Ok so you may not have heard of Choi Hung, but chances are you’ve seen pictures of this somewhat famous basketball court in Hong Kong on Instagram!
It has quickly become an Instagram hotspot in Hong Kong, but hey I’m guessing you’re wondering why it’s painted in rainbow colours right? Read on to find out why, and also how to get there!
HONG KONG BASKETBALL COURT – CHOI HUNG
Located in Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin District of Kowloon, the Choi Hung Estate was built in the 1960’s to provide affordable housing for thousands of locals in Hong Kong.
The Government of Hong Kong provides this kind of subsidised public housing so that residents with low incomes can afford a place to live, as Hong Kong actually has the second highest cost of living in the world!
This is mostly due to the fact that Hong Kong is extremely densely populated with people but has scarce land space as it is surrounded by water and mountains.
Why is the estate painted in rainbow colours?
Choi Hung Estate was painted in rainbow colours to lift people’s spirits, and boy does it do just that – it’s impossible to not be happy when you’re there! Choi Hung actually means ‘rainbow’ in Cantonese!
Whilst it was never intended to be a tourist attraction, it has gained so much attention over the past few years, and it’s pretty cool that this public housing estate attracts hundreds of tourists every single day!
Things to bear in mind when visiting Choi Hung Basketball Court:
However, do remember this is a residential area: locals come here to play basketball, exercise and meet up, so be mindful as to not to disturb them, this is actually their area!
I don’t think you’d like it if you wanted to play a game of basketball with your friends outside your home but the court is crowded with people taking pictures of each other.
So my advice would be to get there early if you want a shot of the courts with as less people in them as possible. It’s like with any busy place, the earlier you get there, the quieter it is usually!
I knew it would be pretty busy during the day, especially because I was there on a Saturday, so I decided to get there for 8am thinking I would have the place to myself (kind of forgetting that over 18,000 residents live in this estate so you’ll probably never have it completely to yourself)!
What I didn’t realise is that every day between 07.00-8.30 the residents do tai chi on the courts. The place was already fairly busy!
Luckily one court was left free so I took a couple of snaps then sat on one of the benches and enjoyed the atmosphere there.
There were lots of people jogging around, old people walking and stretching, it was really nice to just sit and watch everything going on.
The locals were very friendly and happy, don’t be afraid to say hi and interact with them, they’ll appreciate it more than you just coming, taking pictures and then leaving.
HONG KONG BASKETBALL COURT – CHOI HUNG
How to find Choi Hung Basketball Courts:
Whilst these basketball courts are Insta-famous, they can actually be a little tricky to find!
Type the address Tse Wai Ave, Ngau Chi Wan into Google Maps, or Tan Fung House (the name of the actual building) into the maps.me app to see its exact location.
Take the Kwun Tong line of the MTR and get off at Choi Hung. Make sure to take exit C3.
Once you get out of the underground, you’ll see the big colourful building just behind you – the estate is right next to the station.
Head to the left and after just a few steps you’ll see a sign on your left with a small map of the area saying Choi Hung Estate. Turn left and walk through a covered walkway to the back of the building.
You’ll pass the Secondary School on your right and you’ll see a 2 storey car park infront of you on your left hand side (see picture above). Go inside the car park and up the stairs on the right hand side in this picture.
Yes the basketball courts are on the roof of the car park – it is NOT on street level!
I would suggest having a picture of the basketball courts on your phone just incase you struggle to find it, then you can show it to any local and they will point you in the right direction! Enjoy!
Things to do nearby Choi Hung Basketball Courts:
Just a few minutes taxi ride from Choi Hung will take you to the hike to Suicide Cliff – one of Hong Kong’s most epic hikes!
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