Long Ke beach, the most beautiful beach in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong has no shortage of great hikes, and for that matter no shortage of great beaches either, so a combination of the two is not so rare. In fact many of the well known hikes in the city feature an ending at a lovely beach, Dragons Back Dragons back hike in Hong Kong for example, which ends at Big Wave Bay. So when I heard abut this hidden gem of a beach named Long Ke, which many say is the most beautiful in the city, AND it was accessible via a nice long scenic walk, I HAD to try it out for myself. Long Ke Wan, also called Long Ke Beach, is a white sand paradise nestled between the hills and capes of Sai Kung East Country Park, facing the South China Sea. Apart from its silky sand, the pristine beach is known for its crystal clear waters, gentle waves and spectacular ocean views. It is dubbed as one, if not the most beautiful beach in Hong Kong.
This trail is actually Maclehose stage 1, and is a long straight walk of around 11km, it is flat and well paved and actually is not very difficult at all.
The reservoir provides some of the drinking water for the city and die to the geology of the area, leave the water looking a lovely colour. Not for swimming sadly, no matter how beautiful it looks. As you walk you’ll be granted supremely picturesque photo opportunities, and sweeping panoramic views of nature. On the one side you see rain water used for drinking, on the other you see natural ocean water.
During the walk you will no doubt encounter the local wildlife that roams freely in this area. They are protected animals and have the rule of the land, but are very friendly and happy to interact with you. You may even see a cute baby or two
Be careful walking on the trail as the taxi’s zip past at quite a speed and can be a bit annoying. After 10km or so you will reach the end of the Dam trail and then you will see the breathtaking view of the beach below you, pristine and golden, waiting for you to enjoy. A short descend later and you’re there.
The beach is super quiet, with soft clean sand perfect to sprawl out on and relax. The water is clean and warm, ready and waiting for you to dive and float around. With the big yachts behind you and the golden sand in front of you, it almost feels like you could be anywhere in the world such as Dubai or Monaco. One negative is the waves are small, so no surfing here, on the plus side it makes it easy to swim and to play around in, especially for families and kids.
Please note there are no toilet or shower facilities here, and no drinks or food available either. So please remember this if you choose to come.
After finishing at the beach, you can move onto Maclehose stage 2 which provides great sunset views of the beach, mountains and ocean below you. Unlike stage 1 this is not flat and straight; it is a bit rocky and it is up hill to around 300m high. The scenery below is gorgeous and incredibly picturesque, especially on a clear day when the orange orb slowly sets.
Keep going and you will get to a crossroad junction, where you can either go to Sai Wan to camp the night or get a speed boat into Sai Kung, or go to Sai Wan road where there will always be a taxi or 2 waiting to take you wherever you want to go.
And should you get there then you would have completed Maclehose stages 1 & 2 and seen the most beautiful beach in Hong Kong. All in all a great day.
Tips
Bring LOTS of water and snacks. On a hot day this can be dehydrating due to the exposure to the sun and lack of shade. Remember there is nowhere along the route to buy water. If needed a taxi will likely drive past, you can wave them down and jump in if they are empty. Same advice for food/snacks. Bring sunscreen too and whatever else you might need for a day in the sun.
Want to go?
How to get there:
From Sai Kung Bus Terminal, take Bus 94, or take Bus 96R at the Diamond Hill MTR Bus Terminal (on Sundays and holidays) or take Bus 698R at Siu Sai Wan, or take Minibus 7 (Hoi Ha) at Sai Kung Town. Get off at Pak Tam Chung stop. Follow the carriageway of the first stage of MacLehose Trail towards High Island Reservoir. Walk along the Man Yee Road, which leads to the West and East dam. Turn to the roadside path marked towards Long Ke Wan.
Take a taxi from Sai Kung town to the East Dam reservoir — this is the gateway to the Geopark. It’s about a 1.5km walk through the park on the MacLehose Trail to Long Ke Beach. The alternative is to also hike the entire MacLehose Trail starting at Pak Tam Chung and ending at Long Ke — it’s a 11.5km one way trek.
Camping is allowed at Long Ke beach, but there are only 15 sites available.
The campsite amenities include BBQ pits, benches, tables and dry toilet pits and stream water access, which is seasonal.
Wanderust Welshman 
2 Comments