An exploration of Hong Kong’s East meets West neighbourhood: Sai Ying Pun

Sai Ying Pun in the western part of Hong Kong Island is a historic district where East meets West and old meets new

1 Lung Fu Shan Trail

Hiking is one of the most popular leisure activities in Hong Kong. Lung Fu Shan, located in the northwestern part of Hong Kong Island, is very popular among morning walkers and picnickers. This densely vegetated mountain not only offers abundant greenery, but also provides liveable habitat for wildlife.

Walking along the lush trail, you can discover traces of the city’s past. The Victoria City Boundary Stone on Hatton Road marked the limits of the City of Victoria, the de facto capital of Hong Kong during the British colonial period. There’s also the decommissioned Pinewood Battery, a historic military site constructed by the British army in the early 1900s for the defence of Victoria Harbour. Located on a 307-metre-high hill, it was also the highest coastal defence battery in Hong Kong.

2 University of Hong Kong

After finishing the trail, pay a visit to the University of Hong Kong located on the northern slopes of Lung Fu Shan. Established in 1911, it’s the oldest tertiary education institution in Hong Kong. Today, it has become the city’s top university. The campus is home to a number of historic buildings, including seven declared monuments. The Main Building, whose construction was completed in 1912, is Edwardian Baroque-style architecture and the oldest structure on the campus. hku.hk

3 Sai Wan Pier

From Exit B2 of HKU MTR Station, it’s a ten-minute walk along Hill Road to the Western District Public Cargo Working Area, which local people also call “Sai Wan Pier”. Located on the waterfront of Sai

Wan, the 880-metre-long cargo dock offers unobstructed views of Victoria Harbour and the Kowloon Peninsula. It’s one of the best spots to experience the sunset along with a cool breeze. The black and yellow caution barriers, coloured pallets and containers decorated with graffiti all add vitality to the site. What’s more, after rainy days, the puddles on the uneven ground create a “sky mirror” effect. All these make Sai Wan Pier one of the most “Instagramed” spots in Hong Kong – which is how it gets its nickname, “Instagram Pier”.

4 One-Eight-One Hotel & Serviced Residences

Feeling hungry after a sporty day? Why not pay a visit to the nearby One-Eight-One Hotel & Serviced Residences, which is only a fiveminute walk from Sai Wan Pier.

This newly opened hotel is the latest landmark in Sai Wan, featuring 183 spacious guestrooms and suites, as well as diversified facilities designed for both business and leisure travellers.

For a hearty meal, try the hotel’s European gastropub The Common Room, which serves refined Italian dishes, and British and French alltime favourites can also be found here. Alternatively, you can choose to drop by in the late afternoon for happy hour drinks, or spend a night here enjoying live sports and spectacular night views of Victoria Harbour.

Of course, there are a whole host of other dining options that you can opt for in the hotel, such as the all-day dining restaurant The Tea Room. After the meal, you can visit

Le Fleuriste des Saisons, the hotel's flower shop, for a floral workshop. one-eight-one.com

5 PMQ

After the meal, take the city’s iconic tram from nearby Whitty Street in front of the hotel’s entrance on Des Voeux Road West, before alighting at Hillier Street. From here it’s a brisk uphill walk to reach PMQ, a local cultural landmark. Originally the Central School campus and Police Married Quarters, this heritage site has been transformed into an art and design hub. You can visit several design studio shops selling creative goods, attend workshops, enjoy a meal, or get a glimpse into the past in an exhibition space. pmq.org.hk

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