From Haunted Hillsides to Historic Alleyways: Engaging Public Heritage Tours in Central & Sai Ying Pun

Walk in Hong Kong was commissioned by the Central & Western District Office (HAD) to deliver two heritage-focused tour programmes that brought Central and Sai Ying Pun’s past into the public imagination. Across both projects, we combined in-depth research and creative formats to attract and engage a wide audience — from everyday residents to special guests.

The Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Guided Tours, centred around the Old Mental Hospital Facade (a declared monument), drew crowds with its Baroque architecture and layered folklore. To deepen cultural resonance, we created themed tours for the Yu Lan Festival and Halloween, blending light installations, ghost stories, and traditional taboos.

In March 2025, we also designed and led a month-long series of free public walking tours, offering locals the chance to rediscover Central’s colonial institutions and Sai Ying Pun’s hillside neighbourhoods. With all sessions fully booked and participant feedback overwhelmingly positive, the initiative proved how storytelling can strengthen public connection to place.