Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A DETOUR
MA WAN
Ma Wan was once an important gateway to Kowloon, where foreign vessels would
drop anchor before entering Chinese waters. If you want to get away from it all, Ma
Wan, a flat, rapidly developing island between the northeastern tip of Lantau and the
New Territories, is hardly the place to go. It has a couple of temple
ples devoted to Tin
Hau, a long beach on the east coast at Tuung W
g Wan, a few stilt houses, and a massive,
high-end residential community called Park Isla
s Arrk,
a 'lifesize' version of the biblical craft with plastic versions of the world's animals
strolling down the gangplank.
The real reason to come to Ma Wan is to see Tsiing Ma B
rk Island. You can't fail to notice NNoaah''s A
idge, the world's seventh-
longest span suspension bridge, to the east and, to a lesser extent, Kap Sh
g Ma Bridg
p Shui Mun
ui Mun
Bridg
idge on the west. Together they form the rail and road link connecting Lantau with
the New Territories via Tsing Yi Island. While catapulting Ma Wan headlong into the
next century, the bridge has guaranteed an end to the island's solitude. Neighbouring
Tsing Yi has a special
viewing platform
for those particularly interested in seeing the
bridge up close.
Yuen Long
Explore
Yuen Long is an important transport hub and a gateway to the Mai Po Marshes and the
nearby walled villages.
Bring your binoculars and set off early for Mai Po. Morning hours are the best time to go
birdwatching. If you didn't manage to book a guided tour to Mai Po, Hong Kong Wetland
Park is a more than worthy substitute. Then head back to town, enjoy lunch at Dai Wing
Wah, sampling some walled-village dishes, after which you could visit one or two of those
fortified hamlets in Kat Hing Wai and Shui Tau Tsuen.
An even better place to spend an hour or two in the afternoon is along the popular Ping
Shan Heritage Trail. Watching the sunset in Pak Nai at the westernmost edge of Hong Kong
is an unforgettable experience. Afterwards, a seafood dinner in Lau Fau Shan is the best
way to end the day.
