Kiu Tsui Chau: A Causeway in the Blue Waves of Sai Kung, Hong Kong
In Port Shelter, Sai Kung, there is Hong Kong's smallest outlying island country park, consisting of eight islets. The largest island is called Kiu Tsui Chau. Hap Mun Bay on the island has the best water quality among Hong Kong's public beaches. This free beach, far from the city, is the most popular in the Sai Kung area.
On weekends, the Sai Kung public pier is bustling with people and boats, ranging from luxurious yachts to small sampans. Boat rental prices are reasonable, and Hong Kong residents enjoy renting yachts for the weekend to cruise the waters of Sai Kung or go fishing. From the Sai Kung public pier, private kaito ferries depart for the small pier at Hap Mun Bay.
As the small wooden boat sails across Port Shelter, the eight islets of the Kiu Tsui Country Park—Kiu Tsui Chau, Kiu Tau, Pak Sha Chau, Tai Tsun Chau, Siu Tsun Chau, Chun Tau Chau, Yau Lung Kok, and Tun Tau Chau—line up in a row. The lighthouse on the sea rises and falls with the boat and waves. Most people heading to Kiu Tsui Chau go for Hap Mun Bay beach, located on the southern side of the island, facing the open sea to the west. It is classified as Grade 1 under Hong Kong's water quality standards. The seawater is crystal clear, with small fish swimming in schools, making the boat appear to float in mid-air.
Because the Cantonese pronunciation of "Hap Mun" sounds similar to the English "Half Moon," Hap Mun Bay is also known as Half Moon Bay. The bay indeed takes the shape of a half moon, with small hills guarding both ends. From a distance, the beach at Hap Mun Bay is dotted with colorful umbrellas, rivaling popular foreign beaches. Couples play in the water, children dig enthusiastically in the sand, making it a playground for Hong Kong families and couples.
Standing in the sea, the water is clear and transparent. Occasionally, small fish nibble at your feet, eliciting excited shrieks from the girls. When tired from swimming, you can climb onto a floating platform in the sea to rest, gaze at the blue sky, and bask in the sun, or take a thrilling dive from the platform. The waters of the Kiu Tsui Chau Geopark are home to marine life such as wrasse, grouper, butterflyfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and conch. The shores of the islets are also excellent for sea fishing. The nearby coral reefs are quite famous, with a coverage rate close to 80% and a variety of species, making it a great spot for snorkeling. Put on a snorkeling mask and snorkel, lean into the water, swim among colorful fish, and weave through the shimmering corals.
For sunset viewing, head to Hap Mun Bay. For sunrise, you can cross the campsite to the bay behind Hap Mun Bay. Couples sit on the rocks, quietly waiting for the sunrise, the air filled with intense affection. As daylight gradually seeps over the horizon, the peaks of Kau Sai Chau in the distance block the sun. Although you cannot see the sun leaping above the sea, the seaside rocks are bathed in a golden halo.
Hap Mun Bay is a free public beach in Hong Kong, fully equipped with lifeguards, a first-aid room, shark nets, changing rooms, showers, and toilets. However, there is no fresh water on the island; the shower water is desalinated seawater and slightly salty. There is a barbecue pit on the beach, but no running tap water. The only small convenience store on the island sells chilled mineral water, drinks, and ice cream. If you plan to camp and cook on the island, it's best to bring your own water.
Adjacent to Kiu Tsui Chau is the small island of Kiu Tau. During low tide, a tombolo (sand bar) connecting the islands emerges, allowing you to walk across. The stones on the tombolo are mostly volcanic rocks, normally submerged by seawater and only exposed during low tide. Some look like giant pineapple buns, while others appear rusted. From Hap Mun Bay, you can walk to Black Hill Peak, then cross the tombolo to the lighthouse on Kiu Tau, following the 3-kilometer geological trail to observe geological wonders from 140 million years ago.
The Kiu Tau hiking trail is also a photography route. The 2015 National Geographic Global Photo Contest youth category champion, Yuan Sile, came here to take photos. Kiu Tsui Chau is part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. From Sai Kung Pier, there are day-trip boats that circle the island, passing sea caves such as Elephant Trunk Rock, Longan Round Head, Bat Rock, and Turtle Rock. Outdoor enthusiasts may traverse the jungle, pass Black Hill Peak, and climb to the highest point of Kiu Tsui Chau at 136 meters, overlooking the entire island.
[Hong Kong Tourism Board map of Kiu Tsui Chau]
Take a boat to Kiu Tsui Pier, or spend an hour walking from Hap Mun Bay to Kiu Tsui Beach in the northern part of the island, to avoid the crowds at Hap Mun Bay. This is a half-rock, half-sand beach, with few people and clear water, perfect for sunbathing, swimming, diving, or kayaking nearby. In the evening, Hap Mun Bay gradually becomes quiet. Enjoying the evening breeze, walking on the empty beach, watching the afterglow of the sunset, feeling leisurely and peaceful, you can't help but hum Jacky Cheung's "Half Moon Bay": "Half Moon Bay, ageless face. Hold your sleeve, be by your side, tender and hard to let go. Loved ones, sung songs, gently flow through the sea of heart..."
Travel Tips for Kiu Tsui Chau: Take bus 299 from Shatin Bus Terminus at New Town Plaza in Shatin, or bus 92 from Diamond Hill Exit C2 to Sai Kung Town (Sai Kung Bus Terminus). Near Sai Kung Pier, look for signs from private boat operators offering trips to Kiu Tsui Chau and Hap Mun Bay (Half Moon Bay). The boat departs when there are 20 passengers. When buying tickets, be sure to ask for the last return time and remember the boatman's phone number to avoid missing the final trip back. Kiu Tsui Country Park has a coral protection zone; do not take any stones or shells from the island. There are no designated campsites on Kiu Tsui Chau, so camping is not allowed.
This travelogue contains excerpts from my newly published book "Don't Work, Go to Islands: The Blue Romance of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area." Without the consent of myself and the publisher, no one is allowed to publish the text and images of this travelogue (including but not limited to screenshots, screen captures, conversion to videos, etc.) in any other name.
