Lyla D.
Yelp
After canceling our nighttime shore excursion, because of the inclement weather, while our cruise ship was docked at Kowloon's Ocean Terminal, we spent a day browsing the busy shopping center and relaxing onboard our cruise ship. We hoped that the weather would clear for our daytime sightseeing excursion of Hong Kong the next day, and our wishes came through. Well, the skies were overcast but at least we could still get off the tour bus to walk around during this HALF-DAY tour before our early evening departure to our next port of call, Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Victoria Peak is formally called "Mount Austin" or locally the "Peak" and is a hill that stands 1,822 feet or 552 meters high. Located at its restricted access summit area is a radio telecommunications facility. However, the surrounding public parks, tourist facilities, and high-value residential land are known as the "Peak." The prejudiced history of this area started in the early 19th C when many prominent European residents were attracted to and desired the panoramic view over the city and more temperate hill climate than in the warmer and more humid city. The only way up or down the steep hill for residents and their families or friends used to be by rickshaws. A local government law (Peak District Reservation Ordinance) prohibited non-residents and non-Chinese from purchasing, living, or traveling on the Peak. By the early 20th C, when a funicular (Peak Tram) was established to provide improved accessibility, the Peak District Reservation Ordinance also exclusively reserved its use for the Peak's non-Chinese residents and their passengers during peak times. Most of the houses on the Peak are owned by the government, banks, and corporations and lived on by their chairmen or officials. There are multi-block estates used for housing the junior staff that were created on the hillside not facing Victoria Harbour.
Changes in the neighborhood happened in the early 2000s during an economic crisis and a SARS outbreak when many corporations went bankrupt and their huge properties were sold, demolished, and redeveloped into smaller complexes. Also, since the ending of British colonization in Hong Kong, the Peak has become a more diverse mixed neighborhood with apartment buildings, houses, and an upgraded tourist destination that boasts two major shopping centers (Peak Tower and Galleria). There is a hospital, several primary schools, and financial services.
My fondest memories of visiting Victoria Peak in the late 1970s, early 1980s, and early 1990s are riding on the Peak Tram from central Hong Kong's St. Anglican Cathedral up the steep slope and stopping to take in the fresh air and panoramic views of Hong Kong from the Lions View Point Pavilion or Tai Ping Shan. The views and temperature change from the city to the hill were like stepping into a New World. The tram styles have changed over the decades but the views are still as exhilarating as I remember. I'm sure the number of tourists has boomed over the years from when I first came here as a teenager because even back then, this area didn't seem as crowded or bustling as it does today. The upscale shopping center and restaurants weren't built until 1993 and then renovated in 2019 so these shopping complexes are new to me.
It took our bus driver only 20 minutes from the Ocean Terminal to Victoria Peak via the Cross-Harbour Tunnel. Along the way, we enjoyed the scenic hillside drive and joked about the "Hong Kong driving skills" of our driver. He fearlessly drove up the steep, narrow, and winding roads while getting so close to the guard rails that looked like there was only an inch or two leeway. However, we safely arrived and managed our photo stop hour by quickly exiting the bus. We took the time to sightsee from the crowded Lions View Point Pavilion and were tempted to go atop the Peak Tower's viewing terrace when our guide mentioned we only had 15 minutes left at this sightseeing or photo stop. My husband urged me to hurry back to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum just so he could get me to take his photo next to one of our favorite actors, Benedict Cumberbatch. After taking his picture, I peeked out from the Peak Tower to see our tour group gathering to return to the bus. We ran out just as our guide started to count attendance and were relieved to find that we weren't holding up the group.
I'd like to return but perhaps on our own time to explore the shopping centers' shops, restaurants, and movie theater instead of being rushed off. Oh well...