Kowloon Walking Tour on the Dark Side of Hong Kong

Badge of ExcellenceHong Kong SAR, China

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

If you like to travel with a purpose and look below the surface, this gritty, hard-edged tour is for you. Discover the city's less affluent areas that are a stark contrast to Hong Kong’s shiny skyscrapers. Visit traditional markets and gain insight into what real life is like for thousands of Hongkongers as you explore the Kowloon area.

Delve below Hong Kong’s sleek surface on a Kowloon walking tour
Learn about the conditions that underpin Hong Kong’s housing crisis
Visit traditional markets and lower income areas
Learn more about the wealth disparities of Hong Kong

What's Included

Local guide

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Prince Edward Station Exit D
1 Playing Field Road, 1 Playing Field Rd, Prince Edward, Hong Kong
Prince Edward MTR Station Exit D - Concourse Level (INSIDE the station)

Start time

03:00 PM

End point

Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
Sham Shui Po MTR Station

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

184 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 184 reviews

Very interesting and factual

Leighton_B, May 2024

Very interesting and educational trip I really enjoyed seeing the other side to Hong Kong and the tour guide was very fantastic and definitely knew his subject

Awesome tour

Helin_K, Apr 2024

Excellent tour would definitely recommend to do it. Our guide had a great english and went in depth about locals living conditions etc For some reason we thought it will be more shocking however it wasn’t, not sure if it was filtered version but still great experience.

An Unforgettable Experience

Damon_G, Apr 2024

This was an eye opening tour that I'll never forget. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and was able to answer all questions.

Very educational tour

YinShuang_X, Apr 2024

I learned alot about HongKong past the surface and got a glimpse into how the less privileged live. The tour of a subdivided apartment really helped me understand the housing crisis and challenges facing the city.

Highly Recommend

Jen_A, Apr 2024

This was one of the best tours I’ve had, it is a very different approach to a city tour. I wouldn’t call it “fun” but it was extremely informative and it is a tour I think everyone visiting Hong Kong should take.

The tour was really good,...

Zoi_P, Mar 2024

The tour was really good, the guide very knowledgeable, friendly and answered a lot of questions. Got to see the conditions of how the poor live in Hong Kong and the market they shop My 2 cents worth is that the title of the tour should be changed from “The Dark side….” This is the reality of the poor people in Hong Kong like other poor people in the world like the Favellas of Rio in Brazil.

Alternative tour

Greta_R, Mar 2024

Insightful tour that provides a good overview of the unique housing situation in Hong Kong. Felt a bit crowded with 13 people walking through the "poorest" neighbourhood in town. However, Andy, our guide, was very accommodating and resolved all queries. Good alternative to the typical touristy options.

Awesome tour of kowloon

Julien_M, Mar 2024

Awesome tour of Hong Kong. I really wanted to see with my own eyes an actual cage where people live in the subdivided apartments in HK. I recommend this tour to everyone, our guide Steven was awesome.

Good and informative

Dharmik_M, Feb 2024

The tour was overall good and informative, but the meeting point mentioned post booking is slightly confusing, it's a very vague picking point i.e., the concourse level of some MRT station. which is a very crowded place. I would request to make it more precise something like ( next to some XYZ cafe or below a signboard..etc) however later I was able to find host and later it all went good :)

Truly an eye opening experience

Lydia_H, Feb 2024

Hands down one of the most powerful tours I’ve ever taken while traveling. This shows the reality of a space that is often imagined to be peak luxury and beauty. Do yourself a favor and see how the masses really live and gain a greater appreciation for what you have!

Seeing Hong Kong in a new perspective

Luke_K, Jan 2024

Stephen did a great job during the tour highlighting the sides we do not usually see on a regular tour. His engagement of the participants in comparing statistics from our countries was a great way to bring home the message. I’d gladly recommend this tour who anybody wanting to see HK in a different light.

very informative

Chris_G, Jan 2024

it gives me information like why there is big fish market in HK. what a cage room looks like. I think the tour company do a great job providing our visitor good tour experiences.

Yawwnnnn - Colin the energy Vampire’s tour.

Jason_M, Jan 2024

Unfortunately we had to share this tour with some of the most boring & stupid people on the planet who continually asked imbecilic questions. “Do the locals like to shop” and “where do they put everything then” to list but a few. Visits to the animal and bird markets are something that should be discouraged due to the inhumane conditions everything is kept in - don’t really see the point of of this tour, left before the end due to boredom.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Hi Jason, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We appreciate your perspective on the tour design, as it was intended to strike a balance between showcasing popular tourist attractions and shedding light on the housing crisis narrative we aim to convey. We regret that you had to leave early and missed the opportunity to visit a subdivided unit, which was an important component of the tour. Regarding the treatment of animals, we completely agree that the inhumane treatment of animals is unacceptable. In fact, our intention in including visits to these markets as part of the tour is to bring attention to these issues and raise awareness. It's important to note that these markets have been a part of Hong Kong's cultural fabric for decades, and while avoiding them is a personal choice, it's not the only option when visiting Hong Kong. We appreciate your feedback and will take it into consideration as we continue to refine and improve our tours. If you have any further concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. Regards, Michael

Great insight into the dynamics of HK, and the life of the less affluent.

James_S, Nov 2023

This is a great tour to complement the glitzy side of Hong Kong. Highly recommended to get a deeper understanding of the dynamics of this vibrant city. The living conditions for the poor are heart wrenching.. Gave an interesting insight into the direction of the city... i.e focused on tourism (with no value added taxes) in lieu of supporting home costs for the many residents who are not so well off. Must be tough administering a city such as this.

Excellent Hong Kong Experience

Rita_E, Sep 2023

Our guide was excellent, he was very knowledgeable and friendly. We also enjoyed the company of the other tour members enjoyable. Overall it was a fun experience.

Great tour to see the other side of Hong Kong!

Robbie_B, Sep 2023

Really interesting tour with a great guide (Isaac) who has a good sense of humor and a lot of real local knowledge. The tour gives you a chance to see things differently from what you see in central and see that Hong Kong is not all luxury. Also a lot of interesting history information

See a different side of Hong Kong

blokandrew, Aug 2023

High quality walking tour of Hong Kong which gives an insight into how people live from day to day. Very interesting and gives a lot to think about.

Still dark after 4 years

MP_D, Jul 2023

This experience is still so worth our time. It’s a real way to know about living wages and housing for the working class in Hong Kong. A must for all ages over 16 years old.

Understand Discrepancies

Janet W, May 2019

Having been to HK several times but staying in beautiful hotels in Central, I didn’t know much about the diversity of the city until the glimpse this tour with Armie gave me. This tour was extremely interactive. Armie was as curious about what we thought as we were with his local knowledge. With this firsthand info, my perception of HK has flipped. When you take this tour you’ll get to go into an apartment to see exactly what living in 90 sqft would feel like perhaps as a family of 4 would do. At more than one point we were sat down in a quiet spot to share reactions to what we had experienced. I hope everyone takes the time to seek out this knowledge.

Hong kong segreta

Giulia_F, May 2024

Tour molto interessante che ti porta a scoprire aspetti nascosti di Hong Kong. La nostra guida Isac è stata bravissima. Consigliato!!