Kowloon City District

Being Neighbourly captures the diverse surroundings of Kowloon City from the well-known to the lesser-known.

Author/ Being Neighbourly
12 August 2026

Kowloon City District has historical significance dating back to the Song Dynasty. During this era, Emperor Duanzong (Zhao Shi) and Emperor Zhao Bing took refuge in the area. This district once housed the original Kowloon Walled City, which is today’s Walled City Park.

Land Area
9.97 km²

Population*
410,634

*2021 figures

Biggest Neighbourhood
Ma Tau Kok

Ho Man Tin

Ho Man Tin, today, is a mostly residential area. Originally, it was located in the heart of modern-day Mong Kok, surrounded by Argyle Street, today’s Nathan Road and Quarry Hill. ‘Ho Man Tin’ combines the surnames of the Ho and Man families, who owned the land there. ‘Tin’ means fields and the area featured cultivated land, with streams from the hills providing water for farming. Later, in the 1950s and 60s, the eastern hills near the original site became a resettlement area for refugees from China. This led to the establishment of Ho Man Tin Estate.

Hung Hom

Hung Hom was much smaller than it is today but Hung Hom Bay has been reclaimed several times since 1850, expanding the area. During the Japanese occupation, Hung Hom was renamed ‘Yamashita District’ Today, it is popularly known as being the location of the Cross Harbour Tunnel on Kowloon side and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Whampoa Garden is the largest private housing estate in Hung Hom. It was built on the site of the former Whampoa Dockyards by Hutchison Whampoa Property.

Kadoorie Hill

Kadoorie Hill is an upper class residential area, which also happens to house the elite Diocesan Boys’ School (DBS) secondary school.

Kai Tak

Kai Tak is a major sub-district, which encompasses over 320 hectares of the former airport site. It includes Kai Tak Sports Park and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal.

Kowloon City

Kowloon City was the location of Kowloon Walled City which dated from the Qing Dynasty. It has since transformed into Kowloon Walled City Park. Kowloon City is a great place to eat, be it to pick up groceries at the Thai grocery stores or at the Thai restaurants, for which the district has earned its ‘Hong Kong’s Little Thailand’ moniker. Aside from its Thai connection, Kowloon City is also known for its Chiu Chow food.

Kowloon Tong

What was once a small village, is now an affluent area of Kowloon, which is, for the most part, in Kowloon City District. Noteworthy landmarks in Kowloon Tong include the 457m high Beacon Hill, Festival Walk shopping centre and Hong Kong Baptist University and City University of Hong Kong. Kowloon Tong is also home to Maryknoll Convent School, La Salle College and Beacon Hill School, as well as American International School, Yew Chung International School, Concordia International School, Australian International School, and Delia School of Canada.

To Kwa Wan

To Kwa Wan is a bay and area off the eastern shore of Kowloon peninsula. The name To Kwa Wan literally translates to ‘Potato Bay’, after the sweet potatoes once grown by local Hakka people there. Since the 19th century, a nearby granite quarry has supplied construction materials, including those used for the former Kai Tak Airport

After World War II, light industrial units emerged, producing goods such as toys and textiles. In addition, housing developments also increased, resulting in the establishment of public housing estates in the 1970s to help counter overcrowding elsewhere in Kowloon.

Ma Tau Wai

Ma Tau Wai was originally a walled village between present-day Argyle Street and Prince Edward Road West, east of present-day St. Teresa’s Hospital.

Stay posted for our Kowloon City insider guides coming soon.

Peter Sung is a talented photographer who was born in Hong Kong. When he’s not in the territory, Sung is travelling for work in the Mainland and beyond. His stunning colour and black and white photographs have been recognized by National Geographic and in November 2024, he was awarded the recipient of the inaugural ‘Being Neighbourly Creativity Award 2024’.