Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MUSEUM
HONG KONG RAILWAY MUSEUM
Shung Tak St; 9am-6pm Wed-Mon; ; Tai Wo)
Housed in the former Tai Po Market train station (built in 1913 in traditional Chinese style),
this small museum is a fun stop for trainspotters and families with train-crazy kids. There
are a few exhibits about the history of the Hong Kong railways, but the real draws are the
historical train carriages open to visitors.
TEMPLE
TAI PO MAN MO TEMPLE
In the middle of the Tai Po Market street, the double-hall Man Mo Temple from the late
19th century is a centre of worship for the Tai Po area. Jointly dedicated to the gods of liter-
ature and of war, it's got an incense-scented, otherworldly charm.
WILDLIFE RESERVE
FUNG YUEN BUTTERFLY RESERVE
green minibus 20A)
Just 2km northeast of Tai Po town lies this sprawling 42-hectare Special Site of Scientific
Interest where more than 180 butterfly species will dazzle your eyeballs. A third of them are
rare breeds, including the common birdwing and white dragontail. The best time to spot
them is before 10am.
Green minibus 20A leaves every half hour from Tai Po Market East Rail station. Ask to
be dropped off at Fung Yuen Chun Kung Sor ().
TEMPLE
LAM TSUEN WISHING TREE
This large banyan tree, laden with coloured streamers of paper tied to oranges, was long
considered a good-luck spot. The idea was to write your wish on a piece of paper, tie it to
the citrus fruit and then throw it as high as you could up into the tree. If your fruit lodged
high in the branches, you were in luck. But damage to the tree has recently altered - though
not erased - this tradition.
In 2005 a large branch of the tree came crashing to the ground, dashing most punters'
wishes once and for all. Now the tree is being left alone to recover and, in the name of con-
servation, wish makers can only tie their wishing papers to Chinese-style wooden racks, or
throw plastic fruits (available from the on-site vendors) onto a plastic tree. There's a small
