In 1947, Hong Kong's first floating restaurant officially opened for business. Gourmets from sea and shore flocked to the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter for a taste of this unique maritime dining experience. This seafood palace — a fusion of history, culture, and aesthetic beauty — is none other than the renowned Tai Pak Floating Restaurant.

The floating restaurant has witnessed Hong Kong's prosperous transformations. Tai Pak is not merely a vessel — it is a collective memory carrying Hong Kong's rich history.

The Story of Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter Floating Restaurants

Hong Kong's history is closely tied to the sea, and the Southern District's history is inseparable from the floating restaurants.

From the first Tai Pak floating restaurant converted from a landing craft to today's internationally renowned landmark, the floating restaurant has constantly evolved, hoping to carry on the emotional connection that generations of Southern District residents have with this vessel. The recent rise of cultural tourism has renewed discussions about Tai Pak as a filming location for famous movies such as Love is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955), The World of Suzie Wong (1960), and The God of Cookery (1996).
Many international films were shot at the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter. Tai Pak Floating Restaurant appeared in Bruce Lee's 1973 film Enter the Dragon, as well as the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).

Films brought Hong Kong to the world; the floating restaurant brought the world to Hong Kong.

In the 1970s and 80s, many world-famous figures visited, including Queen Elizabeth II, the President of Argentina, and numerous Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and John Wayne.

Light Up and Enliven Aberdeen

Project Introduction

After experiencing various socio-economic changes in recent years, the Tai Pak team has overcome numerous challenges to actively promote the reopening of the floating restaurant. In addition to launching a brand-new menu, they plan to introduce drone delivery services within the district, showcasing a whole new maritime landscape. In the 21st century, Tai Pak has been focusing on various guided tour activities: "Tai Pak Floating Restaurant, this distinctive seafood palace on the sea, is at the heart of exploring Hong Kong and an ideal platform for sharing the stories of the Southern District."
Come Play in Aberdeen Waters
Through lectures, experiences, short films, and digital games, participants gain a deeper understanding of the importance of coastal environmental protection to Hong Kong. The program aims to promote coastal ecology and cultural conservation to students, teachers, and parents, using short videos and digital games to convey environmental messages to various school stakeholders.
Sea Tour Hong Kong
Using the sea as a thread to weave together Hong Kong's past and present: setting sail from Victoria Harbour, revisiting the maritime Silk Road along Tsing Ma and Lamma Island, then looking toward the coastal stories of Stanley and Tai Tam. Afterwards, entering the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter to feel the rhythm of the fishing community, and concluding with an authentic typhoon shelter seafood feast — a taste of the deep connection between the city and the sea.
Explore the Typhoon Shelter
Tai Pak's signature sea tour takes you into the history of the typhoon shelter. Ride a classic cruise or sampan through Deep Water Bay, board the sightseeing fish boat, and learn about the stories of past prosperity and reopening. Various itineraries from 30 to 90 minutes suit different depths of experience.