Victoria Peak

Victoria Peak is a mountain on Hong Kong Island. During the late 1800s, the area became a desirable retreat for Hong Kong’s more affuent residents due to the cooler temperatures it enjoys during Hong Kong’s humid summers. In 1968, Hong Kong Governor Sir Richard MacDonnell built his summer home in the area, cementing its prestigious reputation.

Victoria Park

Victoria Park was built on top of Hong Kong’s original typhoon shelter. In 1950, the land was reclaimed and a new typhoon shelter was built further out to sea. The reclaimed land was used to create Victoria Park. The park takes its name from the statue of Queen Victoria which stands in the park. Originally the statue stood in Statue Square. During World War Two, however, the Japanese removed the statue for scrap metal. When the statue was recovered after the war ended, Queen Victoria’s statue was re-mounted in Victoria Park. The name in Chinese characters on the statue still reads “Empress’ Statue Square”.

Wan Chai

Despite its present-day form of busy roads and high-density buildings, the name Wan Chai, refects a quieter past. Wan Chai means “small bay” in Cantonese and the area was once a quiet sandy bay on Hong Kong’s northern shoreline.

Wong Tai Sin

Wong Tai Sin district’s name is derived fromWong Tai Sin Temple, a Taoist place of worship and one of the most famous shrines in Hong Kong. The temple was established in 1921 and is dedicated to the Chinese deity Wong Tai Sin, or the “Great Immortal Wong”. The infuence of Wong Tai Sin spread from Guangdong Province to Hong Kong in the early 20th century.

Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical gardens

The gardens were f irst established in 1860, and were originally set up to determine what plants could grow best in the local soil and climate.

Yau Ma Tei

The name Yau Ma Tei cannot be found in any historical document prior to British rule. However, the area was traditionally known as Kwun Chung, a name which can be found in numerous documents. Kwun Chung was a river valley and home to a village. The area was home to Kwun Chung Fort, which was built by the Chinese to fend off the British. The fort was instrumental in keeping Kowloon from British takeover during the Battle of Kwun Chung in 1839. The fort with the hill was demolished for development during early British rule of Kowloon.

Yuen Long

Yuen Long, also formerly known as Un Long, has a very long history. The earliest signifcant settlements in Yuen Long can be traced back to the Sung Dynasty (960 - 1279 AD) For centuries the area was a traditional market town.

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