Kam Shan Country Park — Attraction in Hong Kong

Kam Shan is a 339 hectare country park situated north of Tai Po Road and Route 9, linking the Lion Rock Country Park in the south to Shing Mun Country Park to the north. The park is nicely located in this rural boundary area between Kowloon and the New Territories and is rather convenient to visit from most places around Hong Kong.

The Kam Shan Country Park is probably most famous for the large population of macaques that make the area their home. Locals call the park Monkey Hill given the numbers you are likely to encounter while here. Interestingly, some report bad experiences with the macaques. However, they have never bothered us if I'm to be honest. We at times stop to take pictures of them but don't handle food around macaques or even plastic bags for that matter. From what I've experienced and seen, if you follow the mandate guidance and signs posted around the park (don't feed them, don't carry plastic bags, don't stare at the macaques and don't try to get too close), you won't likely have any trouble and will enjoy seeing the macaques playing, climbing trees and doing cheeky monkey deeds.

Do note: You are advised to not eat while the macaques are around - which is pretty much always in Kam Shan. As such, the many picnic spots you will see along Golden Hill Road are rather useless as picnic stops due to the ever present macaques. In this regard, this is a one of the country parks, that is not advisable to have picnics. If that is your priority, hike in another park, if seeing macaques is what you want, you are in the right place. Just forget the picnic if that was in your plans.

Kam Shan Country Park is also where you find a small cluster of reservoirs, amongst the very first to be constructed in the New Territories. These include Kowloon (1910), Shek Lei Pui (1925), Kowloon Reception (1926) and Kowloon Byewash (1931) Reservoirs all in relatively close proximity in the southern section of the park. The main Kowloon Reservoir also includes 5 historic structures that are Declared Monuments here in Hong Kong. These include the Main Dam, Main Dam Valve House, Spillway Dam, Spillway Dam Recorder House and the Recorder House, all constructed in 1910.

Important hikes through Kam Shan Country Park start with the MacLehose Trail Section #6 which cuts straight up the centre of the park from south to north. The trail follows the Golden Hill Road for quite a distance before becoming a nature trail that skirts along what is known as Smuggler's Pass and the old Gin Drinker's Line, where key military defensive positions where established before WWII and the Japanese invasion. At the north end of the park, there is a short Shing Mun War Relics trail merges with the MacLehose Trail Section #6 that allows you to see 8 or 9 or these old relics which remain in relatively good condition to this day.

The Wilson Trail Section #6 also makes an appearance in Kam Shan Country Park, taking in the north banks of the Kowloon Reservoir and linking up with the Kam Shan Family Walk trail before continuing north through the Smuggler's Pass until reaching the Shing Mun Reservoir Dam.

There are a couple of short popular hikes within the park as well. These include the previously mentioned Kam Shan Family Walk which skirts through the forest adjacent to Golden Hill Road. This offers an alternative to walking on pavement and is flat, easy and family-friendly. A similar Kam Shan Tree Walk can be found starting just north of the Kowloon Reservoir Dam. This 800 metre hike takes you through the forest north of the Byewash Reservoir and includes numerous tree species (with panel signs). The trail then passes the southeast corner of the Kowloon Reception Reservoir and crosses the Byewash Reservoir Dam before linking up with Tai Po Road.

Overall, the Kam Shan Country Park (Monkey Hill) is a fun place to visit from time to time if you want to see macaques freely roaming in Hong Kong. The hikes through the park are fine, they are not particularly challenging nor cover particularly long distances. It is a fair country park for half...

Kam Shan Country Park is a popular hiking destination in Hong Kong. It is located in the New Territories, and is known for its lush greenery, scenic lakes, and playful monkeys. The park has a number of stunning views of the surrounding area.

Here are some of the things that I liked about Kam Shan Country Park:

The scenery is beautiful. The park is home to a variety of plants and animals, including the Chinese water dragon, the common kingfisher, and the rhesus macaque. There are a number of picnic and barbecue areas, making it a great place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. The monkeys are a highlight of the park. They are playful and inquisitive, and they often come up to visitors to beg for food. Here are some tips for visiting Kam Shan Country Park:

Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks, as there are no food or drink vendors in the park. Obey the signs and do not feed the monkeys. They can become aggressive if they are fed, and they may steal your food or belongings. Be aware of your surroundings, The monkeys are known to climb trees, and they may come down to the ground if they feel threatened. Overall, I had a great time at Kam Shan Country Park. It is a beautiful and peaceful place to enjoy the outdoors, and the monkeys are a real treat. I would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Hong Kong.

Here are some additional things to know about Kam Shan Country Park:

There is a bus stop located near the park entrance. The bus number is 72. The nearest MTR station is Cheung Sha Wan Station. From there, you can take bus number 72...

While some pay this park a visit for its water and greenery, many go for its permanent inhabitants, the ubiquitous monkeys and the occasional wild boars. If you like to be close, to be really close to monkeys, you must come to this park. It is not often that we get to see our closest primate relative unless we go to a zoo. It would, however, be done through a cage, through wired meshes. What strikes the heart of us, the observers, is the captivity and confinement these monkeys have to endure. In Kam Shan, it's a totally different world. Every monkey is free to roam, to forage and to, well, observe us humans. I took quite a number of photos, of monkeys grooming their kind, of monkeys chasing each other as if in courtship, and of monkeys swaying from tree branch to tree branch. What acrobatics! I suggest you bring along a telephoto lens to capture the amazing faces of monkeys. What struck me most was their eyes. They were so full of expressions and emotions, even more than those of humans. The most common emotion I sensed was one of forlorn and melancholy. I don't know the reason why monkeys emit such an emotion with their eyes and face. Could it be despite having a brain which may be as good as ours, they feel trapped in their monkey body, lacking the complex language to articulate their thoughts and feelings? Anyway, I was lucky to have the sun behind the monkeys in many of my photos so their golden fur...