And then it was like we were teenagers again, taking our bicycles to the creek with our friends and weaving through the trees singing songs from the nineties…

Distance: 8km

Duration: 1.5-2 hours

Difficulty: SUPER EASY

Scroll down for complete details on getting a bicycle, route map, food options, etc.

https://soundcloud.com/interscope/01-im-like-a-bird

Hong Kong is full of surprises

I’m the kind of person who always wants to try something new, and take full advantage of my weekends as much as possible. Last Saturday was one of those more rewarding adventures (sometimes they can go horribly wrong) – because the Nam Sang Wai circuit is one of the most beautiful and relaxing areas of Hong Kong I’ve ever seen. 

Adrian (on the left, waving) said it reminded him of his hometown in Poland

It’s only a short 8 kilometre circular route starting and ending at the MTR Yuen Long Station – how convenient could it be? It wasn’t too sunny when we went, so luckily there weren’t too many people doing the circuit. There were a few bridal shoots happening along the route, but nothing obstructive. And thankfully it didn’t rain!

Nam Sang Wai cycle route map

Starting Point: MTR Yuen Long Station, Exit B.

Bike Rental: Tin Fung Bicycle Company, Shop B, G/F, Lee Kwan Building, 37 On lok Road, Yuen Long http://www.yl.hk/ad/3808/

The bicycle shop is just a 3 minute walk from the station, across the street

The one on the left offers cheaper bikes but the one on the right offers proper mountain biking equipment…

We followed these signs that took us to the wetlands

We had earlier panicked because we thought we’d have to cycle all the way back around to start the trail, but then this guy helped us…

Don’t forget to hold the bike’s brakes on the boat…

And off we go… taking the bicycles across the water

I didn’t have a proper camera so unfortunately couldn’t capture the birds but there were so many on the shallow waters!

Aurora (my Mexican friend) and I just hanging out by the creek

1. the shoreline of Ha Pak Nai : “at the edge of the water looking across the bay to Mainland China, memorializing the breathtaking sunset as the day’s departing rays bathe the mangroves, fish ponds and sandy flats in a warm glow”
2. Kat Hing Wai Walled Village: “Just outside the town of Yuen Long lies an old walled village, still inhabited by the descendents of those who once built these walls to protect themselves from rival clans, bandits, pirates — even tigers, who once prowled the area.”
3. Mai Po Nature Reserve: “Every winter, around 90,000 migratory birds take refuge in the marshes and mudflats of the internationally acclaimed Mai Po Nature Reserve. Of the 380 species of birds that inhabit the reserve, 35 are of global conservation concern including the Saunders’s Gull and the Black-faced Spoonbill. Other critters such as otters, fiddler crabs and mudskippers also call the area home.”

that day’s team – we felt like we were in Dawnson’s Creek

The wetlands and salt marshes of Nam Sang Wai: The mangrove-clad shores of the Kam Tin River and the abandoned fish farms are ripe feeding grounds for an abundance of birdlife. If you spend enough time sitting quietly here, particularly if you visit during the migration season (late autumn to early spring) you might see Grey Herons, Black Kites, Great Cormorants or Black-faced Spoonbills

Where to eat