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Not this weekend but the following sunday I wouldn’t mind a rockpool hunt.
The long anticipated monsoon just hit, which means I’ll not be trekking drainage ravines for a week. But after that wild horses couldn’t keep me from them.
Glad you squeezed in a couple of trips before the rains but after the heat.I’m the same in terms of pace.
I could walk all day on the flat, but will stop when and where I like on the uphill. My excuse will usually be that it’s a good spot for wildlife. If I have to walk over a crest and down again to go upwards then you’ll hear me muttering under my breath.End of ‘summer monsoon’ will be in about 1 – 2 weeks hopefully. The summer monsoon is when we have 2 weeks of rain before the heat and humidity hit us full on. After this the rivers will need time to cleanse themselves clear again. again 1 – 2 more weeks.
Then the party ends in Oct/Nov with the ‘winter monsoon’ (cold winds)
Many of the country parks pools have a watershed of subtropical rainforest, and only halve in flow during the dry winter months and should still be good for swimming. Although most mountain drainage spurs will be dry.
For Lantau, I will discuss with friends about tackling the best one this summer and arrange a day.
The easiest one which is just OK is at the junction of Tung Chung and Cheung Sha roads at Cheung Sha beach. It’s a doddle and is great fun for the beach, and nearby pubs. My advice would be watch the weather forecast. I’m hoping this week will be a washout with flooding (summer monsoon).HKwaterfalls closed down.
try this instead http://www.hkadventurer.com/ more info but you have to look harder for it.I’m waiting for the summer monsoon to end (which may have just arrived), then allow 1-2weeks for the water to clear.
Then I’m off.
I work freelance so I can get away mid-week occasionally. But will consider weekend hikes if the location isn’t a popular one.
My first will probably be a summer celebration at Siu Sai Wan Beach, Sai Kung. Great rockpool, great beach and a cafe nearby.
Then the next week I’ll be off to find a suspected pool in the upper reaches of the same river. There is a good isolated pool nearby with great jumps and black depths (even with mask) nearby so there will be no dissapointments. Although I’ll be coming at it from above and there may be no safe route down to the sure-thing. But it’ll only be a 15/20 min uphill back to the path.
And the week after that I want to try a hidden valley in Plover Cove with a faunal secret, to see the pothole jump again. There have been arguments about the sanity of doing it. But mainly to get acroos the pool which stopped us last time and see if the route from the top is easier.
As we get closer to the time, let us know if your still interested.I’m not a birder myself, though I got a little bit into it when living / working in Tung Tze, Tai Po. I stick mainly to animals, but it seemed a waste when in the mornings / afternoons I would sit on the veranda and see all kinds of birds using the mature trees that surrounded the house. The long days at the computer would only be broken by the call of a raptor which would send me outside with my binoculars. The dead tree across the valley took 2 years to become ivy covered, but that tree was a goldmine being clearly visible from a comfy seat with a cup of coffee and a pair of bino’s. Learned a lot about raptors during my time there.
I only moved round the corner, but I’m out of the valley and I lost my view. But Plover Cove is still a haven for raptors especially during the winter months.
Now it may just be me, being better able to identify raptors at distance. So all those black-eared kites became 30% something else. But I could swear that the severe winter monsoon this year has created an unusually abundant diversity (and sightings) of some unusual birds of prey.
Especially interesting are my occasionally trips to Central. I get the bus which passes Kai Tak on the Kowloon Eastern Corridor. Of course I sit at top, front right, eager for the 10mins through Kowloon Bay. Not very good for a beginner like myself, but this winter there are plenty of sightings of the ‘that is not a black-eared kite’ type (too self-concious to use bino’s on the bus – sorry).I live in the area, and know it well.
This particular area has already beeen ruined by human activity and a previous attempt at beach making. As long as they keep their greasy hands off the nearby mangroves (which they are – at least in this plan) they are welcome to do what they want with this small bay. At least ecologically wise.
Of more importance is the oversight of monies given for what is in effect a small group of shopholders and villagers. Said peoples are determinedly scratching a tourist buck out of what should be no more than a stop off point for the Plovercove hinterland. I understand that the shops and restaurants, even the marina’s and watersports centres are popular but I don’t see why the Government should pay for the beach.
If these businesses believe that people will flock to the rocky mud and boat oil for a swim, well that’s their opinion. But I don’t see why we need to pay for it.
Should the Government be of the opinion that this area needs beautification, well then, good on them. But again it’s a bit tiresome always having Government money given to local businesses, over the interests of Hong Kong as a whole.
But then again it’s only 100m of beach in an already dirty area, so let them play amongst themselves.The old battle between greenskeepers and users.
I suppose it comes down to how small a patch, how much it’s used, and how curmudgeonly the gardener is. I think I could probably write an equation to track the occurance of these signs.
Refeshingly in Yuen Long there is an excellent park, well used and well maintained with an actual aviary you can walk through. And most importantly the manicured rolling lawns are covered in families all week long.
I got the shock of my life when a friend took his kid’s to it in the afternoon (I had come round for a BBQ). I just couldn’t believe it was HK.I have to say I disagree with you on this Martin. With respect.
Since my first arrival (being greeted by Ellen within days) till a few years ago I thought that Hong Kongs system of dealing with Typhoons was, if not the best in the world, not second best.
As a Temporary Works Design Engineer, everything I did was governed by the worst Hong Kong storm in 50 years. For permanent works it is even more stringent. This is with safety factors remember. Just don’t talk to me about ‘traditonal method’, I have a temper.
I also believed that the Hong Kong Observatory was the regions best, believing even that it’s history beat Guam’s excellent system.
I watched the battle HKO had with business down the years, and the government always seemed to find the right answer. Few exceptions could be recounted, but they were minor.
But for the last few years the HKO seems to be kneejerking around, dependant on who is shouting the loudest.
That they didn’t hoist 8 on the previous but one occasion, I consider a legally punishable offence. The paltry excuse that HK harbour was the measuring site not territory wide, when Central and TST were in chaos, seems to point to incompetence or worse. Independant inquiry called for I think.
This occasion they jumped the other way. Typhoons have turned around before. I can remember on brushing past 3 times.
All this has left the most serious of government jobs a laughing stock. But for one thing. Almost every activity is determined by the HKO typhoon system. Ferries, kindergardens, schools, hospitals and (yes, Mr Li, the most important) work. And by work I mean labourers on scaffolding, in caissons and aeroplane pilots.
That we have a party and a day off is due to decades of hard work on the part of many people. But typhoons could still kill on mass, even in HK, should our protective system ever break down.Quite proud that my last post avoided territory that would involve lawyers or 10 paces at dawn. I find the man quite distasteful.
I always listen closely to Li Ka Shing.
He is a constant point of reference that the beliefs I have are the right ones.
But he does make for annoying listening.
I have never held the opinion he has on any subject, ever.I nearly transferred to Taiwan a few years ago, and was really looking forward to it.
Everything familiar to a HongKonger but sooo much bigger and better.Your right about locals not knowing their city. My first Cantonese girlfriend had never been to ClearWaterBay (where I lived), and she was 18. After a few years camping/hiking with me, she was the expert on HK amongst her friends.
Even my Tai Long Wan Guru (the shopkeeper) from years ago, knew only his small patch of the woods. Sai Kung town once a week and Central once a year.
For 400km2 that’s pretty scary.Ahh, I still dream of Taiwan, so much more to explore.
No these creatures are not common.
They’re bloody unavoidable!Don’t get me wrong, I love all nature and will often stop and watch an orb weaver if it’s a nice specimen.
But my enjoyment of them nearly ended one evening when I stayed too long without a torch on an isolated beach, forgetting that the forest trail was inundated with particularly startling specimens of these large spiders.
A long stick waved about wildly didn’t stop at least two from getting on me.
The desperation they caused did remind me that I had a paper lantern buried somewhere in my pack. But that was after I was close to tears, and think of having a good cry.
Incidentally a lantern blinds you to everything but what is right in front of your nose, as I discovered later when I blundered into the 500 cows that used the trail to make their night trip over the ridge. The trail was about 3ft wide through dense scrub so I wasn’t very happy.You’ll be pleased to know that you can get cheap LED torches that fit on a key-ring these days. There’s two on mine.
About an hour I think.
I camped in the centre once and walked about 10/15mins to get to either end and 5/8mins to cross it.
I may be way wrong as this was 20 years ago. But if you don’t get another answer this will have to do.
I really enjoyed my time there, but I didn’t get a chance to snorkel the reef (which many talk about as HK’s best). So I’ve always wanted to go back.
There’s an island hopping ferry which leaves from Chinese University Ferry Pier every morning (0900hrs I think), and returns from Tung Ping Chau at around 1700hrs.
If your familiar with the ferry and facilities on the island, it’s probably a pleasant and easy trip. But it’s a bit daunting if like me you’ve never done it. I was taken in a landing craft and stayed in army barracks.Thanks for cleaning that up Martin, don’t know what happened just got 2 post.
Pity you didn’t clean up the fact that I got Peng Chau and Ping Chau mixed up. Though you obviously spotted it with the reference to (Tung) Ping Chau in Mirs Bay.
I also would appreciate feedback, particularly on Tung Ping Chau. The Mirs Bay one. Please include quality of rooms, ferries, snorkelling etc. The only thing that’s kept me from going back (I stayed with the army on a schooltrip) is my laziness in recon-ing it myself.Silvermine Bay or Cheung Chau are OK, but I prefer Tong Fuk or Tai Long Wan.
Tong Fuk is at the far end of Cheung Sha beach on Lantau. There are around 5 businesses running about 100 guesthouses. My favourite is the shop next to the pub (they have houses at the back away from the noise). Tong Fuk also has excellent pub and restuarant facilities. I used this area frequently during winter as a weekend break (OK, OK it was a dirty weekend). The place is tranquil and pleasant. During the summer weekends you may not be able to just turn up, as it will be packed. And also full of kids holding allnight BBQ parties.
Pui O on Lantau has twice as many guesthouses but many are 10mins from the beach. There are a fair number overlooking Pui O’s beautiful beach, and they are spread out. So if you choose wisely you will get a quiet spot even on a summer weekend.
For something that’s nearly camping but you don’t have to carry anything, you can rent a room at either Tai Long Wan beach or Little Sai Wan beach in Sai Kung. Hong Kong’s two best beaches in my opinion.
A few hundred dollars by kaido from Wong Shek pier to Tai Long Wan. A hundred by taxi then 30min. walk to Sui Sai Wan. Or bus then 1.20hr walk along maclehose trail to Tai Long Wan.
Once there you can rent an room very easily, some don’t have air-cons, and on summer weekends I would give them a call first.
I did this way back when just a few dingy rooms were available back in the late eighties. I still have fond memories of the mid-week breaks I took with my fiancee. Back then it was deserted.
Cheung Chau is OK if your looking for a browse through the market and a good candlelit dinner in a quirky restaurant. A huge number of guesthouses exist very cheaply in the rundown northwest of the island (they are cheap because it’s a favourite suicide location) watch out for cockroaches, to the southeast is a relatively expensive hotel and an adjacent beachpub with watersports.
Peng Chau had only a few rooms the last time I was there, but better restaurants and pubs. Nothing more exciting though. Good for a day trip rather than weekend.
Ping Chau in Mirs Bay [now mainly known as Tung Ping Chau] has rooms but you need to pre-book and plan carefully. Take a day trip first to get to know the place.
And the cream of the crop is the boutique hotel on Cheung Sha beach, Lantau. Very nice, very clean, very romantic. Next to HKs best restaurant (in my opinion), and on a lovely beach. You need to book by internet and it isn’t the cheapest option. The name escapes me but check the internet for Lantau hotels and it should pop up.
By the way, in Silvermine Bay there are around 300 rooms available at 1/4 the price of the Silvermine Bay Hotel. Just walk past and take a left, then a right.
I have stayed in all these places except Tung Ping Chau ( I did a week with the army there as a school trip). I have been taking local breaks for all my adult life, and quite a lot of my schoollife too (man, we had some great parties on Lantau).Post edited by: Martin, at: 2007/07/17 22:58
