Hidden gems revealed in Hong Kong urban ‘backwater’
Local guide wants to show visitors a different side to To Kwa Wan by introducing the former industrial district’s vibrant art scene and history
To many Hongkongers, To Kwa Wan in Kowloon is just an area that cannot be reached by the MTR or home to some of the city’s asylum seekers. At least that is usually how cultural tour guide Stewart Cheng hears outsiders describing his neighbourhood.
But in the 1930s, the former industrial hub was the base of the famed Shaw Brothers Studio, on Pak Tai Street, and the current Cattle Depot Artist Village on Ma Tau Kok Road was a slaughterhouse for about 90 years.
Historical titbits such as these are why Cheng, who grew up in the area, decided to join community group ToHome two years ago as a cultural tour guide. He wanted to tell visitors about a different side of To Kwa Wan, introducing the district’s art scene and history every Sunday.
“When non-residents first think of the area, they usually say it is remote only because there’s no MTR, although To Kwa Wan is in the urban area, ” Cheng, now in his 30s, says.
“I think they are too reliant on the MTR, and I personally like taking the bus. We have many bus routes here.”
