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Even though I live in Kowloon, I find myself in Sai Kung at least once a month. Sometimes it’s a date with my husband and sometimes it’s a date with my best friend, who lives in the area. So, we can say I know a thing or two about the place! So let me tell you the best way to explore Sai Kung to its fullest. Let’s dive in, shall we?
1 Sai Kung – the Perfect Weekend Getaway
Why Sai Kung? Well, if you look at Hong Kong as a whole, Sai Kung is this vast landscape that has beaches, forests, fishing villages, and some of the coolest geoparks. Even though it’s only an hour away from the city center, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a tropical destination like the Maldives or Bali. Some of its beaches have pristine blue or teal water that’ll give even Boracay a run for its money.
2 Take the Minibus to Sai Kung
The most convenient way to get to Sai Kung would either be via a taxi or a minibus. I prefer taking the minibus since it’s the most streamlined and doesn’t stop as often as the public double-decker bus. If you want to go to Sai Kung Promenade, make your way to one of the three minibus stops below, and you’ll thank me!
Dundas Street Mong Kok -> Sai Kung
You can take a minibus directly from Mong Kok to Sai Kung. The buses leave every 20-30 minutes, and they usually wait for it to fill up 95% of the way before starting the journey. It takes about 35-40 minutes to get to the Sai Kung Promenade, which is pretty good. Click the map below to see the exact bus stop location. It’s not difficult to spot; when you go to Dundas Street and walk past the Foot Locker and Starbucks, you’ll see the minibus stop right outside the TWGHs Tsui Tsin Tong Outpatient Building.
Mong Kok to Sai Kung Express
- Boarding location: Dundas Street, Mong Kok
- Journey Time: approx. 35 mins
- Latest fare
Choi Hung -> Sai Kung
Going to Sai Kung from Choi Hung is a little inconvenient for me, but I’ve taken it before. You have to look for minibus 1A, which is right outside Choi Hung MTR station Exit C. You’ll notice that the lines are really long! Luckily, the buses were quite frequent; one would arrive every 7 minutes, so we just had to wait for 2 buses before getting on the 3rd.
Choi Hung to Sai Kung
- Boarding location: Lung Cheung Road, Choi Hung
- Journey Time: approx. 25 mins
- Latest fare
Kwun Tong -> Sai Kung
I’ve never personally taken this bus but I’m sure it’s better than taking the public double-decker bus!
Kwun Tong to Sai Kung Express
- Boarding location: Yee On Street, Ngau Tau Kok
- Journey Time: approx. 30 mins
- Latest fare
3 Brunch or Breakfast at Little Cove Espresso
While planning our trip, we knew that we wanted to have a nice breakfast in one of Sai Kung’s aesthetic cafes. There’s something about alfresco dining that just cannot be matched! So we decided to go to Little Cove Espresso, which had some pretty good reviews on Google Maps. However, when we reached there, we saw a bit of a queue. It seems that you cannot reserve this place online, so we decided to join the queue. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long as a huge number of tables cleared up at about the same time.
I had the delicious French Toast with Mascarpone Rose, Cinnamon, and Honey🍯. Elliot decided to go with the Smashed Avocado on Sourdough Rye 🥑 and extra smoked salmon. Of course, we ended up sharing both 50/50 as we always do! The whole meal was quite delicious! I’d definitely go back again.
After walking around the neighbourhood for a bit, we discovered that there were so many nice brunch places, so we’re going to try the others and add them to this article if they are just as good.
4 Take a Walk along the Promenade
The Sai Kung Promenade is quite a peaceful walk no matter what time of day you go. During the daytime, there’s a lively atmosphere with families and people walking their dogs, and even street performers. While at night, all of the buzz dies down and the night becomes peaceful. For me, both the daytime and nighttime walks are enjoyable as I get different vibes from them.
Spot the cows!
Did I mention that there are quite a few cows roaming around? They mostly hangout near the grassy area on the promenade. Just don’t go bother them as they might get angry. For the most part, the cows just mind their own business.
5 Spot the Street Art
I particularly love the little attention to detail that every bit of Sai Kung has. While some places bring you back to the past, some streets are filled with street art and little shops. While we were exploring the neighborhoods, we found quite a few murals and decided to strike a pose. So, don’t forget to roam a bit and see what hidden gems you can find.
6 Have Lunch at the Seafood Restaurants
The Sai Kung Promenade is synonymous with its seafood restaurants that are right along the docks. You can pick out fresh seafood from these giant fish tanks and have them cook it on the spot. There are a few options, such as choosing from a set menu so you can get a taste of everything, or you could go à la carte. If you love seafood, this is the place to be. I like going when I am with a group of friends, which allows us to try a lot of dishes in one go! Because you know what kind of regret is the worst of them all? Food regret.
7 Explore the Alleyways and Shops
The Sai Kung Town is not without its charm. The narrow pathways have lots of crafty stores and small cafes. I think you’ll miss out if you don’t take a lazy walk about the place after your meal. I even bought myself some cute little coin purses as if I didn’t already have enough. It’s also a cool place to find handicraft items you might want to buy as gifts or souvenirs.
8 Explore Tin Hau Temple in Sai Kung Town
The Tin Hau Temple is a little temple that’s been recently renovated. According to the HKTB, the temple dedicated to the Goddess of the Sea maintains its original 20th century facade!
9 Take the Boat to an Outlying Island
You’ll find many boat operators along the Sai Kung Public Pier that will take you to all the different islands around Sai Kung. You could also kayak to these islands but we decided to go to Sharp Island and Sai Wan Beach on two separate occasions.
Always remember to take the phone number of the phone vendors so you can contact them in case you miss your returning boat. If you’re buying a return ticket, you can show it to them even if you lose it. We went with Kitty’s Boat Company! 😺
Sharp Island
Sharp Island, also known as Kiu Tsui Chau (Chinese: 橋咀洲), is the largest island in the Kiu Tsui Country Park. Formed about 140 million years ago, the island features cool rocks that resemble pineapple buns! There’s also a phenomenon on the island called a tombolo. This means that during low tides, the sand and stones below form a narrow path that allows you to walk between the main beach and a little island on foot!
It was my first time seeing a tombolo phenomenon and I was so excited!
Tai Long Wan and Sai Wan Beach
Sai Wan Beach might be the most beautiful beach in Hong Kong. Surrounded by crystal blue waters, the island has the softest sand you could imagine. We arrived Tai Long Wan by bus from Sai Kung, did a hike to Sai Wan Beach and then took the boat back to Sai Kung at the end of the day!
Here's the full guide on how we hiked from Tai Long Wan to Sai Wan Beach
Tai Long Wan Ultimate Hiking Guide
Embark on a thrilling hike from Sai Wan Pavilion to Ham Tin Beach in Tai Long Wan, uncovering the Sai Kung Rock Pools and stunning landscapes.
Read more10 Do Some Water sports
There are a myriad of water sports activities you can do in Sai Kung. Here are the most popular ones!
Kayaking
You can rent a kayak from Blue Sky Sports Club (Sha Ha Center) from the reviews on Google Maps, they have pretty good service and are willing to help. So if you’re a newbie, do ask questions or even try to get a coach if you are uncertain.
Surfing
Due to its pristine blue waters, Sai Kung is a really popular destination for surfers. You can simply rent a surfboard from one of the water sports centres and ride those waves!
Wakeboarding
Wakeboarding has become a really popular sport in Hong Kong. At one point, all of my friends were doing it. I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve heard that it’s a challenge and a blast. So make a day trip out of it and try wakeboarding! Remember, you may fall into the water quite a few times so you should know how to swim.
11 Buy Fish from a Boat
After coming back from Sharp Island during my day trip, I stumbled upon these little fishing boats at the pier. The fishermen and fisherwomen were selling seafood right out of their little boat! What people did was shout out what they’d like, the person would then clean and gut the fish then pass it up with a bucket. Similarly, the customer also put their money in the little bucket and lowered it down to the boat. It was so neat! I am sure my parents would want to get themselves a fish if they saw this.
12 Conclusion
I really enjoyed my day trip to Sai Kung. It had a little bit of everything. There was food, art, nature and fitness all rolled into one. I will be going back and checking out another island for my next adventure! Have you been to Sai Kung? Let me know what you think of the place!
13 Sai Kung FAQ
How much money should I prepare for Sai Kung?
Surprisingly, a lot of places in Sai Kung only accept cash. So, you’ll need to prepare to pay the boat drivers, any food you have on the outlying islands and small shops you buy from. I’d say HK$300-$400 is a good amount you can budget per person. I doubt you’ll finish the whole thing but its better to be safe than sorry.
What are the operating hours of the Red Minibus from Dundas Street to Sai Kung Promenade?
The minibus runs everyday from 7:00 am to 3:00 am.
Can I contact the red minibus company?
Sure, their number is +85260227236 but they only support enquiries in Cantonese. You can call them up sometimes to advise your alighting point and how many passengers you have so that they can accommodate and keep space for you. The operator is Sai Mong Mini Bus Service Limited.
