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Are you done with the hustle and bustle of the city? Finished with your shopping? Take a look at the other side of Hong Kong!
Visit old Hakka villages, marvel at the views from the highest peaks, enjoy the roar of a waterfall, walk through a sea arch, swim at a beautiful beach, learn about Hong Kong's unique geology or just have a relaxed stroll through the woods. Just to name a few. The possibilities are endless.
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Double Haven islands tour
No upcoming schedule for this tour (request scheduling)
A full day tour by speed boat through Double Haven, one of Hong Kong's most beautiful and unspoilt stretches of sea. Due to it being so remote and hard to access from other parts of Hong Kong development is very limited, almost non-existent. The area is very sparsely inhabited, most of the communities are very small, mere shadows of their former selves. This itinerary has little overall walk, but the walk we do is partly on rough terrain such as barren rock faces, pebble beaches and unmaintained trails, hence the difficulty rating.
After meeting at University MTR we walk to Ma Liu Shui pier (about 15 minutes), where we board a speed boat to take us through Tolo Harbour to our first stop: Port Island, a small rocky outcrop located right at the end of Tolo Channel. A concrete path and the remains of a pier and some concrete foundations are all signs of human occupation - a lookout of the British navy used to be here. This island is part of the Geopark and is best known for it's red sedimentary rocks which formed some 100-120 million years ago. Thick layers of sandstone and conglomerates can be seen here, along with faults and folds.
Next stop is the Devil's Fist, a rock shaped like a fist sticking out of the sea. It has a dramatic backdrop of red and white layered sandstone. These layers were originally formed horizontally, but earth movements over the 400 million years since these rocks formed pushed the layers up so they are now almost vertical.
The trip continues along the aptly named Hung Shek Mun (Red Rock Passageway) - a narrow strait between abandoned Hung Shek Mun village and Double Island, lined with red rocks. We'll have a walk here again before we go back on board to visit Kat O. A once thriving fishing island home to over 2,000 people spread over at least a dozen villages, only a few dozen live here nowadays.
There are many abandoned and unmaintained houses here. One always wonders, what makes people abandon their home leaving behind furniture and even the pictures on the wall?
At Kat O we will also take some time for a Hakka style seafood lunch (optional; not included; please make
your reservation when booking).
The Hakka village of Lai Chi Wo is still inhabited, albeit by a mere handful of elderly people. This was one of the largest villages in the area, and the most important. Here some 2,000 people lived at its peak in over 300 houses, neatly arranged along narrow passageways.
Ap Chau, literally the Duck Island as from a distance it looks a bit like a duck floating on the water. This tiny island was uninhabited until the 1950s, when it became a refuge for followers of the True Jesus Church. The small church on the island is still in active use, even though only a handful of people live here nowadays.
This island is also part of the Geopark, as it is the only place in Hong Kong where a large outcrop of sedimentary breccia is found. This red rock is eroded by the waves to form all kinds of interesting features, including wave-cut platforms and a sea arch - the eye of the duck.
Finally the speed boat will take us back to Tap Mun to catch the 17:30 ferry back to Ma Liu Shui, or you can be dropped off at Wong Shek, from where you can catch bus route 94 to Sai Kung and from there on to other parts of Hong Kong.
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