This listing is for the actual in-service police station, not the historical Central Police that is…read morenow a museum. If you have been to this actual police station as a visitor and had a good experience I'd love to hear about it.

Enjoyed the outside courtyard at night. The holiday Christmas tree with its LED light show was…read moreamazing. Enjoyed the vegetarian snacks with the refreshing iced tea & cold brew tea

A repurposed historical compound that has turned into a place where locals and tourists enjoys…read moretheir afternoon or a night at. This compound consists of the old Central police station, the barrack block, the central magistracy and the Victoria jail. There are about 10 blocks of building that forms the whole compound of the Victoria jail. Upon arrival, my friend had pre-booked a guided tour for us at 2 pm. There are 2 tours available daily at 11:15 and 2 pm. And an extra tour at 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Reservations are available online. The tour runs about 45 min to an hour and they are wheelchairs accessoble . About our tour, our tour guide took us around to show the three groups of building and how streamline it is from being arrested, to brought up to the court and finally being jailed, all in the same compound. There are also stories about the mango trees at the main court, histories of the life of policemen and the cases of prisoners trying to escape. I let give basic idea of where things are, so that you can go back to tour in details. As you walk arpund the compound, you will started to see tea house for dim sum, bars that used to be prisoner's cells, called being bars ( I thought it was a very clever name and literal), and quaint little areas where it seems to have live music at night when the bars are open. I am not sure about what the bars served as they seem to be fairly new and not sure if they are open for business, but the tea house by the court was a nice stop to rest . Dim sum that we're served are all vegetarian style, a bit pricey but a nice resting place with good tea. The most interesting part of this compound is probably going to be the jail. Especially when you look up and see the tree story tall jail from inside, it felt like being in a movie. I really enjoyed touring around this place, not only because it has all these new repurposed restaurants, but also a nostalgic place for me. I remember how I used to get off from school and walked along the high prisons wall and wonder what's it is like inside, and after 20+ years passed and I finally get to see the inside of it.

Pottinger Street / Central (Hong Kong) -- Even though this wasn't my first trip to Hong Kong, I…read moremust've conveniently forgotten how steep the hills can get to elevation-challenged tourists like myself, especially the steep inclines to be found in the Central district on Hong Kong Island. That's why there are helpful automatic walkways and escalators under long canopies over certain roadways. That was definitely a smart urban renewal move built back in the '90's, but Pottinger Street has been left intact. This atmospheric walkway consists of a series of steps and inclines on terra firma and retains its vintage Hong Kong charm with seemingly random stone slabs that connect Connaught Road Central up to Hollywood Road. Souvenir kiosks line the street on both sides, and they apparently change depending on the holiday season. Jamie W and I were here too early to see Christmas trinkets and decorations, but we saw stall after stall of local tchotchkes and T-shirts. It's worth the stroll in either direction. RELATED - Exploring Hong Kong? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3AGgadg

A touristy three or four block sloping street made up of granite slabs that aren't quite stairs…read more Its official name is Pottinger Street, named in 1858 after Henry Pottinger, the first Governor of Hong Kong, serving from 1843 to 1844. Fun fact was that in the early days in HK, Chinese and European residents used to live separately in different neighborhoods. Pottinger street once acts as a rough boundary between the two groups. The Chinese used to mainly live west of the street and westerners to the east. Today there are various vendors selling trinkets and services such as caricature painting on the street. Many blockbuster HK movies have had iconic scenes filmed here including "Lust Caution", "October Besieged City", "Infernal Affairs III", and "Dragon and Phoenix Fight".

Tai Kwun is a well renovated prison yard (Victoria Prison), the Central Police Station, and…read moreMagistracy that it once was, transformed into a large cultural hub with rotating exhibitions. They also have some shops, restaurants, and even guided heritage tours for ad additional cost. Otherwise, the place can be explored for free. It is accessible right off the Mid-Levels escalator and timing of the escalator's direction is crucial so that you don't wear yourself out before the exploration itself. The area is not extremely handicap friendly, so knowing that may help your travels. Tai Kwun is on top of the hill so it is steep as you walk down back to Central MTR Station. I got to visit all of the buildings on a self-guided tour and discovered that one of the prison cells housed Vietnamese revolutionary Ho Chi Minh amongst other historical inmates. Whether you're a history buff or just a curious explorer, Tai Kwun is a unique place to visit.

Tai Kwun (大館) is an incredible preservation success story. Located at the eastern end of Hollywood…read moreRoad in Central, this massive heritage complex is a must-visit, even though many locals have surprisingly never been here. My husband wanted to explore the rich law enforcement history of the former Central Police Station, and it turned out to be an unforgettable experience. The site is huge and exceptionally well laid out. We started at the Parade Ground & Barrack Block, a beautiful, wide-open courtyard flanked by classic colonial-era brick buildings. Walking through the Victoria Prison cell blocks with history dating all the way back to 1841, it offered an immersive and fascinating look at Hong Kong's early penal system. As an extra treat, we got a chance to see the Ora-Ora Shop: Summer Pop-up! at Galerie Ora-Ora (Shop 03-105-107, Barrack Block). It was the perfect blend of historic architecture and contemporary art. If you love history, art, or just a cool space to explore away from the hectic city streets, do not miss this absolute gem.

A historic police compound turned into a real-life Etsy market! Located in Central, PMQ 元創方 is…read morepacked with local artisan shops, unique design studios, and rich Hong Kong history. PMQ 元創方 stands for Police Married Quarters. It's a historic site turned vibrant creative hub in Central, Hong Kong. Rebuilt in 1951 as the Police Married Quarters, the compound reopened in 2014 for local designers. The architecture is beautiful, the vibe is incredibly artistic, and it is the perfect place to support independent creators. A truly unique spot for anyone looking for authentic local souvenirs.

This place is basically like a giant Etsy shop/Instagram photo opp…read more Came to take selfies in front of the koi staircase. Left with nearly a dozen pairs of cute and unique earrings crafted by HK-based jewelry maker @ashayatheone, for $8 to $15 (USD) a pair. Though I definitely spent more than I would have for souvenirs at the Ladies Market, it was worth it not to feel stressed out having to haggle on the streets of Mong Kok. Plus, I walked out with better quality stuff, supported a local business, and got to check out the current art exhibit ("LONG TIME NO SEE": a set of hand-drawn murals paying homage to the history of the PMQ building).

One of those buildings I've seen while traveling in the tram, wondered was it was, made a Google…read moresearch, came up with its name but hadn't really looked into its history. Until now! In fact this building is vacant right now and it will be until 2015 when it'll house The Court of Final Appeal. It was built in 1912 in reclaimed land and designed by two British architects (Webb and Bell) and it was initially used as Supreme Court until 1985. From this date to 2011 it housed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. It stands out in Central precisely for its architecture and its location around financial skyscrapers, in contrast to the rest of the buildings. It's got a neo-classical style and it's one of Hong Kong's declared monuments. The Old Supreme Court is an elegant two storey building with a statue of Themis, the Greek Goddess of Justice, standing in a pediment that faces Statue Square, and under it there is an inscription that reads Erected AD MDCCCCX. Even though the architecture may look boring in itself and around the area, to me it's a really beautiful building that, thankfully has been kept in its original design. The fact that it's surrounded by drastically different constructions makes it look even more special. This is common around Hong Kong and it enriches the city's architecture. As curiosities: it was used as the headquarters of the Japanese Military Police during the invasion of Japan and it's never been fully finished!