[2025 Hong Kong Attraction] Travel Guide for MacLehose Trail Section 2(Ham Tin Wan) (Updated Oct)

Ham Tin Wan is located within Sai Kung East Country Park and is one of the four bays in Sai Kung. In recent years, it has been designated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department as a camping site.⛺️ During holidays, many tourists from around the world come here to camp on the beach, accompanied by the sound of the waves. Ham Tin Wan features clear water and fine sand, with a wide area and beautiful environment. You can enjoy the coastal scenery and also have a distant view of Nam She Tsim, one of Hong Kong’s three sharp peaks. In addition, Ham Tin Wan is close to Sai Wan, Tai Wan, and Tung Wan. There is an old wooden bridge connecting the beach and the convenience store at Ham Tin Wan, which is one of the landmarks here. It is suitable for one-way walking; if you meet someone coming from the opposite direction on the bridge, please be patient and take turns crossing! 🌟🌟🌟 Nearby facilities: convenience store and tea house (with paid shower area), designated camping site, public restrooms 🌟🌟🌟 Please conduct a safety assessment before playing in the water and pay attention to safety. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility. Please make sure to take your own trash with you. Since everyone comes to appreciate the beauty of nature, it is believed that you love nature, and love means no harm, right? 🩵 (Hopefully, the beautiful natural environment will be more than just a photo for everyone 🙏🏻) 🚶Hiking route: Sai Wan Pavilion — Chui Tung Au — Tai Long Sai Wan — Ham Tin Wan — Tai Long Au — Chek Keng — Pak Tam Au Total distance: 11 km, duration: 3.5-5 hours 🌟🌟🌟Transportation: 🚌: Take village bus NR29 from No.16 Chin Wan Street, Sai Kung (in front of McDonald's) to "Sai Wan Pavilion" and start hiking 🚕: Take a taxi in Sai Kung to "Sai Wan Pavilion" to start hiking 🌟🌟🌟Return: Monday to Sunday: Hike to Pak Tam Au, take bus 94 to Sai Kung, then transfer to other regional buses Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays: Hike to Pak Tam Au, take bus 96R to Diamond Hill MTR Station Hike to Pak Tam Au, take bus 289R to Sha Tin City Centre (Of course, you can also start hiking from Pak Tam Au in the opposite direction, but the village bus service via Sai Wan Pavilion is less frequent, making the return less convenient.) 🌟🌟🌟 If your stamina is limited, you can also take a speedboat back directly from Ham Tin Wan. (Since there is no pier at Ham Tin Wan, boarding the speedboat requires wading through water.) You can also hike to Chek Keng and take the kai-to ferry to Wong Shek Pier, then transfer to a bus to leave. (Because hiking from Chek Keng to Pak Tam Au still takes 45 minutes to an hour.) #HongKongAttractions #Hiking #HamTinWan #WeekendGetaway #HongKongHikingOuting

If you're looking for a day hike in Hong Kong, I highly recommend MacLehose Trail Section 2. During the hike, you'll be amazed by the endless mountain peaks and sea of clouds. Each mountain you conquer is a spiritual journey, as if the whole world suddenly becomes clear. Overlooking the bay cliffs, you can immerse yourself in the vibrant life of nature. Of course, hiking is not just about the scenery; it's also a process of self-challenge and growth. When you stand at the summit, gazing at the beautiful scenery below and watching the sunset, all your fatigue will disappear, leaving you with a sense of accomplishment and joy. Don't let the noise of the world drown you out, and don't let the fears in your heart control you. "If the road ahead seems long, look back at how far you've come."

🥁🥁Experience the Highlights of Section 2🥁🥁 💡【Route Options】 💰Route A Luxury Version (Time and Effort Saving) 💰Around 380 HKD/car 🚘Taxi from Futian Port to Wan Yi Reservoir East Dam (60 minutes). Return by taxi from Sai Wan Pavilion bus stop to the port. 📸Must-visit spots: Po Pin Chau—Long Ke Wan—Sai Wan Hill 🥺Route B Budget Version (Student-Friendly) 🚇Futian Port to University Station (MTR 25 HKD) 🚘Taxi from opposite University Station exit to East Dam (about 250 HKD/car) 🥲Lots of people waiting at the station! Remember to actively find others to share a taxi. ‼️Important: You must arrive at Sai Wan Pavilion bus stop before 6 PM on the return trip, or you won’t catch the bus! It’s recommended to arrive by 7 PM at the latest (before dark), allowing time to find others to share a taxi back to the MTR station/port. ⛰️⛰️【Hiking Tips】 ①The shortcut at Po Pin Chau is dangerous! Bring kids/gentle people/beginners on the official safe route. ②Total length about 12 km/5-6 hours (allow extra time for photos). The first half from East Dam to Sai Wan is about 2.5 km uphill. ③Going in the opposite direction is harder (more uphill)! Beginners should follow the correct direction route. 💶💶【Cash Preparation】 🟢Green taxis may only accept cash. Bring 500-1000 HKD per person (for taxi + simple meals). Check with the driver in advance if they accept electronic payments. ☀️☀️☀️【Bonus Details】 ✔️Choose a sunny day! The sea is so blue it looks filtered. ✔️Wear anti-slip hiking shoes! Some sections have many loose stones. ✔️Start early; the last 4 km into East Dam can get congested. 📸Recommended photo spots: Po Pin Chau heart-shaped sea / Long Ke Wan white sandy beach / Sai Wan Hilltop sunset ⛰️⛰️Hiking route: Port—Wan Yi Reservoir East Dam—Po Pin Chau—Wan Yi Reservoir East Dam—Long Ke Wan (very beautiful, allow extra time)—Sai Wan Hill—Sai Wan Pavilion—Port Environmental rules: No taking coral 🪸/stones 🪨; violators will be fined. Be a responsible outdoor visitor and take all your trash with you.

Detailed guide for MacLehose Trail Section 2 on weekdays 🚶🏻‍♂️Route: High Island Reservoir East Dam — Po Pin Chau — High Island Reservoir East Dam — Long Ke Wan Beach — West Bay Hill — West Bay Pavilion 🗺️Distance: About 10 km, total ascent 480 meters, duration 7 hours 🚗Transportation: Take a taxi after crossing the Lok Ma Chau border. The red taxis are more expensive, costing HKD 402, taking 1 hour 🕘Time schedule: [High Island Reservoir East Dam - Po Pin Chau - High Island Reservoir East Dam] 9:45 AM — 11:30 AM [High Island Reservoir East Dam - Rest] 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM [High Island Reservoir East Dam - Long Ke Wan] 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM [Long Ke Wan Beach - West Bay Hill - West Bay Pavilion retreat] 1:30 PM — 4:30 PM 🚾There are public toilets at High Island Reservoir East Dam, pit toilets at Long Ke Wan Beach, and restrooms at the West Bay Pavilion endpoint ‼️Tips: Life-saving points 1⃣️ Water: Be sure to bring enough, 2.5L-3L. I brought 2 liters and it wasn’t enough!! Also bring a thermos with ice 🧊 2⃣️ Photo spots: If you just want to take photos, then walk High Island Reservoir - Po Pin Chau - Long Ke Wan and then head back to High Island Reservoir to take a taxi, that’s the best!! 3⃣️ Remember to bring an umbrella, it might rain anytime, and it can also block the sun! 4⃣️ Minibus seats are limited to 28 people, fare is HKD 19, no change given, only Hong Kong dollars accepted

Chek Keng is located in the east of Sai Kung. It is a coastal lowland surrounded by mountains on three sides and Chek Keng Hau in the north. There are hiking trails, a youth hostel and a pier. (Occasionally, boatmen will pass by and ask if you want to take a boat.) There is a flat grassland in Chijing where you can camp. There is a convenience store not far away where you can get supplies and a public toilet. It is a very convenient camping spot. After crossing Chek Keng, you can also hike to Ham Tin Bay and Big Wave Bay, where the scenery is first-class. (It just takes a certain amount of time and energy to get there. And you need to plan your departure route in advance and do it according to your ability.) However, if you are a novice hiker, starting from Beitan'ao, a large section of the road is mainly downhill, which does not require much physical strength. There are fewer forks on the way, so you don't have to worry about getting lost. It allows novice hikers to enjoy the tranquility and beauty brought by nature in Chek Keng. And there is enough time for a half-day tour at any time.😊 🚶🚶🚶Simple hiking route: Pak Tam Au - Chek Keng - Chek Keng Pier (The journey is about 3-3.5 kilometers and takes 45 minutes to one hour.) 1: Transportation: 🚌 (weekdays/weekdays) Monday to Sunday: Take bus No. 94 from Sai Kung Bus Terminal and get off at "Pak Tam Au" stop. (Next to the public toilet across the street) Start walking to "Chek Keng". 🌟🌟🌟 On weekdays, you can only return by the same route when you hike to Chek Keng, or continue hiking to Xiwan Pavilion or leave through Langjia to High Island Reservoir. (For this route, you need to be fully prepared in terms of time, route, and physical strength!) 2: Transportation: 🚌+🚤 (Service is only available on Saturdays and Sundays) ——Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: Take bus No. 94 from Sai Kung Bus Terminal, take bus No. 96R from Diamond Hill MTR Station, take bus No. 289R from Shatin City Centre to "Pak Tam Au" Station, get off and walk across the road next to the public toilet to "Chek Keng". - Take bus No. 94 from Sai Kung Bus Terminal, take bus No. 96R from Diamond Hill MTR Station, take bus No. 289R from Shatin City Centre to the terminus "Wong Shek Pier" station, and take the street ferry to "Chek Keng". 🌟🌟🌟 However, the ferry service is less frequent, so make sure you check the ferry schedule before departure! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 It is recommended to take the street ferry to "Huangshi Pier" on the return trip and transfer to the bus to leave. The last ferry from Chek Keng Pier is at 17:20 If you miss the street ferry, if you are lucky, there will be a speedboat. The boatman will ask if anyone needs to take a boat, and you can also take it to Huangshi Pier. #weekendplaces #hkhikingroute #chekkeng #hongkong #hkplaces #HongKongHiking

To save trouble, I signed up for a two-day and one-night hiking tour to the MacLehose Trail. It is indeed quite hassle-free. So is it necessary to join a tour group? Just share it briefly. We gathered at Shenzhen Liantang Port. There was a huge crowd of people going through the customs. We had to wait for people to gather at each stage. This was quite tedious and time-consuming, but later on, we chartered a car from the port to Saigon Pier, and then from Saigon to the starting point of the hike and camping, which was very worry-free. 🔹DAY1️⃣ (Pictures 10-11) [Beitan'ao-Ham Tin Bay Camping 6 km] Starting from the second stage end of Beitan'ao, the concrete road is shaded by trees. The whole journey is like walking in a park. The 130-meter climb is also very friendly. As for the 🏕️beach camping experience at Xiantian Bay... the atmosphere is there, but the fine sand covering the tent is real (it is recommended to camp on the villagers' land in Xiwan Village if possible, but the space is very limited). ▶ Camping tips: 1. The tour group you sign up for will provide you with tents and moisture-proof mats, but it is cold at night in February and March so you need to prepare sleeping bags. You can rent them at the convenience store for HK$50 each, and the deposit is also HK$50. 2. The convenience store provides meals, with a meal costing from a few dozen to a hundred dollars. Coke costs 25 and mineral water costs 15. It is slightly more expensive than in the city but acceptable. 3. You can also take a shower and use the toilet in the convenience store. A shower costs 40 yuan for 15 minutes. The toilet is quite clean, but there are few seats and you need to queue. 4. Exchange 300-500 Hong Kong dollars in advance. Convenience stores only accept Hong Kong dollars, and you can use it in taxis later. 🔹DAY2️⃣ (Pictures 12-13) [Ham Tin Bay - Sai Wan - Long Ke Bay - High Island Reservoir - Po Pin Chau 12 km] Today is the highlight! The whole journey from Ham Tin Bay to Po Pin Chau was full of energy💯 ✓ We encountered a wild boar family🐗in Sai Wan Village and took photos quietly without disturbing each other. ✓ The dirt road of Xiwan Mountain is what hiking should be like. ✓ Langjia Bay🌊That section is very beautiful and wonderful. ✓ The Wanzhu Coast of Pobian Island is worth seeing. ▶ Hiking tips: 1. Xiwan Village is the last supply station for this section! Bring enough water and food for the trip. 2. It is recommended to take the official route to Po Bin Chau, as the path is very narrow, steep and congested. 3. The group will be disbanded when we arrive at the reservoir. It is recommended to get a taxi at High Island Reservoir before 3pm. There are many taxis. We can share a taxi with 4 people to go to University Station. The fare will not exceed HK$250, which is cheap and convenient when shared per person. 【Summary】 ▪️The reverse crossing has no traffic jams, and the route and intensity are suitable for outdoor novices. An experienced person can probably complete the two-day journey in one day; ▪️For friends from other places, if you want to save trouble, want to travel light, or worry about language barriers, it will be easier to join a group; ▪️For friends in the Greater Bay Area, there is really no need to join a group. I personally think the most convenient way is to cross the border from Luohu or Futian, take the subway to the University Station, and take a taxi to the starting point of the hike. Even if you don’t share a ride, you can accept the taxi price. It is very convenient to download the route and rent a tent at a convenience store.

"One Sharp Peak, Three Heads, and Four Bays" refers to "蚺蛇尖 (Sharp Peak), 米粉咀 (Rice Flour Head), 短咀 (Short Head), 长咀 (Long Head), 东湾 (East Bay), 大湾 (Big Bay), 咸田湾 (Ham Tin Bay), and 西湾 (West Bay)." It is the most scenic of Hong Kong's "four major hiking test routes" and the second test route I have hiked. Unfortunately, like the first one (Bowen Double Crossing), I underestimated the difficulty of the route and completed it in two separate hikes. The standard route is: Pak Tam Au — Chek Keng — Tai Long Au — Sharp Peak — Rice Flour Top — Rice Flour Head — Short Head — Long Head — East Bay — Big Bay — Ham Tin Bay — West Bay — Chui Tung Au — Sai Wan Pavilion. The total length is about 27 km, and it takes at least 8 hours. The three heads require returning along the same path. Some sections overlap with Section 2 of the Maclehose Trail. Although this route is challenging, the scenery between the mountains and the sea is superb and highly recommended. Figures 1–4: View from the top of Sharp Peak. Figure 1 shows Long Head and East Bay, and Figure 2 shows East Bay and Big Bay. Figures 5–7: Scenery of Rice Flour Head. Figures 8–10: Scenery of Short Head. Figures 11–15: Scenery of Long Head. Personally, I think Long Head has the best scenery. Figure 16: East Bay. Figure 17: Big Bay. Figure 18: Ham Tin Bay, with Sharp Peak in the distance. Figure 19: West Bay. Figure 20: A distant view of the four bays from Long Head. Transportation: Buses 94 and 96R are available to Pak Tam Au. The NR29 village bus is available to Sai Wan Pavilion, or you can take a taxi. The last NR29 bus on weekends is at 6 pm, and there are up to 5 buses per departure.

MacLehose Trail Section 2 offers a spectacular hiking experience in Hong Kong. Spanning 13.5 km, this section starts from Long Ke and ends at Pak Tam Au. The trail features stunning coastal views, pristine beaches like Sai Wan and Ham Tin, and lush green hills. The terrain is moderately challenging with some steep climbs, but the breathtaking scenery makes it worthwhile. Along the way, you can enjoy views of the turquoise waters and rugged cliffs. It's a perfect day hike for nature lovers seeking a mix of adventure and tranquility in one of Hong Kong's most beautiful natural settings. #summerdestinations #hongkong #hiking #citywalk

Now Hong Kong and Shenzhen can be cleared without quarantine. Camping on Tam Mun Island and the second section of the MacLehose Trail are two of the most popular places for tourists, with beautiful scenery. I highly recommend everyone to visit, and I went with a tour group. I suggest everyone to also join a tour group so that you can enjoy your trip with peace of mind. The tour guide is always a classic choice.