Victoria Peak is the highest point on Hong Kong Island, reaching 554m above sea level. It’s a must-do attraction on your visit to Hong Kong. If you have the time, try and visit the Peak in the day time and at night. The views are very different, but both very spectacular.
Peak Tram
The best and most famous way to reach the summit is by the Peak Tram. Costing only 3 Hong Kong Dollars, equivalent to 27 pence in English money, it is something not to be missed. The tram runs every 8 mins from 7 am to 12 pm. To beat the queue’s, I recommend getting there first thing in the morning. The queues for the trams get very, very long.
The tram is located in Central District on Hong Kong Island. The easiest way to find it, use the MTR. If you head over to Central Station on the blue line and choose exit J2. Follow the signs up Garden Road to the Lower Tram station. It is a well-signed post. I warn you; it’s up a hill, but only a small hill!
The tram is a funicular railway that travels 1.4km, taking you an elevation of 400m, high above Hong Kong’s skyline. The tram first opened in 1888 and is still going today. It runs on a single track, taking just 5 minutes to reach the summit. It’s a great experience not to be missed!
Viewing Platform
At the summit, you can pay to go up the viewing platform, The Sky Terrace. This is Hong Kong’s highest 360º viewing platform. When we went up the summit in the morning we decided not to pay to go up to the viewing platform. There is a free viewing platform which is slightly lower than the one you pay for.
In the evening, we traveled back up to the summit to see the Hong Kong skyline lit up. Part of our Peak Tram pass included entry to the viewing platform. The views where breathtaking of Hong Kong!
The views from both platforms were good. Therefore, if you are on a holiday budget, save your money and opt for the free viewing platform.
Walks around Victoria Peak
There are a few different walks to do at the summit. We did a lovely, short walk on a well-marked trail path called the Hong Kong Trail. The path led us right around Victoria Peak, allowing us to see great views of the other side of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbour, and the spectacular Hong Kong skyline. We got up to the Peak early morning before the shops had opened in the Peak Tower, beating all the crowds. Defiantly recommend doing that as later in the day it gets very busy!
Feeling peckish after your walk? There are plenty of eating places to choose from. I recommend trying an Eggette! They are a type of waffle covered in chocolate and ice cream.
The photo below shows me munching away on one for brunch:
In the morning, we took the walking trail around the summit celebrating mine and my partner’s 2 year anniversary. However, he had another big surprise in store which I was not expecting. Stopping to look over at the remarkable view of Hong Kong’s skyline, he proposed to me! And I said yes! Excited to break the news to everyone at home, I had to wait a painful few hours until England had woken up!
Peak Tram Pass
If you’re planning to go up to Victoria Peak at night or later on the day, I definitely recommend a Peak Tram Pass. As I mentioned above, the queue’s for the trams do get very, very long. The pass allows you to beat them. We purchased the Madame Tussauds 3 in 1 Combo Round Trip Pass in advance from klook.com. For a price of £31.90, you get a Peak Tram return ticket, one-way special line entry, Sky Terrace 428 entry, and Hong Kong Madame Tussauds admission ticket. The Madame Tussauds is located at the summit of Victoria Peak.
Madame Tussauds
We were not too fussed about going to Madame Tussauds, and we wouldn’t have bothered visiting it if it wasn’t for our past we had. But since it was included in our 3 in 1 Combo Round Trip Pass, we thought we might as well. It was small, so we didn’t take long to look around. We also did not recognise a lot of the waxworks as they were famous people in Hong Kong. However, we did enjoy it.
