Bruce Lee is one of Hong Kong’s most famous sons and many visitors to Hong Kong are keen to follow the Bruce Lee Way. Despite his lasting worldwide fame as Kung Fu film star, it can be difficult as there are few reminders left in Hong Kong even though he grew up here. However, we’ve done the dirty work and tracked down the best Bruce Lee legacy sites for you.
Hong Kong’s Avenue of Stars is a similar idea to the Hollywood walk of fame, only it has the amazing backdrop of Victoria Harbour and the famous Hong Kong skyline. After being closed for an extensive refurbishment, it reopened to the public in 2019. Along the waterside railings are handprints of Hong Kong stars past and present.
Previously, the Bruce Lee statue was protected by ugly metal fencing, however after extensive refurbishment of the Avenue of Stars, his statue is now raised above a water feature, with Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong’s famous skyline as a backdrop. Note that the fast moving water of the water feature is meant to represent his lightning fast moves. There is an augmented reality app, but it’s all in Chinese, so good luck with that.
Nearest MTR is East TST on the West Rail Line, exit J.
There has been a long running Bruce Lee exhibition on the top floor of Hong Kong’s Heritage Museum.
The exhibition was due to close at the end of 2020, however, we’ve just read that the exhibition, is set to continue. At time of writing it’s closed for a revamp, but is due to reopen later in 2021 and due to its popularity, has been extended until 2026! This is great news for Bruce Lee fans.
You can see movie props, costumes, footage and personal possessions of the late great Bruce Lee.
In the meantime, there are souvenirs available in the onsite gift shop and a large statue in the courtyard outside. Many people don’t know about this second statue, so it tends to be far less crowded and although the backdrop is less exciting, the pose is pretty awesome.
Visits to the Heritage Museum are free, although there are often special exhibitions which carry a charge.
Nearest MTR station is Sha Tin on the East Rail Line. If you want to turn this into a days’ outing, you could combine it with a trip to the nearby 10,000 Buddhas Monastery.
The third likeness of Bruce Lee on display in Hong Kong is at Madame Tussuards Wax Work Museum at the Peak. As the waxworks are geared to the local market. So if you’re visiting from overseas, there will be plenty of celebrities you’ve never heard of. However, we thought it was worth mentioning for all you Bruce Lee aficionados. Additionally, waxworks of Kung Fu icons Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen and Michelle Yeoh are also on display.
Make the most of your trip to the Peak with our Peak Guide and check opening times for Madame Tussauds here.
Our favourite way to get there is by Peak Tram. The Wax Work Museum is in the same building as the Peak Tram terminus, so you can’t miss it!
Tsing Shan MonasteryScenes from the 1973 film Enter the Dragon were filmed at the Tsing Shan Monastery. The location is off the beaten track and a little isolated. However, if you’re prepared for a short hike, you can visit for yourself. Online information is scant, but the monastery is thought to have existed in some form for around 1500 years. There is also a nearby cave housing some kind of vertebrae in a cage. Legend suggests it could be the bone of a dragon! There were Bruce Lee information boards and cutouts dotted about, but we’re unsure if they are still there.
You will find another Enter the Dragon film location in Aberdeen, located on the South side of Hong Kong Island, including a shot of the iconic the Jumbo Kingdom, as seen in this panoramic shot of the typhoon shelter from the movie.
These days this location is very accessible by MTR, either alighting at Wong Chuk Hang station for the short walk to the Shum Wan pier for a sampan. Otherwise, you can alight at Lei Tung station to explore Ap Lei Chau and also flag down a sampan for a short tour on the water. We also are offering virtual tours of Aberdeen whilst on a sampan. Join us for for a very dynamic real-time movie experience! You can find out more about our virtual tours here.
Jardim Luis de Camoes in MacauIf you pop over to Hong Kong’s neighbour, Macau, you can visit the Jardim Luis de Camoes. This location was used in the film Fist of Fury. According to a recent newspaper article, Bruce Lee fans have suggested this would be the perfect spot for a giant Bruce Lee statue. So, we will watch this space with interest. Macau has been the backdrop or film location for several other famous films. You can read more about them in our Macau Armchair Travel post.
Macau can easily be reached from Hong Kong by bus or ferry.
Back in 2013 a series of Bruce Lee information boards were displayed across Hong Kong at prominent locations from Bruce Lee’s past, to form a memorial trail.
The trail was named The Bruce Lee Way. It takes in 6 locations, including schools attended, (Tai Kok Tsui school lavatory, La Salle Primary School, Tak Sun school), Bruce Lee film locations, one of which was the Tsing Shan Monastery as mentioned above, the other being at Ocean Terminal. Finally, the statue of Bruce Lee at the Avenue Of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui was part of the route.
There are no recent sources confirming whether or not any of the boards survive. Should you have any up to date information and/or images, we’d love to hear from you. That way we can provide an update for our readers.
