Photo credit: @kla6.traveller (via Instagram)
⇨ Tombolos
No, we’re not talking about the lottery game—a tombolo (as opposed to a tombola)—is a natural bridge made from sediment deposited by sea currents, which typically connects an island or islet to the mainland. There are a few tombolos in Hong Kong (for example, the one connecting Cheung Chau North and South), but the most famous one is on Sharp Island, whose crystal-clear waters and large coral colony are only a quick kaito trip away from Sai Kung Pier.
The tombolo, which is covered in quartz monzonite boulders nicknamed “pineapple buns” for their crackled appearance, connects Sharp Island’s Kiu Tsui Beach to Kiu Tau, a picturesque little islet with a mini hiking trail and lighthouse. You can find another tombolo at the unfortunately-named but similarly stunning Ma Shi Chau (馬屎洲; Horse Dung Island), which also features a “Permian rock garden” that dates back over 280 million years—not just pre-historic, but pre-Jurassic. Click here
for more information on how to get to Ma Shi Chau.
Do note that both tombolos are only accessible when the tide is low, so just keep an eye on the water level to avoid getting stranded! (Those crackly pineapple buns are a lot less cute when you’re trying to walk across them in bare feet.)