Hong Kong is more than shopping and dining. There are many countryside and nature areas in Hong Kong that are great for Eco-tourists and nature lovers alike.
In the mid 1990’s, the Hong Kong government sees the great potential of its nature attraction and created nature trails that connect existing trails. One can trek the entire New Territory, Lantau Island, Hong Kong Island and other islands covering a total distance of more than 200 km. It will probably take you a week to complete all the trails.
Some of the majestic trails in Hog Kong island include the Shek O Dragon Back, Big Wave Bay, Tai Tam Nature Park, and Violet Hill Trail. The view from Dragon Back overlook the eastern and southern part of Hong Kong island, and the Pacific Ocean. The view from the summit of Violet Hill overlooks Tai Tam nature park and Tai Tam Reservoir. It also overlooks the Central part of Hong Kong island as well as Kowloon skyline.
Sitting in the southeastern corner of Hong Kong Island, the 701-hectare Shek O Country Park 石澳郊野公 園 was designated in 1979. From the north, it extends along the ridgeline that links Pottinger Peak with Mount Collinson, and crosses Wan Cham Shan and Shek O Peak (Dragon’s Back) to reach D’Aguilar Peak in the south.?There are three interconnecting hiking trails inside the park : Stage 7 of the Hong Kong Trail that leads from the Tai Tam Road catchment to To Tei Wan Village; Stage 8 of the Hong Kong Trail leading from Dragon’s back to Big Wave Bay; and Pottinger Peak Country Trail that runs from Pottinger Gap to Cape Collinson Road. All three are scenic routes offering stunning vistas of Stanley, Tai Tam, Shek O and outlying islands, as well as the deep indent of Tai Tam Bay. Well loved by local residents and visitors, Shek O Country Park is a choice destination for morning walk and other outdoor activities.
Tai Tam Country Park大潭郊野公園is nestled in the eastern corner of Hong Kong Island. From Jardine’s Lookout in the north, it sprawls across rolling slopes of The Twins to end at the southern border on Stanley Gap Road. The western border lies in Wong Nai Chung Gap, while Tai Tam Road marks its eastern boundary. Designated in 1977, the park occupies a total area of 1,315 hectares, or one fifth of Hong Kong Island’s land area. There are 4 reservoirs in Tai Tam Country Park and they are key water storage facilities of the Island in early years. Known as the Tai Tam Group, it comprises Tai Tam Upper Reservoir, Tai Tam Byewash Reservoir, Tai Tam Intermediate Reservoir and Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir. Built between 1889 and 1917, these reservoirs have an aggregate capacity of 9 million cubic metre. Also in the park are remnants of war, such as forts, magazines and wartime communal stoves. Tai Tam was a bloody battleground during WWII. Here, the invading Japanese met strong resistance from the defending British troops.
Over to the Eastern part of Hong Kong island is Chai Wan and Shao Kee Wan. Nearby Lei Yu Mun refers to the mouth of the Hong Kong and Kowloon eastern strait. There is the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence. From the Fort at the summit hill, one can overlook Eastern Kowloon and the Central South China Sea.
The Museum is formerly known as the Lei Yue Mun Fort, which was the most formidable fortifications in the territory built more than 100 years ago. It was also an important battlefield during the Battle for Hong Kong in 1941. Today it has been revitalized to preserve and present our 600-year history of coastal defence. We sincerely hope that you would make a visit to the Museum to appreciate artifacts and relics, and to learn history through enjoyment in a relaxed environment.
The Lei Yue Mun Redoubt is the central military structure of the Lei Yue Mun Fort built by the British forces in 1887. There are eighteen casemates, originally used as barrack rooms, magazines, shell and cartridge stores, preparation rooms and for other purposes. The casemates are connected by passageways. The central part of the Redoubt is an open courtyard where the soldiers assembled. We renovated and added modern museum facilities to the Redoubt in which artefacts related to the history of Hong Kong’s coastal defence covering the Ming and Qing period, the British period, the Japanese invasion and the period after the resumption of Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong are displayed. In addition to textual and graphical illustrations, the exhibition also features some 400 military artefacts, supplemented by multi-media programmes. It is hoped that visitors can gain a better understanding of the history of coastal defence in Hong Kong.
