Jennifer Ho is a Wealth Manager from Hong Kong She thinks “Tseung Kwan O is a lovely neighbourhood”. Jennifer talks about her neighbourhood near LOHAS Park.
About Tseung Kwan
What’s the name of your street and neighbourhood?
Tong Tak Street, Tseung Kwan O.
What’s a common myth or misconception about Tseung Kwan?
That Tseung Kwan O is a part of Kowloon. In fact, it belongs to the Sai Kung district, which is part of the New Territories! Yet because it’s relatively far from other popular NT areas and is adjacent to Kwun Tong and Lam Tin, it’s easily mistaken for being in Kowloon.
Exact words you tell a taxi driver or share ride driver to get home?
Park Central, glass door”. There are so many glass doors in our complex! But there’s only one that allows taxi drop-offs.
Closest MTR station?
Tseung Kwan O.
How long have you lived here? Why here?
Fifteen years. I lived in the area with my parents while I was still in school. After I got married and had kids, we decided to live nearby too, so it made it easy for my parents to visit the grandkids.
Tseung Kwan O is a lovely neighbourhood, with a large variety of stores, great restaurants, a beautiful promenade and a massive kids’ playground, all within a 10-minute walking distance. It’s extremely pet-friendly, and there’s a pretty good network of local and international schools, which makes it an ideal location for young families.
Tell us a bit about your home.
We live in Park Central, a private estate with a shopping mall (talk about convenience!). It’s more than 20 years old and has a gym, swimming pool, kids’ playroom, badminton and tennis court, and even a bowling alley. Our home is a small but cosy three-bedroom, two-bathroom living space. I would describe the style as “tidiness within chaos” – what more can you expect with a three-yearold and a 4.5-year-old wreaking havoc?!
Tong Tak Street Highlights
When you walk out of your place, what’s the first thing you see?
A quiet and serene podium with evergreen plants. It makes quite a big contrast to the busy traffic and throng of officegoers walking to the MTR station during rush hour.
What’s the closest store to your front door?
A mobile phone store.
If Tong Tak Street were chosen for a remake of a film, which would it be and why?
I would say Inception – our street is part of a dense housing cluster leading down to the open water; it reminds me sometimes of the multi-level walkways and sudden shifts of surroundings in the movie.
We’re sure your neighbours are great, but is there anything you wouldn’t mind a little less of?
The floors are quite thin in our building, so you’ll definitely know if someone is vacuuming or having an argument!
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on your street or nearby?
Someone walking their pet turtle. It was a pretty big turtle, too. All the kids loved it!
Fact File: Hong Kong’s new towns
Hong Kong today has nine designated “new towns” (originally called “satellite towns”), which have sprung up since the initiation of the New Town Development Programme in 1973
1970s
- Tsuen Wan
- Sha Tin (pictured)
- Tuen Mun
- Tai Po
- Yuen Long
- Fanling-Sheung Shui
1980s
- Tseung Kwan O
- Tin Shui Wai
1990s
- North Lantau
The programme was launched to accommodate HK’s growing population, and many of the towns were built on traditional market villages, others on reclaimed land. Jennifer’s home is in Tseung Kwan O New Town, which incorporates TKO as well as Hang Hau, Po Lam, LOHAS Park and Tiu Keng Leng.
Things ground to a halt in the 2000s on account of a slowerthan-expected population growth. A more modern incarnation of the programme has emerged in the form of New Development Areas (NDA), with potential economic and infrastructure hubs such as the Northern Metropolis and Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands making headlines.
Things to do in Tseung Kwan O
What are your three favourite places to eat or drink near Park Central and why?
- Noc Coffee for the best coffee and avocado toast. I like to get a takeaway iced latte and enjoy it by the promenade, which is just a minute walk away
- Top Pot Taiwanese Hotpot has really good value-for money hotpot lunch sets. I love the all-you-can-eat veggie and side dishes. My secret: Make your own affogato with the milk soft-serve. It’s my guilty pleasure.
- Hygge is a little hidden gem that makes the best sourdough pizzas and crepes.
What are the best places to shop in the area?
There are three wet markets within walking distance from my home, and you can get the freshest produce from them.
Matsukiyo is a multi-brand cosmetic store from Japan. I love the wide selection of Asian skincare brands, and I’m also obsessed with the Solone self-stick lashes.
What are some fun or interesting things to do in Tseung Kwan O?
I would say the promenade offers so many things for everyone. For instance, it has a great jogging route connecting Tiu Keng Leng, Tseung Kwan O centre and LOHAS Park. You can also rent family bikes and explore the area on wheels.
The neighbourhood is also dotted with restaurants with outdoor seating – perfect for kids and pets alike.
There is a massive kids’ playground newly opened next to the promenade; it’s equipped with a zipline, two sandpits, and a mega climbing frame with a nine-metrelong slide. My kids can stay there for hours.
What’s one thing you’d never change?
The open space and greenery. It’s not a lot compared to other countries, but what we have now is a scarcity in a place like Hong Kong.
How about one thing you would change?
I would add more bus and minibus routes. Tseung Kwan O residents rely heavily on the MTR – one time we had a power outage on the TKO line and it was so difficult to get out or into the area for hours.
If the city gave you a million dollars to soup up your street, how would you use it?
Sponsor more local brands to set up shop in the area. I’m a bit tired of seeing the same retail stores and restaurants everywhere.
Things to do in Hong Kong
What are your favourite Hong Kong spots for taking out-of-town guests?
I like to do a deep-dive into Hong Kong culture by joining an artisan workshop in Sham Shui Po, or exploring the stilt houses in Tai O.
When you’re in need of a dose of culture, where do you go?
The Hong Kong Museum of History. I’ve just been recently, actually – you would be amazed how high-tech the place is; it’s fun for both locals and tourists alike.
If you’re missing home, what do you do?
Call my husband and kids. They are my home!
Do you love your neighbourhood? Share it with others – just email us at contribute@expatliving.hk with “Street Talk” in the subject line. Include your name and street, and we’ll be in touch.
This article about xx first appeared in the Summer 2026 issue of Expat Living magazine. You can buy the latest mag or an annual subscription, or read the digital version for free now.
