Knock-Knock! What Lies Behind Closed Doors in Sham Shui Po?

They say the best way to learn about a place is through the eyes of the locals, and the founders of tour guide company Walk in Hong Kong couldn’t agree more. This Thursday, they are inviting you to peek inside the home of one of Sham Shui Po’s friendly residents.

Whether you live in Hong Kong or are just passing through, the Knock Knock – An Authentic Home Tour in Sham Shui Po gives you the chance to see what goes on behind closed doors in one of our city’s most bustling and vibrant neighbourhoods.

Guests are invited to glimpse into the world of local fashion designer Mei Cheung as she opens up her home and studio, Local Ginger Gallery. As well as gaining insight into the day-to-day life of grassroots Hong Kong, those who join the tour will also get a flavour for the different types of housing within our city – from old style walk-ups, to newly developed high-rises, and even cage homes.

Peeking into a stranger’s home might sound a bit invasive, but according to Walk in Hong Kong co-founder Olivia Tang, when it comes to offering people an authentic view of Hong Kong, Cheung’s door is always open. “We have a great connection with Mei and her outgoing personality and freelance lifestyle make her an ideal host for our home tour, which she is happy to be involved with.”

This isn’t the first time locals have opened up their doors to the public. Walk in Hong Kong recently invited guests to explore the home of an urban rooftop farmer in Mong Kok, and a letterpress printing workshop in Sheung Wan. With more home tours in the pipeline, the company hopes to enable more people to really get under the skin of our city. “We plan to develop a series of Knock Knock tours, which offer people a rare opportunity to take a closer look at life in the city, and get to know it through locals sharing stories of their homes and lifestyles,” Tang tells us.

So what inspired the unique concept? “A lot of visiting friends always complain about the boring experience they had in the city, which only revolved around shopping, theme parks, and some lackluster tourism traps,” Tang says. “The co-founders and I grew up in Hong Kong and we believe that the city has so much more to offer. We feel strongly that Hong Kong needs to diversify its travel products, hence the idea to start this venture together.”

So, if you have ever wondered what lies behind closed doors in Sham Shui Po, now is the time to find out. Tickets check in at $550 for adults and $275 for kids, but get in there quick, because the tour leaves at 2pm on January 28 and spaces are limited to eight people.

If you can’t make it this time, Walk in Hong Kong hosts around four tours a week, exploring different parts of the city. Coming up in the next month are Good Evening Kowloon, Hello Hong Kong, and Market Hopping in Kowloon. 

Happy exploring!