Autumn Foliage in Lau Shui Heung

I have been doing a whole lot of autumn excursions, particularly in photographing red foliage scenery. There have been innumerable posts online showing the beautiful Bald Cypress in Lau Shui Heung. I have previously written about the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail loop, and so in this post I will only share about the tips for photographing the stretch of red foliage there.

Timing

In mid January this year, the red foliage season is nearing its end. I took these photographs at Lau Shui Heung on January 18, 2025. At 7:05am, the sun rises. Then you will see how the sun rays light up the whole environ gradually. At 9am, the whole stretch of the red foliage will come under broad daylight. That is when the scenery is perfect for photography.

Needless to say, the point of this excursion is photography at the best hour, but I think the whole experience is complete if you are able to get up early to see sun rise there. I live quite close to Fanling, so I drove and arrived at 6:45am. At this hour, the path was already well lit enough to walk on without resort to flashlight.

There are two reasons why I suggest photographers get there early. Perhaps the main reason is the need to find your spot early. By 8 or 9 am, all the prime spots in the small stretch of ground where you take these photographs would be filled up by a whole camera crew in this peak season for photography. When I arrived at 6:45am, there were already a few kindred spirits there securing their spots.

Secondly, in arriving there super early, I had the opportunity to observe how the scenery changed as the moon made way for the sun to come up. I saw the moon, yes, when I arrived, and that was itself an amazing experience.

Photo: A view of Lau Shui Heung at dawn.

In the early morning, there is an ever-flowing firmament of fog above the waters of the Lau Shui Heung Reservoir. The whole scenery is misty. That makes it near poetic, although it might not be the most beautiful photography. Photographers have commented that the waters are also not so still at this hour. As such, you would not be able to capture the reflection of the red foliage in the water beneath.

The key timing to watch is between 8:30-9:30. The lighting there will be good enough for photographs only by 9am or so, when sun rays light up the whole stretch of red cypress trees. That is also the time when the water becomes still enough to show beautiful mirroring of the trees (well, if you are quite lucky, and I was quite lucky).

Photo: As the morning progresses, the day moves from the top of the hill downward to finally light up the whole stretch of Bald Cypress woods.

The Location for Photography

I have been to the Lau Shui Heung area a number of times and it was no problem for me to find the one spot where every keen spirit takes photographs. From the Pat Sin Leng Country Park roundabout, there is an entry way that is gently inclined before you get to the public restroom. That path takes about fifteen minutes from the minibus drop off point. Once you have reached the public restroom, keep on going and you will enter into the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail. Keep on going (do not enter on the stairs on the left), with the Lau Shui Heung Reservoir on your right.

On the unpaved rocky path, watch out for an opening on your right. Before you arrive at the proper viewing platform, you will see an opening on your right that leads you to the waterfront. Descend onto that opening, it is a mud path. On your right, you will come across a small stretch of a sandy lookout area. That is where you will see a full view of the row of cypress tree that is the subject of your photography.

Be very careful because this area has no railing to protect you from falling into the water. If you are to be there as early as sunrise, perhaps bring a beach mat with you so that the dirt does not get on your belongings.

The viewing platform does show you a pretty good view of the cypress trees, but perhaps it is not the best position for proper photography. Just know that, when you come to the viewing platform, you would have already passed the sandy stretch that I mention above.

Photo: A view of the Bald Cypress foliage at the viewing platform.

Up Close Photography at the Tree Corridor

Usually, people take photographs at the sandy stretch by the waterfront. By 9am or so, the sun will light up the trees completely and it is a perfect time to photograph the Bald Cypress trees for closeup shots. Keep walking on the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail, and within five minutes, you will see two bridges ahead of you. Head on to the first bridge on your right and you will arrive at the cypress tree corridor.

Photo: This is the first bridge in the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail that leads you to the tree corridor, but the sign (in Chinese) is no longer at the present site. 

There will already be quite a crowd there by that time, however.

A Few Words on the Red Foliage of Lau Shui Heung

The trees that make this beautiful scenery in Lau Shui Heung were planted by the government in the effort to prevent soil erosion by the bank. While the Bald Cypress is what makes the red foliage, there is also a small portion of Water Pine. These trees were chosen because they adapt well to marshy soils, as the water level of the Lau Shui Heung Reservoir is not stable. It could go through a drought in the winter, and it could also be flooded during the summer.

Photo: The Bald Cypress at dry season.

Needless to say, the beautification aspect of the Bald Cypress was intended by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department in its thematic planting initiative. In 2011-2012, the first batch of 40 Bald Cypress saplings were planted here. In 2016 to 2018, the planting area was doubled, and more than 100 trees make up the conifer wood now.

From an ecological perspective, there is an issue with planting trees that are not native in Hong Kong, in that it does not support the bioecology of the area because the birds and insects of Hong Kong will not feed on the seeds. I have no knowledge in this respect. But the Bald Cypress of Lau Shui Heung is truly, exceptionally, beautiful.

How to Get There

From the Fanling MTR Station Exit C, take the Greentop Minibus Route 52B and get off at the Lau Shui Heung Reservoir stop. That is where you will walk for about 15 minutes via the entry way into the Lau Shui Heung Country Trail entrances. The earliest minibus is at 6:00am.