Victoria Park

Hong Kong’s largest city park is a favourite and well-used meeting place, and there’s always something interesting going on, from flower markets to political debates. Local residents come here to use the running track or the outdoor pool, or to bring their children to see the peacocks and turtles in the mini-zoo.

The first thing that greets visitors is a statue of Britain’s famous Queen Victoria, a striking reminder of the park’s namesake. In the early morning there are choreographed tai chi sessions, one of the most popular ways of keeping fit. If you’re inspired to give it a go yourself, check the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s website for details of free beginner classes. At weekends you might see other martial arts being performed, but tai chi remains the favourite.

Park life becomes particularly stimulating on Sundays, when the City Forum brings together politicians, academics and public figures to discuss a variety of topical subjects for broadcast on Radio Television Hong Kong. People gather around to listen to the debates and offer up their own opinions, most notably the bunch of elderly men – known locally as the “uncles of Victoria Park” – who regularly turn up to shout pro-Beijing slogans. This is also the day when Indonesian and Filipina ladies, or “amahs”, celebrate their weekly break from domestic service with a stroll in the fresh air. The “uncles” and the “amahs” have become a distinctive sight in the park every Sunday.

The annual Lunar New Year Fair is one of Victoria Park’s major attractions, packed with stalls selling flowers and fruit late into the night. Every March the park hosts the Hong Kong Flower Show, while another popular annual event is the Mid-Autumn Festival in September, when the gardens are illuminated with colourful Chinese lanterns. The Tiananmen Square memorial vigil held on June 4 every year is a poignant reminder of this significant event in Chinese history.

To reach Victoria Park, take Exit E from the MTR station at Causeway Bay and walk along Great George Street, or take Exit A2 from Tin Hau Station, turn left and keep going straight.