The New Territories

Before the 1980s, the New Territories were made up of peaceful countryside, with duck farms, fields, and old villages. No longer. A vast 1,008-sq.-km (389-sq.-mile) region that stretches from Kowloon to the border of mainland China, the New Territories have long been Hong Kong's answer to its growing population. Huge government housing projects mushroomed throughout the New Territories, especially in towns along the railway and subway lines. Once-sleepy villages became concrete jungles virtually overnight.

Close to one-half of Hong Kong's population -- about 3.3 million people -- lives in the New Territories, many in subsidized housing. The New Territories, therefore, are vitally important to the SAR's well-being and its future. For visitors to ignore the area completely would be shortsighted; many find the housing projects, in some suburbs stretching as far as the eye can see, nothing short of astounding. If, on the other hand, it's peace and quiet you're searching for, don't despair. The New Territories are so large and so mountainous that not all the land has been turned into housing, and the area still makes an interesting side trip; it's so different from the city itself that it's almost like visiting an entirely different country.

Traveling in the New Territories, you may notice women wearing wide-brimmed hats with a black fringe and pajama-like clothing; many of them have gold-capped teeth as well. These women are Hakka, as are most of the farmers of the New Territories. They keep to themselves, preserving their customs and dialect. During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), some of the Hakka clans in the area built walls around their homes to protect themselves against roving bandits and invaders. A handful of these walled villages still exist today, along with ancestral halls and other ancient, traditional buildings. One of my favorite things to do in the New Territories is to walk one of two Heritage Trails, both of which highlight village life in the New Territories and take you past significant historic buildings and walled villages. Both trails are described in more detail later, but be sure to pick up HKTB's two pamphlets, the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail and the Ping Shan Heritage Trail. I also suggest that before visiting any walled village, try to see the Sam Tung Uk Museum in Tsuen Wan (also described later), since it will greatly enrich your visit to a lived-in walled village.

As for getting around the New Territories, the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR), divided into an East Rail, a West Rail, and two smaller lines, is the fastest and most convenient way to reach major destinations. Subway lines also serve some satellite towns in the New Territories. All KCR train stations have free maps in English of their immediate surroundings, complete with descriptions of buses that serve the area. Simply stop by the ticket or customer service counter at your destination and ask for the station's map. Other useful pamphlets, which you should pick up at a HKTB visitor center before heading to the New Territories, are the leaflet "Major Bus Routes in the New Territories," which tells you which bus to take, the fare, and the frequency of buses along the route; and the booklet Discover Hong Kong by Rail, which describes attractions at KCR stations and provides maps.

If your time is limited, a good tactic for seeing the New Territories is to leave the driving to someone else and opt for an organized tour. The "Land Between" Tour emphasizes both the rural side of Hong Kong and its urban development, enabling visitors to learn about the lifestyle, customs, and beliefs of the local people. It visits a temple, a traditional market in Tai Po, and a fishing village, passing through sprawling satellite towns on the way. The Heritage Tour, a must for architectural buffs, covers historic Chinese architectural sites spread throughout Kowloon and the New Territories, including a restored 18th-century walled village, a Man Mo temple, an ancestral hall, and Tai Fu Tai, a stately country mansion. It's impossible for the individual traveler to cover as much ground in a single day as is covered on one of these tours.

Seeing the New Territories by KCR East Rail

For years, every visitor to the New Territories took the train to the border for a look into forbidden and mysterious China. Now, of course, it's easy to get permission to enter China, and the border lookout has lost its appeal -- the view was never very exciting anyway. Still, you might want to take the train up into the New Territories just for the experience, as well as for the interesting stops you can make on the way.

The KCR East Rail, in operation since 1910, is Hong Kong's primary north-south transportation link. Departing from East Tsim Sha Tsui Station on Kowloon's southern tip, the East Rail travels 47km (29 miles), including an offshoot line called the Ma On Shan Rail (an additional spur line, running from Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau, is scheduled for completion by the end of 2007). The East Rail travels through 11 stations along its main route, passing through such budding satellite towns as Sha Tin, University Station, Tai Po Market, and Fanling before reaching Sheung Shui -- your last stop unless you have a visa to enter China. The entire trip from East Tsim Sha Tsui Station to Sheung Shui costs only HK$12.50 (US$1.60/90p) one-way for ordinary class and HK$25 (US$3.25/£1.80) for first class and takes just 38 minutes. Trains depart every 3 to 8 minutes.

I have arranged the towns below in the order in which you'll reach them when traveling north from Kowloon. The names of the towns are also the names of the KCR stations. Before departing, be sure you have the Discover Hong Kong by Rail booklet on hand, available free from any HKTB office.

Che Kung Temple -- Tai Wai, the first stop on the KCR after passing into the New Territories, was once a small village but has now been engulfed by Sha Tin. Change trains here for the Ma On Shan Rail and go one stop to Che Kung Temple Station (ask for a map of the surrounding area at the station; in addition, Hong Kong Walks, a free brochure at HKTB, has a map and gives instructions on how to reach attractions in Sha Tin on foot). Take Exit B from Che Kung Temple, walk through the pedestrian tunnel, and then turn right for Che Kung Temple, 7 Che Kung Miu Rd. (tel. 852/2603 4049). This modern Taoist temple, built in 1993 on the site of a previous temple established more than 100 years ago, honors Che Kung, a general from the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1279) credited with suppressing a revolt in southern China, controlling floods, and safeguarding villagers from a plague. You'll find a giant statue of Che Kung inside, holding his sword, but the temple is popular with nearby residents mainly because of Che Kung's reputation for granting good fortune. Many visitors bring food offerings and burn incense to ask for blessings. There are also many fortunetellers on hand. Admission is free, and it's open daily from 7am to 6pm.

Just a 15-minute walk east of the temple, on the other side of Lion Rock Tunnel Road on Sha Kok Street, is Tsang Tai Uk (also called Shan Ha Wai, which means Walled Village at the Mountain Foot), a tiny, walled village built in the 1840s for members of the Tsang clan, who made their fortune as stonemasons. (Tsang Tai Uk translates as "Mr. Tsang's Big House"). With its high, thick walls, four parallel rows, two side columns of houses, and central courtyard with the ancestral halls (and a painting of the clan founder) in the middle, it's typical of Hakka settlements in Guangdong Province (formerly Canton Province) but unusual for Hong Kong. Although not as old nor as famous as other walled villages, Tsang Tai Uk is, in my opinion, more intriguing and interesting because it has been spared the intrusion of the modern apartments that now plague most villages (the new Ma On Shan Rail, however, passes right outside Tsang Tai Uk, destroying some of its former pastoral peacefulness). Still occupied by about 300 members of the Tsang clan, it looks like a vision of communal life from Hong Kong's not-so-distant past, with children playing in the grassy field out front, seniors sitting in doorways, and women drawing water from courtyard wells.

The recent addition of public toilets has made life easier, as most of the 99 apartments are without private facilities and residents formerly relied on chamber pots. Since Tsang Tai Uk is off the tourist pathway and serves as home to a number of families, visitors should be respectful of the inhabitants' privacy when visiting the compound. Tsang Tai Uk is about a 15-minute walk from Che Kung Temple (above). To reach it, return to Che Kung Miu Road, turn right, and at the pedestrian tunnels follow signs to Tsang Tai Uk. After exiting the last tunnel, you'll pass a tennis court to your left before seeing Tsan Tai Uk. Since getting there is confusing despite a few small signs, it's best is to have the concierge of your hotel write out the name in Chinese so you can show people for directions.

North, across the river from Che Kung Temple and Tsang Tai Uk (walk back to the pedestrian tunnels and follow signs to the museum, crossing Lion Bridge), is the Hong Kong Heritage Museum [STST], 1 Man Lam Rd. (tel. 852/2180 8188; http://hk.heritage.museum), in my opinion the main reason for a visit to the area. Opened in 2001, it presents both the history and culture of the New Territories in a series of themed exhibitions. Foremost is the New Territories Heritage Hall, with displays relating to the customs, religions, and lifestyle of the early fishermen and settlers and how they have changed over the centuries. A barge loaded for market, an ancestral hall, traditional clothing, and other items are also on display. Particularly stunning are the models showing the growth of Sha Tin since the 1930s. I also like the Cantonese Opera Heritage Hall, a must for anyone wishing to gain insight into the history and characteristics of this unique form of entertainment, with musical instruments, elaborate costumes and headgear, and a typical backstage scene. The Chao Shao-an Gallery shows the works of Chao Shao-an (1905-98), a Hong Kong artist famous for his bird-and-flower paintings, while the T. T. Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art contains porcelains, bronzes, furniture, jade, and other works of Chinese art dating from the Neolithic period to the 20th century. For the kids, there's also a toy museum and the hands-on Children's Discovery Gallery, where they can practice being an archaeologist, wear traditional costumes, and learn about marshes. Allow at least 2 hours here. It's open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sunday and holidays from 10am to 7pm. Admission is HK$10 (US$1.30/70p) for adults and HK$5 (US65¢/35p) for children, students, and seniors. Admission is free on Wednesdays. It's located about halfway between Tai Wai and Sha Tin stations, about a 15-minute walk from each.