Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( Mui Wo)
There are several old granite watchtowers in the viscinity of Mui Wo, including
Luk Tei
safe houses and as coastal defences against pirates, and are now scenic ruins.
THE PINK DOLPHINS OF THE PEARL RIVER
Between 100 and 200 misnamed Chinese white dolphins (Sousa chinensis)- they are
actually bubble-gum pink - inhabit the coastal waters around Hong Kong, finding the
brackish waters of the Pearl River estuary to be the perfect habitat. Unfortunately
these glorious mammals, which are also called Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, are
being threatened by environmental pollution, and their numbers are dwindling.
he threat comes in many forms, but the most prevalent - and direct - dangers are
sewage, chemicals, overfishing and boat traffic. Some 200,000 cu metres of un-
treated sewage is dumped into the western harbour every day, and high concentra-
tions of chemicals such as DDT have been found in tissue samples taken from some
of the dolphins. Several dolphins have been entangled in fishing nets and, despite the
dolphins' skill at sensing and avoiding surface vessels, some have collided with boats.
Pleasure boats buzzing around the Tai O area are a particular menace.
The dolphins' habitat has also been diminished by the destruction of the natural
coastline of Lantau Island. The TNorth Lantau Hwy consumed about 10km of the nat-
ural coastline. The Hong Kong Disneyland theme park required large amounts of re-
clamation in Penny's Bay.
Hong Kong Dolphinwatch
was founded in 1995 to raise awareness of these wonder-
ful creatures and promote responsible ecotourism. It offers 2½-hour cruises to see
the pink dolphins in their natural habitat every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday year-
round. Guides assemble in the lobby of the Kowloon Hotel Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui
at 9am for the bus to Tung Chung via the Tsing Ma Bridge, from where the boat de-
parts; the tours return at 1pm.
South Lantau Road
BEACH, VILLAGE
PUI O
