Nan Lian Garden quickly whisks you away from the hustle and bustle of busy, noisy Kowloon. A short walk from Hong Kong’s Diamond Hill MTR stop, this tiny space of beauty, harmony, and seclusion boasts a perfectly laid-out Chinese garden.
It also offers incredible photography opportunities.
Tranquil Nan Lian Garden is a public park built in the Tang dynasty style. It features a lavishly landscaped area of over three hectares with water features, pagodas, and bridges. When combined with the normal garden decor, this offers a welcoming opportunity that’s unusual for photography.
Chi Lin Nunnery
Since Chi Lin Nunnery is adjacent to Nan Lian Garden, it is worth spending time walking through this site as well. Like Nan Lian Garden, Chi Lin Nunnery is serene, peaceful and stunning loaded with bonsai, bougainvillea and of course a large pond.
The Chi-Lin Nunnery is one of the “must visit” Buddhist attractions of Hong Kong. Originally built in the 1930’s, also in the Tang dynasty style, it was rebuilt in 1998. An interesting fact is this is built with no nails and all wood.
Here is a collection of our favorite photos from Nan Lian Garden, beginning with the bridge at Chi Lin Nunnery.
We walked across the bridge, down the steps and worked left to right. The area was closed off to visitors, but Blue Pond and Pavilion Bridge are better photographed at a distance.
The Pavilion of Absolute Perfection (“Golden Pavilion”) and Zi Wu Bridge
Reflecting in Lotus Pond 
Golden Pavilion and Zi Wu Bridge hidden. 
Path leading to Blue Pond and Pavilion Bridge
Nan Lian Garden entry area 
Incredible display of Bonsai trees 
Looking back at Chi Lin Nunnery 
Moving towards Blue Pond 
Decorative features of Pavilion Bridge 
Pavilion Bridge and Blue Pond 
Silver Strand waterfall masks the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant. 
The Mill at Nan Lian Garden 
Viewing Chi Lin Nunnery through the garden 
Photography details
Nan Lian Garden was photographed using a Sony α7r II camera body and a 24-70 mm f/2.8 G-Master lens. Lighting was low level because of the heavily overcast skies, but I still used a B&W circular polarizer. All pictures were taken without a tripod (hand-held).
Visiting details
More on Hong Kong
Online
- The official website is nanliangarden.org
- See more of this oasis of peace in our Nan Lian Garden photo gallery.
- Next Stop Hong Kong has a good article about the gardens on their website.
- 6 Top Hong Kong Sights You Need to See
- 6 Unusual Hong Kong Foods You Need to Try
- How to Do a Day Trip to Macau from Hong Kong
On Amazon
- Pocket Rough Guide to Hong Kong & Macau
- Nan Lian Garden Hong Kong 3 Pieces Print On Canvas Wall Artwork
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Hong Kong is indeed Beautiful and one of the best tourist destinations in the world. In fact, this garden is one of the reasons to make Hongkong a tourist attraction. I just loved the pictures. Mind-blowing.
Thanks for the compliment.
Simply amazing! Each and every view looks like a beautiful dream, this one place is a good enough reason to visit Hong Kong 🙂
Agreed, Nausheen. It was a pleasant surprise to find such a refuge in this congested city.
Hello Nausheen,
Yes Hong Kong was fantastic and the garden extremely special. Best thing was we finally got great weather for photography. Hope you do go to Hong Kong and share your experience too.