5th January 2021 – (Hong Kong) We wrote about Kam Kui Shek Teng in 2019. It is located at the north side High Island Reservoir Dam. Our team decided to complete the hike recently to view the magnificent 150m giant basalt column which resembles a toad standing on top of the peak. Hence the rock is named ‘Kam Kui’ or toad in English.
From the rock, you can enjoy scenic view of High Island Reservoir Dam, Wang Tau Tun and Sai Wan Shan. During spring time, you can also witness the blossoming Chinese New Year flowers.
Directions:
From Sai Wan Pavilion, walk along a concrete path with a pleasant view overlooking the Sai Wan and the tip of the Sharp Peak. Continue on MacLehose Trail and walk uphill. As there are no trees along this trail, so it is particularly hard to hike in the summer when exposed to the sun. When you pass the M029 sign, you must continue to walk until you see a small path on the right with many ribbons tied on the trees. As this path is bushy, hikers are advised to wear long sleeves. Follow the path and you will see Kam Kui Shek Teng in the distant background. Hiking shoes are recommended as part of the path is treacherous. To return, follow the same path back to Sai Wan Pavillion. During winter, it is advisable to descend before 5.30pm as the sun sets earlier.
In the past six months, Kam Kui Shek Teng has become more and more popular with hikers. It is strongly advised not to go on weekends and social distancing measures should be observed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus. Do not climb to the top if there are too many hikers.
At Sai Wan Pavilion, you can take the village bus NR29 back to Sai Kung. You can also call a taxi but you need to try to connect to the internet as the reception in the area is poor. Many unscrupulous taxi drivers like to wait there daily to charge extra fare on unwary hikers. The taxi number to call is 2729 6600.
Total distance : 5.7 km
Total time : 3 hours
Difficulty : 6/10
To get there:
Take Bus NR29 from Sai Kung town to Sai Wan Pavilion or you can also take a taxi (around HK$102) from Sai Kung town to Sai Wan Pavillion which takes around 40 minutes.
Wait for the bus NR29 to enter Sai Wan Pavilion opposite the McDonald’s Restaurant on Chan Man Street in Sai Kung. The frequency information of the bus station indicates that there are only 4 buses to Sai Wan Pavilion every day on weekdays, and there are 8 buses on Saturdays and public holidays. The frequency of buses may increase if there are more people waiting.
