Lai Chi Wo ghost village (荔枝窩) - Bride's Pool to Kai Kuk Shue Ha (雞谷樹下) / Luk Keng

(Updated:2021-03-07)

Duration: 

(16 kilometers)
5 hours

Difficulty: 5/10. For 473m elevation gain and longer distance.

Cel phone coverage: Sparse. Full in Lai Chi Wo.

Water needs: 2 liters

Appreciation: 7/10. For the Feng Shui practitioners and history buffs. 

Map & Details: 

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/512027242

MapMyRun: https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/5545681669

Exercise Area: No

Transportation: Tai Po Market MTR, Exit A3. Take bus 275R on Sunday or public holidays all the way to the Bride's Pool terminus. Return to Fanling MTR station via minibus 56K.

Why it's worth it:

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Drop-off at Bride's Pool stop. Cross the road and go down the stairs next to the pavilion.

Bridal's Pool area map

Go down by the picnic areas, over the stream and towards the other picnic area. You'll get here (point 'A' on the map above). If you want to skip the waterfalls and just head towards Lai Chi Wo, go right and up. I suggest you check the waterfalls out though. The map above shows you the waterfall loop from the park's entrance. Go over the bridge on the left (pic right above), then immediately on the path right and up. This leads you to Mirror Pool. When done, retrace your steps and keep going on the path opposite the bridge. The path will split. Do not follow the Bride's Pool sign as that path goes on top of the waterfall. Head left instead and walk until you can see another bridge on your left and a path ahead of you that parallels the stream. Take that path until it merges into the stream. Scrambles in the stream towards the falls in the same direction. You'll be there in 5 minutes. When you are done, retrace your steps to point 'A' and take the path going up.

You'll reach an intersection, go left and up on a path that zig-zags up.

Right after the zig-zag climb, you'll get to this intersection.
Head left (I recycled our model, Anthony, from another hike's picture-set). Keep walking on that path. You'll hear the sound of the Mirror Pool waterfall on your left. Eventually, you'll reach the big "Plover Cove Country Trail" sign  next to the Plover Cove Country Trail which goes up. Don't take it, keep going straight. 

After another 100 meters or so, you'll get to a bridge and you will see the village of Wu Kau Tang at a distance.
Take the path on the right towards the village.

Walk towards the gate and then head right.

Take the first path on the right. The sign says "KAU TAM TSO" 

Right

After about a 500m, you'll reach an intersection, head left (1st on the map above)

At the second intersection (2nd on the map above), keep on to the path on the right.
Afterwards, the path is pretty clear for the rest of the way to Lai Chi Wo.

Mangroves. Pay attention to the water, you might see some little crabs...

Go straight. You can also go to a restaurant 100m on the left for a short water and food break

There are food/water spots along the way. Grass jelly is pretty refreshing too

At this point, signage will lead you straight to Lai Chi Wo

Arrived! At the sign, take 5 minutes to climb to the observation deck, then back down and then keep going straight

View of Lai Chi Wo from the observation deck

Trees in Lai Chi Wo

The interpretation center with Chinese and German speaking host!

Aaaaaah!

Once you are done visiting the village proper, circle it from the right on a path that goes up. You'll see all those 'famous' Banyan trees. 

Once you are done. Follow the path out of the village towards Luk Keng

Follow signs towards Luk Keng

When there's no Luk Keng signs anymore, follow the Kuk Po ones

Left here. 

At one point, you'll reach the Starling inlet, right in front of you. There will be a little restaurant and an intersection. Take a left. You'll be walking by the Starling inlet on your right for about another 1k before you reach the first "village".

Bus 56k to Fanling station is right by a concentration of restaurants.
Hope you had a great hike!

Tai Po Kau (大埔滘)

Duration: 

(7.7 kilometers)
3 hours

Difficulty: 3/10. 383m of climb

Cel phone coverage: Everywhere.

Water needs: 1 liter

Appreciation: 8/10 as a forest hike

Transportation: Tai Po Market MTR. Take mini-bus 28k and ask to be dropped off at the "Chueng Tsai Yuen" bassi tsam. Return via Fo Tan MTR (can walk all the way there or take minibus 60k on Wong Chuk Yeung street, as we did as shown on the map)

Why it's worth it:

Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/487150948

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Take minibus 28k at the minibus terminus @ the Tai Po Market MTR

About after a 20 minutes minibus ride, ask to get off at the Chueng Tsai Yuen bus stop (you will go by the Tai Po Kau park entrance on your right, before the bus stop). You will have to retrace your steps for about 100meters

Retracing your steps towards the park entrance

Park entrance

Stay on the paved road at the first intersection, direction of the Tai Po Kau Forest walk

At the Tai Pau Kau nature reserve, take the branch going-up, following the Red Walk for a short while

For the rest of the trail, best to print the Garmin map and follow accordingly. A few pictures references below.

You can take 60k back to the MTR in Fo Tan, or just walk to the MTR

Bride's Pool

Duration: 

(1 kilometer) Between 20 and 40 minutes depending on walking speed.

Difficulty: 1/10. 

Appreciation: 6/10.  

Transportation:  Take KMB #275R from TaI Po MTR station (runs only on Sundays and holidays) and get off at Bride's Pool (terminus).

Why it's worth it: The trail itself is very short and is not all that interesting. Nice spot for a picnic. Mirror pool falls have good water debit at any time, while Bride's pool falls is interesting after rainfall only.

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Take the MTR to Tai Po. Exit A3. Go through the tunnel at the exit and follow the signs pointing to 275R. Remember that the bus only goes to Bride's Pool on Sundays and holidays. Otherwise, that's quite a lot of extra walking.
Or take the cab.

From the terminus at Bride's Pool, trace back your steps a bit to the trail head.

Trail head. Just go down the stairs, past the first few picnic spots and over the first bridge. 

Click on the map for a larger version.

After the bridge, at the map, turn left toward the falls.
The path to the right will lead you to a mostly uninteresting village.
Just after the bridge, you'll see a sign leading you to Mirror pool Falls on your right. Go have a look.
When you are done, you can trace your steps back on the path to the crossroad, or stream trek it back, which is more fun. Back at the crossroad, take the other direction towards that leads to the BBQ site.

BBQ site at the crossroads, if you go right, you'll loop the path back to the road.
On the left, through the BBQ site and up the stairs, will lead you towards Bride's pool falls.

Provided you decided to head left towards Bride's pool falls, you will get to an intersection. Option A on the right will lead you to the river bed where you can stream trek for a short distance, to the bottom of the falls (to the right). Option B will lead you over a small bridge and back to your starting point. You can also turn right at the bridge itself and stream trek to Bride's pool falls for a little longer. I think it's more interesting that way.