THE SAI KUNG PENINSULA — a Friends of the Earth [Hong Kong] coastal guide
by Martin Williams
The Sai Kung Peninsula is the fourth in a series of coastal guides produced by Friends of the Earth [Hong Kong], and the second I have worked on (I wrote and revised text, took and scanned photos, laid out the text and photos, collaborated with the designer).
It's a 28-page, full-colour booklet, complete with a big pullout map. There's an overview of the history and natural history of the peninsula, which boasts some of the finest scenery in Hong Kong. Then come nine outings, which cover a variety of areas that will surely surprise you if you don't know Hong Kong, and perhaps includes some cracking, "new" places even if you do.
There's an excursion to the magnificent Tai Long Wan — Big Wave Bay — which, with its long, white sand beaches backed by abandoned farmland and ringed by hills and headlands, is surely the jewel in Sai Kung's crown. Optional extra hikes from here lead through another bay and across a wild-looking landscape, and up to the summit of a hill (Sharp Peak) that overlooks must of the peninsula.
There are short hikes through a sublime halmlet, and to another hilltop with great views. One route includes a trip to an old village that's now a folk museum. There's a lengthy hike to seafood restaurants by a cove with only a few clusters of houses that's reached either on foot or by boat. The routes don't just hug the coast; one leads up and over a plateau where little remains of an old village save an old house that serves beancurd and noodles to passing hikers. There's a walk along the north coast, ending at Hoi Ha Wan — Bay Beneath the Sea, which is a marine reserve protecting a good variety of corals. And there's a stroll around a former government demonstration farm that's been converted to a nature education facility.
The guide is available from Friends of the Earth, the Hong Kong Tourist Association and (I hope) bookshops, for around HK$55.
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