Tuen Mun: Ultimate Guide

We often love to complain about the size of Hong Kong. But this city’s small square footage provides easy accessibility to some amazing sights, including Pineapple Hill, aka the mini Grand Canyon of Hong Kong. The natural structure can be found within walking distance from Leung King Estate. Located between Castle Peak and Kau Keng Hill, this hill continues to evolve in shape, with nature creating more interesting ridges to this landmark each year. It’s no wonder Pineapple Hill is frequented by Instagrammers. But be sure to tread carefully when visiting this mountain, as the ground is extremely slippery.

Satisfying all your meaty needs, By The Tray serves a variety of hot dogs topped with all sorts of savoury delights. Tucked away amongst the abundance of noodle stalls and cafés in Tuen Mun, the restaurant offers simple dishes in a relaxed setting filled with fairy lights and cute posters. Go for the house favourite hot dog topped with Bolognese sauce or the Mexican tomato salsa dog.

This Taoist temple is surrounded by bonsai trees, an intricate rock garden, pagodas and pavilions, as well as fish ponds, making it one of the most peaceful spots in town. The temple houses the remains of many former community members, but the crowning glory of Ching Chung Koon is no doubt the lanterns gifted by Beijing’s Forbidden City. Don’t miss the popular annual bonsai festival, which is usually held during April or May, when you can view spectacular and artistically shaped trees.  

Run by husband-and-wife duo Richard Bowsie and Mavis Lui Kit-kan since 2006, 2nd Chance offers a platform for people to buy and sell second-hand furniture and accessories at bargain prices. The pair saw a large amount of good furniture being thrown away each week and were determined to do something that would reduce this waste and help the environment. So skip Ikea and come here next time you need a new wardrobe. The organisation believes in giving back to the community, too, which is why five percent of all money received from items in the ‘Antiques & Collectables’ section goes towards other charities, including ImpactHK and Children’s Cancer Foundation. 

Much like what the Chinese University of Hong Kong has done for Sha Tin, Lingnan University has become a huge draw for visitors to the Tuen Mun neighbourhood. In particular, the university's Fu Tei Bookstore. Unlike most university bookstores, this one is run entirely by students, meaning it lacks the commercialism found in most Hong Kong book shops. The interests of the students are reflected in the selections of books available here, with subjects such as film, philosophy, literature, music and much more. Events are also regularly held here, making it a great place to socialise. 

Picture Book Store is a community library where parents and their children can borrow books and read within a safe, cosy venue. Now filled with colourful décor and children’s book illustrations, the shop still has elements of its original décor, back when it was a bicycle shop (e.g., the iron gate signs). The space celebrates the magic of storytelling, creating meaningful experiences for the families and especially children of Tuen Mun. If only every community in Hong Kong had a place like this...

Some of the best scenery Hong Kong has to offer comes to us courtesy of the Tuen Mun Ferry Pier, which offers routes to Lantau, Macau, Sha Lo Wan, Zhuhai and Tai O. Unlike many other piers in the city, the lack of crowds here makes this an ideal destination for a relaxing stroll along the promenade. Unwind and relax to the sound of the waves, go for a run or bring your rod and reel and try your hand at fishing.