Quick Answer: Tsim Sha Tsui is the tip of Kowloon and the best place to see Hong Kong Island's skyline: the Promenade, the Avenue of Stars, the Star Ferry and Clock Tower, the Museum of Art, Kowloon Park, Nathan Road, Harbour City and K11 Musea are all within a twenty-minute walk. Here is what is where, how to get around, and the businesses based here.
Tsim Sha Tsui is the tip of the Kowloon peninsula and the best place to see Hong Kong Island's skyline. The Promenade, the Avenue of Stars, the Star Ferry and Clock Tower, the Museum of Art, Kowloon Park, Nathan Road, Harbour City and K11 Musea all sit within a twenty-minute walk, with the city's largest concentration of hotels around them. This guide covers what is where, how to get around, and the businesses based here. Portal Hong Kong lists more than 350 businesses in Tsim Sha Tsui.
What is where?
| Area | What you find | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfront | Star Ferry pier, Clock Tower (1915), Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Museum of Art, Space Museum, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Avenue of Stars, K11 Musea | Tsim Sha Tsui exit E; East Tsim Sha Tsui exit J |
| Salisbury Road and lower Nathan Road | Peninsula Hotel (1928), Chungking Mansions, 1881 Heritage, Kowloon Mosque, Sheraton, YMCA | Tsim Sha Tsui exit E and F |
| Canton Road | Harbour City mall and office towers, China Ferry Terminal, Ocean Terminal cruise berth, luxury flagships | Tsim Sha Tsui exit A1 |
| Nathan Road, Granville Road, Kimberley Road | Electronics, watches, cameras, street fashion, mid-range hotels, restaurants | Tsim Sha Tsui exit B |
| Kowloon Park | Gardens, aviary, swimming complex, Heritage Discovery Centre, in the former Whitfield Barracks | Tsim Sha Tsui exit A1 |
| Tsim Sha Tsui East | Science Museum, History Museum, office towers on Mody Road, hotels, the East Rail line at Hung Hom a short walk away | East Tsim Sha Tsui exit P |
| Knutsford Terrace and Observatory Road | Bars and restaurants, the Hong Kong Observatory | Tsim Sha Tsui exit B2 |
How do you get there and around?
Tsim Sha Tsui station (Tsuen Wan line) and East Tsim Sha Tsui station (Tuen Ma line) are joined by a long underground walkway with exits along Nathan Road and Salisbury Road. The Star Ferry from Central takes ten minutes and lands beside the Clock Tower; the ferry from Wan Chai lands at the same pier. The China Ferry Terminal at Harbour City serves Macau and Pearl River Delta ports. Everything in the district is walkable; the waterfront from the Star Ferry to the end of the Avenue of Stars is about a kilometre.
What should you see?
- The Promenade and Avenue of Stars, for the skyline by day and the Symphony of Lights at 8pm every night.
- The Star Ferry and Clock Tower, the 1915 tower being the last piece of the old Kowloon-Canton Railway terminus.
- Hong Kong Museum of Art, reopened in 2019 after expansion, and the Space Museum next door; the Science Museum and History Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui East.
- Kowloon Park, 13 hectares of gardens, aviary and pools in the former barracks.
- 1881 Heritage, the former Marine Police headquarters on Canton Road.
- The Peninsula, for afternoon tea in the lobby since 1928.
- Chungking Mansions, for the curry houses and the most cosmopolitan building in Hong Kong.
Where do you eat, drink and shop?
Harbour City and K11 Musea for malls; Nathan Road and Granville Road for electronics and street fashion; Knutsford Terrace and the lanes off Kimberley Road for bars and restaurants; Hau Fook Street and the Ashley Road area for local restaurants; Chungking Mansions for South Asian food. Hotels run from the Peninsula and the harbour-view five-stars on Salisbury Road to the guesthouses of Nathan Road. Browse Tsim Sha Tsui restaurants, hotels and shopping and lifestyle listings. For jewellery buying along Nathan Road, see our guide to where to buy gold jewellery in Hong Kong.
Who does business here?
Tourism and hotels first; then trading companies, jewellers and watch dealers, education centres and tutorial schools along Nathan Road, and the professional firms in Harbour City's office towers and Tsim Sha Tsui East: CPA firms, corporate services providers, relocation services and language schools serving Kowloon and mainland clients at rents below Central. For the district to the north, see our Mong Kok district guide.
Frequently asked questions
- What is Tsim Sha Tsui known for?
- The harbourfront view of Hong Kong Island from the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars, the Star Ferry and the 1915 Clock Tower, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Space Museum and Cultural Centre on the waterfront, Kowloon Park, the shops of Nathan Road, Harbour City and K11 Musea, the Peninsula Hotel, and the largest concentration of hotels in Hong Kong.
- How do I get to Tsim Sha Tsui?
- Tsim Sha Tsui station on the Tsuen Wan line and East Tsim Sha Tsui station on the Tuen Ma line are linked by an underground walkway. The Star Ferry from Central (Pier 7) and Wan Chai lands at the Tsim Sha Tsui pier next to the Clock Tower, and the China Ferry Terminal at Harbour City serves Macau and Pearl River Delta ports. The Airport Express reaches Kowloon station, one MTR stop or a short bus ride away.
- When is the Symphony of Lights?
- Every night at 8pm, for about ten minutes, seen from the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and Avenue of Stars. Arrive by 7.30pm for a spot at the railing; the view is free.
- Where do people shop in Tsim Sha Tsui?
- Harbour City on Canton Road, the largest mall in Hong Kong, for luxury and international brands; K11 Musea on Salisbury Road for design-led retail; Nathan Road and Granville Road for electronics, watches, cameras and street fashion; 1881 Heritage for luxury boutiques in the former Marine Police headquarters; and Chungking Mansions for South Asian food, phones and currency exchange.
- Is Tsim Sha Tsui good for an office?
- Yes for firms serving Kowloon and mainland clients: Harbour City's office towers, the Tsim Sha Tsui East towers along Mody Road and Science Museum Road, and the mid-rise buildings off Nathan Road house trading companies, tourism businesses, CPA firms, relocation companies and education centres at rents below Central. The East Rail line at East Tsim Sha Tsui and the ferry terminal give direct links to the mainland.
