China Travel

Sai Kung peninsula and Clearwater Bay are popular weekend escapes due to their close proximity to Kowloon and Hong Kong. The area surrounding Sai Kung Town (once a tiny fishing village), is a great place for scenic walks and swimming at the beaches nearby.

The best way to see the area is to hire a small boat. By boat, you can either take a tour of all the islands (approximately HK$150) or just take a ride to one of the nearby beaches. The boat owners moor their vehicles by the pier in the town and will haggle to agree on a fare. The boats regularly visit Sharp Island (Kiu Tsui Chau), White Sands Island (Pak Sha Chau), Pillow Island (Cham Tau Chau) and Salt Field Island (Yim Tin Tsai).

After a day of hiking or lounging on the beach, go for dinner at one of the lovely little eateries. Among the best ones are Pepperoni's Pizza, Cafe on Po Tung Road and the Tung Kee Restaurant which serve exquisite Cantonese seafood on Man Nin Street.

Clearwater Bay is another favorite beach with locals and ex-pats. This beautiful area is surrounded by rough rocks and wild scenery, which provide a stunning contrast to the slick city life of Hong Kong. Clearwater Bay Country Park has some great trails which head off into the surrounding countryside or down to the beach. These trails are clearly marked and there are various lengths and difficulty levels too. There are two beaches here, both have clear white sand and are suitable for swimming.