Me, Jamie | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 48 years living in Hong Kong - I know the culture
… and yes, I am a proud Yorkshireman
Iconic Hong Kong - 5 Victoria Peak images nobody takes
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
The Iconic city view, Jamie’s spot at the Peak, Lugard Road, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
To me this is the iconic Hong Kong city view and it is one of the greatest city views in the world… taken from Lugard Road at Victoria Peak in Hong Kong.
I am lucky enough to spend an awful lot of time at the Peak, I like nothing better than exploring, (mainly on foot) and there are other great images to be had, most of them are NOT obvious and to be honest, you need 2 - 3 days to explore to find the really interesting images…. here are my personal top 5 not so obvious Victoria Peak images that I have taken over the years.
The Ultimate Hong Kong Tour Blog
1 - The view from Plantation Road, the Peak
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
The view from Plantation Road, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
May 6th 2020 | The view from Plantation Road that nobody ever takes, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
A network of roads criss - crosses Victoria Peak and they lead to the fancy apartments and houses owned by the millionaires and billionaires.
This image is taken from Plantation Road and it is one of the few places where you can get “context” of the real Victoria Peak which tops out at 1,811 ft. The really obvious thing that springs to mind are the antenna’s on the very top of the mountain, the Hong Kong Government calls it a radio station, we all know it is a Military Base for the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) who are responsible for the defence of Hong Kong…. so the very top is completely off limits to visitors, residents, civilians, dogs, birdwatchers and such..
All the fancy apartment blocks | houses are on Mount Austin Road which curves to the left and you end up at Victoria Peak Garden.
A lot of people choose to walk up Mount Austin Road believing they can get a fabulous city view from a greater elevation, please note it is NOT possible, the apartment blocks and houses are basically gated communities and private property, lots of gates, alarms, security guards and vicious babies, there is simply no way to get access unless you know someone living there and you can visit them and see that view from their living room.
The Ultimate Hong Kong Tour Blog
2 - The view from Victoria Peak Garden, the Peak
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
The only view from Victoria Peak Garden, Victoria Peak Hong Kong
May 6th 2020 | The only view from Victoria Peak Garden, Victoria Peak Hong Kong
In case you missed my point above
A lot of people choose to walk up Mount Austin Road believing they can get a fabulous city view from a greater elevation, please note it is NOT possible, the apartment blocks and houses are basically gated communities and private property, lots of gates, alarms, security guards and vicious babies, there is simply no way to get access unless you know someone living there and you can visit them and see that view from their living room.
This applies to Victoria Peak Garden as well, there are NO city views like the iconic city view shown above to be had (contrary to popular belief), it is a long arduous walk up a steep hill from the Peak Tram Terminus at the Peak Tower and you are overlooking the south side of Hong Kong Island, ie the back side of the Island which is not really built up at all.
However, there is, if you do a bit of walking once you make it to Victoria Peak Garden, a fabulous view to be had overlooking Lamma Island, the South China Sea and other Hong Kong Outlying Islands such as Cheung Chau Island and Lantau Island….. best to have a sunny day!!
Honestly it is worth the effort just to get this one image and the actual garden is rather pretty.
The Ultimate Hong Kong Tour Blog
3 - The view, the furry tree, Lugard Road, the Peak
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
The first “wow” view from Lugard Road, the “furry” tree, Victoria Peak Hong Kong
May 6th 2020 | The first view from Lugard Road, the “furry” tree, Victoria Peak Hong Kong
I have my own spot at the Peak, aka Jamie’s spot at the Peak… I made my first walk around Victoria Peak just a couple of days after arriving in early January 1972 and have done the walk now over 6,000 times ( but really, who’s counting?)
In the past decade Hong Kong has a had quite a few large typhoons which have caused a fair bit of destruction… the plus side is, that just a few minutes in walking along Lugard Road (that circles the Peak) you come across the furry tree, called that because most of the year the tree trunk is covered in leaves.. anyway to cut a long story short, a lot of trees in front of the furry tree were uprooted by the typhoons thus creating the view in the image…. it is awesome but NOT to be confused with the iconic view from my spot at the Peak!! and as usual… better on a sunny day!
The Ultimate Hong Kong Tour Blog
4 - The Iconic Peak Tram, Kennedy Road Stop
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
The Iconic Peak Tram (Funicular Railway) Hong Kong, Kennedy Road stop, Mid Levels, Victoria Peak
May 6th 2020 | The Iconic Peak Tram, Kennedy Road stop, Mid Levels, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
This is NOT the place that people take a picture of the iconic Peak Tram! generally they take a picture at either of the two Tram Terminals, I thought this was an interesting location, it is the first stop from the Terminal going up to the Peak at Kennedy Road, as you can see the stop is pretty basic but they still tried to make it look vaguely Victorian.
The building on the left is Zetland Hall, the main Masonic Lodge in Hong Kong (my father is a member).
There are 4 stops for the Peak Tram after leaving the Terminals going up or down, each stop is worth a visit and you can get some great images…. the images you can get at the May Road stop of the Peak Tram are also pretty darn interesting but for some reason, my favourite stop has always been Kennedy Road.
The Ultimate Hong Kong Tour Blog
5 - The beginning of Lugard Road, the Peak
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
The stop you in your tracks moment image 1, Lugard Road, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
© Jan Carlo DeFan 2013. All rights reserved | Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
The stop you in your tracks moment image 2, Lugard Road, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
May 6th 2020 | The stop you in your tracks moment image 2, Lugard Road, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
I call this the “Instagram moment” both images were taken at the same place on Lugard Road from both directions…
The 2nd image was taken by my rock star client Jan Carlo DeFan using a Canon 5D Mark 111 back in 2013!!
I know Instagram has all sorts of filters you can use to jolly up your images and as long as you pick your moment… ie it is better with NO people in the shot, it can look really amazing, I still find it hard to believe that through the trees there is city of massive skyscrapers and 7.5 million people!
My point is simple, I have to point this spot out to people as we are walking along and once they look they can see a great image forming, it really isn’t an obvious place to get a great image.
The Ultimate Hong Kong Tour Blog
The Cars of Hong Kong
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
McLaren - XX 155
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
Rolls Royce - 650
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
BMW - AAAA 1414
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
Bentley - DW 3699
© Jamie Lloyd | J3 Private Tours Hong Kong | 2011 - 2020. All rights reserved. Click on the image to enlarge to full screen
Tesla - OPC 3
This is NOT how I do tours! There are NO flags, whistles, stickers or large groups!
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