District Highlights

Sheung Yiu Folk Museum

Situated in the scenic area of Pak Tam Chung, Sai Kung, the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum was originally a Hakka village established by a Wong clan in the late 19th century. Sheung Yiu Village and its neighbouring lime kiln were gazetted as monuments in 1981. After restoration, the village was opened as a museum in 1984. It displays various farm implements and daily objects used by the Hakka people to recreate the rural life of Sheung Yiu Village in its heyday.

The Memorial Monument for Sai Kung Martyrs during World War II (the Monument) is situated beside Tai Mong Tsai Road in Tsam Chuk Wan, Sai Kung.  The construction began on 29 March 1988 and the Monument was unveiled on 23 January 1989^[1].

Funded by donations raised by a group of veterans of the Hong Kong Independent Battalion of the Dongjiang Column and residents in Sai Kung, the creation of the Monument is dedicated to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Hong Kong and the Motherland during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.  The title inscribed on the Monument bears the calligraphy of Tsang Sang, former Commander of the Dongjiang Column.  Other commemorative monuments include a “Pai Lau” (memorial archway), a memorial pavilion for the martyrs, stone tablets, etc. the Monument is surrounded by stone railings that form an arch.  The stone railings consist of 13 stone sculptures resembling flaming torches and adorned with 14 small stone lions in various poses, giving the structure a majestic presence.  The front of the Monument is embedded with gravestone inscriptions recounting the three years and eight months of resistance against Japanese invasion by the guerrilla force of the Hong Kong Independent Battalion.  Upholding righteousness, the guerrilla force not only fought bravely and defeated the villains and enemies, but also successfully rescued cultural talents and supported the allies during the war.  Their glorious achievements have been and will always be praised and remembered^[2].

On 1 September 2020, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China announced that the Monument was incorporated into the “List of State Facilities and Sites Marking the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression” (the third of its kind).


References:
 

1. “The Memorial Monument for Sai Kung Martyrs during World War II in Tsam Chuk Wan made it on the list”, (2020), Wen Wei Po, Sept 4.
2. Lau, C. P. & Liu, S. Y. (2022), The chronicles of the Hong Kong Independent Battalion, The Commercial Press, pp. 186-188.

Memorial Monuments for Sai Kung Martyrs During World War II

Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre

Situated among the beautiful surroundings of the Tui Min Hoi area in Sai Kung, the Centre offers a perfect, tranquil sanctuary to urban dwellers and provides numerous recreational and sports facilities, including a swimming pool, basketball courts, a roller-skating rink, BBQ sites and a children's play area, etc.

The Centre is situated on the east of Hiram's Highway near Sai Kung Town. Comprising 34 hectares of land, it is Hong Kong's first nature education center. The center also includes many informative and attractive field and outdoor display areas, such as an arboretum, a rocks and mineral garden, a medicinal plants garden, a demonstration tree nursery, an insectarium and a shell house, etc. The Centre is widely used for the purposes of public education, recreation, nature conservation and scientific studies.

Lions Nature Education Centre

Sai Kung Country Parks

Most of the land surface of the Sai Kung Peninsula, except the village areas, is covered by two country parks, namely the Sai Kung East Country Park and the Sai Kung West Country Park, with total area of about 7500 hectares.

The most popular places in the parks are Wong Chuk Wan, Tai Mong Tsai, Pak Tam Chung, Sai Wan and Wong Shek Pier. The picturesque Cheung Sheung Plateau is a favourite spot for hikers and campers.

The Hong Kong University of Science and technology was incorporated in April 1988, and opened in October 1991, as a technological university dedicated to the advancement of learning and scholarship, with special emphasis on research, postgraduate education and close collaboration with business and industry. Attractive scenic spots include the Mushroom Window, Grand Atrium and Sundial.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Tin Hau Temple at Fat Tong Mun

The Tin Hau Temple, dedicated to Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea, faces Joss House Bay within the inner waters of the Fat Tong Mun Channel. Although it is not known when the temple was first built, it is certainly one of the oldest in Hong Kong and is extremely popular. Thousands of worshippers flock to pay tribute during the Tin Hau Festival which takes place on every 2 March in the lunar calendar.

The Sai Kung Peninsula and the islands near the coast are almost composed entirely of volcanic materials. Acid lavas are found in the area surrounding the High Island Reservoir and the southern islands such as Jin Island. Because of exposure to the easterly winds and sea waves, interesting landforms such as sea caves, stacks, arches and inlets add to the natural landscape of Jin Island.

Jin Island (Tiu Chung Chau)

Leung Shuen Wan Tin Hau Temple

Leung Shuen Wan mainly consisted of 3 villages: Tung A, Pak A and Pak Lap Villages. In ancient times, Leung Shuen Wan was believed to be a military warehouse. Today, it had become a designated fish culture zone with several seafood restaurants along the shore to cater delicious food for travellers. The temple was built by fishermen to worship the Goddess of the Sea. Nowadays, thousands of worshippers visit the Tin Hau Temple to pray for bountiful catches and protection from storms and shipwreck's.

The High Island Reservoir, the largest in Hong Kong, with a storage capacity of 281.1 million cubic metres, was carved out of the sea by damming the two ends of a narrow channel between High Island and the mainland peninsula of Sai Kung. The construction of the High Island Reservoir has added to the beauty and variety of the scenery of Sai Kung, especially the eastern dam, with its dolosse-unit cofferdam, being in itself unique.

High Island Reservoir

Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course

Situated in the northern part of Kau Sai Island, the 158-hectare Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course was developed and is managed by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. There are two 18-hole golf courses, a club house, a driving range and practice facilities including a golf instruction academy. Scheduled ferry services between the Sai Kung pier and Kau Sai Chau are provided for public visitors.

The ancestors of Yim Tin Tsai Village had settled in Yim Tin 300 years ago. Once the village population reached its pinnacle of 500 persons. Nowadays, most of them have already emigrated to Britain. Catholic missionaries started preaching and built the chapel in Yim Tin Tsai 150 Years ago, a benchmark of the early development of the catholic religion in Hong Kong.

Yim Tin Tsai Village and St. Joseph's Chapel

The Hong Kong Velodrome

The Hong Kong Velodrome is the first-ever local indoor cycling facility that meets the standards of the International Cycling Union. It serves as the local training base for the Hong Kong Cycling Team where they can receive regular and quality training. The velodrome has one 250-metre wooden cycling track with supporting facilities suitable for hosting international competitions. The multi-use arena in the infield area at track level can be converted into two basketball courts, two volleyball courts or eight badminton courts. Other ancillary facilities include an activity room, a dance room, a table-tennis room, a fitness room and a children's playroom. Apart from enabling the public to enjoy indoor sports and ball games, the facilities can also be used for staging other major non-sports events. The outdoor recreational facilities consist of both active and passive elements. Its active recreational facilities include a skateboard park, an outdoor climbing wall, a jogging track, fitness corners and a children’s play area, while its passive leisure facilities include an open-air amphitheatre, an artificial lake, a model boat pool, a lawn area and a landscaped terrace.