Hong Kong’s UNESCO-awarded hotel, Tai O Heritage Hotel, has attracted more than 4,000 visitors from Hong Kong and overseas to its four-day Open House (22 ~ 25 May 2026). The visitors appreciated the opportunity to explore firsthand the Grade II historic building with over 120 years of history and experience the rustic charm of the Tai O fishing village.
The hotel has integrated AR (augmented reality) technology into its guided tours, enabling visitors to travel back in time and learn about the history and original vista of the building as the Old Tai O Police Station.
In a continuous effort to engage the community, the hotel partnered with the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui and the Hong Kong Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) to host more than 700 underprivileged family members at the hotel and explore the cultural tapestry of the Tai O fishing village.
Visitors enjoyed authentic Tai O delicacies prepared with local ingredients at Tai O Lookout, the hotel’s glass-roofed restaurant. They also immersed themselves in the rich cultural heritage of the Tai O fishing village by creating unique keepsakes at workshops organised in partnership with the Tai O Cultural Association, including mould-pressing, rubbing and silk-screen printing.
The Open House also marked the opening of the month-long photo exhibition ‘Presenting Roof Ridge Stages of Tai O’ (22 May ~ 22 June 2026), shining a spotlight on the precious Shiwan ceramic figurines on the roof ridges of temples at Tai O. Shiwan ceramic figurines are well known for their vibrant colours and vividly rendered forms. Widely used on traditional Lingnan architecture, they adorn the roof ridges and gable walls of temples and ancestral halls. Arranged in narrative scenes, they constitute mises en scène on roof ridges to depict various stories from Chinese folklore. Shiwan ceramics artistry has been inscribed on the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, it is treasured for its profound cultural and conservation significance.
Co-curated by the hotel and Dr So-Mui Ma, a venerable scholar of historical architectural ornamentation, the photo exhibition features the intricate craftsmanship of Shiwan ceramics preserved on the roof ridges of Tai O Kwan Tai Temple. A special exhibition, ‘Amongst the Blessings’, is presented alongside to showcase Dr Ma’s ceramic art pieces inspired by various bat motifs, introducing the distinctive charm of traditional Chinese aesthetics.
An AR experience was also introduced at Tai O Kwan Tai Temple, bringing the opera stage on the ridges to life for visitors to explore this cultural gem from a fresh perspective.
The hotel also engaged schools and young people in heritage appreciation. Students from Christian and Missionary Alliance Tai O Kindergarten dressed up as folklore characters depicted in the ceramic figurines at the Open House ceremony, while students from Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College enjoyed Dr Ma’s sharing session and traditional handicraft workshops. Trained Youth Ambassadors from Walk in Hong Kong led the fixed-point tours, sharing stories of the Old Tai O Police Station and the conservation work behind the revitalised landmark.
‘We are thankful for the opportunity to promote the beautiful Tai O village and its cultural significance. Our partnership with Dr Ma this year on the exquisite Shiwan ceramic figurines, widely applied to Lingnan architecture, adds a new dimension to our conservation work. On behalf of the foundation and hotel team, I would like to sincerely thank the HKSAR Government for the visionary initiative, the UNESCO for the recognition, the Hon Vivian Kong, the Tai O neighbourhood, schools, community partners and volunteers for their wonderful support on this remarkable journey. We look forward to continuing to contribute to the development of Tai O and Hong Kong, and to present the unique charm of Hong Kong’s fishing village to broader audience,’ remarks Mr Daryl Ng, SBS, JP, Director of the Hong Kong Heritage Conservation Foundation.
