Camping in Sai Kung: A Guide to Country-Park Campsites

Sai Kung is where many Hong Kongers fall in love with camping: golden beaches reached only on foot, grassy island hilltops under genuinely dark skies, and country-park sites that cost nothing to use. This guide covers the practicalities — where to pitch, how to get there, and how to do it without harming the wild places that make it worth the effort.

The AFCD country-park campsites

Camping in the country parks is managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), which maintains a network of designated free campsites across Hong Kong, including several within Sai Kung East and Sai Kung West Country Parks. The model is simple and unglamorous:

• Free to use, with no booking — pitches are first-come, first-served.
• Facilities are basic: typically a cleared pitching area, sometimes a simple toilet and a non-potable water point. Don’t count on much beyond that.
• You carry everything in and out, including all your rubbish.

Because there’s no booking, popular sites fill quickly on weekends and public holidays. Arriving early — or camping midweek — makes all the difference.

Ham Tin (Tai Long Wan)

The most iconic is the campsite behind Ham Tin beach in Tai Long Wan — the Big Wave Bay. Pitching on the grass behind a sweep of white sand, with the surf as your soundtrack, is a quintessential Hong Kong experience. A handful of simple village eateries nearby sell drinks and basic meals, which softens the load you have to carry. The catch is access: there’s no road, so you reach it on foot via the MacLehose Trail or by hired speedboat.

Wong Shek

Near the northern road head of Sai Kung, Wong Shek offers an easier, more accessible campsite close to the pier, with water sports and bus connections nearby. It’s a good choice for less experienced campers or families who want the outdoors without a long carry-in.

Tap Mun (Grass Island)

The grassy hilltops of Tap Mun are a classic island campsite — exposed, windswept and famous for sunrise over the sea and free-roaming cattle wandering between the tents. The dark skies make it a stargazing favourite (see our stargazing guide). Facilities are minimal and the island is remote, so come fully self-sufficient.

Beach camping at Tai Long Wan

Beach camping is the dream that draws many people to Sai Kung, and Ham Tin and Tai Wan in Tai Long Wan are the headline acts. You pitch on flat ground just behind the sand, fall asleep to the waves and wake to one of the most beautiful coastlines in Hong Kong.

A serious word of caution: the Tai Long Wan beaches are unpatrolled and have strong rip currents. There are no lifeguards. Swim with great care, stay close to shore, never swim alone or at night, and stay out of the water entirely in big swell. The beauty here comes with real risk in the water.

Grass Island camping and the cattle

On Tap Mun, the cattle are part of the experience — and a few rules keep it pleasant for everyone:

• Pitch with space around you and don’t block the cows’ grazing routes.
• Store food securely; cattle are curious and will investigate tents and bags.
• Never feed them — it’s bad for the animals and encourages them to nose around camp.
• Secure your tent well: the island is exposed and windy, and a poorly pegged tent will suffer.

The reward is a sunrise over open water with the herd grazing in the morning light — hard to beat.

How to get there

Most overland routes start from Pak Tam Chung or Pak Tam Au, the gateways to Sai Kung East Country Park. To reach these trailheads and piers you’ll first need to get into Sai Kung and then onward by bus or boat — see our getting to Sai Kung and getting around Sai Kung guides. Remember that kaito and country-park buses run limited services, so check timetables and confirm last departures.

What to bring

Country-park camping in Sai Kung is genuinely self-sufficient. Pack:

• All your drinking water (or a means to treat stream water) — this is the heaviest, most important item.
• Tent, sleeping mat and sleeping bag suited to the season; nights can be cool and damp in winter.
• A camping stove and food — open fires are restricted and risky.
• A head torch and spare batteries.
• Sun protection, rain gear and warm layers — coastal weather changes fast.
• A first-aid kit, insect repellent and any medications.
• Rubbish bags to carry out everything you bring in.
• Cash for boats and village eateries.

Leave No Trace

The campsites stay beautiful only because campers look after them. Follow Leave No Trace principles:

• Carry out all rubbish — every wrapper, can and bottle. There are no bins at remote sites.
• Use established pitches rather than trampling fresh vegetation.
• Don’t pollute streams with soap, food waste or washing.
• No open fires. Wildfire is a serious danger in Hong Kong’s dry season.
• Respect wildlife — keep your distance from cattle and other animals, and never feed them.

If every camper leaves the site cleaner than they found it, these places stay open and wild for the next group.

Safety and weather

• Watch the forecast. Hong Kong’s typhoon season (roughly May–November) can bring violent storms; never camp on an exposed beach or island with a typhoon or rainstorm warning in force, and note that ferries are suspended in bad weather, which can strand you.
• The sea is dangerous at unpatrolled beaches — respect the rip currents at Tai Long Wan.
• Heat and dehydration are the biggest summer risks; cold and damp the winter ones. Pack for the season.
• Tell someone your plan and expected return, and don’t rely on phone signal at remote sites.
• Know your route home and the timing of the last boat or bus.

Camping in Sai Kung is one of the great Hong Kong experiences — a true escape barely an hour from the city. Go prepared, tread lightly, and the country parks will reward you with nights you’ll remember for years.