A relatively new kid on the residential block, Tseung Kwan O (typically referred to as TKO) has become quite the popular neighbourhood to explore, especially for families, foodies and pet lovers.
Located in the Eastern New Territories, TKO has its own MTR line named after it and is just 30 minutes from either Central or Kowloon side. This makes it much easier to get to than Sai Kung but you can still expect to find similar relaxed waterfront vibes with plenty of restaurants, parks and malls to entertain the whole family.
What to see and do
There’s a good mix of outdoor and indoor activities on offer in TKO, and the majority of them are free to access.
TKO Waterfront Park
Want to get some steps in before you indulge in one of TKO’s many restaurants? The Waterfront Park is a scenic promenade with an accompanying bike path that stretches from Tiu Keng Leng to Lohas park. Runners, scooters, dogs, parrots (yep), bikes — all are welcome here.
A prime people watching spot during the day, the waterfront also offers panoramic sea views where you can usually catch a decent sunset in the evening so why not make that drink a takeaway and sit along the promenade for a sundowner.
Cross Bay Bridge
Designed to make life easier for local commuters, the Cross Bay Bridge is also open to pedestrians and has both a walkway and cycle path if you’re looking to extend your waterfront wanderings. The bridge itself is 1.8km but if you start at the TKO waterfront park and walk towards Tiu Keng Leng, you can loop round across the bridge back to where you started for a decent 4-5km walk or cycle.
Velodrome Park
You may not have expected to see an international standard wooden cycling track listed here but the Velodrome’s facilities and scenic surrounding park (five hectares of it, to be precise) make it a popular destination for both locals and visitors alike. Whilst the cycle track itself is not open to the general public, the badminton, tennis and basketball courts all are and there’s also a climbing wall and skate park to check out too.
Little Hawaii Trail
One of HK’s easiest hikes, this gentle 3km tropical trail is named after the scenic waterfall that used to be part of a working reservoir. You can choose which end to start from, either at Tseng Lan Shue by Clear Water Bay road (reached by bus or taxi) or from Po Lam (two stations away from TKO on the MTR). You can also opt to extend your hike by including Duckling Hill or venturing up Razor Hill.
Malls
There’s certainly no shortage of malls in the TKO district, in fact, each of the MTR stations in the area (Lohas Park, Tseung Kwan O, Hang Hau and Po Lam) are directly connected to a mall so you don’t have to travel far for some decent shopping (or eating). There’s three cinemas, an ice skating rink, numerous mainstream stores as well as some more boutiquey ones and copious amounts of restaurants. Popcorn mall and Park Central are crowd favourites and they are dog friendly too – woof!
What to eat and drink
The biggest draw to the TKO eateries is that the majority of them are pet friendly (don’t be surprised to see a chameleon on the table next to you). There seems to be a new spot opening up every few months and there are now TKO branches of some of the more popular names on the island such as Pici, Fish and Chick, and Dough Bros.
Looking for a caffeine fix first? Head to NOC for superb house roasted coffee and home baked bread, egg tarts, croissants as well as other brunch delights.
Urban Coffee Roaster is another spot for coffee lovers and is perfectly placed along the waterfront promenade to take your coffee for a walk.
If you prefer dining in, Chili Lime boasts a huge blended menu of Malaysian, Indian and Thai favourites with outdoor dining available too. Picnic Eatery is a cute little spot for a lighter bite with a simple Middle Eastern menu (hello halloumi wrap). Want a decent beer with your meal? Frites has a huge selection on offer as well as prime cuts of steaks and other Belgium culinary delights.
Where to stay
TKO tends to be more of a day trip kind of place so accommodation is somewhat limited. That being said, both the Crowne Plaza and the Holiday Inn can be found right above the TKO MTR station making them an ideal option if you did want to make a weekend out of it. If you don’t want to stay the night, the Crowne Plaza has a relaxed rooftop terrace bar worth checking out as well as a Sense of Touch spa located on its third floor.
Airbnb does have some apartments available if you were looking into a longer stay to get a real feel for the place.
How to get there
The Tseung Kwan O line connects to both the Island line and the Kwun Tong line so hopping on the train is the most straightforward way to reach TKO town. If you’re coming from Kowloon side though, you may want to check out the bus options as numerous routes connect TKO with areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui, Kwun Tong area, Tsuen Wan and Sham Shui Po area.
As of December 2022, the Cross Bay Bridge and tunnel opened. Designed to ease rush hour traffic, this alternative route has also resulted in five new bus routes and has lessened driving time to and from TKO too.
Prefer to drive? There are plenty of car parks around the area, most of them offering promotions in the connecting malls to receive free parking. However, these fill up quickly so plan on arriving early if you’re thinking of bringing the car.
Article by Holly Booth.
