Wong Tai Sin

Written by LUXE City Guides, Images by Calvin Sit

Unique temples and tranquil gardens

Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong’s only landlocked district, is home to an intriguing mix of temples and towers, colour and calm, a heady mix that’s quintessentially Hong Kong. The neighbourhood is named after the god Wong Tai Sin; his portrait can be found inside the vibrant Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple, where believers flock to present offerings and ask for good fortune. The temple draws the biggest crowds on the eve of Chinese New Year, when visitors rush in to burn their incense sticks for luck at the stroke of midnight.

A more serene side of Chinese religion can be found at Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden, where the large Tang-style Buddhist complex and garden offers a tranquil place to escape the city and learn about Chinese culture. However busy life may get, you are guaranteed calm respite here.

HIGHLIGHTS

Burn incense at Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple and wish for good fortune for the year ahead.
See what fate has in-store with a reading at Wong Tai Sin Fortune-Telling and Oblation Arcade.
Soak up the serenity of traditional Chinese landscaping and water features at Nan Lian Garden.
Find inner zen at the calming Lotus Pond Garden and Hall of Celestial Kings at Chi Lin Nunnery.
Head up the hills at Lion Rock Country Park for sweeping cityscape views.