Welcome to the breathtaking West Kowloon neighborhood
Introducing the latest tourist attractions in the city of dreams
Planning a trip overseas? Consider seeing newlybuilt attractions and rediscovering Hong Kong from a cultural perspective.
Whenever we travel to certain places, there will always be pre-made lists of tourist attractions. When we talk about Hong Kong, people immediately think of Disneyland, Ocean Park, Skyline, Temple Street, or Big Buddha, undeniably amazing sites. But have you heard of West Kowloon?
Through a virtual tour, the Hong Kong Tourism Board gives Manila Bulletin Lifestyle a taste of the rich and preserved culture of West Kowloon, featuring its latest attractions that are now open to the public.
West Kowloon is a district that represents the diverse offerings of local heritage and top-notch art of Hong Kong. A wide variety of avant-garde arts, traditional craftsmanship, and the fusion of eastern and western arts, such legacies and developments can be found in the neighboring areas of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei, which serve as the ideal platform for the never-ending creativity of local artists in Hong Kong.
A visit to a high-caliber museum
By Victoria Harbour waterfront proudly stands one of the biggest cultural projects in West Kowloon, the M+ Museum. M+ is the first international museum of contemporary visual culture in Asia and one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture around the world. It was first unveiled in November last year and includes 33 exhibition rooms and various display areas around the museum. The museum boasts of its artistic architectural design and aesthetics. It is home to almost 1,500 works from the M+ Collections. The 65-metertall facade of the M+ skyscraper, one of Hong Kong’s most recognizable landmarks and the newest mustsee destination, can be seen from Hong Kong Island. It also has the M+ cinema, which shows the richness of visual culture in Hong Kong.
Shopping for shoes
Sindart has given traditional Chinese footwear a breath of fresh air when it first began selling embroidered shoes in 1958. The third-generation owner, Miru Wong, continues to add creative touches to these silk-brocade slippers while learning the finer points of needlework from her grandpa. The younger generation finds the nontraditional designs and patterns, together with new shoes like flats and heels on top of the traditional slippers, to be a big hit.
King of domino game
A game familiar to many titos (uncle) and titas (auntie) is mah-jongg. And even though technological advancements have come into play, there are still living mah-jongg tile artisans today. One of the experts who are still traditionally handcarving mah-jongg tiles in Hong Kong is Uncle King from Biu Kee Mah-jong.
The game mah-jongg has a long history in Chinese culture. It is frequently played during family get-togethers and on significant holidays like the Chinese New Year. For more than 50 years, Uncle King has been a real master of his trade. He carefully carves each symbol and number onto the blank tiles before illuminating them with color. Additionally, he creates unique tiles with any design, including cartoon characters and names.
Another museum stroll
The Hong Kong Palace Museum is among the foremost cultural organizations dedicated to the study and enjoyment of Chinese art and culture. By embracing modern curatorial techniques, it provides Hong Kong with a viewpoint or a worldwide perspective, showcasing the greatest items kept in the museum and other significant global cultural organizations. A great pick for museum hoppers and architectural designfans. An online tour is available on @DiscoverHongKong.
Now that your new itinerary’s set, it’s time for you to get that welldeserved trip to see the rich culture of Hong Kong in the West Kowloon district. See you! —Roma Bello