Visiting the Lai Tak Tsuen Cylindrical Building, Hong Kong

Visiting the Lai Tak Tsuen cylindrical building, Hong Kong. Hong Kong is full of incredibly photogenic buildings. None are quite so dreamy however as the Lai Tak Tsuen apartment complex. This baby pink and blue cylindrical building looks like something out of a sci-fi film, so much in fact that it has been used as a film set in various movies like Ghost in the Shell.

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What is Lai Tak Suen?

Lai Tak Suen is a residential complex of 3 buildings. Built in 1975, it was one of the first public housing developments in Hong Kong. The buildings are unique as they have a cylindrical design. This looks impressive from the outside, but it is the interior that’s really remarkable. The centre of each tower is open at the top, and you can look up and see interior balconies for all 25 floors. The effect almost creates an optical illusion, and is fun for creating creative photos. Note that people live here, so please be quiet and respectful.

How do I get to Lai Tak Suen?

Lai Tak Suen is located on Hong Kong island, south of Victoria Park. The closest MTR station is Tin Hau, a 15 minute walk from the buildings. You’ll know once you find the correct place as they’re the only cylindrical buildings! Once you arrive, enter through the main door and turn left. Note that there is an elevator that will take you to the top. I only realised this after climbing up and down 25 flights of stairs!

What to Expect at Lai Tak Suen?

The insides of the towers are mesmerising to look at. Once you reach the top, there’s also a rooftop complete with benches and exercise machines. This is where residents of the building can relax and escape the heat of the city down below. Please be respectful. The Kowloon skyline looks beautiful from up here, especially at sunset.

Practical Guidance for Hong Kong

Hopefully you have found this guide on Visiting the Lai Tak Tsuen Cylindrical Building, Hong Kong useful. I have also included some practical guidance below so that you can get the boring stuff sorted and make the most of your trip!

Transport in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a very easy city to get around. I highly recommend using the MTR (metro / subway system) as it’s clean and efficient. Most of the signs are in both Chinese and English. You’re best off buying a Octopus card that you can then top up as much as you need. I purchased mine at the airport subway station before getting the train into the city. It is also possible to buy single journey tickets but this will end up more expensive and time consuming.

Withdrawing Cash in Hong Kong in Hong Kong Dollars (HKD)

To withdraw cash at the best rates, I highly recommend getting a WISE card before you go. This allows you to convert money into Hong Kong Dollars (or any other currency!) at the best rates and then withdraw cash in Hong Kong without hidden fees. Wise is a UK-based financial services company (available in most countries worldwide) and is highly regulated in the various regions it operates in (in the UK it is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority).

Get your WISE card here.

Travel Insurance

Make sure that you have travel insurance to cover you for your trip. I can highly recommend Heymondo. I use them to cover me for all my trips and their app is very easy to use.

Purchase Heymondo travel insurance with a 5% discount here.