Route 3 - Victoria Park Road - Wing Hing Street - King's Road - Causeway Road Road

Question 1

Route 3 - Points to mention
(Victoria Park Road - Wing Hing Street - King’s Road - Causeway Road)

4 Bulletpoints - 5-10 minutes

Answer 1

1. Victoria Park (right)
2. Tin Hau (front)
3. Hong Kong Central Library (left)
4. Causeway Bay (front)

Question 2

Victoria Park
1. Location and Size (2)
2. History and Background (4)
3. Recreational Facilities (3)
4. Major Events & Festivals (5)
5. Cultural and Social Significance (1)

2:40 minutes

Answer 2

1. Location and Size: (2)
* The park we just drove by on your right sight is Victoria Park, located in Causeway Bay, and nestled between the busy commercial area and the waterfront. *I will again point out its location later. *
* Covering 19 hectares, it stands as Hong Kong’s largest public park.

2. History & Background: (4)
* The park was built on reclaimed land that once formed part of the original Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter.
* Construction began in 1951 and the project cost around HK$10 million.
* It officially opened in 1957 as a key urban green space for public use.
* The park is named after Queen Victoria, and a bronze statue of her still stands proudly within the grounds.

3. Recreational Facilities: (3)
* The park offers an array of modern recreational amenities, many of which were renovated or upgraded by 2011.
* The Jockey Club Swimming Pool Complex, opened in 2013 and funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for HK$800 million, is a major highlight.
* Visitors can enjoy 13 tennis courts, 6 football pitches, basketball and handball courts, lawn bowling greens, a roller skating rink, jogging track, fitness center, children’s playground, a model boat pool, and a bandstand.

4. Major Events & Festivals: (5)
* Victoria Park hosts the Lunar New Year Fair, the largest of its kind in Hong Kong, attracting over a million visitors each year.
* In March, it becomes home to the Hong Kong Flower Show, a colorful celebration of horticulture.
* During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the park lights up with a vibrant Lantern Carnival.
* In December, it welcomes the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo, drawing shoppers from across the city.
* It also serves as the finishing line for the annual Standard Chartered Marathon, adding sporting prestige to its cultural calendar.

5. Cultural & Social Significance: (1)
* On Sundays, Victoria Park transforms into a bustling community hub, particularly for Indonesian domestic workers, who gather here to socialize, picnic, and even set up small pop-up markets, creating a uniquely vibrant atmosphere.

Question 3

Tin Hau
1. Location and Origin (3)
2. Legend and History (5)
3. Fun Fact (4)

1:50 Start with presentation after the Nina Hotel on the left of the bus

Answer 3

1. Location and Origin: (3)
* We now enter Tin Hau, a small area on Hong Kong Island, situated between Causeway Bay and Tai Hang, within the Wan Chai District.
* The area is named after the Tin Hau Temple, built in 1747 and dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea, Tin Hau, also known as Mazu.
* Although unofficial, the name “Tin Hau” became widely used after the Tin Hau MTR Station opened in 1985, along with nearby Tin Hau Temple Road.

2. Legend and History: (5)
* Tin Hau is widely worshipped among fishermen and coastal communities, especially in Fujian.
* According to legend, a Hakka family named Dai from Tamshui, Guangdong, lived in the area and made a living through fishing and grass-cutting.
* One day, they discovered a red incense burner on the shore, which they took as a divine sign.
* They built a small shrine in response, and as more fishermen came to worship, it gradually evolved into the Tin Hau Temple.
* The temple still stands today on its original site, continuing to serve as a place of worship and cultural heritage.

3. Fun Fact: (4)
* The Tin Hau Temple was originally located right by the coastline, but after extensive land reclamation, it now stands about 300 meters inland.
* Despite the change in geography, the temple has remained anchored to its original foundation.
* Its continued presence highlights the enduring spiritual traditions of Hong Kong’s seafaring past.
* This quiet corner of Hong Kong remains a blend of folklore, faith, and urban evolution.

Start with presentation after the Nina Hotel on the left of the bus

Question 4

Hong Kong Central Library
0. Transition
1. Overview (4)
2. Library Design (2)
3. Library Collections and Facilities (3)
4. Key Attractions (2)
5. International Significance (2)

2:20 minutes

Answer 4

0. Transition:
By the way, if you look to your right, you’ll see Victoria Park, which I mentioned earlier. Just opposite the park stands the Hong Kong Central Library, a landmark dedicated to learning and culture in the city.

1. Overview: (4)
* The Hong Kong Central Library is a 12-story building covering nearly 10,000 square meters with a total floor area of about 34,000 square meters.
* It was built at a cost of nearly 700 million HK$.
* The library was officially opened in 2001.
* It serves as Hong Kong’s main hub for knowledge, research, and cultural exchange.

2. Library Design: (2)
* The arch-shaped entrance represents the Gate to Knowledge, symbolizing entry into a world of learning.
* The triangle, square, and circle motifs symbolize the accumulation of knowledge, the land, and the sky, respectively, reflecting harmony between humans and the universe.

3. Library Collections and Facilities: (3)
* The library holds over 2.3 million items, including books, rare manuscripts, periodicals, and digital resources.
* It features 6 specialized central reference libraries, an arts library, a children’s library, and a young adult library for various age groups and interests.
* Visitors can also access exhibition halls and lecture theaters, which are available for public rental.

4. Key Attractions: (2)
* The library is equipped with self-service borrowing machines, digital info terminals, and multimedia learning systems to support modern library experiences.
* It also hosts public exhibitions, seminars, and reading programs throughout the year to promote a city-wide reading culture.

5. International Significance: (2)
* Since 1979, the Hong Kong Central Library has been a United Nations depository library.
* It houses publications from nine major international organizations, including the EU, ILO, WTO, and United Nations.

Question 5

Causeway Bay
1. Origin (3)
2. History as a Shopping Hub (7)
3. Culinary Experience (2)

2:30 minutes

Answer 5

1. Origin (3)
* This whole area named Causeway Bay gets its name from a causeway—a raised road built during the early colonial period to connect the northern shore of Hong Kong Island.
* Before British colonization, the area was known in Cantonese as “Tung Lo Wan,” which can mean either “Bronze Gong Bay” or “Snail Bay,” referencing the bay’s original curved shape.
* Historically, this was a fishing village, and remnants of that heritage remain visible in landmarks like the Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter and the nearby Tin Hau Temple.

2. History as a Shopping Hub (7)
* In the 1950s, the area was primarily used for warehousing.
* In 1955, entrepreneur Cheung Chuk Shan began transforming the area by purchasing land around Paterson Street to build commercial and residential properties.
* In the 1960s, Mr. Cheung collaborated with a Japanese company to open the first Daimaru Department Store on Great George Street, introducing Japanese-style retail to Hong Kong.
* The 1970s and 1980s saw an explosion of Japanese retail culture, earning the area the nickname “Little Ginza”, with department stores like Matsuzakaya, Mitsukoshi, and Sogo opening.
* In the 1990s, developments such as Times Square, Hysan Place, Lee Gardens, and Lee Theatre Plaza cemented the area as a top shopping destination.
* The area also offers a wide variety of hotels, cinemas, restaurants, karaoke lounges, and public parks, making it a multi-functional urban space.
* Despite the 1998 financial crisis leading to the closure of some Japanese stores, Causeway Bay remains a shopping powerhouse to this day.

3. Culinary Experience (3)
* Causeway Bay is not just about shopping—it’s a food lover’s paradise as well.
* Percival Street is especially well-known, lined with eateries offering regional delicacies from across Asia.
* The Macau Plaza, a 20+ story complex, hosts a diverse selection of restaurants and food stalls, making it a must-visit for culinary adventurers.