Symphony of Lights: Good Points (Exact Location)

If you’re visiting Hong Kong, either for travel, work, or study, the Symphony of Lights is a must-see performance. This grandiose lights and music show is a signature icon of Hong Kong, and it has been named the world’s largest permanent light and sound show by the Guinness World Records.

To enjoy the show to the fullest, you should know the good points to watch the performance. We’ll unpack these for you!

Best View 1: Tsim Sha Tsui

The best spot to enjoy the Symphony of Lights is along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, which refers to the picturesque waterfront walkway located along the southern tip of the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. It is the #1 best location because the lengthy waterfront path faces Hong Kong Island directly, where most of the participating skyscrapers are located.

Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade stretches very long from the colonial-era Clock Tower to the newly developed Avenue of Stars. It can be confusing to find where the best exact spots are. As long as you’re somewhere along this long waterfront path, you’ll be able to enjoy the performance. However, we highly recommend these specific spots depending on your preferences or purpose of visit.

Best Spot for Taking Pictures: Avenue of Stars In Front of K11 Musea

Taking pictures of yourself in the vibrant nightly spectacle that the Symphony of Lights offers is a must, and the Avenue of Stars area in front of the K11 Musea is the best spot for photography.

Among other spots along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, this spot is the most central, allowing you to include every iconic landmark of Hong Kong, including The Centre, Two International Finance Centre, the HSBC Building, the Bank of China Building, and Far East Finance Centre in the more eastern side, as well as the Central Plaza, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Causeway Bay area in the more western side.

The area is very crowded during the show, both in the weekdays and weekend. To get the very best spot, we recommend you to arrive 30-45 minutes earlier before the show at 8 pm. Stand by close to the fence to secure your spot, and when the show begins, get ready to capture!

If you’re tired from standing up too long, there are also several seats around the area. You can’t really enjoy the view while sitting down though, because most people will stand by the fences, blocking your sight from the view. If you want to enjoy the show while sitting down, go to the best spot for chilling explained next.

Best Spot for Chilling: Kowloon Public Pier Near the Clock Tower

If you seek to enjoy the Symphony of Lights beyond mere picture-taking, the Kowloon Public Pier offers the ideal space for this, allowing you to sit, unwind, and truly immerse yourself in the experience.

The Kowloon Public Pier is located near the Former Kowloon-Canton Railway Clock Tower, and you can reach the best spot by taking the stairs to level two of the pier. There, you can find a lengthy seating area facing the iconic Hong Kong skyline. Sit down and secure your spot 30-45 minutes before the show to enjoy the performance from the best point of view.

We recommend the spot in the center of the Pier. It covers every Hong Kong landmark from east to west, resulting in the best scenery. I once arrived only 2-3 minutes before the show and the best seating spots were already taken. Fortunately, there was a remaining space left for one person to sit, but it was on the more eastern side of the Pier.

From there, I could see The Centre, IFC Tower, the Hong Kong Ferris Wheel, and the Bank of China Building very clearly, but not the Central Plaza, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the buildings in the Causeway Bay area.

Unlike the other Avenue of Stars area, here on level two of the Kowloon Public Pier, people don’t stand by the fence. They either sit down in the seating area or stand behind it. That means, even if you sit down, people won’t block your view. This is why we recommend it as the best spot for chilling, which is the best spot to enjoy the Symphony of Lights while sitting down and relaxing.

Though picture-taking of the cityscape in this area may still be great, the downside is, taking pictures of yourself is not very ideal here. Sitting down, you can only capture the scenery but not yourself. You can’t stand up close to the fence because you’ll be blocking other people’s views.

If you want to take pictures of yourself with the scenery, go to the ground level of the pier. There, you can stand close to the fence and take stunning photos. The area is also sheltered, meaning that it is also the best place to watch the Symphony of Lights during rain or bad weather.

Best View 2: Wan Chai

Wan Chai, one of the most bustling neighborhoods in Hong Kong, is located on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island. It is a commercial district by day but a red light district at night, filled with shops, malls, restaurants, bars, and offices.

For watching Symphony of Lights, Wan Chai is less recommended. This is because the area is located on Hong Kong Island, facing Kowloon Island. Most of the buildings participating in the show are located on Hong Kong Island, including iconic ones like the IFC Tower and the Bank of China Building. So, experiencing the Symphony of Lights from Wan Chai offers a totally different scenery.

However, if you’re staying on Hong Kong Island and don’t want the hassle of crossing to the Kowloon side, the promenade at the Golden Bauhinia Square is the best spot in Wan Chai to enjoy the show.

Best View 3: Cruise

Taking a cruise is another great way of enjoying the Symphony of Lights. You can enjoy the performance more closely from the water, but you’ll also have to pay money for a night scenery you can enjoy for free from the island. That’s why we recommend two options you can choose from depending on your budget and preferences.

Best for Experience: Aqualuna Evening Harbour Cruise

If you don’t mind spending a large amount of money for the best experience, sail with Aqualuna. Its Evening Harbour Cruise takes you 45 minutes of sailing through the stunning Hong Kong skyline, and you’ll get a free complimentary drink onboard.

Aqualuna Evening Harbour Cruise costs HK$270 for adults and HK$170 for children. You can either board from Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon Island or Central in the Hong Kong Island.

Best for Budget: Star Ferry

If you’re on a more limited budget, sail with the Star Ferry ship. It will cost you only around HK$4 to HK$6.5 depending on whether you sail on the weekdays or on the weekend, and whether you sit in the upper or lower deck. The sailing takes 10 minutes from Tsim Sha Tsui to Central or from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui, but we recommend taking a round trip for a longer duration.

At such a budget-friendly price, you can enjoy a similar Symphony of Lights scenery that the expensive Aqualuna cruise offers, only without a complimentary drink and the boat’s aesthetics.