Tsim Bei Tsui and the Fish Ponds of Yuen Long
On this winter day of apricity I did a walk in Tsim Bei Tsui in Lau Fau Shan and then took a leisurely stroll to see the fish ponds of Yuen Long. The walk took a little more than two hours and the only climb is up the Tong Ha Liu Lookout of Kwai Shan at the altitude of 71 meters. The rest of the walk is on level ground.
Tsim Bei Tsui and Kwai Shan
Photo: View of Deep Bay with Shenzhen at the Back, Very Hazy Day
Lying a bit north of Lau Fau Shan and Tin Shui Wai, Tsim Bei Tsui is blessed with a vast expanse of mangroves. As it is enveloped by the Deep Bay, the area offers the unlikely views of an exceptional natural endowment set against the background of the urban skyline of Shekou, Shenzhen, China. In Tsim Bei Tsui, the highest point is Kwai Shan at an altitude of 71 meters. The Tong Ha Liu Lookout is at the peak of Kwai Shan.
Kwai Shan, meaning the “turtle hill,” acquired its name due to it shape looking like the shell of a turtle. Because the foothill extends out to the Deep Bay, the imagery elicited the imagination of an elephant drawing water with its trunk. Tsim Bei Tsui (a pointed nose and mouth) thus came to be the name for this general area south of Deep Bay and north of Lau Fau Shan.
Tong Ha Liu
Tong Ha Liu was once a settlement area for villagers. The waters surrounding Tsim Bei Tsui was once a very convenient passageway for ships taking cargo between Hong Kong and China. The settlement structures at Kwai Shan were rest stops for the travelers, merchants and workers of the sea traffic. Tong Ha Liu, in Chinese, means “the summer settlement for the Chinese people.” This hill was once abundant with sugar cane as well.
At the Tong Ha Liu parking lot I found the stairs to go the Tong Ha Liu Lookout. The climb took less than ten minutes. To be honest, there was not very much to see up there at the viewing point. Some bloggers have said that this would be a good spot for bird watching, and the description on site also says that there are binoculars for this purpose. However, the heavy foliage that surrounds the lookout will likely block visibility into the natural wetland that lies at the Deep Bay.
There was a swing hanging off the tree branch and I sat on the swing for a very cool experience, seeing the tree above me bend and ruffle as I swung.
A brief ten-minute break at the Tong Ha Liu Lookout was plenty for my purposes. I then headed down and continued on to Deep Bay Road. Soon you will see the border fence. There really is only one way on Deep Bay Road, you will pass the Tsim Bei Tsui Police Post on the way.
The Walk on the Fenced Deep Bay Road
All of Deep Bay Road is a walk along the border and therefore there is a high fence throughout the walk. This does mean that there is not much view offered on this part of the walk.
However, keep looking on your right for certain viewing points that show the mangroves. They are not exceptional in terms of views but they are a good look at the natural endowment of the area.
You will also pass through the Drainage Channel of Tin Shui Wai and see some city views afar.
The Fish Ponds of Fung Lok Wai
At this point of the walk, watch out for this exit, and walk through the trees. This way will lead you to the large area of the Fish Ponds of Fung Lok Wai.
Feel free to explore this area any way you want. In the blooming seasons of May and October, some of the Pontederia crassipes in full bloom in the fish ponds will offer amazing views.
Note however that, as with all rural areas of Hong Kong, you are likely to run into some dogs that are unleashed in the area. I saw about four of five such dogs (they may or may not be stray) at the fish ponds. The advice for handling free-roaming dogs is to approach them very slowly. When they bark and move toward you, remain calm and be still. After seeing that you do not present threats, the dogs will move away. Of course, if you have a hiking cane, that could be a protection should they launch attacks, but they usually do not attack.
Finally, note also that beginning at the fenced road section of this walk, there is very little shade throughout. There is virtually no shade at the fish ponds. Therefore be prepared if you are doing this walk in the summer.
The general direction to take is toward the Shing Uk Tsuen area. In Shing Uk Tsuen, you will find Green Top Minibus Route 74.
How to Get There
I do not advise anyone walking from Lau Fau Shan to Tsim Bei Tsui because it is a bit of a long walk without any particularly good views along the way. I suggest therefore to take the Green Top Minibus Route 35 on Tai Fung Street in Yuen Long and get off at the final stop in Tsim Bei Tsui. The minibus ride will take about half an hour.
Once you get off the minibus, keep walking ahead on Deep Bay Road and you will arrive at the parking lot within five minutes.
Photos: the Tong Ha Liu Parking Lot and the Stairway up the Tong Ha Liu Lookout
The stairs up the Tong Ha Liu Lookout is at the parking lot.
To get back to civilization, head toward the Shing Uk Tsuen Green Top Minibus Route 74, which will drop you off at the Long Ping MTR Station.
Sources
Description on site at Tong Ha Liu.
Timhiking on Kwai Shan.