How to hike Tai Lam Chung Reservoir

If you fancy exploring a natural world that most folks don’t even know about within Hong Kong, then a day trip to Tai Lam Chung Reservoir might be in order. Located in the hills between Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun, it is a region as unknown as it is remote. However, the area is easily accessible via public transport and totally worth the effort to reach. Life moves at a different pace at Tai Lam Chung and the locals are as relaxed as they come in Hong Kong.

Read more: Best hikes in Hong Kong

How to get there

The simplest way in (other than driving) is to head into the western New Territoires on the MTR West Rail Line (purple), disembarking at Tuen Mun Station. From there, ride the number 43 minibus, which departs roughly every 20 minutes, or catch a taxi to So Kwun Wat Tsuen. Hop off the bus at the end of its route and continue along the sealed road in a northerly direction.

Start at Tai Lam Chung Reservoir

Passing through tranquil surroundings and a few small farms, you’ll soon climb up to Tai Lam Chung Reservoir. Built in 1957, the reservoir is often referred to as “the lakes of a thousand islands”. Once an open valley with many small hills, now flooded, it has created a stunning freshwater archipelago that sets it apart from all other reservoirs in Hong Kong. These lakes became the focal point of Tai Lam Country Park upon the park’s creation in 1979 and the shores serve as a good starting point for many different walking routes. The easiest of these circumnavigates the reservoir and provides a scenic stroll, suitable for families. Simply follow the MacLehose Trail Stage 10 and return via the route to So Kwun Wat, or finish in the nearby village of Tai Lam Chung Tsuen.

Read more: How to hike from The Peak to Aberdeen Reservoirs

Tai Lam Country Park

For those who fancy more of a challenge, there are various trails up and over the surrounding hillsides, offering stunning vistas over Tai Lam Country Park and across the sea to Lantau in the south. Additionally, there are a few watercourses flowing into the reservoir that feature small waterfalls, worth checking out. 

Walking around the lake can take anywhere from one hour to an entire day depending on your route. Marvel at your surroundings, once a park of Hong Kong that suffered from a lot of erosion, the last five decades have seen the area transformed amid mass afforestation.

Return travel is fairly simple, more or less the same way as when you came in from So Kwun Wat. Unless you complete the route all the way around the lake, in which case you can find transport at Tai Lam Chung village to Tuen Mun or the Hong Kong Gold Coast.

Rory Mackay is the founder of adventure company Wild Hong Kong.