibles to cheongsams and vintage clothes. Food stalls serving street snacks also feature.
Sharp Island
Found within a Unesco Global Geopark, Sharp Island offers beautiful beaches, a short hiking trail, rock formations reminiscent of pineapple bins and, if you time the tides right, a tombolo that connects to Kiu Tau islet.
Nam Sang Wai Wetlands
There’s an otherworldliness to the Nam Sang Wai Wetlands, which attracts wildlife lovers, walkers and photographers thanks to its beautiful tree-lined pathways, farms, fishponds and wealth of flora and fauna.
Penfold Park
Located in the middle of the Sha Tin racetrack, this pet-friendly, nature-filled green space is home to wild egrets, and hosts equestrian events and Olympic exhibits that celebrate its role as a training venue in the Beijing Olympics.
Sai Wan Ho – Sam Ka Tsuen Ferry
A journey on the Sai Wan Ho – Sam Ka Tsuen ferry is a journey back in time, taking passengers from Sai Wan Ho across Victoria Harbour to Lei Yue Mun in a wooden ferry that hasn’t changed since the 1980s.
This Town Needs
When Hong Kong’s coolest live music venue, Hidden Agenda was forced to close for the third time, it reopened as This Town Needs in a new Yau Tong location. It remains the place to go to catch the hottest acts from home and abroad.
Check out more of the 2019 Marco Polo Members’ Choice Travel Awards:
Best Hong Kong Hotel >
Best Hong Kong Arts Venue >
Best Hong Kong Beach >
Best Hong Kong Hike >
Best Hong Kong Outlying Island >
Coolest Hong Kong Neighbourhood >
Best New Hong Kong Attraction >
Back to the main Travel Awards page >>
