KowloonHong Kong SAR

From grand shopping malls and crowded pedestrian streets, to the tranquility of a Buddhist monastery and a classical Chinese garden, Kowloon charms with its eclectic character.

Go to Tsim Sha Tsui (also known as TST), one of the principal shopping areas in Hong Kong. Here you’ll find Nathan Road, the main artery through Kowloon and perhaps Hong Kong’s most famous street.

Nathan Road is lined on both sides with department stores, fashion boutiques, restaurants, and shops selling jewelry, electronics and home wares. Many are open until midnight or later. It is worth staying in the area until evening to see it lit up in neon, when the jungle of huge advertising signs are switched on. Don’t just stick to the main road: Try some of the side streets, as well, where the goods are cheaper.

For shopping on an epic scale, go to Harbor City. This is one of Hong Kong’s largest malls, with four different zones housing hundreds of stores, cinemas and dozens of restaurants.

While visiting TST, head to the waterfront promenade. It is a wonderful place to walk and relax, and is also home to the Avenue of Stars. This popular attraction pays tribute to the stars of Hong Kong’s movie industry with paving slabs similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Make sure you stay for the Symphony of Lights, a free music and light show staged every evening.

Kowloon also offers a number of tranquil escapes. Step inside the Chi Lin Nunnery, a large Buddhist complex where you can relax by lotus ponds and in quiet courtyards. Right next door is the Nan Lian Garden, one of Hong Kong’s greenest and most beautiful locations.

Kowloon is a peninsula on the Chinese mainland north of Hong Kong. To reach it, take the Star Ferry from the central business district to Tsim Sha Tsui, or use the metro line that runs under the harbor.