5th September 2026 – (Hong Kong) The High Island Geo Trail – Po Pin Chau Section in Sai Kung East Country Park began its trial real‑name booking today, introducing time‑slotted entry between 9.00am and 5.00pm while keeping other hours open without reservations. The daily cap is set at 2,000 visitors. According to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, bookings for two early slots were filled, with staff and police regulating flows and traffic at the entrance and an on‑site enquiry counter to assist visitors. The department said initial feedback on the system was positive and a review will follow the trial period.
Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Mickey Lai Kin‑ming said around 1,500 reservations were made for the day against the 2,000 limit. By 10.10am, 144 people had gone up the trail, slightly below the tally suggested by bookings, enabling some unused quotas to be reallocated to walk‑ins. Operations were described as broadly smooth. Assistant Director (Country Parks) Esther To Man‑wai added that about 50 same‑day places were released in the morning, with further ad‑hoc releases to be calibrated to visitor flow.
Lai highlighted nearby attractions at the East Dam, including the striking hexagonal rock columns, and said the reservation system aims to protect the countryside, smooth visitor distribution and enhance the experience for residents and tourists alike. He noted traffic into the East Dam remained orderly, with police already managing vehicle flow at Pak Tam Chung, a practice used effectively during past mainland holiday peaks, and expressed confidence that reservations would further ease congestion.
Addressing potential no‑shows, Lai said crowd management remains flexible, with on‑site staff monitoring conditions and releasing additional slots when appropriate so that as many visitors as possible can access the trail safely. Around 40 personnel were deployed at the Po Pin Chau section today, supplemented by drones for situational monitoring and real‑time coordination. On identity verification at the gate, he said the check currently takes about one to two minutes but should fall to under a minute as staff become more familiar with the procedure.
Lai explained that the 2,000‑person cap was derived from historical data and calculations that the department considers a “fairly scientific” basis, though the figure may be adjusted. After the roughly four‑week pilot ends, authorities will review whether to introduce charges and whether to extend reservations to other high‑demand sites, depending on popularity and conservation needs.
The department confirmed that the reservation pilot covers designated weekends and public‑holiday periods from 5th September to 7th October at the High Island Reservoir East Dam, reinforcing earlier government notices on the scope and timing of the scheme.