The Wong Nai Tun Reservoir

The short hiking trail today begins at So Kwun Wat Village.  It takes a little over an hour one way to reach Wong Nai Tun Reservoir.

The Wong Nai Tun Reservoir is an irrigation reservoir that was built in the 1960s to serve the irrigation needs for the fields of Yuen Long.  To aggrandize the reserves of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir (popularly known as Reservoir Islands), the Hong Kong Government cut off some of the streams that supplied water to the villages.  As a result, the government built four other irrigation reservoirs to meet water demand.

The Wong Nai Tun Reservoir is located within the Tai Lam Chung Country Park.  The trail is not so popular.  However, it is a nice easy walk with views of the Reservoir Islands that are quite different from what we see at the Reservoir Islands View Point.

Photos above and below: Different Views of the Reservoir Islands on the Way to Wong Nai Tun Reservoir

The day was bright and we first had dim sum at the nearby Gold Coast.  Then we drove over to So Kwun Wat Tsuen (Village).  On So Kwun Wat Tsuen Road, we went all the way to the very end and parked at the unmarked spaces there.  This following is the signpost pointing to the various routes in the area.  Follow the sign for Wong Nai Tun Reservoir all along this path.

Very soon we came upon the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Small Dam.  We could find a path to explore the shore here.  Although these are no grand views, the site is hidden away and perfect for a relaxing afternoon with a book by the water.  Someone has already taken up an old tree branch for a nap.  Freshwater fishing is also possible if you manage to get a license from the government.

We also passed by the pathway to the Reservoir Islands View Point.  But our destination was Wong Nai Tun Reservoir, so we kept on going on the original path.

The trail is a gradual incline for about 2.5km on a paved driveway.  After a little over an hour, we arrived at the southern tip of the Wong Nai Tun Reservoir.  We could see the stream that supplies the water to this reservoir.  The area was distinctively breezy.

These are views of the main dam of the Wong Nai Tun Reservoir, as we walked further north.

We walked through the dam and arrived at a small diverging path to reach the shore for another view.

At many of Hong Kong’s hiking sites, one usually comes across just one particular animal that roam around freely.  In this part of the tai Lam Chung Country Park, goats are the resident animal.

How To Get There:

Again, we went by private car.  Drive on So Kwun Wat Tsuen Road, enter the So Kwun Wat Village all the way till the end.  If you get there early enough, there should be some unmarked parking spaces at the road signs.

By minibus, take Route 43 from San Hui in Tuen Mun, and get off at the final stop at So Kwun Wat Village.  After that, enter the village and there is about a 20-minute walk to reach the road signs.

Source:

The Wikipedia on the Wong Nai Tun Reservoir.