Beaches of Hong Kong


Hong Kong has a long coastline that is full of twists and turns with many bays and beaches. Many of them are well sheltered by mountains nearby, as Hong Kong is a mountainous place. As a result, large waves seldom appear at the bays, making them suitable for human swimming.
However, with the increasing development and urbanisation of Hong Kong, water quality has worsened resulting in the closure of several beaches previously suitable for swimming. These include Approach Beach, Ting Kau Beach, Anglers' Beach, Gemini Beaches, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Casam Beach and Lido Beach in Tsuen Wan. In 2011, Lido Beach, Casam Beach, Approach Beach and Hoi Mei Wan Beach were reopened following an improvement in water quality.
About half of the beaches suitable for swimming in Hong Kong are managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and are officially referred to as gazetted beaches. A number of other beaches are privately owned or not gazetted, but are nonetheless publicly accessible.

Gazetted beaches

A total of forty-one beaches in Hong Kong are managed by the LCSD. Twelve of them are located on Hong Kong Island, and the remaining 29 are located across the New Territories, including the Outlying Islands. Some are temporarily closed to swimmers.

Full list

;Tuen Mun District
1. Butterfly Beach

2. Castle Peak Beach

3. Kadoorie Beach

4. Cafeteria Old Beach

5. Cafeteria New Beach

6. Golden Beach
;Tsuen Wan District
7. Anglers' Beach

8. Gemini Beaches

9. Hoi Mei Wan Beach

10. Casam Beach

11. Lido Beach

12. Ting Kau Beach

13. Approach Beach

14. Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
;Sai Kung District
15. Trio Beach

16. Kiu Tsui Beach

17. Hap Mun Bay Beach

18. Silverstrand Beach

19. Clear Water Bay First Beach

20. Clear Water Bay Second Beach
;Hong Kong Island
21. Deep Water Bay Beach

22. Repulse Bay

23. Middle Bay Beach

24. South Bay Beach

25. Chung Hom Kok Beach

26. St. Stephen's Beach

27. Stanley Main Beach

28. Hairpin Beach

29. Turtle Cove Beach

30. Shek O Beach

31. Rocky Bay Beach

32. Big Wave Bay Beach
;Lamma Island
33. Hung Shing Yeh Beach

34. Lo So Shing Beach
;Cheung Chau
35. Kwun Yam Beach

36. Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach
;Lantau Island
37. Silvermine Bay Beach

38. Pui O Beach

39. Upper Cheung Sha Beach

40. Lower Cheung Sha Beach

41. Tong Fuk Beach

Tuen Mun

Kadoorie Beach

Kadoorie Beach is located at 18¾ milestone, Castle Peak Road. The enquires of the beach are 2450 6336 and 2451 3461. There are BBQ area, changing rooms, shower facilities and toilet. Lifeguard service hours are 0900–1800 in April to May, September to October, and also on Mondays to Fridays in June to August. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays in June to August, lifeguard service hours are 0800–1900. Lifeguard services are suspended during winter.

Cafeteria Old Beach

Cafeteria Old Beach is located at 18¾ milestone, Castle Peak Road. The enquires of the beach are 2450 6306 and 2451 3461. There are refreshment kiosk, BBQ area, changing room, shower facilities, toilet and bathing shed. Lifeguard service hours are 0900–1800 in April to May, September to October, and also on Mondays to Fridays in June to August. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays in June to August, lifeguard service hours are 0800–1900. Lifeguard services are suspended during winter.

Cafeteria New Beach

Cafeteria New Beach is located at 18½ milestone, Castle Peak Road. The enquires of the beach are 2450 6440 and 2451 3461. There are refreshment kiosk and beach volleyball court. Lifeguard service hours are 0900–1800 in April to May, September to October, and also on Mondays to Fridays in June to August. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays in June to August, lifeguard service hours are 0800–1900. Lifeguard services are suspended during winter.

Golden Beach

is located at the 18½ milestone of Castle Peak Road, Tuen Mun. It is the largest beach in Tuen Mun with a total area of 78,500 m² and a length of 545 metres. It is the first artificial beach in Hong Kong. It is classified as a Grade 2 beach, meaning that the water quality is fair. Refreshment kiosks, a hotel and a shopping mall are to be found adjacent to the beach.
Golden Beach is unique amongst the beaches of Hong Kong in that it has a volleyball court. The Hong Kong Beach Volleyball Team occasionally practises on Golden Beach.
Golden Beach is served by KMB bus routes 52x, 53 and 61M ;

by Citybus bus routes 962/N962, 962B and 962S ;

by MTR Bus feeder bus routes K51 and K53.

Tsuen Wan

Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach – Ma Wan

Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach is located on Ma Wan island.

Hong Kong Island

Deep Water Bay Beach

Deep Water Bay Beach is located on southern Hong Kong Island. See Deep Water Bay.

Repulse Bay Beach

Repulse Bay Beach, traditionally Hong Kong's most popular because of its easy access by bus and extensive facilities, is located on southern Hong Kong Island. See Repulse Bay.

Middle Bay Beach and South Bay Beach

These two small beaches at South Bay and Middle Bay are located within walking distance of Repulse Bay Beach. However, since they are not directly accessible by public transport, they tend to be quieter and less crowded than Repulse Bay.

Turtle Cove Beach

The beach situated east of Stanley and west of Tai Tam Reservoir is Turtle Cove Beach which is a Grade 1 beach. Being less than 70 meters long, it can easily be considered as a "baby beach". Turtle Cove is very well equipped; with changing rooms, toilets and showers as well as a small playground, a soft drinks kiosk and seven barbecue pits.
Turtle Cove Beach is accessible by bus No.14 from exit A of the Sai Wan Ho MTR station or mini-bus 16X from Chai Wan; the beach is located near the Red Hill estate stop. From near the bus stop, stairs lead down the hill to the beach.

Big Wave Bay Beach

Beach in Southern District is also the site of prehistoric rock carvings similar to those found on Cheung Chau Island. Not to be confused with other places called Big Wave Bay or Tai Long Wan in Hong Kong.

Lamma Island

Hung Shing Yeh Beach

is the most popular beach on Lamma Island. The sand on the beach is very fine, like powder. The water of the Beach is clean and it is classified as a Grade 1 beach.
Near the beach, there is a barbecue area, refreshment kiosk, and shower and changing facilities.
There is no public transport on Lamma Island. To reach the beach one must travel to Yung Shue Wan from Central by ferry, and then walk for about 20 minutes. The route is signposted.

Lo So Shing Beach

Lo So Shing Beach is located on Lamma Island about halfway between the main villages of Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan. The water of the beach is clean and it is classified as a Grade 1 beach. Some years ago the government of Hong Kong built shower and refreshment facilities there, which remain almost unused because of the beach's remote location and the absence of public transport.
To reach the beach one must travel to Yung Shue Wan or Sok Kwu Wan from Central by ferry, and then walk for about 40 minutes.

Cheung Chau

Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yam Beach

There are two main beaches on Cheung Chau: Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yam Beach aka. Afternoon Beach. Although they are not as big as the well-known beaches along the Hong Kong Island coast, they do have their own qualities. Kwun Yam Beach is a beautiful fine white beach situated on the east coast of Cheung Chau. The water quality is good and it is classified as a Grade 1 beach. It provides many water sports facilities, particularly for sailboarding. Many lovers like to take leisurely walks there and to enjoy the village scene which still keeps the old traditions. Also, it is the place where Hong Kong's first Olympic medallist, Lee Lai Shan, practised when she was young. A formal monument to her achievement is erected in the children's playground on Tung Wan Beach, while an unofficial monument is to be found beside the "windsurfer" café owned by her uncle, which is situated between the two beaches.

Lantau Island

Silvermine Bay Beach

Hong Kong's largest island, Lantau, has several beaches which are clean, uncrowded and relatively convenient to reach. For all of them, the first step is to simply take the ferry from Central to Mui Wo. Then, if necessary, one can just hop on a bus.
Silvermine Bay Beach, which is a Grade 1 beach, is the easiest one to get to, since it is located about a 5-minute walk away from the Mui Wo ferry pier. Since there is a sandbar area, this beach is ideal for flinging frisbees or flying kites. Further along the beach is a swimming area with several lifeguards on duty. Many visitors rent a bike for the afternoon, and stop off at the many refreshment kiosks and little restaurants along the road fronting the beach. If people do not feel like hurrying back into the city, they can also choose to stay overnight at the Silvermine Beach Hotel, located right on the waterfront. Also, there are several other hotels and guesthouses in the area where people can stay.

Pui O Beach

Cheung Sha Beaches

Cheung Sha Beach is located in Cheung Sha, on the southern shore of Lantau Island. It is divided into two parts by a small headland: Upper Cheung Sha Beach and Lower Cheung Sha Beach. It is 3 km long and is one of the longest beaches in Hong Kong. The beaches are accessible from South Lantau Road. Tong Fuk Beach is located nearby, to the west of Lower Cheung Sha Beach.

Tong Fuk Beach

Non-gazetted beaches

Many of these beaches are difficult to reach. Because they are not maintained by the government, some may be unclean at times. As no lifeguards are on duty, swimmers are recommended to exercise caution. Non-gazetted beaches are also not equipped with shark nets.
  1. Chung Wan South Crooked Harbour, North District
  2. Cheung Sha Wan Northeast Ping Chau
  3. Crescent Bay Crescent Island, Mirs Bay
  4. Lo Kei Wan Crescent Island, Mirs Bay
  5. Tung Wan Wong Wan Chau, Mirs Bay
  6. Wu Kai Sha Wu Kai Sha, Ma On Shan
  7. Lung Mei Plover Cove, East Tai Po
  8. Hoi Ha Wan Hoi Ha Wan, North Sai Kung Peninsula
  9. Nam She Wan East Sai Kung, Mirs Bay
  10. Tung Wan East Sai Kung, Tai Long Wan
  11. Tai Wan East Sai Kung, Tai Long Wan
  12. Ham Tin Wan East Sai Kung, Tai Long Wan
  13. Tai Long Sai Wan East Sai Kung, Tai Long Wan
  14. Long Ke Wan Long Ke Wan, East Sai Kung
  15. Long Ke Tsai Long Ke Wan, East Sai Kung
  16. Pak Sha Chau Sai Kung Hoi, Sai Kung
  17. Pak Lap Wan High Island, South Sai Kung
  18. Ma Tau Wan High Island, South Sai Kung
  19. Kam Lo Wan High Island, South Sai Kung
  20. Nam Fung Wan High Island, South Sai Kung
  21. Kau Sai Wan Kau Sai Chau, Sai Kung
  22. Whiskey Kau Sai Chau, Sai Kung
  23. Campers' Bay Port Shelter, Clearwater Bay
  24. Pak Shui Wun Port Shelter, Clearwater Bay
  25. Bayside Port Shelter, Clearwater Bay
  26. Little Palm Port Shelter, Clearwater Bay
  27. Lung Ha Wan Port Shelter, Clearwater Bay
  28. Ung Kong Wan Bluff Island, Clearwater Bay
  29. Lung Kwu Upper Lung Kwu Tan, west Tuen Mun
  30. Lung Kwu Lower Lung Kwu Tan, Tuen Mun
  31. Dragon Bay Tsing Lung Tau, Tsuen Wan
  32. To Tei Wan Shek O, Cape D'Aguilar
  33. Tai Pak Wan Discovery Bay, East Lantau Island
  34. Tai Long Wan Chi Ma Wan, South Lantau Island
  35. Yi Long Wan Chi Ma Wan, South Lantau Island
  36. Sha Lo Wan West Tung Chung, North Lantau Island
  37. Tai Long Wan Shek Pik, South Lantau Island
  38. Lo Kei Wan Shui Hau, South Lantau Island
  39. Kau Ling Chung Fan Lau, Southwest Lantau Island
  40. Fan Lau Tung Wan Fan Lau, Southwest Lantau Island
  41. Fan Lan Sai Wan Fan Lau, Southwest Lantau Island
  42. Luk Keng Wan Yam O, Northeast Lantau Island
  43. Tai Kwai Wan Northwest Cheung Chau
  44. Po Yue Wan Southwest Cheung Chau
  45. Pak Tso Wan Southwest Cheung Chau
  46. Shek Pai Wan Southeast Lamma Island
  47. Mo Tat wan East Lamma Island
  48. Kwo Chau Wan Tai Chau, Ninepin Group
  49. Siu A Chau Wan Siu A Chau, Soko Islands

    Water quality grading system

Gazetted beaches in Hong Kong are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water of the beaches. This is done by the Environmental Protection Department. Every week, water samples of each beach are collected for analysis to find out their bacterial level.
Grade 1 means that the water qualities of the beaches are good. The amount of E. coli is no more than 24 counts per 100 mL of beach water. Also no related case of skin and gastrointestinal illnesses has been reported by swimmers who have swum at these beaches.
Grade 2 means that the water qualities of the beaches are fair. The amount of E. coli is about 25 – 180 counts per 100 mL of beach water. Also the rate of skin and gastrointestinal illnesses is no more than 10 cases per 1000 swimmers.
Grade 3 means that the water qualities of the beaches are poor. The amount of E. coli is about 181 – 610 counts per 100 mL of beach water. Also the rate of skin and gastrointestinal illnesses is about 11 – 15 cases per 1000 swimmers.
Grade 4 means that the water quality is very poor. The amount of E. coli is greater than 610 counts per 100 mL of beach water. Also the rate of skin and gastrointestinal illnesses is greater than 15 cases per 1000 swimmers. As a result, swimmers are advised not to swim at Grade 4 beaches.