Van Wellen_Hong Kong Coastal Photo

Hong Kong's Waterfront

Photographed by Erik Van Wellen 

   Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui (TST) on the Kowloon peninsula is the result of decades of land reclamation which saw the area transform from a collection of small villages to a major hub on the map with a population density of over 40,000/km2. As of 1888, the Star Ferry with its jetty left in the picture offered regular transport between Hong Kong island and Tsim Sha Tsui, contributing to the commercial development of the area. In addition, the Kowloon–Canton Railway commenced service there in 1910. Kowloon Station in Tsim Sha Tsui was built on the new southern reclamation from 1913 to 1915. The whole station and rails were later demolished except for the landmark clock tower that can be seen in the center of the picture just behind the promenade. Various museums and cultural venues such as the Hong Kong Cultural Centre just right of the Clock Tower were later added to the mix. Today, as a result of this insatiable development, TST has become a major coastal tourist hub in metropolitan Hong Kong, with many high-end shops and restaurants that cater to tourists both domestic and foreign. (Photograph taken in August 2016 by Erik Van Wellen, DEME Group, Zwijndrecht, Belgium.)