Useful Info

Sai Kung District

 Sai Kung District is the second largest district in Hong Kong in terms of area. It comprises the southern half of Sai Kung Peninsula and Clear Water Bay Peninsula in the New Territories plus a strip to the east of Kowloon. The administrative centre is Sai Kung Town but the district's population is concentrated in Tseung Kwan O New Town. The district has the second youngest residents. It consists of rural areas, new town and over 70 islands of various sizes. The unique characteristic of the district is that the traditional customs of rural villages.

 

Contents

  • 1 Geographical characteristics and population
    • 1.1 Sai Kung Town
    • 1.2 Country Park
    • 1.3 Beaches
    • 1.4 Tseung Kwan O
  • 2 Islands
  • 3 Local and tourist attractions
  • 4 Transport
  • 5 Miscellaneous
  • 6 Media
  • 7 See also
  • 8 References
  • 9 External links

 

Sai Kung Town

 

Sai Kung Tin Hau Temple, Sai Kung

 

As a former fishing village, Sai Kung Town is a mecca for seafood lovers, locals and tourists alike. The designation of the country park areas during the 1970s was a huge boost to the local tourist industry. Sai Kung town underwent significant expansion during the 1970s when the High Island Reservoir and associated water scheme required some villagers and fishermen to be rehoused in Sai Kung. This provided a core of government-funded new development, both housing and commercial, in the town centre. This was followed by the Tui Min Hoi (literally 'over the harbour') development under the government's market town programme. Visitors can stroll around the regional market centre of Sai Kung Town or explore the back lanes, visit the Tin Hau Temple, feast on seafood or enjoy diverse delicacies at both Eastern and Western-style pubs and restaurants. There is also a famous dessert restaurant called Honeymoon Dessert that brings in many visitors from all over Hong Kong and even from abroad.

 

Country Park

 

Sai Kung Country Park is an area of restricted development featuring numerous small villages and beautiful beaches. Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay), approximately 1.5 hours' walk from the nearest road, is one of the few places in Hong Kong where surfing is possible, particularly in the winter months. The dozen or so buildings still standing in the Tai Long Valley are home to a handful of indigenous residents.

 

Beaches

 

Sai Kung has some of the most beautiful and cleanest beaches in Hong Kong.

 

  • Clear Water Bay 1st Beach
  • Clear Water Bay 2nd Beach
  • Silverstrand Beach
  • Tai Long Wan (Big Wave Bay)
  • Long Ke Wan

 

Islands

 

A kai-tocarrying passengers to the outlying islands off the Sai Kung Peninsula

 

On summer nights, a lot of people hire small boats known as kaitos or sampan, some to catch cuttle-fish which is a popular pastime for local residents, others for leisurely trips through the island-dotted inland sea of Port Shelter. Popular islands to visit include:

 

  • Kau Sai Chau
  • Kiu Tsui Chau (sharp island)
  • Leung Shuen Wan Chau (high island)
  • Pak Sha Chau (white sand island)
  • Yeung Chau (sheep island)
  • Yim Tin Tsai (little salt field)

 

The large island of Kau Sai Chau is the location for a public golf course developed and run by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

 

Local and tourist attractions

 

Sai Kung Public Pier

 

There are numerous cultural sites, heritage sites and country parks in the Sai Kung peninsula, such as:

 

  • Sheung Yiu Folk Museum, located in a former Hakka village
  • Memorial Monuments for Sai Kung Martyrs During World War II
  • Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre
  • Lions Nature Education Centre
  • Sai Kung East and West Country Parks
  • Clear Water Bay Country Park
  • Che Kung Temple at Ho Chung
  • Tin Hau Temple at Fat Tong Mun
  • Jin Island (or Tiu Chung Chau)
  • Leung Shuen Wan Tin Hau Temple
  • High Island Reservoir
  • Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course
  • Yim Tin Tsai Village and St. Joseph's Chapel

 

The town centre of Sai Kung has a high concentration of seafood restaurants which attract a lot of tourists.

 

In addition there are golf courses and nature trails. The golf driving range center in Ho Chung is popular with local residents and tourists alike. Visitors can also enjoy barbecues at Ho Chung.

 

In recent years, the government has invested heavily in Sai Kung, with improvements being made to the town seafront, such as the Waterfront Park. An attractive mix of small boutique-style shops has sprung up as well, due to a sizeable expat population and increasing numbers of local visitors, selling everything from secondhand books to cat-themed accessories, and alternative lifestyle stores that offer items like surfboards, candles, incense, seashells, etc.