Vignettes of the World
My friend and I love excursions in the islands of Hong Kong. We have been to the Kwun Yam Wan Beach and the Mini-Great Wall Trail in southeastern Cheung Chau. This time we opted for open views in north Cheung Chau. Despite the myriad choices …
I suffered from a pretty significant injury at the hike at Kai Kung Leng. I walked this trail in order to re-train my knees. The first part of this trail consist of the main part of the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir Mountain Bike Trail. I …
Kat O was part of the Hong Kong Government’s celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark’s inclusion into the Global Geopark Network. The celebration comes with special arrangements for ferry transport, storytelling by the natives of the islands, interesting workshops, lion dances and other celebratory initiatives.
The activities for Kat O (Crooked Island) and Ap Chau (Duck Island) have already concluded in November. My father and I went island-hopping with a group of his friends. We visited both Kat O and Ap Chau on this day.
The itinerary was to first meet at the Ma Liu Shui Pier (note that the boarding point for the Kat O ferry is about a hundred meters toward the Shatin direction). We first spent an hour and a half at Ap Chau, then took the ferry to Kat O at 12:30. For the rest of the afternoon we stayed in Kat O, which is a significantly larger island, until the ferry would leave for Ma Liu Shui at 4:30pm. The journey between Kat O and Ma Liu Shui takes 1.5 hours.
Kat O, also known as Crooked Island, acquired its name by its shape and its purpose. Located west of Mirs Bay and east of Sha Tau Kok, the island spans an area of 2.36 square kilometers. It is the largest island in northeast New Territories.
In English, the name Crooked Island refers to the shape of the island being like a “Z.” It is also due to this shape that the bay of Kat O used to provide shelter to the fishing boats during stormy weathers. As such, the fishermen named it Kat O, meaning “Lucky Harbour.”
Kat O has every reason to take pride in its three-hundred-year history. According to the Pamphlets on Kat O, even during the New Stone Age, there were human activities in fishing and hunting on the island. Onto 1000-1700 AD, there were human settlements on the island. During the Qing Dynasty, after the Qing Government lifted the imperial decree on coastal evacuation, Hakka villagers moved to Kat O, and lived there along with the boat-dwelling fishermen.
During the late 19th century, the island became the economic hub for all kinds of trades. Kat O served as a major supply stop for the vessels sailing in this area between China and Hong Kong. It was denoted a proper marketplace on a San On County District Map in 1866. People then celebrated the island as The Pearl of the Mirs Bay.
At the Kat O Pier, turn right and you will be walking on the southern section of the Kat O Nature Trail. There are interpretation signs along this path to show you some salient features on the way.
Like the story of many rural areas in Hong Kong, the population of Kat O dropped significantly over the last few decades because many villagers have moved away for better opportunities. And this fact certainly shows through. The interpretation signs would point to a shop that once stood at that location, but when I raised my head I only see piles of rubbles at the original sites. Although it is a little sad, it is not difficult to imagine what glorious days this island once had.
Photo: This was once a pork table.
During the 20th century, the island experienced its prime during the 1950s and 1960s, when population reached as many as 6,000 with a booming fishing industry. On the Kat O Main Street, there used to be 60 shops at this time. The community was bustling with life.
The island had once given home to ten villages, with 43 clans and 37 surnames. During the low season for fishing, the residents of Kat O engaged in conch breeding. The conches of Kat O could grow as big as 40cm long and weighing several kilograms. They were the cash crop of the sea.
During the mid to late 20th century, the residents of Kat O began leaving the island for opportunities elsewhere. This mass exodus may have resulted in an 80% decrease in the island’s population. While certainly some residents left for the urban areas of Hong Kong, quite a large number also headed overseas. Even as early as after WWI, foreign companies have eyed the exceptional diving skills of the Kat O residents and hired them to be professional divers. In the 1950s, about 100 islanders left to become professional harvesters of pearl-producing oysters in Australia.
Continue walking and you will arrive at the Tin Hau Temple. The Kat O Story Room is right next to it. Do take some time to read the stories of Kat O in the Story Room. It is thorough, yet concise and engaging. I do hope that the story of Kat O will go on, perhaps in the sense that the residents will stay, or the old residents will come back to take it as a vacation home. May the community remain strong here.
I marveled at the beauty of the Tin Hau Temple when I arrived. It was well-restored. Its name in golden paint glistened under the sun. I could not help but to notice the beautiful ceramic figurines on the structure. There are also beautiful wood carvings inside.
In learning about the history of temples, usually the bronze bell is the most definitive guide. This is because most of these bronze bells bear dates. The bronze bell of this Tin Hau Temple is dated the 28th year of the Qianlong Reign (1763). As such, the temple is at least 250 years old.
The celebration of Tin Hau’s birthday on the 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month of the year involve both the Hakka (land-tied population) and the fishermen populations.
In terms of religious activities, the people of Kat O also holds the On Lung Tai Ping Ching Chiu Festival once every ten years. The people of Kat O believe that there is a dragon vein on the island that channels good fortune to its people. A smaller celebration is held once every five years. In the big celebration, the people of Tap Mun will sail to Kat O to invite the Tin Hau Goddess of Kat O to a joint celebration for the rural alliance in the area. That includes a number of inhabited islands, the believers in Sai Kung and Sam Mun Tsai, etc.
Finally, there are other smaller religious sites on the island, including a Kwun Yam Temple and a Sam Shing Temple.
Visitors to Kat O have two good options in terms of food, and many do look forward to having a Hakka meal at either Yick Man Restaurant or Wing Kee Seafood. They serve Hakka cuisine with a seafood emphasis. However, on this day I was simply too keen on seeing the island. I therefore did not join my father’s friends in having a meal there. Instead, I headed right onto the Kat O Story Room to see the exhibition. The restaurants are close to the Kat O Pier.
There are two peaks in Kat O of similar altitude. Lying in the southern side of the island is Ko Pang Teng, overlooking Kai Kung Leng and the beach of O Pui Tong. At an easy height of 70 meters, the walk took less than 20 minutes and you will see exceptional scenery there. I entered the trail near the Tin Hau Temple.
Photos: Panoramic views at Ko Pang Teng, Kat O
Lying on the north is Ko Tei Teng. Similarly, it has an easy height of 80 meters, and again the walk up was about 20 minutes only. I found the entrance to the trail within the fishermen’s village. Despite my best effort, however, I did not manage to spot the “Six Treasures of Double Haven” as introduced on-site at Ko Tei Teng.
The walks were very pleasant on both trails. Both came with well-paved stairs. I enjoyed the views at Ko Pang Teng slightly more, if you were to only do one trail in Kat O.
I am always very drawn to sceneries at fishing villages. A walk around the fishing village of Kat O takes about a half-hour. Small streets led me to the seaside, to the inland and back. Originally, the Hong Kong Government built nine houses and developed the fishermen’s village.
In 1962, Typhoon Wanda destroyed many fishing boats. As a result, quite a number of fishermen moved inland and resettled in the huts on the island. As sea catch in the area continued to decline, so did the fishing industry of Kat O. In the 1980s, many fishermen turned to fish farming. They raised expensive sea fish. There were still some signs of the fish farming industry in the island, but even much of that are gone by now.
This is a very long entry indeed, but I have not ruined it for you, because there is so much more about this island that I did not discuss here. I would say one can take easily a whole day here. We only spent a few hours here and I saw some key features, but it is certainly worth exploring. I am sure next time I will have my Hakka meal as well.
Finally, the celebration of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark will include a guided tour of Sam Mun Tsai and Ma Shi Chau on the weekend of December 18. I highly recommend doing this guided tour. Without proper training it is very difficult for anyone to find, recognize and appreciate the special geological features in Ma Shi Chau.
Ferries depart at the Ma Liu Shui Pier Landing No. 3 for Kat O and Ap Chau. The easiest way to get there is by walking about 15-20 minutes from the University Station on the East Rail Line. Again, this landing point is about a hundred meters toward the Shatin direction from the Ma Liu Shui Pier.
The tickets to Kat O and Ap Chau cost $90 return, and $45 one way. The staff will check your tickets when you leave Ma Liu Shui and when you do your return trip back to Ma Liu Shui. There is no ticket checking between Kat O and Ap Chau. People usually do visit both islands in one go. Please visit (and study carefully) the ferry schedule for Kat O and Ap Chau.
See also the same website for an alternative of boarding at the Sha Tau Kok Pier.
Pamphlets on Kat O, Agriculture Fisheries and Conservation Department.
Historic Descriptions on-site at the Kat O Story Room.
In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark’s inclusion into the Global Geopark Network, the Hong Kong Government has organized a number of activities in various interesting Geopark locations. The activity period comes with special arrangements for ferry transport, storytelling …
Located within the Lam Tsuen Country Park, Kai Kung Leng prides the highest peak in northwest New Territories after Tai Mo Shan. With its highest peak at 585 meters, the mountain range provides an exceptional opportunity to view the landscape of northern and northwestern New …
After visiting the Chuen Lung Family Walk, I had about ten photos left on my film. I was eager to develop the film soon, so I looked for easy heritage sites in Tsuen Wan for picture-taking. Since the Jockey Club Tak Wah Park is in the very urban center of Tsuen Wan, I decided to give it a go.
And wow, what an incredible garden space in the middle of Tsuen Wan’s busiest business district!
The Tak Wah Park stands at the former site of Hoi Pa Village, which is a mixed-lineage Hakka village. The landscape of Jockey Club Tak Wah Park shows an exceptional effort in accentuating the character of ancient classical Hakka structures. The garden space boasts of many traditional features in Chinese gardens (see below).
As its name suggest, this park was built with sponsorship by the Jockey Club. The first phase of construction completed in 1989, and the second phase of construction completed in 1995. There was a recent restoration that completed in 2005.
The Hoi Pa Village had a history of over one hundred years. Three structures of the former Hoi Pa Village were preserved in the Tak Wah Park. Two were old houses, and the third one is the Chan Yi Cheung Ancestral Hall. They are Grade 3 Historic Buildings.
The largest, two-storey Old House lying on the northeastern direction of the park close to Tsuen Wan Market Street has the most significant stature out of the three. According to descriptions on site, the construction materials for these three structures were “rammed earth, green bricks, green tiles and timber… exemplary of the traditional southern Chinese village architecture.”
For some time, the space on the ground floor of the Old House served as the exhibition venue known as Tak Wah Exibition. However, the exhibition does not open for public visit now. I did see what seemed like office space upstairs, with lights fully on. I believe it runs as some sort of an office for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department now.
The Chan Yi Cheung Ancestral Hall, which lies closest to the Tsuen Wan Market Street entrance of the park, is the oldest building out of the three on site. It was built in the second year of the Guangxu Reign (1876), and again restored in the first year of the Xuantong Reign (1909). It became a historic monument in 1986. In 2005, it underwent restoration.
Chan Yi Cheung is the 27th ancestor for the Chan’s of Hoi Pa Village. The Chan’s came from the village of Shajing Houting in Guangdong Province’s Baoan County. Sources online have suggested that the Chan’s moved to the Hoi Pa Village in Tsuen Wan after the Qing court lifted the Coast Evacuation Decree during the 17th century. Chan Yi Cheung was the ancestor that led the villagers to Hoi Pa Village in Tsuen Wan.
Finally, the small village house closer to the Tak Hoi Street entrance was built in 1904. Again, it shows the same architectural features and building materials as with the other two structures on site. Since 1997, it had opened as the Environmental Resource Center of the Environmental Protection Department. The Environmental Resource Center used to feature a library, media room, and a reconstructed kitchen space. However, it has closed its door since 2016.
Due to the development of Tsuen Wan’s town center in the 1980s, the Hong Kong Government moved the Hoi Pa Village to various new locations, including Cheung Pei Shan Road, Yi Pei Chun Road, and Hoi Pa San Tsuen (Hoi Pa New Village).
The 1.63-acre garden has a beautiful pagoda by the lake. The lake mirrors every imagery perfectly. A petite stone bridge, a man-made waterfall, with the Old House of Hoi Pa Tsuen in the background, take one back to the ancient times. Schools of large koi swim freely in the lakes, adding a great touch of auspiciousness to the landscape.
If without the bolster of Tsuen Wan’s busy streets outside, and the buzz of human activities within the park, I really could have been in a movie. And surely, this is a spot for filming.
Clearly, I was not the only one that thinks of this park as a treasured space. The garden offers ample space and facilities for people to gather and play Chinese chess, or perhaps some were even gambling from what I could observe. I heard a few men discussing the latest tips in horseracing. This was in great contrast with the apparent tranquility that this garden space has intended to impart. However, the sense of community there was perhaps the best indication of the park’s success, besides the landscaping.
I really enjoyed the half-hour respite in the Tak Wah Park. Since it was about dinner time, I headed out to the action-packed Tsuen Wan streets to look for food.
The address of the Jockey Club Tak Wah Park is Tak Wah Street, Tsuen Wan. There are entrances in Tsuen Wan Market Street and Tak Hoi Street.
Historic descriptions on site.
The Wikipedia on the Jockey Club Tak Wah Park (Chin).
Antiquities and Monuments Office, Declared Monuments in Hong Kong, Old House, Hoi Pa Village, Tsuen Wan.
The Wikipedia on Hoi Pa Village.
The Tung Shan Temple is an easily accessible site in San Tin, Yuen Long. It lies right at the village entrance, next to the restaurants of San Tin. I have seen signs pointing to the temple and finally had the opportunity to pay a visit. …
When visiting Hong Kong’s heritage sites, I find most of them to be very beautiful in their restored state. This visit at Yam Wah Lo, also known as Pun Uk, brought forth a different kind of appreciation. The unrestored historic Hakka structure, very much in …
The Chuen Lung Family Walk is the shortest family walk in Hong Kong at 0.5 kilometer. I was curious so I decided to pay a visit.
The Chuen Lung Family Walk is a loop. I walked from the Chuen Lung Village minibus stop so the first part I saw was properly the exit of the trail. See photographs below.
These steps lead you up on a three-minute climb to end at the viewing point. This is the view. On good days, you will see views of the New Territories West, including Tsuen Wan and Ching Yi, all the way to Mount High West in Hong Kong Island. I went on the only cloudy day on this late autumn week, so I was out of luck in terms of view.
There is a rocky outcrop just a few steps further. So I spent a few minutes there, to take in the fresh air.
I knew already then that this would be it. The is the one and only view on this trail.
I then kept on walking to finish the loop. Unlike some other trails, where even the paths themselves are picturesque, the Chuen Lung Family Walk simply has nothing exceptional to offer. There is a reason why the pathways are unkempt. Very few visitors, if any at all, come.
This is a danger point in the path.
I very quickly came down to the proper entrance of the trail here. It took me 22 minutes in total. That includes the five minutes I sat at the rocky outcrop admiring the not-so-exceptional view.
Now, if you begin the walk at the proper entrance, I do think you will end up spending some 25 to 30 minutes on this trail. The climb up on this way is significantly longer. Instead of a three-minute climb from the other way, this one will be a 5-8 minute climb.
For people who regularly walk, this path would serve as a nice warm-up. It certainly pales in comparison with some of the better-known trails in the area, including the Rotary Club Park Nature Trail a bit further up on Route Twisk, the Lung Mun Country Trail in the east and anything that the Shing Mun Reservoir and Pineapple Dam area offer.
That said, I think it is a very good site for a family outing especially with young children. The site seemed unkempt because the barbecue pits were cordoned off due to the pandemic. People have not come here for a proper barbecue for at least two years.
But if barbecue is allowed again, it is a very nice venue for a family outing. Barbecue and a walk with one aerial view would make it a good day for any family.
How to Get There
Bus 51 is a circular route that runs between Tsuen Wan West (Nina Tower Bus Terminus) and Sheung Chuen, but it only comes once every hour.
On Chuen Lung Street, take green top minibus Route 80. Get off at the final stop at Chuen Lung Village. From that point on, walk downward toward the Tsuen Wan direction. You will arrive at the Family Walk on your left in just two minutes.
After visiting the Hong Kong Railway Museum in Tai Po Market, I headed out to Wun Yiu, in another part of Tai Po. It is a much lesser-known exhibition as compared with the Railway Museum, but no less interesting. The Wun Yiu Exhibition The exhibition …