Top of the Game: The Peak
Nobody in Hong Kong—transient or local—can truly say they've been a part of the city without spending some time on the world-famous icon, The Peak. A rather touristy area, there's no doubting the beauty of seeing Hong Kong from up high. This is the Hong Kong of postcards and movie scenes, where residents and visitors can truly bask in the beauty of this illustrious concrete jungle.
Attractions and F&B
This cool weather is perfect for hiking so visitors can consider walking up to The Peak instead of taking transportation. The most direct route is to follow signage from Old Peak Road; alternatively, head up from Hatton Road and depending on if you turn left or right at a T-junction halfway up, you will be treated to views of either the cityscape or Southside. Once at the destination, you can also choose to do the easy Peak Circle Walk which loops back to its starting point and is great for taking photos overlooking Hong Kong.
The Peak has two main shopping centres: the anvil-shaped The Peak Tower and The Peak Galleria right opposite. The former contains Sky Terrace 428, a 360° viewing platform at 428 metres above sea level where visitors can soak in the vistas. Madness 3D Adventure is on the way up and is an interactive experience of 3D artworks featuring scenes from Hong Kong. The Peak Tower also houses Madame Tussauds, where you can see the likes of Johnny Depp and Benedict Cumberbatch rendered in wax, with some famous Asian celebrities exclusive to Hong Kong's branch.
Have dinner at Wildfire pizzabar & grill since you're already in the building; this restaurant offers prized seats by their floor-toceiling windows where you can watch the skyline light up while digging into a wagyu tomahawk steak. Another alternative is The Peak Lookout, a restaurant housed in a 19th century Grade II Historic Building, originally named the Old Peak Café. It used to be a workshop for British engineers working on constructing The Peak Tram line, and later became a rest place for sedan chair carriers. Much of the building remains the same as the original structure, with the exception of a contemporary raised outdoor terrace added for alfresco dining―one of our favourite spots for an afternoon caffeine fix!
Historical attractions
While colloquially referred to as The Peak, its official name is Victoria Peak while a lesser-known alternative is Mount Austin. From as early as the 19th century, The Peak has attracted prominent European residents because of its panoramic view over the city and the cooler air above the city. Sir Richard Macdonnell, the sixth governor of Hong Kong, had a summer residence built on The Peak circa 1868. The original residents reached their lofty homes via sedan chairs carried up and down the steep slopes. This meant limited development of the area until the opening of The Peak Tram in 1888.
This famous funicular railway runs from Garden Road in Admiralty via Mid-levels, the most direct route up while offering stunning views of the harbour and surrounding skyscrapers. There are four intermediate stops along the way, on Kennedy Road, Macdonnell Road, May Road and Barker Road. Alexander Findlay Smith travelled extensively in Europe and America— scouting in locations such as San Francisco, Monterey, Lucerne, the Rhine and Mount Vesuvius, among others—learning about different railway systems before returning to Hong Kong and pitching his idea for the Peak Tram in 1881. Construction began in 1885 and three years later the tram began service.
Initially, it was used only for residents of Victoria Peak, but the existence of transportation up the hill saw accelerated residential development on The Peak and Mid-levels regardless. From 1908 to 1949, the first two seats at the front of the tram were reserved for the exclusive use of the governor, with a bronze plaque attached that reads, “This seat is reserved for His Excellency the Governor”. These would only be made available to ordinary passengers two minutes before departure.
Today, more than four million passengers ride The Peak Tram annually, an average of over 11,000 daily. A fourth-generation aluminium tram car is displayed at the upper terminal. This remnant from 1956 is the only surviving car; all the originals, as well as second and third generation cars, no longer exist, though a replica of the first car is on display in The Peak Tram Historical Gallery.
The Peak remains an upmarket residential area to this day, with many of the city's super-rich as residents. Up on the summit, properties are more expensive than anywhere else in the world—literally the pinnacle of Hong Kong's property market.