The Best Instagram Spots on Your Hong Kong Itinerary

The beauty of a city, sometimes, is not defined by the design. Spots, districts, or functional sites that are developed organically with a unique character, and then visitors find it beautiful in a certain way, they soon become popular on Instagram – and Hong Kong is surprisingly, filled with such locations.

I was inspired by the latest TV Show, Expats, a miniseries by Amazon Prime. The story was based on the 2016 novel The Expatriates, depicting the lives of three women as expatriates in Hong Kong. All in all, the show is nicely done (and Nicole Kidman’s performance is amazing as always), and under the director’s lens, a lot of Hong Kong’s famous locations were shot, including The Muray (hotel), PMQ, Mei Foo Sun Chuen, Ladies Market, the Peak, the historic Mido Café, and more.

While I have covered Hong Kong’s best art places and art malls, I am now sharing more photo-taking spots that you do not want to miss when you are visiting Hong Kong. At the end of the article is the ultimate guide map of Hong Kong’s Instagram spots, art spaces, natural places and more.

Please leave a comment to share your favorites and other amazing suggestions!
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The Harbour and waterfront

Many visitors come to Hong Kong for the famous view of Victoria Harbor and to check out the various amazing viewpoints of the dramatic skyline of Hong Kong. The harbor-front promenade has a lot of Instagram moments, too.

• Western District Public Cargo Working Area: Nicknamed the Instagram Pier, this area was originally a container terminal, and became popular because of its clear view of Victoria Harbor. It is a perfect location for photo-taking during sunset with the dramatic Hong Kong city skyline, and also “the Mirror of the Sky”. On top of that, the old lamp posts, caution barriers, and cargo pallets add an industrial quality to the photos.
  Since March 2021, the cargo working area has currently closed to the public except for workers of the pier due to safety concerns. Belcher Bay Promenade, Fung Mat Road Promenade, and Central/Western District Promenade are still open – with playgrounds that also draw Instagrammers to take photos, like the Concrete Pipe Playground.

• Central and Western District Promenade: This section begins from the IFC and the Central Pier towards the Hong Kong Convention Center, take a ride on the 60-meter-tall Hong Kong Observation Wheel, check out the Art Central, and you may also find temporary large-scale art installations and exhibition at the lawn of Tamar Park and Cultural Plaza. In 2024, international art collective teamLab, presents their light installations at the Tamar Park, themed as “teamLab: Continuous”. The walk ends at the Golden Bauhinia Square to Wan Chai Public Pier.
• Wan Chai Promenade and East Coast Park Precinct: This section begins at the Wan Chai Ferry Pier at the Exhibition Centre MTR Station.
  At the Googo Point, hop on a Fun Pedal Boat at the Water Sports and Recreation Precinct (visitors need to pre-purchase the boat tickets).
  Take a walk along the promenade toward the east to the East Coast Park Precinct, the park precinct has playgrounds and exercise facilities that are painted with vibrant colors; the cone-shaped Central-Wanchai Bypass East Vent Shaft is a great viewpoint and an Instagram Spot for visitors.

• Avenue of Stars: This is probably the most visited waterfront walk in Hong Kong that begins from the Hong Kong Museum of Art and Hong Kong Space Museum to Tsim Sha Tsui East.
  The Avenue of Stars also features plaques of over 120 people who have achievements in Hong Kong’s one hundred years of cinematic history. There is also a 2.5-meter bronze statue of Bruce Lee.
  The Avenue is also a popular viewing spot for the Symphony of Lights display.

 

• Kwun Tong Promenade: This urban waterfront park is in East Kowloon and opened in two phases in 2010 and 2015. The walk offers a different perspective of the Hong Kong Harbor, overlooking the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter, featuring a landmark tower with a musical mist fountain, viewing pavilion, viewing decks, and more. The Kwun Tong Industrial area has also transformed into a new district with lots of hip cafes hidden in industrial buildings.
• Ho Wo Street: Ho Wo Street is a new reclaimed area as part of the development of the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel. The tunnel dramatically shortened the traveling time from Tuen Mun to the Hong Kong International Airport, and Ho Wo Street gained popularity among Instagrammers because it is nicknamed the “Hong Kong version of Miami” with the line of palm trees.

• Swimming Shed and Swing: Sai Wan Swimming Shed is a 50-year-old green shack. Originally, the shed is made for swimmers. It was said to be the city’s last swimming shed, and it is still in use for a few locals who decided to take a dip in the sea.
  Today, the small wooden dock that leads to the ocean has become an Internet sensation.
  Nearby, there was a swing on a tree that was also the city’s best-kept secret spot for sunset – it was later broken.

• Aircraft Maintenance Area: For aircraft lovers, this area is where photographers can take gorgeous airplanes landing with the sunset behind.

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Public Estate

Hong Kong is known for its super high property value and cost of living. The city is constantly ranked first as the most expensive property pricing in the world. The public housing estates in Hong Kong are a set of mass housing programs to provide affordable housing for lower-income residents.

The public housing policy began in 1954, after the Shek Kip Mei fire 1953 that destroyed thousands of shanty homes. Shek Kip Mei Estate was the first public housing estate in Hong Kong, but the oldest existing public housing is Man Shun House in Model Housing Estate on Hong Kong Island.

Many of the public housing estate in Hong Kong today has a history of over 50 years, and their geometric design, structure, and color paints became a main draw to Instagrammers.

Here are some of the most photogenic housing estates in Hong Kong. Having said that, many of them on the list are either prohibited from public access or vanishing due to the city’s redevelopment projects.

• Lai Tek Tsuen: Named after local official Michael Wright: Lai Tek, the estate is located on Hong Kong Island, one of the first and the few remaining on the island that was built in 1975.
  The estate consists of three towers and a high-rise block of flats, and they are the only public estate that has a cylindrical design. To make your shot more fun, try to use a fisheye lens to capture the rib cage effect.
  Nowadays, outsiders are not allowed to enter the premises and therefore, they can only appreciate the building from outside. The interior of the building was featured in some local movies because of its circular shapes.
• Chun Yeung Street Market: While this is the only wet market in the city, it is popular among Instagrammers for being on the double-deck tram’s route. A lot of people came here to capture the hustling and bustling shopping crowds with Hong Kong’s signature tram running through the street.
• Yik Cheong Building (Monster Building): The building is a residential complex in Quarry Bay, iconic as the densely stacked flat is a unique “scenery” of Hong Kong’s living environment. It is known as the “Monster Building” among Instagrammers after being featured in Hollywood blockbusters like Ghost in the Shell, and Transformers” Age of Extinction.
  However, more and more people come here to take photos and part of the structure is now surrounded by stainless steel wire mesh to stop people from climbing up the ventilation platforms.

• Choi Hung Estate: Choi Hung Estate is also one of Hong Kong’s most renowned public housing estates. It has gained attention and become a popular Instagram spot because of its distinctive rainbow colors – the best spots to take photos with the building are on the roof of the parking lot in the center of the estate, which is also a playground with basketball courts that has striking colors on the floor as well. The estate will soon be redeveloped and therefore this spot may disappear soon.

• Lok Wah South Estate: Lok Wah Estate is located in Ngau Tau Kok, divided into two parts.
  The photo-taking spot in this estate is the carpark roof playground, featuring geometric shapes and lines in striking blue.
  Even K-pop took inspiration and Got7 shot their music video You Are Here. To make your photos more special, take a picture on a sunny day and the shadows of the bars on top add an eye-pleasing touch.

• Ping Shek Estate: Ping Shek Estate is opposite Choi Hung Estate and like Lai Tek Tsuen, the interior of the building is the main draw of Instagrammers. The difference is, that Ping Shek Estate’s atrium is in a perfect square, which is interesting in taking symmetrical shots.
• Nam Shan Estate Playground: Nam Shan Estate residential blocks were built in 1977. The buildings offer a sense of nostalgia and aesthetically pleasing colors. The arched monkey bars and giant airplane chess playground are perfect photo spots.

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Playground and parks

The bright colors, whimsical elements, and cheerful vibe are the main draw to the Instagrammers and playgrounds are always the best places for fun and joyful photoshoots. Here are some of the locations that you may want to visit around the city:

• Caine Lane Garden: Hidden in the concrete jungle of Western Mid-Levels. Caine Lane Garden is like a cheerful oasis with red-and-checker colors and orange slides.
• InPARK: InPark is a recreational space in Tsun Yip Street, East Kowloon. The park features some large-scale modern art sculptures and displays, originally aimed to beautify a rather old industrial district.
• Checkerboard Hill: Kowloon Tsai Park is built on a 98-meter-tall hill (Kowloon Tsai Hill) in Kowloon City. The Park is located directly below the famous Lion Rock, so it is a wonderful viewpoint of the mountain range at the back of Kowloon.
  Recreation areas, a basketball court, and walking trails are inside the park. Yet the Instagram Spot is the sloped painted with the red-and-white checkerboard pattern, hence its nickname.
• Siu Hei Playground: Sui Hei Playground is part of Kai Yip Recreational Sports Ground in Teun Mun, with its basketball court and running track re-painted with colorful and bold patterns. The revitalization project was awarded the Best Design of Golden Pin Design Award 2022. The best way to capture the beauty of the playground is from a high perspective.

Footbridges

Hong Kong is filled with walking bridges that are quite Instagrammable. These bridges are special, primarily because of their colors and design; but look closely, they also make a great picture as the bridges’ geometric lines frame the urban concrete jungle or greeneries outside.

• Shek Lei Estate footbridge: It is an ordinary footbridge in one of the public housing estates in Hong Kong, Shek Lei Estate.
  Still, it was discovered by Instagrammers that the cage-like structure has a beautiful pastel pink color, coated on every inch from the railings to the fences of the bridge.
• Wai Yip Street Footbridge (Jimmy Bridge): The rather typical and ordinary footbridge in Kwun Tong is better known by its nickname, Jimmy Bridge after it was featured in the Hong Kong movie Love in a Puff. Jimmy is the lead actor in this movie, and it gained popularity because of its smooth and curvy-shaped tube, painted with pastel blue and pink colors, and paired with rounded rectangle holes that framed the city behind the shooting object.
• Murray Road Bridge / Chater Garden: The spiral staircase of this footbridge on Garden Road is one of the most frequently photographed footbridges in Hong Kong, also because of its prime location. The geometric shape that forms concentric circles from above has been shot in many movies, music videos, and more.
• Yee Wo Street Footbridge: The Round Pedestrian Bridge is located in one of the busiest shopping areas in Hong Kong – Causeway Bay. The bridge had been there for a long time and it was easily recognizable due to its circular shape and unique design.
  The round bridge is accentuated by the Mcdonald’s-sign-like arches, which are also featured in the Hollywood blockbuster Ghost in the Shell. Another highlight of your photo shoot is the bustling shopping arcades, neon lights, and tram station in the background.

• Olympic Bridge: The 2024 Olympics is around the corner and there’s a bridge in Hong Kong to celebrate the history of this world event. The colorful bridge listed all host cities of the Olympic Games – each staircase is painted in a different color that had been quite frequently featured on Instagram.
• Glenealy Flyover: Glenealy is the only street in Hong Kong without a suffix. Yes, it’s simply called “Glenealy” connecting Ice House Street in Central with Hornsey Road and Conduit Road. There’s a section on this hilly walkway that is a long stretch of footbridge curving its way up and above the traffic. The concrete footbridge offers Instagrammer a Brutalists and Industrial vibe with the mountain greenery in the background.

• Shek O Blue Bridge: This footbridge is hidden in the seaside of Stanley, connecting to a small island. Known as the Lovers Bridge, this blue bridge is painted in a baby blue color that attracts Instagrammers to take pictures while they are exploring Stanley.
  Find the best angle of your shooting as you may still see the urban development in the back.

 

• Fa Yuen Street Overpass: The footbridge is a functional facility for the locals to commute from the MTR station to various locations without getting into the congested traffic on Nathan Road. Ordinary as it is, the bridge is a wonderful viewpoint of the classic neon nights hanging on the old apartment buildings above Fa Yuen Street Market. The market was featured on Expats, in which Nicole Kidman stood in the market at midnight in despair. In recent years, increased building regulations have resulted in the takedown of many iconic neon signs; and this unique and famous scenery is threatened to vanish due to safety and environmental concerns.

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Graffiti and Street Art

As “small” as the city of Hong Kong, it celebrates arts with street art here and there – most of them can be found in SOHO and along Hollywood Road. For Instagrammers, check out some of these locations to capture the colorful and artsy side of Hong Kong beyond art galleries and cultural hubs.

• Art Lane: The lane is right outside of the Sai Ying Pun MTR Station exit B3 amidst old residential buildings. The original plan was to revitalize a rather old and dark alleys before the opening of the Sai Ying Pun MTR Station. Numerous vibrant murals were created and featured and it is not hard to create your own Instagram moment with the street art on the showcase.

• Graham Street: The Graham Street mural at the intersection of Hollywood is no doubt the most well-known and photographed in Hong Kong. The mural was created by local graffiti artist Alex Croft, based on the Hong Kong unique scenery with old townhouses and tong lau tenement buildings.
  Take a walk along the Hollywood Road and SoHo area, as a lot of street art and art spaces (like the PMQ and Tai Kwan) are also there. Some of them features well-know graffiti artists.
  The Square Street and Rich View Terrace are also wonderful places to look for street art of California-cased artist Jurne, France-based artist Antonie, and more.

• Hung Hom: Whompoa Street featured artworks of Riitta Kuisma, commissioned by the Hong Kong Art and Cultures Anywhere Foundation Association.
• Kam Tin Mural Village:  Kam Tin was a small village in New Territories and it gained awareness after a new MTR station was added along the Tuen Ma Line. Today Kam Tin is a charming weekend getaway for the locals to enjoy a cup of coffee, or some shopping at the market. The walls of this rural village have taken shape since 2017 when a group of students in the area’s high school decided to revitalize Kam Tin with their creativity. Now, there is one more reason for art lovers to explore Kam Tin as there are about 20 murals along Kam Tin Road.
• Shing Yip Street: Kwung Tong used to be an industrial area and still a lot of industrial buildings are left there today. Yet many of them had been revitalized or restored for different purposes, like studios, partying room venues, workshops, shopping outlets, and so on. In between two industrial buildings on Shing Yip Street, a rather narrow alley is also transformed as a canvas for various artists to get there and express themselves through art. The area of the urban project is also expanded to nearby streets like Tsun Yip Street, Kwun Tong Fire Stations, and more.
• Wong Chuk Hang: Another urban Industrial area in urban Hong Kong is Wong Chuk Hang, which is also undergoing a big transformation with the opening of the South Island Line. More startups and businesses moved to the area and the warehouses and industrial buildings needed to be “decorated” with modern and cool mural art.
  One of the most eye-catching works must be the exterior of “The Factory” on Yip Fat Street. In fact, there are a number of interesting galleries and cafes to explore, such as the E Tat Factory Building, Africa Coffee and Tea, de Sarthe Gallery, Sin Sin Fine Art, blindspot Gallery, and Ben Brown Fine Arts.

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Architecture

Hong Kong is known for its stunning skyline and for having the most skyscrapers in the world around the harbor. Of all the tall buildings in the city’s urban area, there’s no lack of interesting architecture that allows Instagrammers to create their own “like”-able moments. Here are some locations that you should put on your list.

• Jockey Club Innovation Tower: The building is located in Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Designed by Pritzker-prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid, the futuristic architecture accommodates 1,800 students for design education.
• K11 Musea: The Art Mall is located on the Victoria Dockside harborfront. It is not only a retail space but also a cultural and art hub, hosting various events throughout the year. Its eye-catching wooden color and curvy interior design draw inspiration from nature and the surrounding cityscape.
• Tai Kwun: The former police compound is vibrantly restored as an art and cultural space with new and modern buildings added within its ground as a function space. Take a day and explore Tai Kwun you will find a lot of unique Instagram spots with a mix of old and new. Take a walk a little bit further, the old famously haunted mental hospital on High Street, is another charming restoration, becoming the Sai Ying Pun Community Complex. It was completed recently and designed by Leigh and Orange Architectures.
• Hong Kong Design Institute: The design school is located in Tiu Keng Leng, founded by the Vocational Training Council in 2007. Dedicated to design, the institute also has exhibition spaces for temporary art and design exhibitions. While checking out the exhibit, the long escalator in the center of the atrium is also a great Instagram spot to snap some nice pictures.

Tsim Sha Tsui is a tourist district and it is also close to the West Kowloon Cultural District. The development is a new and vibrant quarter at the harborfront, featuring art and cultural centers including the M+ Museum, Art Park, Freespace, and more. There are a few Instagram spots that are also popular among visitors, like China Hong Kong City, Xiqu Center, and Chung King Mansion.