EXPLORE - NEW TERRITORIES BUS TOUR 2
ROUTE TWISK AND LAM TSUEN VALLEY
This tour of the northern New Territories commences in Tsuen Wan and follows Route Twisk to Kam Tin then, close to the mainland border, passes along the Lam Tsuen Valley to Tai Po through some outstanding scenery and the option to visit various attractions including two old walled villages, Tin Hau Temples, a famous Wishing Tree, a traditional wet market, Man Mo Temple and Railway Museum.
Route Map
QUICK PUBLIC TRANSPORT ROUTE SUMMARY;
1. MTR (former KCR) West Rail to Tsuen Wan West
2. KMB Bus 51 from Nina Tower Bus Terminus, Tsuen Wan to Kat Hing Wai (Kam Tin)
3. KMB Bus 64K from Kam Tin (Mung Yeung School Bus Stop) to Fong Ma Po
4. KMB Bus 64K from Fong Ma Po to Tai Po
5. MTR (former KCR) East Rail to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island
Octopus Card can be used on all transportation in this tour.
TRAVELLING TIME – approx 2 hours from beginning to end of route excluding time spent at any optional sightseeing stops. To complete the tour including all the suggested visits along the route allow 5 hours.
TO GET TO START OF TOUR – take the MTR West Rail to Tsuen Wan West MTR (former KCR) Station (not to be confused with Tsuen Wan MTR Station, some distance away). Approximate journey times to Tsuen West MTR Station from HK Island and Kowloon are;
20 minutes from Hong Kong Station on HK Island via the Tung Chung Line, changing to West Rail at Nam Cheong
34 minutes from Central Station on HK Island via the Tsuen Wan Line, changing to West Rail at Mei Foo
16 minutes from Kowloon Station via the Tung Chung Line, changing to West Rail at Nam Cheong
27 minutes from Tsim Sha Tsui Station via the Tsuen Wan Line changing to West Rail at Mei Foo
At Tsuen Wan West Station Take Exit E and the tour starts at the KMB Bus Terminus under the Nina Tower (about 2 mins walk). This bus terminus is across the dual carriageway (Tsuen Wan Road) outside the MTR Station and should not be confused with the KMB bus terminus directly under the MTR Station. The Nina Tower is unmissable, being by far the tallest building in the vicinity.
If more convenient it is also possible to take the MTR Tsuen Wan line to Tsuen Wan MTR Station. From Tsuen Wan Station Exit D or E follow the signs for Tsuen Wan West Station which lead past the Nina Tower Bus Terminus (about 10 minutes walk).
TSUEN WAN - is a rapidly changing New Town and with its excellent rail and bus links to Kowloon, HK Island, the airport and other parts of the New Territories and the opening of the large L’hotel Nina is attracting an increasing number of tourists. In the immediate vicinity of the MTR station an attractive waterfront park alongside the Rambler Channel is being developed with views of the Ting Kau Bridge and close by Hong Kong’s first “green” shopping mall, Citygate, has recently opened featuring a vertical garden. Some 10/15 minutes walk away close to Tsuen Wan MTR Station is the Sam Tung Uk Museum, housed in a restored traditional Hakka walled village with an ancestral hall, period displays, an exhibition hall and landscaped garden (free admission, open 09-00 to 17-00 daily except Tuesdays.
Tsuen Wan Waterfront with Ting Kau Bridge in the distance
From Nina Tower Bus Terminus take KMB (single deck) Bus 51 for Kam Tin. Bus 51 operates at a 20/30 minute frequency daily from 06-25 to 23-45. Since September 2008 the route has been extended and now terminates beyond Kam Tin at Kam Sheung Road Station.
Number 51 bus at Nina Tower Bus Terminus (since this picture was taken the route has been extended beyond Kam Tin Village to Kam Sheung Road Railway Station)
The bus quickly reaches Tseun Kam Interchange in the suburbs of Tsuen Wan and starts the long twisting climb along Route Twisk, a former military road built by the Royal Engineers as an escape route for personnel from the British Army base at Shek Kong further along the route. The road was opened to the public in 1961. The name TWISK is believed to be an acronym for “Tsuen Wan Into Shek Kong”.
Route Twisk
As the dwellings become more and more sparse the road is flanked by forested hills on one side rising to Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest peak whilst looking down there are panoramic views of the Tai Lam Valley and reservoirs below.
Compulsory bus stops are a feature of Route Twisk. Kwun Yam Shan is the peak in the background
The road passes the entrances to the Tai Lam and Tai Mo Shan Country Parks crossing the MacLehose Trail. The road begins to descend through Shek Kong Camp, Chinese Peoples Liberation Army base, previously occupied by the British Army until Hong Kong’s reunification in 1997, past barracks and accommodation huts on both sides of the road and the airfield.
Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Camp (formerly British Army Camp) on Route Twisk at Shek Kong
As Route Twisk reaches Shek Kong Village and approaches Kam Tin the road suddenly becomes far less scenic and is disappointingly lined with scrapyards, plant hire contractor’s depots and other industrial buildings.
Get off the bus at the stop displayed inside the bus as "Kat Hing Wai" which is the stop after the stop identified as "Kam Tin". The remains of old walled village are on the same side of the road as the bus stop and there are tourist signs pointing to it.
KAT HING WAI is one of two remaining ancient walled villages in Kam Tin. The village was built during 1465-87 in the Ming Dynasty and the six metre high walls were added in the early Ching Dynasty. It is a typical walled village and is still inhabited but today is surrounded and overlooked somewhat incongruously by modern buildings. The majority of inhabitants of Kam Tin belong to the Tang Clan, one of the Five Big Clans of the New Territories but there are alos Hakka villagers to be found here. Hakka ladies in traditional black costume and hats usually sit outside the village entrance and will pose for pictures for a fee, HK$10 per picture is the norm, otherwise they will hide their faces. A voluntary donation of HK$3 which you put through a slot in the wall is requested to enter the village and walk along the narrow streets.
Hakka Ladies in traditional costume at Kat Hing Wai walled village
Entrance to Kat Hing Wai walled village
From Kat Hing Wai continue walking in the same direction along Kam Tin Road (away from the bus terminus) but cross to opposite side of the road and in about 150 metres (just past the junction of Kam Tin Road and Kam Sheung Road) is the bus stop for the KMB 64K bus and the next stage of the tour This bus stop is identified as "Mung Yeung School" bus stop. Next to the bus stop are tourist signs for Shui Tau Tsuen. This is Kam Tin’s other walled village and is more substantial and has more buildings than Kat Hing Wai. To get there follow the tourist signs to the village which is about 10/15 minutes walk across the Kam Tin By-pass.
SHUI TAU TSUEN - The original settlement dates back to the early 12th century but most of the buildings now remaining in the village were built in the 17th and 18th centuries. Many of the buildings have colourful decorated roofs with fish and dragon figures on the ridges. At the entrance to the village is the restored Yi Tai Study Hall with its moon shaped wall openings. When this hall is open (Wed, Sat and Sun and Public Holidays only 09-00 to 13-00 and 14-00 to 17-00) you can obtain a free guide map which details a heritage trail through the village. This trail passes two other study Hall, shrines, an ancient well, ancestral halls, a tree house (whose roots and trunks have grown around a stone house), Tin Hau Temple and stone bridge. At other times the village is still an interesting place to wander around but many of the buildings are not clearly marked and can be difficult to identify. Allow at least one hour for the diversion to visit the village. There is a small cafe next to the Yi Tai Study Hall.
Yi Tai Study Hall, Shui Tau Tsuen walled village
Rural landscape, Shui Tau Tsuen
The 64K bus (which comes from Yuen Long) to Tai Po Market operates a frequent service at 8/11 minute intervals until midnight. Immediately after boarding, the bus turns right and travels along Kam Sheung Road and soon after leaving Kam Tin the journey becomes more rural as the bus passes small settlements and skirts the northern fringes of Tai Lam Country Park. The bus passes the junction with the northern end of Route Twisk and continues past the Lam Tsuen Country Park with its forested hillsides, streams and waterfalls before beginning to descend into the picturesque Lam Tsuen Valley. Here there is more of a feel of rural China in what was once a large rice growing area as sparse buildings, vegetable gardens, nurseries and small plantations are dotted across the valley. At Fong Ma Po (about 40 minutes into the journey) there is the opportunity to interrupt the journey and visit the famous Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree.
LAM TSUEN WISHING TREE – Bus stop names are displayed inside the bus and as soon as the bus leaves a stop the next stop name is displayed in Chinese, then English then Chinese again. The English display, however, is very brief and you need to watch carefully when trying to identify a stop. The stop for the wishing tree is identified as “Fong Ma Po” (the previous stop is “Chung Uk Tsuen”). The wishing tree is within about 20 metres of the bus stop and is surrounded by railings. The original tree was destroyed by fire in 1998 and its replacement collapsed. The current banyan which is now in poor health has been there since 2003. However since a branch fell off injuring two people in early 2005 the practice of luck-seekers tossing messages and objects such as oranges into the tree has been banned and the branches have had to be propped up with poles. Messages can now be attached to a nearby board or hung on poles. There is a second smaller banyan about 100 metres away which has been adopted as a second wishing tree and just beyond is a Tin Hau Temple. In March 2008 a transplanted 100 year old mature banyan from a private park in Zengcheng, Guangdong province was planted next to the ailing tree which in accordance with ancient tradition will help heal its neighbour. Tourist development is also under way in the form of a "wishing square" with a wishing tower, 12 wishing statues, astrological signs and a museum converted from an old school. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. Some of the buildings in the vicinity of the trees have decorative roofs similar to those at Shui Tau Tsuen and there are still some old Hakka dwellings scattered along the valley. Close to the Tin Hau Temple is the attractive “up market” Lotus Courtyard Restaurant with its colourful garden and lotus ponds.
Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree
The 64K bus journey continues for about a further 10 minutes before reaching Tai Po. The bus passes Tai Wo MTR Station before terminating at Tai Po MTR Station. Tai Po has several attractions of interest worth visiting.
TAI PO - is a busy new town developed around and incorporating the old town of Tai Po Market. The area, which is close to the mainland border, is home to many Chinese immigrants and has more the feel of a Chinese town to it than other new towns. There are pleasant walks alongside the Lam Tsuen River which runs through the town centre and there is an attractive waterside park where it meets Tolo Harbour.
The WATERFRONT PARK is about 10 minutes walk away and can be reached by walking east from the bus terminus, under the railway bridge, along Nam Wan Road and crossing the nullah to Kwong Fuk Estate which is linked by footbridge across the Lam Tsuen River to the park.
Lam Tsuen River, Tai Po
On Fu Shin Street, about 5 minutes walk from the bus terminus is TAI PO MARKET (open daily 06-00 to 20-00), a large traditional outdoor wet market and a splendid and busy MAN MO TEMPLE (open daily 06-00 to 20-00) with its two worshipping halls.
Man Mo Temple, Tai Po Market
About 5 minutes walk from Tai Po Market MTR Station on Shung Tak Street is the HONG KONG RAILWAY MUSEUM (open daily except Tuesday, 09-00 to 17-00, free admission). The small museum is housed in the excellently preserved buildings of the old Tai Po Market Station alongside the East Rail line to the mainland border. The museum is dedicated mainly to the history of the now defunct Kowloon-Canton Railway (merged with MTR in December 2007) and exhibits, some of which are outdoors, include an old steam locomotive, carriages which you can walk through, and various artefacts.
On completion of the tour there are frequent trains from either Tai Po Market or Tai Wo MTR Stations back to East Tsim Sha Tsui Station (about 30 mins) along East Rail with interconnections for other parts of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island at both Kowloon Tong and East Tsim Sha Tsui.