Aberdeen

The fshing port of Aberdeen was given its English name in 1845 in honour of Lord Aberdeen, who was the British Foreign Secretary when the British took possession of Hong Kong in 1841. The area was used for the manufacturing of incense sticks and subsequently became known as Heung Gong (“Fragrant Harbour”) because of the scent of sandalwood. Gradually the name came to refer to the whole island.

Admiralty

From 1878 until the 1970s, this area was known as “Admiralty Dock”, because it was home to the British naval yard. The dock was later destroyed when the land was reclaimed and developed as the HMS Tamar naval base. The Cantonese name for Admiralty, Jin Chung, which translates to “Golden Bell”, refers to a golden bell once housed at the docks.

Big Wave Bay

Known as Tai Long Wan in Cantonese, this for having the largest waves on Hong Kong area is also home to a collection of ancient r – the frst to be declared a monument by the Government. First discovered in 1970 by a p the carvings have geometric patterns with h or animal images. It is unknown who was re

these carvings, but their state of weathering indicates their long history.

* Top Tip: There is more than one Tai Long Wan in Hong Kong so always check to make sure you are going to the right one.

Bowen Road

The road was named after the ninth governor of Hong Kong, George Ferguson Bowen. Bowen Road was known colloquially as “Third Road” because it was the third east-west road from the shore. The famous “Lovers Rock” is located along Bowen Road, and is said to give those who worship it the gift of a happy marriage.

Boundary Street

Boundary Street, located near Kowloon Tong, was originally a line of bamboo trees used to mark the boundary between the southern part of Kowloon (ceded by Qing China to the United Kingdom in 1860) and the northern part of Kowloon. The northern part of Kowloon remained part of China until it was leased as the New Territories to the United Kingdom in 1898 for 99 years. Although the street is the historical boundary, the actual road did not come into existence until 1934.

north coast. The present-day Central was chosen to house major military facilities and act as an administrative centre. Central soon attracted both Westerners and Chinese for trading and residential purposes. In offcial documents, Central, or Chung Wan (Middle Circuit), is still referred to by its early designation as the City of Victoria.

Causeway Bay

This area has changed names many times, from Wong Nai Chung to Bowrington and, until the 1930s, Causeway Bay was known as East Point. Before urban development and massive land reclamation, Causeway Bay was a heavily silted bay. Its former shape can be found on old maps of Hong Kong by tracing Tung Lo Wan Road, which ran along the former waters-edge. In the early stages of the bay’s development a causeway was built, hence the name Causeway Bay.

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