About
Victoria Peak (Chinese: 太平山, Tai Ping Shan, Jyutping Taai3 Ping4 Saan1) is a mountain on the western half of Hong Kong Island. At 552 m (1,811 ft) above sea level it is the highest point on the island, and the summit offers the most iconic panoramic view of Hong Kong — the harbour, the Kowloon peninsula, and the dense urban fabric of the Central and Western districts.
The Peak draws approximately seven million visitors every year, making it Hong Kong most-visited paid attraction. At the summit stand the wok-shaped Peak Tower, the Peak Galleria, and Sky Terrace 360, which rises to 428 m and offers an unobstructed 360-degree view. Temperatures on the Peak run five to eight degrees Celsius cooler than Central, and the summit is often shrouded in mist, especially from February to April.
History
- 1868 — First Peak Road is built as a private colonial path serving the Governor summer residence at the summit.
- 1885 — Construction of the Peak Tram begins; it will become the first funicular railway in Asia.
- 1888 — Peak Tram officially opens on 30 May, running from Garden Road in Central to a terminus near the future Peak Tower site.
- 1906 — The line is extended to its current upper terminus.
- 1989 — Sir Terry Farrell is appointed to design a new Peak Tower; the wok-shaped building opens in 1997.
- 2006 — Sky Terrace 360 opens in December on the roof of Peak Tower, becoming the highest public viewing platform in Hong Kong.
- 2021 — Peak Tram closes in June for a HK$1.04 billion upgrade: new trams, new stations, and a revamped central terminus.
- 2022 — Peak Tram reopens on 27 August 2022 with three new-generation trams, a stargazing roof on the cabin, and a new exit to the upgraded Central terminus.
Facts
552 m
Elevation of Victoria Peak — the highest point on Hong Kong Island.
1.4 km
Length of the Peak Tram route, climbing 396 m with a maximum gradient of 27°.
1888
Year the Peak Tram began service — the first funicular railway in Asia.
7 M+
Visitors per year to the Peak — Hong Kong most-visited paid attraction.
428 m
Height of Sky Terrace 360, the highest public viewing platform in the city.
5–8 °C
Typical temperature drop versus Central, with frequent mist from February to April.
How to get there
Peak Tram
From the Central terminus on Garden Road. Operating hours: Monday to Friday 07:00–22:00, Saturday and Sunday 08:00–22:30. Travel time about 8 minutes. Fares (HK$): adult one-way weekday 32 / weekend 45; adult return weekday 65 / weekend 88; child one-way weekday 16 / weekend 23; child return weekday 33 / weekend 44.
Bus 15
From the Tin Hau Temple bus stop near Exchange Square in Central to the Peak terminus. Fare HK$12.8 — slower than the tram but cheaper and more scenic on the way up.
Sky Terrace 360
Open daily 10:00–22:00. Adult ticket HK$50, child HK$30. The 360-degree viewing deck sits 428 m above sea level, with views reaching the South China Sea on a clear day.
Tip. Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunset to clear the upper station queue in time for the light show on the harbour. The summit deck gets misty in February–April; if the view is closed, the upper terminus hall and the Peak Tower shops are still open.
