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Header images courtesy of Wild Hong Kong
Hong Kong offers a bountiful array of waterfalls to explore, some more remote and some more accessible than others. Our list focuses on some of the easier-to-reach waterfalls, which are still thoroughly wild and unspoilt. Follow along to discover five of the easiest waterfall hikes to tackle in Hong Kong for a low-effort, high-reward adventure!
Bride’s Pool and Mirror Pool are beautiful and accessible; both can be sighted with little walking
involved. Legend has it that a bride fell into the river en route to her wedding and was carried down the waterfall—hence the name. With that said, these are shallow pools—no cliff jumping opportunities here—and are defined by a picture-perfect cascade. Combine a visit to the falls with some time spent
enjoying the nearby village of Tai Mei Tuk. Grab a bite at one of the many
restaurants around or dabble in some water sports to make for the perfect day out.
Getting there: Hop on the East Rail line to Tai Po Market Station and board minibus 20C to Tai Mei Tuk. From there, walk for a further hour or catch
a taxi to the Bride’s Pool car park. However, on Sundays and public holidays, you
can take bus 257R from Tai Po Market all the way to the Bride’s Pool.
Venture out to the far southeastern bounds of Hong Kong and Lantau Island to discover a
beautiful vista. Less than four kilometres from the Tai O bus terminus, you can find 200
metres of layered tumbling waterfalls overlooking the South China Sea. If that is not
enough, couple the adventure with a day exploring the fishing village of Tai O and keep an
eye out for the famous pink dolphins off the coast. Be warned that it is prohibited to
swim in the infinity pool on the river, although you can continue upstream or downstream for plenty of rock pools to make your own.
Getting there: Hop on the Tung Chung line to Tung Chung Station or take the ferry from Central to Mui Wo. From there,
grab bus 1 or 11 to Tai O. Follow the pier near
the bus stop, continuing along the shorefront path. About three kilometres into the walk, you will
see a sign on your left for Man Cheung Po—do not take it. Instead, simply stay on the
coastal path until a set of stairs on the left comes into view; this is the way up the
valley to the rock pools. The whole route from Tai O should take around an hour
each way to complete.
Containing one of Hong Kong’s biggest waterfalls, Ng Tung Chai consists of four waterfalls of different altitudes. Starting from below, you will discover Bottom Falls (Fall Under the Well), Middle Falls (Horse Tail Fall), Main Falls (Long Fall), and finally, Scatter Falls. While the path up is steep, it is well-constructed and well-frequented, so you should have no issues tackling it. Bottom Falls is truly idyllic, shrouded under a veil of vines and thick canopy pierced by ethereal rays, whilst the sheer majesty of Main Falls in full flow will take your breath away.
Getting there: Hop on the East Rail line to Tai Wo Station and catch bus 64K to Ng
Tung Chai Village stop on Lam Kam Road. From there, it is a one- to two-hour walk up to the waterfalls.
Sheung Luk Stream in Sai Kung Country Park is quickly becoming one of the
more popular summer spots to take a refreshing dip. Although the lower waterfall of
Sheung Luk Stream is not the most picturesque waterfall going around, it is a lot of
fun and serves as suitable refreshment after a day spent at the beach. A well-loved hangout
spot, Sheung Luk Stream has deep pools for swimming and cliff jumps for those with an adventurous nature.
Getting there: From Sai Kung, take village bus 29R or taxi to Sai Wan Pavilion. Walk for an hour to reach Sai Wan and then a further 10 minutes upstream from Sai Wan beach to reach the pools.
Secretly tucked away above Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir, it’s easy to walk right past Tai
Tam Mound Waterfall without a second thought. An oft-forgotten natural beauty, the waterfall starts out as a
stream over a low cliff but then continues through a stretch of wild greenery before
dropping out of sight.
Getting there: Walk northwest along the Hong Kong Trail, north of Tai Tam Tuk Reservoir Dam. Cross the bridge after 10 minutes and at the next wooden bridge, you will see a scramble down a tiny stream on the left.
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