Plizio Visual Lab
To Kwa Wan
ℹ️Practical info — To Kwa Wan
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- The area is finally accessible by the new Tuen Ma MTR line, making it much easier to visit.
- Look up to see the old tenement buildings ('Tong Lau') that still dominate the skyline here.
- Cattle Depot Artist Village is for art lovers, housed in a former slaughterhouse.
- The neighborhood has a strong sense of local community; be respectful when photographing residential areas.
🍽 Food
Try classic Hong Kong dessert soups like red bean or black sesame in an old-school dessert parlor.
Due to a historic South Asian community, you can find excellent local halal restaurants.
Visit a local Cha Chaan Teng on Ma Tau Kok Road for an authentic, unpretentious meal.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
Explore the To Kwa Wan Market area for fresh produce and cheap everyday goods.
Browse small, independent thrift or second-hand shops hidden in the older alleyways.
Wander around the red-brick buildings of this historic site; it's usually very quiet during weekdays.
A park with a famous 'Fishtail Rock' and pavilions, offering a peaceful spot near the water.
Water temperature…
To Kwa Wan has a compelling glimpse into the gritty, industrial past and resilient local culture of Kowloon City. Historically a hub for manufacturing and shipbuilding, the district's name literally translates to 'Potato Bay', referring to its former coastal landscape. Today, it is celebrated for its dense collection of 'Tong Lau' tenements, pre-war and mid-century Chinese buildings that define the neighborhood's visual identity. A major cultural landmark is the Cattle Depot Artist Village, a renovated 1908 slaughterhouse that now serves as a community space for galleries and studios. The area is also home to the historic Sung Wong Toi Garden, which preserves a large rock monument linked to the final days of the Song Dynasty. Despite the recent arrival of the MTR, which has sparked rapid redevelopment, To Kwa Wan remains one of the few places in Hong Kong where old-school wet markets, street-level workshops, and traditional dai pai dongs still thrive in a compact urban setting.
- Location: Hong Kong SAR China
- Top sights: Quarry Hill · Guilford Lecture Theater · Ho Man Tin Park
- Nearby: Kwun Tong (4 km)
- Population: ~15.646 (2024)
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Mar, Nov, Dec.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 16 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 22 | 17 |
| Rain mm | 35 | 29 | 69 | 109 | 231 | 288 | 197 | 234 | 173 | 56 | 29 | 21 |
Geography
Facts
- Population: 120,000
- MTR station opened: June 27, 2021
- Market area: 800 m²
- Building age: 1960s
- Distance to Kai Tak: 1 km
- Number of bakeries: 15
Explore nearby
Notable places around
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
© OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenRouteService
Sights in the town To Kwa Wan (12)
Frequently asked questions
What is Cattle Depot Artist Village?
Is there an MTR station?
What are the '13 Streets'?
What is Sung Wong Toi Park?
Is there good local food?
To Kwa Wan: where is it located?
To Kwa Wan: what is there to see?
To Kwa Wan: when is the best time to visit?
To Kwa Wan: why is it worth visiting?
Nearby cities
