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From local villages to uninhabited houses on The Peak, abandoned as they may be, they’re scenic to say the least. Venture to discover a lesser-known side of Hong Kong!
Hong Kong sure is a city that never sleeps, with glitzy neon lights and modern buildings, but it has its fair share of spooky sites too! From ghost stories and urban legends to even a handful of true crime happenings, some villages, houses and buildings have been left deserted for years. Though not strictly haunted’, these abandoned places give us the creeps — as well as insight into Hong Kong’s bygone era.
Editor’s Note: We do not encourage trespassing, please do not try to enter any abandoned houses or areas off limits.
Read More: Hong Kong Ghost Stories – 5 Haunted Locations To Visit — If You Dare
Yim Tin Tsai
Once home to about 200 villagers, residents moved to the inner city over the years, leaving Yim Tin Tsai largely uninhabited. The 300-year-old Hakka hamlet is only 15-minutes away via sampans and is home to the only salt pan in Hong Kong. Explore the island’s historic landmarks like St. Joseph’s Chapel and Jade-Girdle Bridge – we recommend the easy circular hike around the island where you’ll also pass by abandoned houses which uniquely blend East and West architecture.
How to get there: 15 minutes ferry ride from Sai Kung Public Pier, round-trip tickets cost about $60
Read More: Things To Do In Sai Kung – What To Eat, See & Do
Kuk Po
The New Territories may be a trek for some of us, but it packs a punch when it comes to off-the-beaten-path finds. One such place is Kuk Po, an uninhabited village that housed about seven Hakka clans over the centuries. A flat well-paved path takes you around the village and its neighbouring settlements. Take a moment to admire the natural beauty of The Golden Reed Field of Kuk Po, make a pit stop at the abandoned Kai Choi School and Hip Tin Temple, and then walk over to the inlet to catch Shenzhen right opposite!
How to get there: Take minibus 56K from Fanling MTR station to Luk Keng then follow the Tiu Tang Lung Path to Kuk Po, it’s roughly a two-hour walk.
Hindu Temple At Burma Lines
So Lo Pun
Dubbed as one of Hong Kong’s oldest, most ‘haunted’ and most rural abandoned villages, So Lo Pun might not be best for solo expeditions! The Chinese name directly translates to “the compass is locked” as hikers experienced a very Stranger Things-esque phenomena. Accessible only via a three and a half hour hike, it’s hard to believe this eerie abandoned village with crumbling houses and overgrown grass is in a buzzy city like Hong Kong!
You’ll have to retrace your steps so the total walking time could take at least six hours, so plan accordingly!
How to get there: Take minibus 56K from Fanling MTR station to Luk Keng, hike along Kai Kuk Shue Ha, Fung Kai Village, Kuk Po Village and Yung Shue Au to finally reach So Lo Pun Village.
Read More: 5 Chilling Hong Kong Urban Legends
Club Captain Bear
A decapitated plastic elephant, an out-of-place giraffe figure and a lonely gorilla, Club Captain Bear is a failed resort project, which was actually a bid to restore the ghost village of Snake Bay in Sai Kung. Today, you’ll see empty buildings with broken windows and mirrors and the remnants from the mechanical zoo and an empty swimming pool with overgrown grass gives a dystopian vibe!
How to get there: The only why to get to Club Captain Bear is via a hike and to get to the starting point, there are no buses so you’ll have to hail a cab from Sai Kung to Man Yee Road near Pak Au (costs about $100). You can hike to get to Tai She Wan Village where the abandoned resort is at and turn back the way you came or continue to hike to Standing Man Rock and end at West Dam but the path can be quite treacherous.
Main image courtesy of 攝影 札記 via Flickr, image 1 courtesy of Wilson Kwan via Flickr, image 2 courtesy of @tintin_jamie via Instagram, image 3 courtesy of @tommy_goproduction via Instagram, image 4 courtesy of 攝影 札記 via Flickr, image 5 courtesy of @ruin_explorers via Instagram.
