Plover Cove Hike North East New Territories, Hong Kong
Walk Hong Kong has been offering guided walking and hiking tours since 2003. We can take you hiking in this unpopulated and pristine area of Plover Cove in a remote corner of Hong Kong.
The Plover Cove Country park in the northeast of the New Territories is one of the most under populated and pristine areas in all of Hong Kong. Many of the trails are little used, with barking deer and wild boar roaming these secluded areas. In fact, tigers still occasionally visited in the early 1900s, and in 1931 a leopard was trapped in the region. Your hike starts in the tiny hamlet of Wu Kau Tang. The walk proceeds upwards providing exciting views across the boundary into Mainland China and of the Yan Chau Tong Marine Park. You then descend to the deserted village of Lai Chi Wo.
Lai Chi Wo, dates back to 400 years ago, and was one of the most affluent villages in the Northeastern New Territories, where a a population of mainly Hakka origin lived. This area was once known for its lychee trees. Today a few villagers return in the weekends, or over festival times. The houses remain well preserved and the fung shui wood behind the village flourishes, home to camphor, autumn maple, incense tree and other specimens - it is said to be one of the oldest surviving fung shui woodlands in Hong Kong.
After leaving the village we walk through an area of intertidal mudflats formed by sedimentation. Where is meets the land you find the largest bed of Coastal Heritiera (Heritiera littoralis) in Hong Kong, and the “natural swing” around the forest of Heritiera littoralis in fact is formed by the growing White-flower Derris while on the verge near the sea other mangroves grow.
The surrounding waterways were famous around 900-1300 as these provided the pearls for the imperial court in its time. So abundant and reliable was the harvest that the area became known as “the Pearl Pool,” but unfortunately this virtually wiped out the oysters. Today we have a Marine Park at Yau Chau Tong.
Along the way you will walk past abandoned rice fields and terraces once cultivated by the villagers. The abandoned rice paddies remain home to the Chinese pond heron, little egrets, great egrets, night herons and the extremely rare Swinhoe’s egret. Also we pass by the abandoned fishponds, that previously bred both fresh water and sea water fish. We can still see the walls along the shore to separate sea water and stream freshwater.
Following the coastline, you can admire some of the oldest geological formations in the area, dating back 400 million years. Note the colours of the rocks, said to be have been exposed to the air at low tide, and oxidation has occurred.
Total tour time 7 hours Walking distance: 12km Grade: moderate Facilities: Toilets en route
General requirements
Please
provide us with a contact phone
number in Hong Kong, or the name
of the hotel where you are staying, plus the name the booking is made
in.
We need notification of any cancellation before the morning of your
tour, as no-shows do inconvenience our other clients. It is also
important that you ring us if you are delayed, as it may be possible to
direct you to another meeting point en route. Footwear
We recommend that you wear either robust walking shoes or
trainers/sneakers. Casual sandals or open shoes are not suitable for
trails, which can be rocky in places.
Clothing
Sun and rainfall can be intense and a hat is recommended. During the
winter season (November - March) temperatures can drop with a chilling
wind, so a sweater/fleece is advisable. During the wet season (April -
September) a waterproof jacket is recommended. In warmer months (May -
October) it is advisable to carry a spare T-shirt or other garment to
change into at the end of the hike.
Skin Protection
Suntan lotion should be used throughout the year, and applied frequently
during the hike.
Water
Please carry sufficient water for your own needs. In the warmer months,
this may equate to one litre for every two hours of walking. Dehydration
is a real risk on hot days. Choose mineralised rather than distilled
water. Consider an electrolyte replacement drink as well.
Personal needs
Please notify us of any medical conditions that we should be aware of.
We will assume clients have their own medications for asthma or known
illnesses. Insect repellent is not obligatory, but advisable if you tend
to attract insects.
Payment
Payment can be made in cash at the start of the tour, or by electronic
money transfer pre-tour. Prices quoted in Hong Kong
dollars. HK$7.75 = US$1.00
Schedule
Our tours and hikes are driven by client demand. Please consult our
website for the current schedule
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Rana Guentheri
Hello Jackie Thanks for the photos. Those puppies were fun! Indeed -- the weather has been fantastic since I moment I stepped off the plane in HK, it seems. It was a great hike -- a day very well spent. Today I am in Stanley. Lovely here, too. Off to Macau on Wednesday and, depending on when I return to HK, I may be back out for another of your hikes. Either way, I will certainly make a point to spread the word about your business! Again, thanks for your hospitality and for sharing your local knowledge. Much appreciated. Stephanie Plover Cove
Hello Jackie, Thanks again for all your help and for making the walks so enjoyable. I'll pass along some of my P.C. shots when I get back to the US. Best always. Tom, USA Photography and Plover Cove Feb 2010
Jackie and Marco I really enjoyed the week of walking Hong Kong, it was a great experience to get to know the area by such professional guides. I should have never thought that Hong Kong offers such a variety of landscapes and impressions. I also enjoyed our conversations very much, I learnt a lot from it.
I add some special greetings to Fergus from my dog Barks. For dog lovers I recommend the book "The philosoper and the wolf" by Mark Rowlands which I read recently. Best wishes Horst Germany - Plover Cove, Dragons Back, Deserted Beaches, and Lamma Island
Thank you Jackie and Marco for a fabulous introduction to the hilltops and jungles of Hong Kong's country parks. I enjoyed all your walks, and recommend them as an unique insight into Hong Kong and its people. Not to be missed! Peter, Australia, Plover Cove, Deserted Beaches, and Dragon's Back
Hello Jackie! I wanted to thank you again for a lovely day yesterday. It was a good combination of people, a beautiful day and a gorgeous hike. I was too tired to look at the photos yet but I will today and let you know how they are! My feet are still complaining, but I learned so much and had a wonderful time. Cassandra - photography & Plover Cove
