Photo credit: @willcho (via Instagram)
3 Ma Shi Chau Nature Trail
Ma Shi Chau, interestingly meaning “Horse Manure Island” in Cantonese, sits along the Tolo Harbour between Tai Mei Tuk and Ma On Shan, and is protected as part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark due to its 280 million year-old rocks from the Permian period—the second oldest in Hong Kong.
From Tai Po Market MTR station, take exit A3, hop onto minibus 20K at the terminus, and alight at the final stop, Sam Mun Tsai New Village. From this point on, you’ll have to walk through the village and into Ma Shi Chau. This part of the hike is well signposted and will only take about 30 minutes; there are also sections of stairs involved, but nothing too strenuous.
The Ma Shi Chau Nature Trail proper begins at the tombolo connecting to the island. It can’t be easier to follow this 1.5-kilometre trail as it wends around the southeastern shore as the trail is completely flat with rest points along the way. You could definitely stay on the path, but we’d recommend wandering out onto the shoreline every now and then to admire the little beaches and see the ancient rock formations for yourself.
To return, simply retrace your steps to Sam Mun Tsai and catch minibus 20K or bus 74K. Alternatively, you could try to catch a kaito boat from the tombolo on weekends, which will bring you to Tai Mei Tuk.