Visiting the Victoria Peak – A Breathtaking View of Hong Kong from Above

If you only have time to visit one place in Hong Kong, go to the Victoria Peak. If you have more time, then go for it too! It is the highest point of the island, the most popular landmark since the colonial era. It is the best place to view the famous harbour and skyscrapers known around the world.

The Victoria Peak is the site not to be missed during a trip to Hong Kong. It offers breathtaking views of the Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong Island, and the Kowloon Peninsula. There is no better place to enjoy the beauty of the city. Day and night, the charms of Hong Kong will unfold in front of your eyes: crowded skyscrapers during the day and dazzling lights at night.

There are a variety of activities at the Peak for foodies, shoppers and sightseers…You will find your camera loves your trip. You just can’t stop pressing the shutter button and try to capture a perfect one.

Photo Contributor: Jason Li

What is the best way to go to the Peak?

There are many ways you can reach the Peak: bus, tram, mini-bus, car or taxi. Riding the Peak Tram is the quickest and most scenic way to arrive at The Peak.

Built in 1888, the Peak Tram is one of the safest trams in the world and it is a great visual experience. It passes in the middle of old houses and a lush forest to give from time to time one of the most beautiful views on the harbour below, the immense buildings of the Central Business District of Hong Kong.

For the car fans, you might see a couple of Porsche cars, or a Lamborghini parked up in the garage, as the Peak is also the summit of Hong Kong’s property market. Properties here are more expensive than anywhere else in the world.

Walk around the Victoria Peak

The best way to enjoy the view from the Victoria Peak is to take a tour of it. You can walk for couple kilometres along a flat shady path. A little further, the path of the Victoria Peak is lined only on one side by the lush vegetation; the other side offers a splendid view of the city and its beautiful harbour.

Another way to admire the view of the Hong Kong harbour without getting tired would be to climb the Victoria Peak Tower. However, it’s not worth considering in low cloudy or foggy weather.

Hong Kong panorama day and night

It is really a must-see destination in your stay in Hong Kong, whether you go up to the Victoria Peak during the day or at night, the panoramas are truly exceptional.

Some will prefer to climb the Victoria Peak in the evening to admire the illuminated buildings of the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. When night falls, you look around the Victoria Peak, the Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula are like two pearls on the edge of the Victoria Harbour. The lights are splendid, and they dye all shades of pink and orange to appear as a galaxy, shining brightly when the night arrives.

Photo Contributor: Jason Li

Others will arrive during the day to observe the crowd of the business district and the activity of the harbour of Hong Kong. By day, you have a panoramic view of all the glittering skyscrapers, the Victoria Harbour and the green hills.

Photo Contributor: Jason Li

Paths and Trails

Several walks start from the arrival of the Peak Tram. It is thus possible to reach the Central Business District on foot by a rather steep but shady path all along. Otherwise, a trail runs through a beautiful park to the Pok Fu Lam reservoir, a beautiful artificial lake in the woods.

You can also consider taking the trails and climb to the top of the Victoria Peak, after a rough climb, to the Victoria Peak Garden. This garden was part of the Governor’s summer residence on the Peak which was destroyed shortly after World War II.

It should be noted that the Victoria Peak was already the residential area of the rich westerners before World War II. Today, this part of Hong Kong is still privileged, but by all locals; you just need to have a very big wallet to own a property here because real estate prices are among the highest in the world! Most of the super-rich residents in Hong Kong who live here are the same people topping the Forbes richest people in Hong Kong lists.