Section 4 Lung Mei to Tai Po
An urban swim hike
Difficulty ** | Time 3.5 hrs | Distance 10 km | Transport to start Bus to Lung Mei | Hammocks Sha Lan coast | Food Tai Mei Tuk, Tai Po | Water feature Island swim
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Section 4 information
Section 4 of the Argyle Ross Trail must be the most unique and unusual section of all of Hong Kong’s six major trails. It is certainly one of the most enjoyable. This section could best be described as an “urban swim-hike” as the trail connects the country parks of Plover Cove and Tai Mo Shan as directly as possible along the Tai Po coastline including two beautiful swims.
After leaving Lung Mei Beach, walk for about 10 minutes before crossing the road and taking a left hand turn towards the coast at Ting Kok East Delta. This is the most obvious spot to embark into Plover Cove waters for the first swim of the section, which measures around 600 metres and will take about 30 minutes to complete at a leisurely pace. Swim to the left-hand side of Goat Island (Yeung Chau) and look for a small beach about half way along the eastern shoreline which will act as a mid-point break between the two swims. Legend has it that years ago a local from nearby Po Sam Pai crossed over with a few goats to start a little colony on the island. If you’re lucky, some of them might even greet you when you arrive onshore.
With 360° views around Tolo Harbour, the second swim of Section 4 has got to be one of the most special in Hong Kong. Behind you lie the Eight Immortals of Pat Sin Leng and the bright white statue of the Tsz Shan monastery; on your left is the Plover Cove Reservoir dam; out in front is the Ma Shi Chau tombolo with the towering peaks of the Hunchbacks and Ma On Shan beyond. If you are making the crossing on a weekend, there’s likely to be dozens of sail boats scattered around the harbour which more than add to the aesthetics. If you can, save this section for a calm, sunny day, take your time and savour the moment; there is a speed limit so you should have no real battles with sea traffic.
As you complete this swim across Plover Cove, you should aim for a tiny beach on the northern shore of the Sam Mun Tsai peninsula. The distance from the beach on Goat Island is about 800 metres depending on which point you reach the shore and will take about 40 minutes to swim. Make your way around the coast to your right and, as you turn the corner, you will see a small marina about 150 metres in front of you. The water level is low, so wade across, climb up the concrete steps of the old dock and walk up to the fishing village of Sam Mun Tsai.
Following the road up into the village you will pass a dim sum restaurant to your left before crossing a narrow road bridge. Towards the end of the bridge, you can take a right down the steps to the Sha Lan coastline and walk around the coast to some excellent options for hammocks by the sea, with wonderful views across the cove to Pat Sin Leng. Otherwise continue along the Sam Mun Tsai Road for 15 minutes, past the plush Beverly Hills housing complex on your right until you almost reach Ting Kok Road.
The next half an hour or so of this section is complicated to navigate so you must follow these directions carefully. Just before you reach the main Ting Kok Road, you need to turn left, walk past a cement factory to the end of the road and descend the slope to the water. This segment is far from the prettiest part of the Argyle Ross Trail but will save you at least an hour walking through the back streets of Tai Po Industrial Estate. From here, you walk along what seems like a private beach for about 200 metres around the coast until it makes a hard left turn and the coastline changes to boulders. Do not continue to follow the coast; instead scramble up some of these big boulders right in front of you to the top of the slope. After walking through some bushes, you should find a grassy track running to your left. This track will take you to the Tai Po Waterfront Pier.
Unfortunately, at the near side of the pier there is a metal fence topped with barbed wire. This means you need to drop down into the water one last time, swim around the pier avoiding the fishermen’s lines and climb out at the concrete steps. The final stretch of this section is an easy walk along the municipal pink promenade of Tai Po Waterfront Park and through Tai Po town centre itself, finishing at the MTR or the unofficial end point of Section 4: the King’s Belly Public House.
After leaving Lung Mei Beach, walk for about 10 minutes before crossing the road and taking a left hand turn towards the coast at Ting Kok East Delta. This is the most obvious spot to embark into Plover Cove waters for the first swim of the section, which measures around 600 metres and will take about 30 minutes to complete at a leisurely pace. Swim to the left-hand side of Goat Island (Yeung Chau) and look for a small beach about half way along the eastern shoreline which will act as a mid-point break between the two swims. Legend has it that years ago a local from nearby Po Sam Pai crossed over with a few goats to start a little colony on the island. If you’re lucky, some of them might even greet you when you arrive onshore.
With 360° views around Tolo Harbour, the second swim of Section 4 has got to be one of the most special in Hong Kong. Behind you lie the Eight Immortals of Pat Sin Leng and the bright white statue of the Tsz Shan monastery; on your left is the Plover Cove Reservoir dam; out in front is the Ma Shi Chau tombolo with the towering peaks of the Hunchbacks and Ma On Shan beyond. If you are making the crossing on a weekend, there’s likely to be dozens of sail boats scattered around the harbour which more than add to the aesthetics. If you can, save this section for a calm, sunny day, take your time and savour the moment; there is a speed limit so you should have no real battles with sea traffic.
As you complete this swim across Plover Cove, you should aim for a tiny beach on the northern shore of the Sam Mun Tsai peninsula. The distance from the beach on Goat Island is about 800 metres depending on which point you reach the shore and will take about 40 minutes to swim. Make your way around the coast to your right and, as you turn the corner, you will see a small marina about 150 metres in front of you. The water level is low, so wade across, climb up the concrete steps of the old dock and walk up to the fishing village of Sam Mun Tsai.
Following the road up into the village you will pass a dim sum restaurant to your left before crossing a narrow road bridge. Towards the end of the bridge, you can take a right down the steps to the Sha Lan coastline and walk around the coast to some excellent options for hammocks by the sea, with wonderful views across the cove to Pat Sin Leng. Otherwise continue along the Sam Mun Tsai Road for 15 minutes, past the plush Beverly Hills housing complex on your right until you almost reach Ting Kok Road.
The next half an hour or so of this section is complicated to navigate so you must follow these directions carefully. Just before you reach the main Ting Kok Road, you need to turn left, walk past a cement factory to the end of the road and descend the slope to the water. This segment is far from the prettiest part of the Argyle Ross Trail but will save you at least an hour walking through the back streets of Tai Po Industrial Estate. From here, you walk along what seems like a private beach for about 200 metres around the coast until it makes a hard left turn and the coastline changes to boulders. Do not continue to follow the coast; instead scramble up some of these big boulders right in front of you to the top of the slope. After walking through some bushes, you should find a grassy track running to your left. This track will take you to the Tai Po Waterfront Pier.
Unfortunately, at the near side of the pier there is a metal fence topped with barbed wire. This means you need to drop down into the water one last time, swim around the pier avoiding the fishermen’s lines and climb out at the concrete steps. The final stretch of this section is an easy walk along the municipal pink promenade of Tai Po Waterfront Park and through Tai Po town centre itself, finishing at the MTR or the unofficial end point of Section 4: the King’s Belly Public House.
