Hong Kong is a paradise for urban photography. The contrasts that you can see in the streets, all surrounded by water, the skyscrapers and that Blade Runner atmosphere at night…makes it one of my favorite destinations for urban photography.
Hong Kong is the world’s fourth most densely populated country or territory , which added to the high buildings can give you a claustrophobic feeling at some areas of the city.
Yick Fat Building
This was my second time in Hong Kong so, besides the must see I had already visited before, I wanted to get lost and discover interesting spots from the photography point of view. A few months ago I discovered LocationScout, a website where photographers share interesting spots in different countries. Some countries are not really filled as the website is relatively new (I am the only contributor of Taiwan!). I had been adding some pics but I hadn’t really used it yet to discover places during my trip…until now. I saw that in the Hong Kong area, there was a super interesting location : The Yick Fat Building
This spot is not very famous (at least it wasn’t before the Transformer movie) and is perfect for photographers! With that picture I got the 2nd place in the Places of Interest Photography Competition of the Society of International Travel & Tourism Photographers and it was included in the Rough Guides travel photobook: You Are Here so I can’t complain 🙂
Different perspectives
It is a good idea to take these London style trams which allows you take some street photography from a different perspective.
Another thing I find pretty interesting about Hong Kong is the architecture. Buildings here look like humans hives and they offer you pretty interesting compositions and patterns.
Hike time: Braemar Hill
We decided to do one of the hikes that are pretty accessible around the city. This reminds me of Taipei, is not so great to have the chance of doing hiking without really living the city? I love it! There are several hikes in Hong Kong, we took the Braemar Hill one. It starts just behind the Yick fat Building and you will begin to reach altitude soon. There are very nice views if the weather is clean. At the end, you will get to a perfect sunset spot (though we arrived in the very last moment). It is worth to stay a bit longer to enjoy the city lights. Make sure you have some torch or enough battery in your phone for the way back to the closest metro station
Tian Tan Buddha
A classic visit as a tourist in Hong Kong is the Tian Tan Buddha (aka Big Buddha) in Lantau Island. You can reach the island by boat and then take a bus to the Buddha. That’s what I did last time with a couple of local friends and is probably the cheapest option too. However, the easiest way is to take the metro until Tung Chung Station and from there you can take the cable car. On my next time in Hong Kong, I would like to come here with more time to do a hiking on this area.
Hong Kong Skyline
It doesn’t matter how many times you visit Hong Kong, you will always should let you a night to appreciate its skyline. From the Avenue of Stars area you will have an unbeatable view. Take in account that the so called A Symphony of Lights is daily at 8 pm. It’s short so make sure you find a good spot (it is a pretty crowded area) to prepare your camera and tripod in advance!
The Peak Tower & The Peak Circle Walk
Another must see of this vribrant city: The Peak Tower & The Peak Circle Walk . The first is probably one of the most popular spots in the city. You need to take the Peak tram which will take you up to the mountain. Once there, you will find the tower which has an open terrace with pretty nice views. The problem? This is pretty crowded so if you are thinking to settle down your tripod to enjoy some calm night shots better keep reading. Just behind the tower you will see a small road called Lugard Rd and soon you will find yourself far from the crowd. This road is the beginning of the Peak Circle Walk which will surround the mountain offering you some of the best views you will have in Hong Kong. It is worth o do the whole round walk. It takes around 1 hour (~4 km) and you will end back to The Peak Tower where you can take the tram down to the city. And don’t worry, these place is not full of tourist so you will be able to play with your tripod at night 😉
City Night Lights
My favourite time to enjoy Hong Kong is definitely at night. There are so many angles and perspectives to discover between those giants buildings…I spent most of my last night walking in the city looking for them. I never saw so many photographers around a city being that late.
Hong Kong is on my opinion, one of the most interesting cities from a photograper point of view. But don’t get my wrong, even if you are not into photography Hong Kong has so much to offer. You really should give a try to the local cuisine, get lost on its streets, see the contrasts of the city, do a hiking, take a boat, go somewhere high to get stunning views, enjoy the bunch of different cultures all around the city… I’m sure you will like it 😉
All pics from this trip and an old one I did years ago here.
