Interested in discovering the best spot to watch the sunrise over Hong Kong, eh? Well, in this guide, I’ll tell you. Here’s a clue: It is not the Victoria Peak viewpoint – which is closed during sunrise hours.
This little spot is open 24 hrs a day and, moreover, it’s completely free to access. Plus, I think it gives better view’s than the costly Victoria Peak viewpoint anyway.
It offers staggering views of the city below. Facing east and clinging to the mountain-side, it’s perfect for watching the sunrise uninterrupted by other tourists or obstacles that may otherwise hamper your experience.
So where is the best spot to watch the sunrise over Hong Kong?
One of the best places to watch the sunrise over Hong Kong is a small, hidden path called Lugard Road. The beginning of the path can be found near the better known Victoria Peak viewpoint, tucked away just behind the entrance to the Peak Tower Station.
While Lugard Road has certainly increased in popularity recently, I found you can still get some superb sunrise pictures of Hong Kong without being bothered by other pesky photographers or tourists (not many people want to wake up at 4am).
What to expect from this guide
This short guide will tell you exactly where this secret sunrise spot in Hong Kong can be found, as well as how to get there and what you’ll need once you do.
Remember, Lugard Road is one of a few places to watch the Hong Kong sunrise, so I’ve added in a selection of other options at the end of this post too.
I’ve also written a detailed guide to the best photo spots in Hong Kong. Do read it if you’re interested in photographing other parts of the city.
Getting to the Lugard Road Sunrise
Viewpoint in Hong Kong
The Lugard Road sunrise viewpoint is located near the top of Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island. To get to it, you’ll need to traverse around Victoria Peak along a small, dimly lit pathway (this is Lugard Road).
The journey around to the viewpoint takes around 15 minutes in total.
But first, you need to get to the Victoria Peak Tower Station. Below, I’ve drawn out a map which starts from either the Chungking Mansions district or Kowloon Station (two of the most popular places to stay).
These are the two main access points into Hong Kong Island. There are two bridges you can go across. Simply toggle the route that best fits your own entry point by clicking on the top left corner of the map.
Take a taxi (Uber)
Since you are going to need to leave super early in order to make it up to Lugard Road in time to photograph the sunrise you’re going to have to take a taxi to get there.
The public transport is not open early in the morning.
My advice would be to take an Uber. It’s very efficient in Hong Kong and far cheaper than traditional yellow taxis.
You can even pre-order one the night before to avoid any worries of finding one when you wake up.
In the Uber app, type your destination as 128 Peak Rd, The Peak, Hong Kong. This will take you to the exact spot from which you can then walk around to Lugard Road.
The Uber journey, as you can see, cost anywhere between HK$100-200 (£10-20) depending on where you are staying in the city. It takes between 30-45 minutes.
Ok, I’m at Victoria Peak Station – now what?
Once you’ve arrived at the Peak Tower Station and bid farewell to your tired Uber driver, it’s time to make your way round Lugard Road to the secret sunrise spot.
Now, it will be dark (obviously), but in this embedded Street View you want to head past the Peak Tower Station – the large building on your right – towards the white house. Do you see it?
It’s the rightmost pathway that wraps around the hillside.
Find Lugard Road and keep on walking
Once you have identified Lugard Road (see the white sign), keep following the path for about 15-20 minutes. It’s quite dark and spooky, but keep going! There’s no way to go wrong here once you’re on the right path.
Keep working your way around until you can see the city below on your right. Don’t stop there! Keep going. The best spot is a little further down. Keep walking until you reach this big boulder that juts out of the hillside.
Here, you’ll find a section of straight path that’s unobstructed by trees – this is the best place to watch the sunrise in Hong Kong.
Play with the below map to see exactly where you need to go.
You made it!
This is it. Hopefully, you’ve managed to arrive 30 minutes before sunrise so that you can set up your gear and enjoy the full show.
To take the best sunrise photos you need the right equipment, however. Below are some recommendations for things you will need.
What equipment you’ll need for taking epic sunrise photos
If you’re serious about photography and want to come away with some truly amazing photos you’re going to need to take the right kit with you.
Below is a list of items which I recommend every photographer should own when taking photos at sunrise. Make sure you get them before you head up to the peak!
- A decent, sturdy Tripod (the Manfrotto ‘Be Free’ Travel Tripod is an excellent choice).
- Wide-angle Lens (Try the Nikon 10-20 AFP or the Canon EF-S10-18mm)
- ND Filter (allowing much longer exposures – GOBE has an excellent selection.)
- A decent alarm clock and a warm jumper!
What time is the sunrise in Hong Kong?
Before you can watch the sunrise over Hong Kong you need to know what time it starts. I suggest heading over to timeanddate.com which provides a comprehensive overview of sunrise and sunset times in Hong Kong.
What about the best place to watch the sunset in Hong Kong?
I will cover this in a future post. However, I’ve listed some of the more popular sunset spots in Hong Kong in the toggle table below. Just click on each location to find out more info.
The best place to view the sunset over Hong Kong Harbour on the 49th floor of this fancy establishment. The cafe is also home to the cities longest stone bar and some expertly crafted cocktails.
Located in New Kowloon, this famous lookout was once used by the British to control the passage north to China. This spot was even controlled by various pirate factions throughout its history. It’s about a 2hr easy hike and well worth the view for sunset.
Braemar Hill is located between North Point and Quarry Bay. It’s a great place to catch the sunset in Hong Kong over Victoria Harbour.
One of the more popular sunset locations in Hong Kong, Pak Nai is a wetland located in the Yuen Long area. You’ll need to take public transport (green-line minibus #33) from Tai Fung Street in Yuen Long.
One of the most beautiful places to watch the sunset, Sunset Peak is located on Lantau Island at the top of a large hill 869m above sea level. If you have time to make this trek it’s worth it. The start of the trail is at Pak Kung Au. The trek itself takes about 2hrs so be ready to walk back in the dark.
Hong Kong is a beautiful city with so much to see and do. Trekking up to Lugard Road to watch the sunrise was an incredible experience – even though I woke up at 4am!
Sunrise photography has to be the absolute best.
Remember, it can get cold when you wake up that early. Always remember to bring a warm jumper of the jacket with you.
Don’t forget some breakfast too! And always check the weather forecast.
Just because it’s a cloudy night doesn’t mean you won’t get an epic photo – in fact, you might get a better one than if it was clear.
Good luck and if you go to Lugard Road to watch the sunrise over Hong Kong let me know how you found it and please share your photos with me.
Are you visiting China after Hong Kong?
If you plan to visit China after Hong Kong, make sure you have a visa. I have a post which details exactly how to get a China tourist visa that should help you.
Going to Guilin after Hong Kong? I’ve produced a comprehensive guide showing you the best three ways to travel between Hong Kong and Guilin – take a look if you’re considering going.
Want to read more travel photography guides?
I’ve written a number of other helpful travel photography guides which aim to steer you in the right direction to the best shots of your trip possible while maximising your time and budget. Check a couple of em’ out below.
Where is the best place to stay in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is a very expensive city. Even the cheapest of hotels can be expensive, so be prepared to pay for your time in the city. That said, I’ve listed a collection of the best ones below, ranging from cheap, to luxury, in the hope’s that you’ll find something suitable. Note, should you choose to book through one of these links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
- The Murray Hotel – The Murray is now open as the city’s newest, luxury iconic landmark hotel.
- Hyatt Centric -With breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour-front, our chic hotel in North Point is the perfect start to explore something new and something traditional.
- Harbour Grand Hong Kong – The multi-award winning Harbour Grand Hong Kong is ideally located in the heart of Hong Kong Island and just few minutes walk from the MTR station with easy access to the city’s business, shopping, dining and fashion districts.
- Kowloon Shangri-la Hotel – Located along the legendary Victoria Harbour, the award-winning Kowloon Shangri-La boasts 688 spacious and elegant guestrooms with modern conveniences and luxurious comfort.
- Hotel LBP – Cheap hotel with 46 rooms, located in the hub of Sheung Wan near Central of Hong Kong.