top 0

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get our top stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Logo
Copyright © 2024 LOCALIIZ | All rights reserved

10 best places to see seasonal foliage in Hong Kong

By Catharina Cheung 8 October 2020 | Last Updated 31 January 2024

Header images courtesy of @travelwithmefromnowon and @kormanwong (via Instagram)

Part of why we love the seasons of spring and autumn so much is because they are when we get to enjoy fleeting glimpses of natural beauty in cherry blossoms and autumnal red leaves. Luckily, we don’t have to journey all the way to Japan or to Canada to view these sights, because our fantastic city has certain spots with the right plants and flora to do the job. Read on to find out where you can see seasonal flora and foliage in Hong Kong!

family 2
0 4696994
with-m

Spring

Since Hongkongers are such Japanophiles, it makes sense that we do love us the yearly bout of spring blossoms. We might not be in Japan but that doesn’t mean we can’t still indulge in a bit of hanami (花見; spring flower viewing) during springtime. Cherry blossom season typically runs from February to April each year, depending on temperature.

Photo: @esther.nty (via Instagram)

Tai Po Waterfront Park

Running along Tolo Harbour, this is Hong Kong’s largest public park and fittingly contains a diverse range of cherry blossoms compared to other spots. Look out for the Yoshino cherry (also known as the Japanese flowering cherry) which emits a soft almond-like scent, the Fuji cherry, with its light pink blossoms and wafer-thin petals, as well as some of the Taiwanese variety bearing peach-coloured flowers.

How to get there:

  1. From Tai Po Market Station, come out of Exit A1 and hop onto bus K17.
Photo: @anita.073289 (via Instagram)

Kwan Kung Pavilion, Cheung Chau

Who knew this small, sleepy island also houses about 10 Taiwanese cherry trees? The setting of the Kwan Kung Pavilion itself is nice, with its traditional Chinese style, red colour scheme, and green tiled roof. Inside the temple, there is also a 2.5-metre-tall statue of Kwan Kung, the God of War, carved from a single camphor tree. It’s all sure to make a pretty picture with the pink petals in the same shot.

How to get there:

  1. From Central Pier 5, take a ferry to Cheung Chau.
  2. Head to Kwun Yam Wan Road; it’s only a 10-minute walk or so.

You may also like these stories 👇

Photo: @kormanwong (via Instagram)

Hong Kong Velodrome Park

This park containing a professional wooden cycling track is also home to roughly a dozen Taiwanese and Japanese cherry trees. Most of these are of the Taiwanese variety, which bear peach-coloured blossoms. Located next to the central lawn and the velodrome, you’ll be able to snap some snazzy photos of these pretty flowers with the city’s buildings in the background.

How to get there:

  1. From Hang Hau Station, take Exit B and walk down Sheung Ning Road.

Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden

This idyllic farm on the slopes of Tai Mo Shan Country Park contains possibly the largest cluster of cherry blossom trees in Hong Kong. Most of these are Taiwanese varieties, which bear bell-shaped pink flowers and, interspersed among the pine trees of the park, make for an extremely pretty sight. One of the best spots to view them from is near the Kadoorie Brothers Memorial Pavilion. In that area, you can also find gorgeous apricot blossom trees.

How to get there:

  1. From either Tai Po Market, Tai Wo, or Kam Sheung Road stations, change to bus 64K.
  2. Alight at Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden.
Photo: @tungtungthetiger (via Instagram)

Rotary Park, Tai Mo Shan Country Park

Towards the foot of Hong Kong’s tallest mountain lies the serene Rotary Park. They’ve got about 40 cherry blossom trees of the Taiwanese variety near the entrance to Tai Mo Shan Country Park, and the park itself is also home to various indigenous flora. Part of the family trail is also lined on both sides with bamboo, which is probably our answer to Arashiyama’s bamboo forest in Kyoto.

How to get there:

  1. From Tsuen Wan Station, come out of any of the A exits to get to the Railway Station Bus Terminus.
  2. Bus 51 will take you to the Country Park stop.
  3. From there, the Rotary Park is roughly a 10-minute walk, near the Country Park Visitor Centre.

You may also like these stories 👇

Photo: @starfruit.hk (via Instagram)

The Chinese University Hong Kong, New Asia College

In 2012, 20 Japanese cherry trees were planted outside Chih Hsing Hall to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of CUHK’s Department of Japanese Studies. They are still there to provide a beautiful hint of Japanese influence to the campus with their yearly round of light pink flowers—and are understandably extremely popular with the resident students when they bloom! You’ll also find a few Taiwanese cherry trees with flowers in a darker shade of pink near the bus stop at United College.

How to get there:

  1. From University Station, come out of Exit A.
  2. From there, it’s roughly a 20-minute stroll through the campus to reach New Asia College.

Autumn

Contrary to the maple leaves that dominate autumnal vistas in Western countries, the red leaves we have in Hong Kong are mostly from sweet gum trees. These do have a similar shape to maple leaves, though, and will turn a fetching orange-red shade, eventually falling to create that crisp, crunchy layer on forest paths.

Tai Tong Organic Ecopark

This park in Yuen Long is one of Hong Kong’s most popular places to view autumn foliage, especially with photography enthusiasts, because the sweet gum trees that grow here are dense, quite closely packed together, with a good number of low-growing trees. This means that this is the perfect spot for close-range viewing and photo opportunities. Consider packing food for a barbecue at the designated pits within the park. One of the best vantage points is where the Tai Lam Nature Trail intersects with Tai Tong Shan Road.

How to get there:

  1. From Long Ping Station, take bus K66 to Tai Tong Shan Road.
  2. Alternatively, hop onto a red minibus at Hung Min Court in Yuen Long and alight at Tai Tong Shan Road.

You may also like these stories 👇

Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens

There’s no need to trek out to the New Territories if that’s not your thing—you can actually still view red leaves right in the heart of Central! The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens is home to an Avenue of Sweet Gum, which is lined on both sides with these sturdy trees that are half a century old.

As the leaves yellow and start turning a vivid shade of rust, they’ll also drift down and eventually cover the path with a beautiful red carpet. Needless to say, the views in this location aren’t going to be nearly as stunning or expansive as out in the mountains, but that’s the price we have to pay for convenience.

How to get there:

  1. From Central Station, come out of Exit A and head to the Exchange Square Bus Terminus.
  2. Bus 12 will take you to the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
Photo: @hkfoodiexblogger (via Instagram)

Tsing Yi Park

The red leaves here are not shaped like maple or sweet gum because they are mostly of the sabino variety. What sets this location apart from others is that its swathe of autumnal trees is situated by an ornamental lake with waterfalls, sitting within a park that has a European design instead of the traditional Chinese ones mostly found in the city. Beautiful shades of red and gold are reflected and amplified by the body of water, resulting in views that resemble Central Park in New York City more than an urban bit of garden in residential Hong Kong.

How to get there:

  1. Take the Tung Chung line to Tsing Yi Station.
  2. Take Exit C and walk towards Tsing King Road.
  3. From there, you will clearly see Tsing Yi Park sprawling ahead of you.
  4. All you have to do is find a safe opportunity to cross Tsing King Road.
Photo: @thechineseuniversityofhongkong (via Instagram)

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Autumn red leaves are as good a reason as any to visit the secluded campus of CUHK. The Lake Ad Excellentiam has both sweet gum and sabino trees planted around it, so while strolling along the paths that run alongside the lake, you’ll get to see the orange and red shades lining both sides of the water. As a university campus, this is also more of a peaceful spot for a bit of quiet serenity.

How to get there:

  1. From University Station, come out of Exit A.
  2. Turn left and walk along Pond Crescent or go right to Station Road.
  3. Either road will lead you in a loop to the lake.
familyfooter 0

Catharina Cheung

Senior editor

Catharina has recently returned to her hometown of Hong Kong after spending her formative years in Singapore and the UK. She enjoys scouring the city for under-the-radar things to do, see, and eat, and is committed to finding the perfect foundation that will withstand Hong Kong’s heat. She is also an aspiring polyglot, a firm advocate for feminist and LGBTQIA+ issues, and a huge lover of animals. You can find her belting out show-tunes in karaoke, or in bookstores adding new tomes to her ever-growing collection.

expand_less

Top