John Lennon’s Choices of His Hong Kong Tour
Where did the music legend visit in his private tour in Hong Kong?
It was 1977 when John Lennon visited Hong Kong with his son Sean Lennon on their way to Japan to meet Yoko Ono.
1. Tiger Balm Gardens
The father took his son to visit Tiger Balm Garden in Hong Kong (there is another one in Singapore). The landscaped garden was built by millionaire Aw Boon Haw and his family in 1935 and was opened to the public in the early 1950s, it was one of the first theme park in Hong Kong. Mr Aw wanted to promote Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian morality with the park.
The park sprawled across 3.2 hectares in the hills above Tai Hang. It was a riotously colourful collection of sculptures that surrounded the 44-metre-tall Tiger Pagoda, which could be seen from miles away.
However most of the areas of the Garden was demolished in 2004 and was replaced with modern apartments. The main site, Haw Par Mansion survived and had been reopened. You can check our latest vlog about it here.
Address: Haw Par Mansion, 15A Tai Hang Rd, Tai Hang (Closed)
2. Star Ferry
The iconic ferry ride that everyone loves. Star Ferry and the sunset are still as beautiful as they were.
Address: Star Ferry Pier, Central
3. Hotel
John Lennon’s choice of accommodation was Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Address: Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 5 Connaught Road, Central
Bonus Tour
Readers of HONGKONGUIDE may be wondering who took the photos for John and Sean. It was another music legend David Bowie!
It was told that David and John bumped into each other in hotel and then they decided to tour together.
Not only they visited the garden together, John and David went drinking. There were even kicked out of a topless bar, with Lennon shouting “I’m a BEATLE!”.
Lennon tried to drink snake blood and forced Bowie to eat a thousand-year-old egg, which David later claimed was the worst thing he’d ever put in his mouth.
David recalled that their encounter in Hong Kong was his last time meeting John in person. The last thing they did was at a street market and bought a too-small Beatles jacket and took a photo with John wearing it.
For another worldwide superstar Michael Jackson’s trip in Hong Kong, please click here.