A Photographer's Guide To Choi Hung Estate

Our photographer gives you a view from the ground up inside the famous Choi Hung Estate – one of the most striking backdrops in all of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is one of the most photographed cities in the world. Yet, the majority of photos all feature the same subjects – usually skyscrapers or the iconic city skyline. However, a city landmark that is also becoming a photographer’s hotspot is the Choi Hung Estate – one of the oldest and most famous public housing estates in Hong Kong.

Located in the Wong Tai Sin District of Kowloon, the estate houses over 18,000 people. It first courted attention for its rainbow-coloured homes; it’s thought that the government painted the estate an array of eight different colours to help lift the spirits of the residents living there – “Choi Hung” means rainbow in Chinese. The estate was even awarded silver by the Hong Kong Association of Architects in 1965. The basketball courts on the roof of the car park are the best spot to take photos. As these images demonstrate, it’s certainly eye-catching.

Choi Hung Estate, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon East, Hong Kong

About the author

Matthew Keegan

An award-winning writer, Matthew moved to Hong Kong in 2014 and writes exclusively about Southeast Asia. He’s written for The Guardian and BBC amongst others.