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Written by South China Morning Post (Morning Studio)
Hong Kong is rightly known as a glittering city that never sleeps. The flip side of all those neon lights, high-rise buildings and 24-hour bustle is that the firmament of stars above Hong Kong often cannot be seen from the city streets. But if you venture out east, to the far side of the mountains that block the nocturnal glow of Kowloon’s illuminations, you can finish a coastal hike with a peaceful night of stargazing over scenic ocean waters. The garden at Tai Hang Tun is perched on the edge of a rocky peninsula, which is protected as part of Clearwater Bay Country Park. It has grassy slopes which make for a comfortable night’s astronomical entertainment.
Feature Stories
Refuel
The village store at Tai Au Mun sells snacks and drinks. There’s a drink vending machine at the entrance to the Clearwater Bay Equestrian Centre, and at the end there’s a refreshment kiosk at Tai Hang Tun.
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Lung Ha Wan Rock Carving
On a rock face just above the clear waters of Lung Ha Wan, there’s a mysterious carving which was discovered in 1978 and declared a monument in 1983. It’s believed to be 3,000 years old, but we know very little about the ancient people who carved these swirling patterns. The design shows geometric patterns, some may resemble stylised animals or bird forms. A recent archaeological dig on an offshore island found that the inhabitants of that distant era ate a lot of seafood; it's good to know that some things never change. Appropriately, Lung Ha Wan means Lobster Bay.
Get me there
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Lung Ha Wan Country Trail
The trail leads steeply upwards on roughly hewn stone slabs. Very quickly, you emerge onto an area of open hillside, with expansive views of all the coastlines and islands near and far. You can see the ridge of peaks which stretch north towards Sai Kung, with tiny villages nestled in folded valleys. Look down to an isle close to the shore. Hikers have nicknamed it Green Egg Island because it looks just like a fried egg, with a yolk of sprouting green foliage.
Get me there
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Tai Leng Tung
Congratulate yourself on reaching the highest point of this hike: the summit of Tai Leng Tung stands 291 metres above sea level. From here, you can see far out east to the steep-sided Ninepin Islands. To the south, there’s the sheltered cove of Clear Water Bay. If you have timed your hike to enjoy stargazing, then the sun should now be setting over the shoulder of High Junk Peak to the west.
To stay safe while hiking, bring a torch and a red flashlight for stargazing, enough drinking water for the trip and wear sun protection such as a hat and sunscreen. Visit Agriculture Fisheries and Conservation Department’s (AFCD) website to learn more about ‘Country Park Hiking Safety Guidelines’.
Get me there
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Tai Hang Tun Kite Flying Area
Your hike ends at Tai Hang Tun, where there’s a pleasant, grassy park overlooking the island-studded waters of the South China Sea. Families are staking out positions for evening picnics. Walk up to the highest viewing pavilion, or follow the short tree walk to find a quiet spot to enjoy the vista of sea and sky. As darkness falls, crickets commence their nightly song. Pinpricks of light on the horizon mark the remote locations of ships at anchor. Overhead, the black skies are adorned with constellations of stars not visible from the city. In Hong Kong, the Milky Way has a different name; it’s known in Cantonese as the Silver River. There are some phone apps to help identify the stars and planets you are seeing. Photographing the starry skies is difficult, so the best views may be those that remain in your memories.
Check the weather forecast before you set out, as stargazing is best done on a clear, cloudless night. Bring something to sit on, either a ground mat or foldable chairs, but remember that camping is not allowed at Tai Hang Tun and Lung Ha Wan as there are no designated campsites in the Clearwater Bay Country Park.
Get me there
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Dining Option
Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill
Get much-needed sustenance before the hike from Plaza Hollywood at Diamond Hill, one of the largest shopping malls in Hong Kong’s Kowloon East, offering over 290 shops and restaurants, serving a selection of Chinese, Western, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese cuisines.
Get me there
Transport
Getting to Lung Ha Wan Rock Carving:
Take bus 91 from MTR Diamond Hill Station or minibus 103M from MTR Tseung Kwan O Station. Alight at Tai Au Mun, which is at the crossroads where the buses turn right to start their descent towards the popular beaches at Clear Water Bay. Walk straight ahead, past the sign marked ‘Clearwater Bay Country Park’, and turn left onto Lung Ha Wan Road to begin your hike.
Leaving from Tai Hang Tun Kite Flying Area:
Walk for 20 minutes along Clear Water Bay Road to return to the bus stop at Tai Au Mun. The last bus 91 departs from Clear Water Bay Beach at 11:30pm, passing Tai Au Mun a few minutes later. The minibus 103M runs until 1:45am. After that time, you will need to call a taxi.
More Routes
Written by South China Morning Post (Morning Studio)
Hong Kong is rightly known as a glittering city that never sleeps. The flip side of all those neon lights, high-rise buildings and 24-hour bustle is that the firmament of stars above Hong Kong often cannot be seen from the city streets. But if you venture out east, to the far side of the mountains that block the nocturnal glow of Kowloon’s illuminations, you can finish a coastal hike with a peaceful night of stargazing over scenic ocean waters. The garden at Tai Hang Tun is perched on the edge of a rocky peninsula, which is protected as part of Clearwater Bay Country Park. It has grassy slopes which make for a comfortable night’s astronomical entertainment.
Feature Stories
Refuel
The village store at Tai Au Mun sells snacks and drinks. There’s a drink vending machine at the entrance to the Clearwater Bay Equestrian Centre, and at the end there’s a refreshment kiosk at Tai Hang Tun.
Lung Ha Wan Rock Carving
On a rock face just above the clear waters of Lung Ha Wan, there’s a mysterious carving which was discovered in 1978 and declared a monument in 1983. It’s believed to be 3,000 years old, but we know very little about the ancient people who carved these swirling patterns. The design shows geometric patterns, some may resemble stylised animals or bird forms. A recent archaeological dig on an offshore island found that the inhabitants of that distant era ate a lot of seafood; it's good to know that some things never change. Appropriately, Lung Ha Wan means Lobster Bay.
Lung Ha Wan Country Trail
The trail leads steeply upwards on roughly hewn stone slabs. Very quickly, you emerge onto an area of open hillside, with expansive views of all the coastlines and islands near and far. You can see the ridge of peaks which stretch north towards Sai Kung, with tiny villages nestled in folded valleys. Look down to an isle close to the shore. Hikers have nicknamed it Green Egg Island because it looks just like a fried egg, with a yolk of sprouting green foliage.
Tai Leng Tung
Congratulate yourself on reaching the highest point of this hike: the summit of Tai Leng Tung stands 291 metres above sea level. From here, you can see far out east to the steep-sided Ninepin Islands. To the south, there’s the sheltered cove of Clear Water Bay. If you have timed your hike to enjoy stargazing, then the sun should now be setting over the shoulder of High Junk Peak to the west.
To stay safe while hiking, bring a torch and a red flashlight for stargazing, enough drinking water for the trip and wear sun protection such as a hat and sunscreen. Visit Agriculture Fisheries and Conservation Department’s (AFCD) website to learn more about ‘Country Park Hiking Safety Guidelines’.
Tai Hang Tun Kite Flying Area
Your hike ends at Tai Hang Tun, where there’s a pleasant, grassy park overlooking the island-studded waters of the South China Sea. Families are staking out positions for evening picnics. Walk up to the highest viewing pavilion, or follow the short tree walk to find a quiet spot to enjoy the vista of sea and sky. As darkness falls, crickets commence their nightly song. Pinpricks of light on the horizon mark the remote locations of ships at anchor. Overhead, the black skies are adorned with constellations of stars not visible from the city. In Hong Kong, the Milky Way has a different name; it’s known in Cantonese as the Silver River. There are some phone apps to help identify the stars and planets you are seeing. Photographing the starry skies is difficult, so the best views may be those that remain in your memories.
Check the weather forecast before you set out, as stargazing is best done on a clear, cloudless night. Bring something to sit on, either a ground mat or foldable chairs, but remember that camping is not allowed at Tai Hang Tun and Lung Ha Wan as there are no designated campsites in the Clearwater Bay Country Park.
Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill
Get much-needed sustenance before the hike from Plaza Hollywood at Diamond Hill, one of the largest shopping malls in Hong Kong’s Kowloon East, offering over 290 shops and restaurants, serving a selection of Chinese, Western, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese cuisines.
Transport
Getting to Lung Ha Wan Rock Carving:
Take bus 91 from MTR Diamond Hill Station or minibus 103M from MTR Tseung Kwan O Station. Alight at Tai Au Mun, which is at the crossroads where the buses turn right to start their descent towards the popular beaches at Clear Water Bay. Walk straight ahead, past the sign marked ‘Clearwater Bay Country Park’, and turn left onto Lung Ha Wan Road to begin your hike.
Leaving from Tai Hang Tun Kite Flying Area:
Walk for 20 minutes along Clear Water Bay Road to return to the bus stop at Tai Au Mun. The last bus 91 departs from Clear Water Bay Beach at 11:30pm, passing Tai Au Mun a few minutes later. The minibus 103M runs until 1:45am. After that time, you will need to call a taxi.