Wineshark Go Hiking - High Island Geo Trail 萬宜地質步道

Difficulty: 2/5

Distance: 4.10 km

From: High Island Reservoir East Dam

To: High Island Reservoir East Dam

Transportation:

• Take taxi from Sai Kung town centre, alight at East Dam.
• Return by taxi to Sai Kung.

Date: 21 Feb 2021

It takes only about 30 minutes by taxi from Sai Kung town centre, before arriving at this world famous geopark. There is a public toilet there for those in need, and then you can take the left path to go uphill towards Long Ke.

Along the well-paved steps you can have a good lok at the High Island Reservoir on the left. With very little rain in the winter season until now, the water level is very low. On the day the weather is gorgeous, with plenty of sunshine, warm but not hot, and quite dry as well. 

Soon you will see a branch, with the left continuing along MacLehose Trail Section 1 towards Long Ke, and the right heading up to Biu Tsim Kok Viewing Point. Taking this right branch, the path becomes less well-paved, with ragged stone steps but still should be relatively easy for most people.

Then you will see another branch, with the signs showing that the left one goes to Biu Tsim Kok. Taking that, the stone path makes it interesting on the hike, and there are many good vantage points on this path, allowing a good look at the pristine white beach and crystal clear water of Long Ke Wan. 

Continue up very soon you will reach the top of the hill, with a 360 degree view of the area. On one side you will see the other-worldly Long Ke and on the other side the High Island Reservoir stretching all the way out, enabling one to grasp how big this reservoir is. 

Further up you will reach Biu Tsim Kok Viewing Point, a great place to take a rest and take photos. On the left you will see Long Ke Tsai, Cheung Ngam Teng and Conic Island, while on the right the famous Po Pin Chau, Fa Shan and East Dam.

Starting the way down, it offers great views of the East Dam and nearby scenery. Apart from Po Pin Chau and the Basalt Island in the distance, closer you will also find the lake in between the main and secondary dam of East Dam. 

Soon the trail returns to the earlier branch from the right, and then you will head back down to the East Dam following the same path. Reaching the taxi drop-off point again, continue down the road towards the main dam, while savoring the wonders of the hexagonal rock columns.

Along the way there are many signposts with good information of how the rocks are formed and other details, like how S-shaped columns were created by earthquakes or regional subsidence when the rocks were in formation, a true nature's superlative artisanship.

At the end of the path is a wooden bridge leading one to have a close look at the sea cave. And then you can return on the same path back to the taxi drop-off point, and continue to walk on the top of the dam towards the Monument dedicated to those who died in the construction of the East Dam.