Grass Island — Local services in Hong Kong

Tap Mun (Grass Island) is an island located just north of the Sai Kung West Country Park that makes for a popular day trip and overnight wild camping location for Hongkongers. It is relatively small at 1.7 square kilometres and is known for its grassy hilltop (hence the name) and numerous ferrel cows that share the island with visitors and those who reside here.

Historically, the island has been habited since at least the mid 16th century. At its height there were likely 2000 residents, mostly tanka fisherfolks. Like most remote villages on the outlying islands of Hong Kong, those numbers dwindled to a spartan few towards the end of the 20th century, as youth opted to move to the city or abroad in search of better living conditions. Today it is estimated that around 100 people continue to reside here at Tap Mun.

To visit Tap Mun, most take daily ferries from the Ma Liu Shui ferry terminus at Science Park (1.5 hour one way) or the nearby Wong Shek Pier (15 minutes one way). Check the schedule online for exact sailing times before setting off to visit Tap Mun.

Upon arrival at the main ferry pier at Tap Mun, visitors will find public toilets and a few casual eateries and restaurants at the Old Fisherman's Village. Just to the south is a New Fisherman's Village where there are a few more places to eat. Otherwise, few options for food and drink provisions on Tap Mun so best to pack what you need prior to making your trip to the island.

Sightseeing around Tap Mun includes a roughly 1 hour long loop trail which circles the southern tip of the island. It passes by the 400 year old Tin Hau Temple at the Old Fisherman's Village, the grassy hilltops and gentle sloops that overlook the the western and southern coast. This is a very popular area for wild camping, particularly on weekends and public holidays.

There are a few pavilion rest stops along or near the main trail as well as a few interesting geological features for visitors to enjoy. These include the Balanced Rock and the Tap Mun Cave both accessible along the boulder and pebble beach just below the main trail.

Another popular geological land formation to find is Long Keng Kan (Neck of the Dragon) found at the end of the informal trail north of the Hilltop Pavilion. This beautiful natural landmark is accessible by way of rope repelling down the step wooded hillside. There are rewarding views of the sea and other outlying islands to the north and east from this location and along the trail. They rival the very good views found along the main loop trail to the south.

Overall, Tap Mun is a neat place to visit if you've done the rounds of island trips around Hong Kong and are looking for somewhere different to spend half a day. There is a nice mix of heritage, history, geology and natural beauty to enjoy and while time consuming to visit from the city, everything is pretty straightforward and easy to experience once...

A nice place for an individual or family outing. It can be accessed via ferry from Wong Shek Pier or Ma Liu Shui. Private speedboats also serve the area. The island has a circular trail that covers its southern portion. The trail treats one to amazing views of crashing waves, a balanced rock formation, a rocky beach, and lush vegetation. There's also a plain area popular for camping and kite flying.

A herd of feral cattle lives on the island as well, whose wellbeing must be the first priority when visiting. This herd suffered from starvation because of overtourism, as large numbers of campers and hikers trampled and killed the naturally occurring grass, which used to be their food source. As a result, a conservation group had to step in and artificially supplement the food supply by bringing in grass from elsewhere. They've also installed solar powered irrigation systems to help the grass grow. The herd still appears emaciated though. When visiting, tourists need to be careful about walking on the grass, erecting tents, or doing BBQs on it, to avoid destroying the already strained food source...

Grass island is a place where some Fishers lived in. You can find out their living style between the temples, cattle and also the yummy traditional seafood～ It is shame that there is NO Tai-O House. The fried Rice with sea ​​Urchin , and home-made sweet Tofu Pudding in 新惠和 are highly recommend. OR you might bring some picnic foods , camera and tent, then enjoy the spectacular ocean view～Starry Night ～As its' name, there is an extensive grassland. Actually it is Sai Kung area, BUT you can get on ferry which is from the Pier...