Jam packed sky scrapers and crowded city planning have always been part of the scenery and character of Hong Kong. In a city where almost every square inch of open space has been developed, beyond all expectations, this giant metropolis is actually endowed with a lot of innate natural resources such as wetlands, patchily distributed over the region replete with myriad aquatic creatures.

During winter, Deep Bay and the northern wetlands are temporary home to millions of water birds from the north, heading to the south, to top up their energy in Hong Kong before they continue their round-the-world journey. However, a significant slice of the wetlands has been dredged to accommodate the Tin Shui Wai new town development. Hence, in order to raise awareness of the efforts to conserve Hong Kong’s few remaining wetland ecosystems as well as create another tourist attraction and partly to assuage any vestiges of guilt, Hong Kong Wetland Park has been officially open to the public since May this year.

The 60-hectare park aims to be a facility for conservation, education and tourism. It comprises the main outdoor Wetland Reserve and a ten thousand square meter visitor centre where habitat has been recreated for a great diversity of wildlife. In 2006, the wetland project received Grand Award at the Green Building Award for its environmental, sustainable design. It is therefore, an ideal place for the family to get out of their congested apartments and enjoy a pleasant, even educational day out.

Located at the northern end of Tin Shui Wai, in the north-west New Territories, the Wetland Park is at a distance from the town but it should not take more an hour to get to from either Kowloon or Hong Kong Island.

Past the ticket office sightseers are escorted to the Visitor Centre building, which is also where
the Wetland Interactive World is located. The galleries and facilities are situated on both sides
of the split level building, featuring a spacious lobby in the middle of the building encased in French windows through which visitors can view the Wetland Reserve behind the building from the entrance.

Owing to the vast spread of the park, it takes a good four hours at least to embark on a thorough observation of the site. To tour the park most efficiently, visitors can enquire at the reception desk in the Visitor Centre, where the attendant can suggest the most suitable route according to different interests or they can join the 'Know More' programme, which is only available on Sunday and public holidays, led by HKWP volunteers.

Located to the right of the Visitors’ Building – the starting point of your outdoor journey – the well equipped glasshouse constantly thronged with enthusiastic children is the home of Hong Kong’s celebrity crocodile 'Pui Pui'. Named after the location where it was first spotted, the six year old estuarine crocodile was actually the mischievous and elusive creature playing hide-and-seek with Hong Kongers in the Shan Pui River in Yuen Long two years ago. Eventually caught, Pui Pui has now settled down in HKWP to entertain visitors, especially the kids, in his luxury, one-bedroom home consisting of a pool, a heater and an electronic scale.

Right next to Pui Pui’s home, leading visitors to the diverse adventure habitats of swampy wildlife, Stream Walk is the prologue to the Wetland Reserve, which includes four other themed facilities – Succession Walk, Wildside Walk, Mangrove Boardwalk and three Bird Hides.

Crystal clear water streaming underfoot, Stream Walk is interwoven with tortuous rivulets along an arched bridge where visitors can spot signs of life as evidenced by tracks and footprints left by various aquatic animals.

The animals live in the upland stream and in order to survive the treacherous current and avoid being swept away, have adopted sneaky tricks to keep themselves and the younger generation safe in their territory. Along the river banks you may come across differently sized burrows, which were actually dug out by crabs and acted as great escapes for them to shelter from the seasonal flows. If you are lucky enough, you might be able to spot some of the red ember-coloured little creatures toddling back and forth from their subterranean catacombs.

Connecting the Stream Walk and the Succession Walk, the next habitat is the Wetland Discovery Centre – a small pavilion which not only functions as a resting place for visitors but can be readily modified to form a learning centre and laboratory for school groups on study visits and lectures.

Barren wetland is transformed gradually in four stages before it turns into woodland from open water; the process is called succession. With clumps of lotus floating on the water, throughout Succession Walk you can oversee the evolution of different species of aquatic plants from floating plants like Water Lily, Water Spangles and Mosquito Fern to underwater plants such as reeds, Waterweed and Water Starwort. A floating, rolling boardwalk penetrating all the way through the third section of the swamp, Mangrove Boardwalk is there to escort visitors whilst they learn about aquatic animals’ and plants’ amazing adaptability to the habitat, experience it and become part of it.

The bushes and trees, all of which are categorised as mangroves, planted on either side of the stream, spend half their time submerged when the tide hits the shore twice daily. Pending the surge swallowing the muddy river bank, visitors can actually see the roots of the mangrove tightly gripping the ground, either as a raft of supporting roots stretching out from the trunk like a palm or forming a strong, thickset root-system thriving beneath the surface and anchoring themselves in this extraordinary environment.

After the hectic pace you have been keeping up, Wildside Walk, the last destination of the Wetland Reserve is simply a place for visitors to relax and review what they have learned and seen. Colourful butterflies and dragonflies flutter past in the sunlight amidst the lush verdant undergrowth of the walk, providing an idyllic escape for the visitors from the clamour of human existence back in the city whence they have come.

Getting back to the Wetland Interactive World at the outdoor Wetland Reserve, visitors can either choose to take a break at the cafe, located to the left of the building or continue their educational wetland journey at the four themed galleries on the right of the building, giving an in-depth understanding of the wetland ecosystem. The two greatest attractions the galleries hold are the copy of the ancient Chinese scroll – Qingming Shanghe Tu, appropriately named The Prosperous Southern Capital, and the recreated Tropical Swamp.

Old trees stretching to the sky from the riverbed, mist permeating the air above the water, visitors to the Tropical Swamp can observe plants and hidden forest animals such as false gharials, Asian arowana and Malayan box terrapins under and above the swamp at water level.

Adjacent to the Living Wetland gallery, an incredible contrast greets visitors as they slip into the Human Culture gallery, featuring exhibits of subjects that are related to human necessities, civilisation, leisure and inspiration. The highlight of this gallery is the copy of the Qingming Shanghe Tu, which depicts preparations for a feast day in Kaifeng, in Henan province, during the Northern Song Dynasty. What makes this copy so special is that there is a moveable screen upon the painting, such that, wherever you drag it, the characters underneath spring to life with every manipulation of the screen.

On the first floor, between the Living Wetlands and the Human Culture gallery, lies a Viewing Gallery facing straight out to the outdoor Wetland Reserve. It is equipped with telescope, CCTV and bird identification guide. However, from the personal point of view, the best view of the wetland you can catch from the building is on its roof which is planted with beautiful lawn and trees and you can go all the way up to the edge of the roof garden from the fountains just next to the Ticket Office.

Although the wetland park is open to the public throughout the year, if you want to spot certain animals in the park, however, you do need to come in the right months. From now to the end of November is the best time of year to observe the passage of migrant birds from three well placed Bird Hides as well as the butterflies in the Wildside Walk.

Conversely, if you come during the cooler months, wintering birds will be brisk from November to February. Encompassing all climates and habitats, the Wetland Park is certainly the best place to experience the four seasons in one day and is a remarkable, much appreciated and invaluable addition to Hong Kong life for both residents and tourists alike.

Hong Kong Wetland Park
Getting there
Bus with stop at Wetland Park Road
264M Tin Yan Estate –Tsing Yi Airport Rail Station
276B Tin Fu Estate – Tai Ping Estate, Sheung Shui (via Lok Ma Chau)
967 Tin Yan Estate – Admiralty (West) Bus Terminus

Light Rail
705/ 706 Tin Shui Wai Circular. Get off at Wetland Park Station
(Interchange from West Rail Tin Shui Wai Station)

When is it open?
Mondays, Wednesdays to Sundays, Public Holidays
10:00am – 5:00pm (Ticket service closed at 4:00pm)
Closed every Tuesday (expect Public Holidays)

How much?
Adult: $30 Child (Aged 3 – below 18)/Full-time Student/Senior (Aged 65 or above): $15

Further information
Hong Kong Wetland Park website: www.wetlandpark.com
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department website: www.afcd.gov.hk
Citizen’s Easy Link – Tel: 1823