Sai Kung District
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Sai Kung District is one of the 18 districts of
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
, a
special administrative region of China The special administrative regions (SAR) of the People's Republic of China are one of the provincial-level administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China directly under the control of its Central People's Government (State Co ...
. The district comprises the southern half of the
Sai Kung Peninsula The Sai Kung Peninsula () is a peninsula in the easternmost part of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Its name comes from Sai Kung Town in the central southern area of the peninsula. The southern part of the peninsula is administrated by Sai ...
, the
Clear Water Bay Peninsula :''The Chinese name'' 清水灣半島 ''should not be confused with Oscar by the Sea, a private housing estate in Tseung Kwan O.'' Clear Water Bay Peninsula (), is a peninsula in Sai Kung District, Hong Kong. The peninsula separates Junk Bay f ...
in the
New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...
and a strip of land to the east of
Kowloon Kowloon () is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. With a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of in 2006, it is the most populous area in Hong Kong, compared with Hong Kong Island and t ...
. Areas in the district include
Sai Kung Town Sai Kung Town () or simply Sai Kung () is a town on the Sai Kung Peninsula, facing Sai Kung Hoi (Inner Port Shelter), part of Sai Kung District in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Sai Kung is the central hub of nearby surrounding villages, and ...
,
Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark (), formerly Hong Kong National Geopark (香港國家地質公園), was inaugurated on 3 November 2009. It is a single entity of land area over 150 km2 across parts of the eastern and northeastern New Territo ...
,
Tseung Kwan O Tseung Kwan O New Town is one of the nine new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on reclaimed land in the northern half of Junk Bay (known as Tseung Kwan O in Chinese/Cantonese language) in southeastern New Territories, after which it is named. ...
and over 70 islands of different sizes. The administrative centre had been located in
Sai Kung Town Sai Kung Town () or simply Sai Kung () is a town on the Sai Kung Peninsula, facing Sai Kung Hoi (Inner Port Shelter), part of Sai Kung District in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Sai Kung is the central hub of nearby surrounding villages, and ...
until the Sai Kung District Office was relocated to
Tseung Kwan O Tseung Kwan O New Town is one of the nine new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on reclaimed land in the northern half of Junk Bay (known as Tseung Kwan O in Chinese/Cantonese language) in southeastern New Territories, after which it is named. ...
recently. The district's population is concentrated in Tseung Kwan O, as of 2011. In 2011, the district was the third youngest district, with a median age of 39.3. Known as the "back garden of Hong Kong", Sai Kung has been able to retain its natural scenery. Many traditional customs and cultures are still retained in the rural villages.


History

The modern geopolitical entity of Sai Kung District was formed after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Settlements existed in the area prior to the signing of the
Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory The Convention between the United Kingdom and China, Respecting an Extension of Hong Kong Territory, commonly known as the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory or the Second Convention of Peking, was a lease signed between Qing C ...
, which ceded the area to the
colony of Hong Kong Hong Kong was a colony and later a dependent territory of the British Empire from 1841 to 1997, apart from a period of occupation under the Japanese Empire from 1941 to 1945 during the Pacific War. The colonial period began with the Briti ...
from the
Qing Empire The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
in 1898. Those ceded areas are now collectively known as the
New Territories The New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory, and contains around half of the population of Hong Kong. Historically, it ...
and
New Kowloon New Kowloon is an area in Hong Kong, bounded in the south by Boundary Street, and in the north by the ranges of the Eagle's Nest, Beacon Hill, Lion Rock, Tate's Cairn and Kowloon Peak. It covers the present-day Kwun Tong District and Wong T ...
. According to Professor , unlike other villages of the New Territories, villages in
Sai Kung Sai Kung may refer to: * Sai Kung Town, or just Sai Kung, a town and administrative area in the Sai Kung District, Hong Kong * Sai Kung Peninsula, a peninsula in Hong Kong * Sai Kung District, an administrative district in Hong Kong, which does no ...
did not form any ''yeuk'' (), a kind of inter-village alliances in the 19th century in the
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
. Under the colonial rule, villages in Sai Kung were grouped under Tung Yeuk (also known as Tung Hoi Yeuk; ) in 1898. Soon after, the district office of New Territories was established. The New Territories was divided into Northern and Southern District (both not the same as the modern day districts of HK) and New Kowloon in the 1920s. The area around the modern day
Sai Kung Town Sai Kung Town () or simply Sai Kung () is a town on the Sai Kung Peninsula, facing Sai Kung Hoi (Inner Port Shelter), part of Sai Kung District in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Sai Kung is the central hub of nearby surrounding villages, and ...
was under the District Office North until 1947, which the area was under the administration of the Southern District (not the same as modern day Southern District) from 1947. The Southern District was under further reform since 1957. After the end of World War II (the author did not state the exact year, however), the New Territories was divided into 8 sub-divisions, one of which was named after Sai Kung. Such sub-divisions was soon abolished. The North and South District Office were merged to form New Territories Administration, a department of the executive branch of the government, in 1948–1952, which has 3 sub-divisions:
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsu ...
(covers some of the area of the former Northern District),
Yuen Long Yuen Long is a town in the western New Territories, Hong Kong. To its west lie Hung Shui Kiu (), Tin Shui Wai, Lau Fau Shan and Ha Tsuen, to the south Shap Pat Heung and Tai Tong, to the east Au Tau and Kam Tin (), and to the north N ...
and Southern District. Sai Kung was under the aforementioned Southern District.
Tsuen Wan District Tsuen Wan District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It is located in the New Territories and is served by the Tsuen Wan line of the MTR metro system. Its area is 60,7 km². Its residents, who mostly live in Tsuen Wan Town, en ...
Officer was established in 1959 and craved out from the Southern District. The Southern District at that time only administrated the modern-day Sai Kung District and Islands District. A branch office of the Southern District was also established in Mui Wo in 1957, which now belongs to
Lantau Island Lantau Island (also Lantao Island, Lan Tao) is the largest island in Hong Kong, located West of Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, and is part of the New Territories. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands ...
of the Islands District. It was reported that circa the early 1960s, the Southern District was further split into Sai Kung District and Islands District, but merged back in 1963. By 1969, the New Territories Administration had 7 district offices, of which one was named after Sai Kung. In 1977, the
Hong Kong Governor The governor of Hong Kong was the representative of the British Crown in Hong Kong from 1843 to 1997. In this capacity, the governor was president of the Executive Council and commander-in-chief of the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong. ...
announced to establish District Advisory Boards to invite locals to become advisors. Although Sai Kung locals, as well as other rural villages of the New Territories, already established their chambers and voting representatives to
Heung Yee Kuk The Heung Yee Kuk, officially the Heung Yee Kuk N.T., is a statutory advisory body representing establishment interests in the New Territories, Hong Kong. The council is a powerful organisation comprising heads of rural committees which repres ...
, an advisory body to the colonial government, as early as the 1930s. The Sai Kung District and its District Council (at that time known as District Board) were formally formed in 1982. (Established in 1981, first election in 1982) A year before, the New Territories Administration was merged with its Kowloon and Hong Kong Island counterpart, the
Home Affairs Department The Home Affairs Department is an executive agency in the government of Hong Kong responsible for internal affairs of the territory. It reports to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, headed by the Secretary for Home Affairs. Purpose The D ...
to form the City and New Territories Administration (it was renamed the Home Affairs Department again in 1993), although the Administration had transferred some functions to the
Lands Department The Lands Department is a government department under the Development Bureau responsible for all land matters in Hong Kong. Established in 1982, it comprises three functional offices: the Lands Administration Office, the Survey and Mapping Off ...
in 1982. Since 1985, the district officers of the Hong Kong Districts no longer chaired their respective districts councils. In a larger scale of history, due to the signing of the
Sino-British Joint Declaration The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a treaty between the governments of the United Kingdom and China signed in 1984 setting the conditions in which Hong Kong was transferred to Chinese control and for the governance of the territory after ...
in 1984, which would hand over the whole colony to the People's Republic of China, the colonial government had made several political reforms on local politics. A water route from the northern Sai Kung Peninsula to
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsu ...
existed at least since the Qing dynasty. For this historical and other reasons, the northern portion of the Sai Kung Peninsula belongs to the
Tai Po District Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The suburban district covers the areas of Tai Po New Town (including areas such as Tai Po Market, , Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Wo Estate), Tai Po Tau, Tai Po Kau, Hong Lok Yuen, Ti ...
, but not part of Sai Kung District. Sai Kung was a local industrial centre before the 1900s. For example, in Sheung Yu (), villagers produced mortar and fertiliser from their own lime
kiln A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...
. Villages also scattered on the islands of
Port Shelter Port Shelter, known in Cantonese as Ngau Mei Hoi (), is a harbour south of Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong. The water body connects to Inner Port Shelter (known in Cantonese as Sai Kung Hoi; ), as well as Hebe Haven (), Rocky Harbour () and o ...
, Rocky Harbour, on the
Sai Kung Peninsula The Sai Kung Peninsula () is a peninsula in the easternmost part of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Its name comes from Sai Kung Town in the central southern area of the peninsula. The southern part of the peninsula is administrated by Sai ...
, on the
Clear Water Bay Peninsula :''The Chinese name'' 清水灣半島 ''should not be confused with Oscar by the Sea, a private housing estate in Tseung Kwan O.'' Clear Water Bay Peninsula (), is a peninsula in Sai Kung District, Hong Kong. The peninsula separates Junk Bay f ...
as well as other land areas of the District. A temple located on
High Island Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...
(known in Chinese as Leung Shuen Wan), dates back to 1741. Sai Kung market town was expanded into the local town centre of the district after the 1950s. However, the District's population are now concentrated around the
Tseung Kwan O New Town Tseung Kwan O New Town is one of the nine New towns of Hong Kong, new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on Land reclamation in Hong Kong, reclaimed land in the northern half of Junk Bay (known as Tseung Kwan O in Chinese language, Chinese/Canto ...
, partially built on reclaimed land in
Junk Bay Junk Bay known in Chinese as "Tseung Kwan O" (; also transliterated as "Cheung Kwan O") is a bay in Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong. In the northern tip of the bay lies the Tseung Kwan O Village. The Tseung Kwan O New Town, one ...
(or known as its Chinese name Tseung Kwan O) in the 1980s.


Population and settlement

Sai Kung District covers approximately land area as of 2018, It had a population of 461,864 in 2016 by-census, most of it in
Tseung Kwan O Tseung Kwan O New Town is one of the nine new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on reclaimed land in the northern half of Junk Bay (known as Tseung Kwan O in Chinese/Cantonese language) in southeastern New Territories, after which it is named. ...
(398,479). Sai Kung Central election constituency, which roughly has the same boundary as
Sai Kung Town Sai Kung Town () or simply Sai Kung () is a town on the Sai Kung Peninsula, facing Sai Kung Hoi (Inner Port Shelter), part of Sai Kung District in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Sai Kung is the central hub of nearby surrounding villages, and ...
planning zone, has a population of 9,623 in the same by-census. Tseung Kwan O is a new town and has multiple constituencies. However, all Tseung Kwan O constituencies are belongs to Tseung Kwan O Outline Zoning Plan in term of town planning administration.


Sai Kung Town

Sai Kung Town Sai Kung Town () or simply Sai Kung () is a town on the Sai Kung Peninsula, facing Sai Kung Hoi (Inner Port Shelter), part of Sai Kung District in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Sai Kung is the central hub of nearby surrounding villages, and ...
is a former fishing village and market township. The designation of the country park areas during the 1970s was a huge boost to the local tourist industry. Sai Kung town underwent significant expansion during the 1970s when the High Island Reservoir and associated water scheme required some villagers and fishermen to be rehoused in Sai Kung. This provided a core of government-funded new development, both housing and commercial, in the town centre. This was followed by the Tui Min Hoi (literal translation 'over the harbour') development under the government's market town programme.


Tseung Kwan O

In addition to Sai Kung,
Tseung Kwan O Tseung Kwan O New Town is one of the nine new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on reclaimed land in the northern half of Junk Bay (known as Tseung Kwan O in Chinese/Cantonese language) in southeastern New Territories, after which it is named. ...
, a booming
new town New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
, is also part of Sai Kung District. Tseung Kwan O connects Sai Kung Peninsula with the
Kowloon Kowloon () is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. With a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of in 2006, it is the most populous area in Hong Kong, compared with Hong Kong Island and t ...
urban area.
Junk Bay Junk Bay known in Chinese as "Tseung Kwan O" (; also transliterated as "Cheung Kwan O") is a bay in Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong. In the northern tip of the bay lies the Tseung Kwan O Village. The Tseung Kwan O New Town, one ...
was once a natural bay area in Sai Kung, quite near the seafood village of
Lei Yue Mun Lei Yue Mun is a short channel in Hong Kong. It lies between Junk Bay and Victoria Harbour, separating Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. The channel is an important passage for the city, forming the eastern entrance of Victoria Harbour. The land ...
. There once was an iron and steel factory, and the area around Hang Hau Village was known for its shipyards. In 1997, the Hong Kong Government started a major development project in this area, developing it into the seventh Hong Kong new town. Reclamation has since covered the whole bay area and it is now able to accommodate around 380,000 inhabitants, accounting for 95% of the district's total population. This new town was renamed ''Tseung Kwan O'', its present name. Tseung Kwan O now includes several high-rise residential estates and an
industrial estate An industrial park (also known as industrial estate, trading estate) is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more "heavyweight" version of a business park or office park, ...
. The MTR
metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
system was extended to Tseung Kwan O, facilitating access to Sai Kung District.


Geography

In contrast to the densely populated areas of
Hong Kong Island Hong Kong Island is an Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong, island in the southern part of Hong Kong. Known colloquially and on road signs simply as Hong Kong, the island has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km ...
and
Kowloon Kowloon () is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. With a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of in 2006, it is the most populous area in Hong Kong, compared with Hong Kong Island and t ...
, Sai Kung District's heartland is a coastal area characterised by its scenery, small villages and seascapes. The area is known for its pristine
beaches A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shel ...
and quiet living. Sai Kung remains only partly urbanised and is known as the "last back garden" of Hong Kong.


UNESCO Global Geopark and Country Parks


Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region,

Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark (), formerly Hong Kong National Geopark (香港國家地質公園), was inaugurated on 3 November 2009. It is a single entity of land area over 150 km2 across parts of the eastern and northeastern New Territo ...

Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region lies in
Sharp Island Sharp Island or Kiu Tsui Chau () is the largest island in the Kiu Tsui Country Park located at Port Shelter of Sai Kung, Hong Kong. The area is most known for fishing, swimming as well as diving. Sharp Island is under the administration of ...
,
High Island Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...
, the Ninepin Group and the Ung Kong Group ( Wang Chau,
Basalt Island Basalt Island or Fo Shek Chau () is an island of Hong Kong and administratively part of the Sai Kung District. Together with Wang Chau and Bluff Island, it forms the Ung Kong () Group and is part of Hong Kong Global Geopark. Geography Basalt ...
and
Bluff Island Bluff Island may refer to the following islands: *Bluff Island (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) *Bluff Island (Antarctica), Prydz Bay, Antarctica *Bluff Island (Hong Kong) Bluff Island, indigenously known as Sha Tong Hau Shan (), also known as Ung Kon ...
), where
volcanic rock Volcanic rock (often shortened to volcanics in scientific contexts) is a rock formed from lava erupted from a volcano. In other words, it differs from other igneous rock by being of volcanic origin. Like all rock types, the concept of volcanic r ...
s, intrusive rocks and world-unique acidic hexagonal volcanic columnar rock joints created by Hong Kong's last large-scale
volcanic activity Volcanism, vulcanism or volcanicity is the phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava, pyroclastics, and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface called a ...
some 16.5 million to 14 million years ago crop out. With a host of volcanic rock coastal landforms, they form a comprehensive showcase of diverse and complex volcanic activities that explain Sai Kung's geological past.


Sai Kung East Country Park

Sai Kung East Country Park Sai Kung East Country Park () is a country park on the Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong, measuring . It opened in 1978 and has features including: * High Island Reservoir * High Island * Pak Tam Au * Sheung Yiu * Wong Shek Pier * Beaches of T ...
occupies a vast area of east
Sai Kung Peninsula The Sai Kung Peninsula () is a peninsula in the easternmost part of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Its name comes from Sai Kung Town in the central southern area of the peninsula. The southern part of the peninsula is administrated by Sai ...
. With the
High Island Reservoir The High Island Reservoir, located in the far south eastern part of the Sai Kung Peninsula, was opened in 1978 helping to alleviate water scarcity, water shortage problems in Hong Kong. Its water capacity is approximately 273 million cubic ...
,
High Island Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...
, Tai Long Wan,
Pak Tam Au Pak Tam Au () is an area within the Sai Kung East Country Park, on the Sai Kung Peninsula in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It is administratively under the Tai Po District. Village The small village at Pak Tam Au is said to have a history dat ...
,
Chek Keng Chek Keng () is an area and village of Sai Kung North in Hong Kong. It is administratively part of Tai Po District. Location Chek Keng is located within Sai Kung East Country Park, on the northern coast of Sai Kung Peninsula and facing the C ...
, Sheung Yiu,
Wong Shek Pier Wong Shek Pier () is a public pier on the shore of Long Harbour () in the north-east of Hong Kong's New Territories. It is situated in the Wong Shek () area of the Sai Kung Peninsula. Administratively it is in Tai Po District. The pier serves ...
and the surrounding countryside, the 4,494 hectare protected area consists of the largest number of bays and coves among all country parks in Hong Kong. Part of the Geopark is also located there.


Sai Kung West Country Park

Sai Kung East Country Park Sai Kung East Country Park () is a country park on the Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong, measuring . It opened in 1978 and has features including: * High Island Reservoir * High Island * Pak Tam Au * Sheung Yiu * Wong Shek Pier * Beaches of T ...
, including the
Sai Kung West Country Park (Wan Tsai Extension) Sai Kung West Country Park (Wan Tsai Extension) () is a country park on the Sai Kung Peninsula in northeast Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ...
, occupies a vast area of west
Sai Kung Peninsula The Sai Kung Peninsula () is a peninsula in the easternmost part of the New Territories in Hong Kong. Its name comes from Sai Kung Town in the central southern area of the peninsula. The southern part of the peninsula is administrated by Sai ...
. Old preserved villages, such as
Pak Sha O Pak Sha O () is an area and a village of Sai Kung North, in Tai Po District, Hong Kong. Administration Pak Sha O and Pak Sha O Ha Yeung () are recognized villages under the New Territories Small House Policy. History It has been reported that t ...
,
Yung Shue O Yung Shue O () is a village of Sai Kung North, in Tai Po District, Hong Kong, located near the shore of Three Fathoms Cove. Administration Fat Tau Chau is a recognized village under the New Territories Small House Policy. Features A section of ...
and
Lai Chi Chong Lai Chi Chong () is a village and an area of Hong Kong, located on the southeastern shore of Tolo Channel, and on the northern shore of the Sai Kung Peninsula, in the Eastern New Territories. Administratively, it is part of Tai Po District. Ad ...
are the places of interest.


Clear Water Bay Country Park

Clear Water Bay Country Park Clear Water Bay Country Park is a rural country park located in the New Territories of eastern Hong Kong. The park is located near the beaches in Clear Water Bay. The 6.15 square kilometre park opened on 28 September 1979 with features like: * ...
occupies the rugged terrain around
High Junk Peak High Junk Peak () is a mountain inside Clear Water Bay Country Park, Sai Kung, New Territories, Hong Kong, with a height of . Geography High Junk Peak is the highest peak in the Clear Water Bay Peninsula region. To the north lies a mountain ...
in the eastern and the western part of the Clear Water Bay Peninsula.
High Junk Peak High Junk Peak () is a mountain inside Clear Water Bay Country Park, Sai Kung, New Territories, Hong Kong, with a height of . Geography High Junk Peak is the highest peak in the Clear Water Bay Peninsula region. To the north lies a mountain ...
, one of the
Three Sharp Peaks of Hong Kong The Three Sharp Peaks of Hong Kong () are a collection of three peaks that Hong Kong hikers deem as very challenging to summit because of loose rocks and steep inclination. The peaks are Castle Peak (583m) in Tuen Mun, Sharp Peak (468m) in Sai K ...
, is a top attraction in the country park.


Beaches

Sai Kung has some of the cleanest beaches in Hong Kong, including: *
Clear Water Bay First Beach Clear Water Bay First Beach is a gazetted beach located in the northern part of Clear Water Bay in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, Sai Kung District, Hong Kong. The beach has barbecue pits and is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Departm ...
* Clear Water Bay Second Beach * Long Ke Wan *
Silverstrand Beach The Silverstrand Beach () is small narrow beach located in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, Sai Kung, Hong Kong. Management Like many other beaches in Hong Kong, it is managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. A wide range of facilities ...
* Tai Long Wan


Islands

On summer nights, many people hire small boats known as '' kaitos'' or '' sampan'', some to catch
cuttlefish Cuttlefish or cuttles are marine molluscs of the order Sepiida. They belong to the class Cephalopoda which also includes squid, octopuses, and nautiluses. Cuttlefish have a unique internal shell, the cuttlebone, which is used for control of ...
which is a popular pastime for local residents, others for leisurely trips through the island-dotted inland sea of
Port Shelter Port Shelter, known in Cantonese as Ngau Mei Hoi (), is a harbour south of Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong. The water body connects to Inner Port Shelter (known in Cantonese as Sai Kung Hoi; ), as well as Hebe Haven (), Rocky Harbour () and o ...
. Islands in the area include: *
Kau Sai Chau Kau Sai Chau is an island located off the coast of Sai Kung Peninsula, Hong Kong, with an area of 6.70km², making it the 6th largest island of Hong Kong. It is under the administration of Sai Kung District. The island was formerly known ...
*
Kiu Tsui Chau Sharp Island or Kiu Tsui Chau () is the largest island in the Kiu Tsui Country Park located at Port Shelter of Sai Kung Peninsula, Sai Kung, Hong Kong. The area is most known for fishing, swimming as well as diving. Sharp Island is under the a ...
(Sharp Island) * Leung Shuen Wan Chau (High Island) * Pak Sha Chau (White Sand Island) * Yeung Chau (Sheep Island) * Yim Tin Tsai (Little Salt Field) The large island of Kau Sai Chau is the location for a public
golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". Th ...
developed and run by the
Hong Kong Jockey Club The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, having been founded in 1884. In 1959, it was granted a Royal Charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (). The institution reverted to its original name ...
.


Local and tourist attractions

There are numerous cultural sites, heritage sites and country parks in the Sai Kung peninsula, such as: *
Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark (), formerly Hong Kong National Geopark (香港國家地質公園), was inaugurated on 3 November 2009. It is a single entity of land area over 150 km2 across parts of the eastern and northeastern New Territo ...
(香港聯合國教科文組織世界地質公園) *
Sheung Yiu Folk Museum Sheung Yiu Folk Museum is housed in Sheung Yiu Village (), a declared monument of Hong Kong, on Pak Tam Chung Nature Trail, Sai Kung District, Hong Kong. ''Sheung Yiu'' means "above the kiln" in Chinese. History Sheung Yiu Village (; Hon ...
(), located in a former
Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...
village * Memorial Monuments for Sai Kung Martyrs During World War II () *
Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre Sai or SAI may refer to: Companies * Science Applications Incorporated, original name of Leidos * ICAO designator for Shaheen Air, a Pakistani airline * Skandinavisk Aero Industri, a former Danish aeroplane manufacturer * Software Architects, Inc ...
() *
Lions Nature Education Centre Lions Nature Education Centre is a facility situated on of land to the east of Hiram's Highway near Sai Kung Town, Hong Kong used for the purposes of public education, recreation, nature conservation and scientific studies. The centre include ...
() *
Sai Kung East Country Park Sai Kung East Country Park () is a country park on the Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong, measuring . It opened in 1978 and has features including: * High Island Reservoir * High Island * Pak Tam Au * Sheung Yiu * Wong Shek Pier * Beaches of T ...
() *
Sai Kung West Country Park Sai Kung West Country Park () is a country park on the Sai Kung Peninsula in northeast Hong Kong. Opened in 1978 the park's sights include: * Wong Chuk Wan () * Tai Mong Tsai () * Pak Tam Chung * Yung Shue O * Lai Chi Chong * Hoi Ha Mar ...
() *
Clear Water Bay Country Park Clear Water Bay Country Park is a rural country park located in the New Territories of eastern Hong Kong. The park is located near the beaches in Clear Water Bay. The 6.15 square kilometre park opened on 28 September 1979 with features like: * ...
() *
Che Kung Temple Che Kung Miu (), also called Che Kung Temple, are temples dedicated to Che Kung, who was a general during the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279) in imperial China. He is believed by some worshipers to have been involved in the attempt to ...
at
Ho Chung Ho Chung () is a village on the Sai Kung Peninsula in Hong Kong. The Ho Chung River () runs through the village. Administration Ho Chung is a recognized village under the New Territories Small House Policy. History A Neolithic stone-working si ...
() *
Tin Hau Temple, Joss House Bay The Tin Hau Temple in Joss House Bay, sometimes referred to as Tai Miu,Jin Island Jin Island or Tiu Chung Chau () is an island in the Port Shelter, the New Territories, Hong Kong. Administratively it is part of the Sai Kung District. Geography Jin Island is located south of the larger island of Kau Sai Chau, from which it ...
(or Tiu Chung Chau, ) * Leung Shuen Wan Tin Hau Temple () *
High Island Reservoir The High Island Reservoir, located in the far south eastern part of the Sai Kung Peninsula, was opened in 1978 helping to alleviate water scarcity, water shortage problems in Hong Kong. Its water capacity is approximately 273 million cubic ...
() *
Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course, located on the picturesque island of Kau Sai Chau off the coast of Sai Kung Peninsula just 15 kilometers away from Hong Kong's Central business district, CBD, is the only public golf course in Hong Kon ...
() * Yim Tin Tsai Village and St. Joseph's Chapel () The town centre of
Sai Kung Sai Kung may refer to: * Sai Kung Town, or just Sai Kung, a town and administrative area in the Sai Kung District, Hong Kong * Sai Kung Peninsula, a peninsula in Hong Kong * Sai Kung District, an administrative district in Hong Kong, which does no ...
has a high concentration of seafood restaurants which attract many tourists. In addition, there are golf courses and
nature trails A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. T ...
. There is a golf driving range center in Ho Chung. In recent years, the government has invested heavily in Sai Kung, with improvements being made to the town seafront, such as the Waterfront Park. An attractive mix of small boutique-style shops has sprung up as well, due to a sizeable expat population and increasing numbers of local visitors, selling everything from secondhand books to cat-themed accessories, and alternative lifestyle stores that offer items like surfboards, candles, incense, seashells, etc.


Transport

The MTR system's
Tseung Kwan O line The Tseung Kwan O line is one of the eleven lines of the MTR system in Hong Kong, indicated by the colour purple. It is currently long, taking 15 minutes to travel throughout the entire line. The line runs from North Point on the Hong Kong I ...
currently has five stations in
Tseung Kwan O New Town Tseung Kwan O New Town is one of the nine New towns of Hong Kong, new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on Land reclamation in Hong Kong, reclaimed land in the northern half of Junk Bay (known as Tseung Kwan O in Chinese language, Chinese/Canto ...
. The new town is also served by a comprehensive bus network that connects it to
Kowloon Kowloon () is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. With a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of in 2006, it is the most populous area in Hong Kong, compared with Hong Kong Island and t ...
via several main roads including
Tseung Kwan O Tunnel Tseung Kwan O Tunnel () is a 900-metre tunnel beneath Ma Yau Tong in Hong Kong. The tunnel was opened on 9 November 1990. Part of Route 7, it links Sau Mau Ping, Kwun Tong, Kowloon and the Tseung Kwan O New Town, Sai Kung District, the New Te ...
and
Po Lam Road Po or PO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Po (Kung Fu Panda), the protagonist of the ''Kung Fu Panda'' franchise * Po, one of the titular ''Teletubbies'' * Po, a character in the novel ''Graceling'' by Kristin Cashore ...
. Hang Hau Road and Ying Yip Road link Tseung Kwan O with
Sai Kung Town Sai Kung Town () or simply Sai Kung () is a town on the Sai Kung Peninsula, facing Sai Kung Hoi (Inner Port Shelter), part of Sai Kung District in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Sai Kung is the central hub of nearby surrounding villages, and ...
and
Clear Water Bay Clear Water Bay () is a bay on the eastern shore of Clear Water Bay Peninsula of Hong Kong, located within Clear Water Bay Country Park. There are two beaches at Clear Water Bay: " Clear Water Bay First Beach" and "Clear Water Bay Second Beach" ...
. The nearest MTR station to Sai Kung Town is
Hang Hau Hang Hau () is a residential area in Tseung Kwan O, Sai Kung District, Sai Kung, New Territories, Hong Kong. It is located at the eastern edge of the Tseung Kwan O New Town. Most of the land was Land reclamation in Hong Kong, reclaimed from Ha ...
. Some isolated parts of Sai Kung Peninsula have no road access and can only be reached on foot or by boat. Where a destination is accessible by public transport, it is usually served via a network of
bus routes A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...
,
public light buses The public light bus or minibus is a public transport service in Hong Kong. It uses minibuses to serve areas that standard Hong Kong bus lines cannot reach efficiently. The vehicles are colloquially known by the code-switch ' (Van Jái) lite ...
(i.e. minibuses) and
taxis A taxis (; ) is the movement of an organism in response to a stimulus such as light or the presence of food. Taxes are innate behavioural responses. A taxis differs from a tropism (turning response, often growth towards or away from a stim ...
.


Education

The education in the Sai Kung District is administrated by the
Education Bureau The Education Bureau (EDB) is responsible for formulating and implementing education policies in Hong Kong. The bureau is headed by the Secretary for Education and oversees agencies including University Grants Committee and Student Fina ...
and not administrated by Sai Kung District Office. The latter is a division of
Home Affairs Department The Home Affairs Department is an executive agency in the government of Hong Kong responsible for internal affairs of the territory. It reports to the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, headed by the Secretary for Home Affairs. Purpose The D ...
instead. The Education Bureau has its own zoning scheme. For example, Primary One Admission School Net no.95, covers the whole Sai Kung District, as well as Sai Kung North which is part of
Tai Po District Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The suburban district covers the areas of Tai Po New Town (including areas such as Tai Po Market, , Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Wo Estate), Tai Po Tau, Tai Po Kau, Hong Lok Yuen, Ti ...
. The
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a public research university in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, New Territories, Hong Kong. Founded in 1991 by the British Hong Kong Government, it was the territory's third institution ...
, one of the eight publicly funded tertiary institutions in Hong Kong, is located in
Clear Water Bay Road Clear Water Bay Road () is a major road from Choi Hung Interchange in Ngau Chi Wan to Clear Water Bay, Sai Kung District. It also is a route to Sai Kung Town and Tseung Kwan O via Hiram's Highway and Hang Hau Road / Ying Yip Road respecti ...
, Sai Kung District. The
Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education The Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) is one of the member institutions of the Vocational Training Council (VTC) offering vocational education to post-secondary students in Hong Kong through its nine campi located across the ter ...
has in
Tiu Keng Leng Tiu Keng Leng (), formerly Rennie's Mill, is an area of Hong Kong in the Sai Kung District adjacent to Tseung Kwan O (Junk Bay). The area used to be a refugee village housing former Kuomintang officials and followers who escaped to Hong Kong f ...
,
Tseung Kwan O Tseung Kwan O New Town is one of the nine new towns in Hong Kong, built mainly on reclaimed land in the northern half of Junk Bay (known as Tseung Kwan O in Chinese/Cantonese language) in southeastern New Territories, after which it is named. ...
. The Hong Kong Design Institute is next to the IVE Tiu Keng Leng campus.


Miscellaneous

* The northern half of Sai Kung Peninsula belongs to nearby
Tai Po District Tai Po District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. The suburban district covers the areas of Tai Po New Town (including areas such as Tai Po Market, , Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Wo Estate), Tai Po Tau, Tai Po Kau, Hong Lok Yuen, Ti ...
, and not Sai Kung District. This is because communities in the northern half of Sai Kung Peninsula used to be more connected to
Tai Po Tai Po is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It refers to the vicinity of the traditional market towns in the area presently known as Tai Po Old Market or Tai Po Kau Hui () (the original "Tai Po Market") on the north of Lam Tsu ...
via ''
kai-to The kai-to, sometimes kaito or kaido () is a type of small, motorised ferry that operates in Hong Kong. They are usually used to serve remote coastal settlements in the territory's outlying islands.: "Cargo junks of the type still known as k ...
'' sea transport before roads were built leading into this area in the 20th century. * Coincidentally, the
Chinese characters Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as ''kanji' ...
"西貢" for ''Sai Kung'' are also the
Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia ** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam. * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overse ...
Chu nom Chu or CHU may refer to: Chinese history * Chu (state) (c. 1030 BC–223 BC), a state during the Zhou dynasty * Western Chu (206 BC–202 BC), a state founded and ruled by Xiang Yu * Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty) (201 BC–70 AD), a kingdom of the H ...
characters for the name ''Saigon'' (now called
Ho Chi Minh City , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...
), a major city in
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. However, there is also a street called Saigon Street (西貢街) named after the Vietnamese city, not Sai Kung.


Media

Sai Kung District is served by '' Sai Kung Magazine'', a free-distribution English language monthly magazine and the community websit
Saikung.com
The magazine covers the areas of Sai Kung Town, Clear Water Bay, Pak Sha Wan and Ma On Shan.


See also

*
Beaches of Hong Kong Hong Kong has a long coastline that is full of twists and turns with many bays and beaches. Many of them are well sheltered by mountains nearby, as Hong Kong is a mountainous place. As a result, large waves seldom appear at the bays, making the ...
*
Conservation in Hong Kong Out of the total 1,092 km2 of Hong Kong land, three-quarters is countryside, with various landscapes including beaches, woodlands, and mountain ranges being found within the small territory. Most of Hong Kong's parks have abundant natural di ...
*
List of places in Hong Kong The following is a list of areashttp://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/MusicOffice/download/imts18.pdf of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Island * Central and Western District ** Central District ***Admiralty **Mid-Levels ***Soho **Sai Wan ***Kennedy ...


References


External links

{{Districts of Hong Kong New Territories