Rediscover Hong Kong as border reopens
After three years’ closure due to the pandemic, several border checkpoints between Shenzhen and Hong Kong reopened Jan. 8. Without quarantine, travelers can freely enter restaurants, attractions, and performance and exhibition venues in Hong Kong. Whether you’re looking to rediscover what makes Hong Kong attractive or explore a new landmark, here we help you find places and experiences that are worth your visit in Hong Kong.
M+
The M+ in the West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world. Opened in late 2021, the museum displays around 1,500 works from M+’s preeminent collections of visual art, design and architecture from China, Asia and beyond. M+ Cinema inside the museum celebrates the richness of visual culture on screen.
The stylish M+ building overlooks Victoria Harbor and Hong Kong Island. Its façade is embedded with LEDs for screening moving image works. Photos from China News Service except otherwise stated
Currently the museum is staging “Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now,” the largest retrospective of Yayoi Kusama in Asia outside of Japan. The exhibition (through May 14) features more than 200 works of various art forms.
Other exhibitions include “Hong Kong: Here and Beyond” (through June 11), capturing the city’s transformation and unique visual culture from the 1960s to the present, and “M+ Sigg Collection: From Revolution to Globalization” (through July 23), a chronological survey of the development of contemporary Chinese art from the 1970s through the 2000s drawn from the M+ Sigg Collection.
Visitors take photos at the “Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now” exhibition at M+.
Anita Mui’s album cover is on display at the “Things, Spaces, Interactions” exhibition at M+.
Tickets: HK$120 (all exhibitions excluding “Yayoi Kusama”); HK$240 (all exhibitions); half-price tickets for children, seniors and the disabled
Booking: www.mplus.org.hk or WeChat miniprogram “飞猪旅行” (Visitors are required to book a time slot before arrival)
Venue: M+, West Kowloon Cultural District (西九文化区M+博物馆)
MTR: Kowloon Station
High-speed rail: West Kowloon Station
Hong Kong Palace Museum
More than 900 pieces of priceless treasure from the Palace Museum in Beijing are on display on rotation at Hong Kong Palace Museum’s halls 1-7. A wide range of topics are covered, such as architecture, artifacts and court life.
Meanwhile, “Odysseys of Art: Masterpieces Collected by the Princes of Liechtenstein” (through Feb. 20) showcases treasures from the world-renowned Liechtenstein Princely Collections at Hall 8.
Treasures from the Palace Museum in Beijing and Liechtenstein Princely Collections are on display at Hong Kong Palace Museum.
Tickets: HK$ 50 (halls 1-7), HK$120 (halls 1-9); half-price tickets for children, seniors and the disabled
Booking: www.hkpm.org.hk or WeChat miniprogram “飞猪旅行” (Visitors are required to book a time slot before arrival)
Venue: Hong Kong Palace Museum, West Kowloon Cultural District (西九文化区香港故宫文化博物馆)
MTR: Kowloon Station
High-speed rail: West Kowloon Station
West Kowloon Cultural District
Apart from the Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+, you can also visit other cultural facilities in the West Kowloon Cultural District, including the Arts Pavilion, the Art Park, Freespace and the Xiqu Center, all of which present a diverse program of events.
Stretching across 40 hectares of reclaimed land, the West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest cultural projects in the world, blending together art, education, open space, hotel, office and residential development, and retail, dining and entertainment facilities.
A glance at West Kowloon Cultural District. The building in the center is Hong Kong Palace Museum while the black building in the background on the left is M+.
Peak Tram
The sixth-generation Peak Tram (山顶缆车), one of Hong Kong’s most recognizable tourist attractions and the oldest funicular in Asia, restarted operation in August last year, following a year-long closure.
The new tramcars are painted in retro green and feature larger panoramic windows. In just six minutes, travelers climb to 396 meters above sea level and the Peak Tram terminates at the Peak Tower (山顶凌霄阁) shopping and entertainment complex.
The Peak Tram Lower Terminus is easily reachable on foot from the MTR Central Station.
Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. (departing every 15 to 20 minutes)
Tickets: HK$88 (roundtrip), HK$62 (one way); half-price tickets or children and seniors
The sixth-generation Peak Tram and the Peak Tower. Photos from www.discoverhongkong.com
Giant rabbit at Central Pier
An 8-meter-tall, 11-meter-wide rabbit installation will sit on the historic Central Pier. Peeking out from the rooftop, the giant rabbit will welcome visitors with well wishes to kick-start a prosperous Chinese New Year. If you’re lucky, you may also catch other rabbit friends on some of the ferry rides. Take in the mesmerizing harbor views on one of Hong Kong’s most well-loved and nostalgic forms of transport.
Dates: Jan. 19-Feb. 5
Venue: Central Pier (中环码头)
MTR: Central Station
A computer-generated photo of Central Pier decorated with a giant rabbit installation. Photo from www.discoverhongkong.com
Enhanced ‘A Symphony of Lights’
In celebration of Chinese New Year, the enhanced edition of “A Symphony of Lights” (“幻彩咏香江”加强版) will light up the skies of Victoria Harbor every night through Feb. 5. Combining countless dancing laser beams, lights and energetic music, this enhanced multimedia show features synchronized, layered light effects crisscrossing the harbor, showcasing the vibrancy of Victoria Harbor and the architectural spectacle of Hong Kong’s skyline.
Time: 8-8:10 p.m., through Feb. 5
Best viewing locations: Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade’s section of Hong Kong Cultural Center and the Avenue of Stars and Wan Chai Temporary Promenade’s section of Golden Bauhinia Square (尖沙咀海滨花园的香港文化中心至星光大道段及湾仔临时海滨花园的金紫荆广场段)
The enhanced edition of “A Symphony of Lights” is performed Jan. 1. Photos from Xinhua and China News
New Year Raceday
The Chinese New Year Raceday is one of Hong Kong’s most popular horse-racing events. Apart from enjoying thrilling races on the track, visitors join this popular event for an auspicious start to the Chinese New Year. Meet the God of Fortune, watch the lion dance performance, spin the festive windmills, and boost your luck by taking a walk under the blossoming flowers.
Time: Starting 10:30 a.m., Jan. 24
Tickets: HK$10
Venue: Sha Tin Racecourse (沙田马场)
MTR: Racecourse Station
A file photo of the Chinese New Year Raceday at Sha Tin Racecourse. Photo from www.discoverhongkong.com
Clockenflap
Mark your calendars! Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s largest outdoor music festival, is making its comeback in March. Topping the bill as the March 3 night headliner is British rock icon Arctic Monkeys.
Described as “Asia’s answer to Coachella,” Clockenflap offers a spectacular outdoor environment with multiple stages, food and beverage, and an eclectic lineup of local and international acts covering genres like R&B, pop, EDM, jazz, hip-hop and more.
Dates: March 3-5
Tickets: HK$1,620 (three-day pass), HK$1,080 (single day)
Booking: www.clockenflap.com
Venue: Central Harbourfront Event Space (中环海滨活动空间)
MTR: Central Station
Scenes from past Clockenflap events in Hong Kong. Photos from www.clockenflap.com
Art Basel
Art Basel in Hong Kong features premier galleries from Asia and beyond. It provides an in-depth overview of Asia-Pacific’s diversity, as well as global artistic perspectives through modern and contemporary works. Art Basel Hong Kong 2023 will feature exhibitors from over 30 countries and territories and mark the return of Encounters, the fair’s sector dedicated to large-scale works. Ticketing information will be announced on www.artbasel.com.
Dates: March 23-25
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (香港会议展览中心)
MTR: Wan Chai Station
Visitors admire artworks at last year’s Art Basel in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Sevens
Firmly established as the world’s premier event of its kind and one of the most popular annual sporting events in Asia, the Hong Kong Sevens attracts some of the world’s greatest rugby players and thousands of fans from every corner of the globe to the magnificent Hong Kong Stadium. Ticketing information will be announced on www.hksevens.com.
Dates: March 31-April 2
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium (香港大球场)
MTR: Causeway Bay Station
Scenes from last year’s Hong Kong Sevens.
A quick look at the current SZ-HK border-crossing information:
