The Eastern New Territories is predominantly a scenic stretch of hills and greenery surrounding the historic rural settlements of Tai Po and Sha Tin (now high-rise New Town developments). From the Mainland China borderland in the north to the peninsulas of Clear Water Bay and Sai Kung in the south, this swathe of country parks and ancient farmland contains some of the most beautiful scenery in all of Hong Kong. Much of the Sai Kung Peninsula is protected as country park and has become a prime recreation area affectionately known as the ‘Back Garden’ of Hong Kong.

Exploring here, you’ll encounter abandoned villages and farms – offering a chance to reflect on Hong Kong’s bygone days, when farming was the backbone of the community. One must-do hike is a trip to Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay), which offers magnificent photo opportunities and once-in-a-lifetime views. And after a day of hiking, stop by Sai Kung town for superb seafood and alfresco dining.

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Located near the town of Tai Po, the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden is a sprawling green sanctuary established by the wealthy Kadoorie brothers to help poor local farmers. Just inside the main gate you can get a taste of the bygone farming days of Hong Kong by visiting the Farm Museum featuring fascinating pictures and old farm implements.

The farm has pioneered organic growth methods in Hong Kong, and helped introduce local strains of pigs and chickens that you can see in their pens. Follow signposts in the lower part of the farm and you can visit small pools with waterfowl including flamingos and see deer in an enclosure.

The farm extends up the side of the mountain, and the higher reaches can be accessed by shuttle bus. Go to the top near the Kadoorie Brothers’ Memorial Pavilion and enjoy fantastic views of the countryside. This area features a wood and scrubland, which is a conservation area. Here you just might see porcupines, pangolin or barking deer – though the best chance to see them is at dusk, as they are mainly nocturnal.

You can spend hours exploring the many paths and visiting the different areas like the Butterfly Garden, Rainbow Pavilion and the nearby Great Falls. But be sure to collect a map at the entrance, so you don’t get lost!

Please note: Admission fee for the farm is HK$10 (exemption for children under 12 or visitors over the age of 60). The farm is open daily, 9:30am - 5pm, though entry is not permitted after 4pm.

How to get there: Take bus 64K. You can catch one either at MTR Tai Po Market Station (bus heading towards Yuen Long) or at MTR Kam Sheung Road Station Exit C (bus for Tai Po Market), and get off at the Kadoorie Farm stop. Or, take a taxi from MTR Tai Wo Station to Kadoorie Farm.

Travelling time: 1 to 1.5 hours Difficulty: Easy

Kadoorie Farm & Botanic GardenSituated on the slopes of one of Hong Kong’s highest mountains, the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden offers a profusion of activities for the whole family. Wander the paths of this delightful conservation centre admiring vegetable gardens, lovely greenhouses full of beautiful flowers and plants, and scores of different animals. You will be impressed by the farm’s conservation efforts.

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Organic Vegetable Terraces

Greenhouses

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Other points of interest1. A visit to Hoi Ha can be readily combined with a visit to Sheung Yiu Folk Museum (see page 37). From Hoi

Ha Village, take a taxi to Pak Tam Chung. The starting point is near the road barrier at Pak Tam Chung. Afterwards, head for the town of Sai Kung for some food, drink and relaxation.

If you want a closer look, it is possible to rent masks and snorkels from the local village stores. Just remember that corals are protected, so be careful not to bump into or break any!

To see more of the bay’s habitat, retrace your steps and head just beyond the minibus stop and then take the path down to the right. This leads through trees and crosses a former rice field and then a stream. Climb over some boulders and you’ll see a signboard explaining all about the mangroves here. The patch is small but this is a pleasant spot to enjoy the bay.

How to get there: Take bus 92 or on Sundays and public holidays take bus 96R to Sai Kung Town from MTR Diamond Hill Station Exit C2, then interchange with green minibus 7 or take a taxi to Hoi Ha Village.

Travelling time: 1.5 hours Difficulty: Easy

Length: 2 km Hiking time: 1.5 to 2 hours

Hoi Ha Wan Marine ParkIf you like marine life and you fancy some snorkelling, then head for Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park. The name translates as ‘Bay Beneath the Sea’ and it contains more than 60 species of hard corals and 120 varieties of coral fish. Enjoy the bay, explore the mangroves, see some of the magnificent coral and soak up the ambience of Hoi Ha Village.

When you arrive at the village, walk down the path through the village past a rural restaurant

and a small temple, and on by a protected old limekiln. The path then climbs a little, affording a good view of the shimmering waters in the bay. Then, turn left down a flight of steps to a pier. Here you’ll find one of the best spots for coral in the bay and – if the tide is low and the water is clear – you should be able to see coral heads. These are mostly brain coral, named for their rounded shapes and convoluted surface patterns. You will also see some nicely patterned fish swimming amongst the coral.

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Soft coral - Bubble-tip anemone

Nudibranch

Starfish

A pair of Clownfish

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Please note: The rocks are slippery, especially when wet with spray or rain. So take care if you clamber down for a closer view and to take photos.

How to get there: There is a daily minibus 20C (infrequent service) from near MTR Tai Po Market Station to Tai Mei Tuk, passing by Bride’s Pool. Better yet is the service to Bride’s Pool on Sundays and public holidays: bus 275R from MTR Tai Po Market Station. Or, take a taxi from MTR Tai Po Market Station to Bride’s Pool.

Travelling time: 2 hours Difficulty: Easy

Length: 800m Hiking time: 45 minutes

Bride's PoolThe Bride’s Pool offers a unique Hong Kong experience – two wonderful waterfalls set in the midst of steep ravines in the wilds of the northeast New Territories. Legend has it that a young bride who drowned after tumbling into a ravine sometimes reappears to comb her hair by her reflection in a pool.

From the Bride’s Pool car park (opposite the bus terminus), walk down the steps past barbecue pits for a good vantage point to admire the waterfall. After heavy rain, the foaming white torrents offer a splendid contrast to the surrounding greenery, making for a picturesque scene.

Continue down the steps and cross a footbridge over the stream. Walk past another large barbecue area, turn left and cross a footbridge built of sturdy stone slabs. A stone tablet says it was built in 1906, with donations from as far away as the USA and Jamaica. Follow the directional markers and turn into a ravine. The path soon levels, and leads you through woodland until you round a corner to find the end of the path and the fabulous Mirror Pool waterfall right in front of you! This lovely waterfall plunges 20 metres (60 feet) into Dragon Ball Pool, where you can perhaps clamber onto a huge rock in the middle of the stream. The Mirror Pool is just above these falls.

Other points of interest1. Wu Kau Tang is a village just above the Mirror Pool falls, with trails including a gentle streamside walk to

the top of the falls.

2. Tai Mei Tuk – a village en route to Bride’s Pool (served by daily bus 275 from MTR Tai Po Market Station) – has restaurants; a water sports centre with small yachts, windsurfing boards and kayaks for hire; also stores renting bicycles: you could cycle 3.5 kilometres (2 miles) from here to Bride’s Pool, or simply ride along the main dam of Plover Cove Reservoir.

3. Go back to Tai Po Market by taxi and stroll past fascinating stalls in the market selling all manner of products.You can also drop by a local restaurant.

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Bride’s Pool Nature Trail

Plover Cove Reservoir

Mirror Pool

Bride’s Pool

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After a small farm house and orchard, there are woods and you’ll see an information board situated by an incense tree. It notes that the cultivation of this tree gave rise to Hong Kong’s name as Fragrant (tree) Harbour. You’ll also see an old limekiln – a relic of another ages-old industry in these parts: baking shells and coral fragments, to create lime that was sold by the villagers for building and agricultural purposes.

The trail leads to the folk museum that still has a watchtower with lookout windows, and stout doors that once guarded the village – suggesting that residents were relatively wealthy and exposed to bandits. The village was established by the Wong clan in the late 19th century but was abandoned in the 1960s – around the same time that farming began its gradual decline in Hong Kong. Inside, you’ll find small houses. Wander around and you’ll find an assortment of wooden tables, benches and farm implements like simple threshing machines on the ground floor. Residents slept on the upper floors, while the buildings at either end were for pigs and cows. Doors open onto a spacious terrace where villagers relaxed and held banquets.

Please note: The museum is open daily, 9am – 4pm, except Tuesdays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and the first three days of Chinese New Year. This area can be very busy on Sundays and public holidays.

How to get there: Take bus 92 from MTR Diamond Hill Station Exit C2 or green minibus 1A from MTR Choi Hung Station Exit C2 to Sai Kung Town; then take bus 94 (to Wong Shek Pier) and keep an eye out for the road barrier at Pak Tam Chung. Get off at the next stop. On Sundays and public holidays, you can take bus 96R (to Wong Shek Pier) from MTR Diamond Hill Station Exit C2 and get off at the same stop. Or, take a taxi from Sai Kung Town to Pak Tam Chung.

Travelling time: 1 to 1.5 hours Difficulty: Easy

Length: 1 km Hiking time: Up to 45 minutes

Other points of interestHead for Sai Kung Town for some food, drink and relaxation!

Sheung YiuCombine a relaxing hike with a trip back in time to a simpler age! The Sheung Yiu Folk Museum was originally a walled village that has been renovated and opened to the public. Here you can find small houses furnished like they would have been 150 years ago.

Once you alight at Pak Tam Chung, walk along Pak Tam Road and head for a small footbridge on the right, and you’ll be on the Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail. It’s an all-concrete path with lots of signboards covering aspects of the area’s history, flora and fauna. Enjoy the mangroves and keep an eye out for fiddler crabs scurrying over the mud.

Sheung Yiu Folk Museum

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Old Limekiln

Sheung Yiu Folk Museum

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You’ll see two beachfront restaurants. Follow a rough trail from beside them and you discover a long sandy beach that sweeps northward past former rice fields. This beach is popular with surfers and is a wonderful place to stroll. The water here is probably the cleanest in Hong Kong. But be careful of the strong current that can catch swimmers unawares, as there are no lifeguards on duty. Hike back to the road, and then enjoy a meal and drink in Sai Kung Town before returning to the city.

How to get there: Take bus 94 from Sai Kung Town or, on Sundays and public holidays take bus 96R from MTR Diamond Hill Station Exit C2 and get off at Pak Tam Au. Or, take a taxi from Sai Kung Town to Pak Tam Au.

Travelling time: 1 to 1.5 hours Difficulty: Moderate

Length: 12 km Hiking time: 6 hours

Tai Long Wan, Sai KungTai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay) is set amidst perhaps Hong Kong’s most stunning scenery and offers some of the territory’s most beautiful beaches. The beaches are remote and unspoilt. The pounding surf and the stunning views make for a sublime experience. Honestly, you’d never know you were in Hong Kong!

This great outing begins at Pak Tam Au where you join the MacLehose Trail (named after the former Governor of Hong Kong who established Hong Kong’s country park system). The first bit of the trail

is fairly easy, but once you reach Chek Keng, it is a sustained climb to a ridge. It’s not that steep but you’ll be glad you’ve reached the top for a well-deserved rest. There are wonderful views over hillsides, beaches, bays and islands.

From here the route is downhill as the path drops into a natural amphitheatre with Tai Long Wan ahead of you. You’ll pass two hamlets: Tai Long, featuring white houses and further along, Ham Tin. The path is now level, running beside a stream and Ham Tin lies above one of the main beaches – which is an exhilarating place to be, especially when the surf rolls in with an easterly wind.

Other points of interestFollow the MacLehose Trail heading south and you’ll reach a pretty beach called Sai Wan.

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MacLehose Trail Section 2

High Island Reservoir

Tai Long Wan

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If so, turn right, following a small path that crosses a narrow ridge, before you have to scramble up to the top. On a clear day you have panoramic views north to Shenzhen in Mainland China and south to Hong Kong Island with the lower hills of Sai Kung in the east and Tai Mo Shan in the west.

Follow the MacLehose Trail down, passing the aptly-named Pyramid Hill, following which you will arrive at a junction on the Ngong Ping plateau. Here you can decide which route to take out of the hills. There is an easy but rather long exit to the right, first along the Ma On Shan Country Trail, which leads to a former iron mining area and then down a narrow road to the edge of Ma On Shan Town. Or keep to the MacLehose Trail, and you’ll find other paths from the hills. One of these is the eastern section of the Ma On Shan Country Trail, which leads down to Po Lo Che near Sai Kung.

How to get there: From MTR Sha Tin Station, take bus 299 at Sha Tin New Town Plaza and get off at Shui Long Wo. Or, take bus 92 from MTR Diamond Hill Station Exit C2, or green minibus 1A from MTR Choi Hung Station Exit C2, or green minibus 101M from MTR Hang Hau Station Exit B1 to Sai Kung Town. Once there, interchange with bus 299 or take a taxi to Shui Long Wo.

Travelling time: 1 to 1.5 hours Difficulty: Tough

Length: 8.5 km Hiking time: 4 hours

Ma On ShanMa On Shan (Horse Saddle Mountain) is one of the grandest peaks in Hong Kong. It’s tough reaching the top, but makes for marvellous views of the Sai Kung countryside. Absolutely stunning!

Your trip to the top of one of Hong Kong’s highest peaks (702 metres) starts at Shui Long Wo, the beginning of stage four of the MacLehose Trail. The terrain is gentle at first with great views over Port Shelter and the tiny islands off Sai Kung. Further

along the road, you’re in for a steep climb for about 300 metres. Cresting the ridge, you can decide if you have the energy to make the small detour to the summit of Ma On Shan.

Did you know? If you know the local language, place names take on a whole new meaning. In Cantonese, Ma On Shan means ‘Horse Saddle Mountain’ and it faces Ngau Ngak Shan or the ‘Hunchbacks’.

Other points of interestTake the MTR Ma On Shan Line and interchange with MTR East Rail Line to the bustling town of Sha Tin. Drop by the Sha Tin New Town Plaza and enjoy great shopping and dining. The lush eight-acre Sha Tin Park, with its six gardens and artificial waterfall, is well worth a stroll.

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MacLehose Trail Section 4

Pyramid Hill (Tai Kam Chung)

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