Family Camping in Hong Kong

Published by

Jack Choy Denny Leung Jane Lun Matthew Ng

Disclaimer All information presented in the guide is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. No part of this guide may be reprinted, transmitted and stored in a retrieval system. Information of this guide is subject to change without prior notice. Illustrations of this guide may differ slightly from the real objects. CampUs assumes no responsibilities for the accuracy of the information of the guide. CampUs shall not be liable for any personal injury, illness, or property damage or loss , including but not limited to, arising out of or in connection with the use of or reliance on the information in this guide.

Contents Foreword

1

Preparation for the trip - Equipment - Food - Weather - Safety Precautions - First Aid Box

2 3 3 4 5

Useful skills - Setting up a tent - Cooking

6 8

Emergency procedures

10

Recommendations

12

Useful contacts

18

Index

19

Foreword

Foreword Welcome to the fascinating camping world in Hong Kong! How long has it been since the last time you enjoyed a cosy day out with your family on the green meadows and hilly landscapes? Or the fact is you have never thought about it and are happy to be a couch potato. Believe us, you and your family deserve much better than that. Camping is just the right choice for you to start taking lifestyle more seriously.

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In this user guide, we will introduce camping to all Hong Kong families and take you through the steps to plan a twoto three-day itinerary, including the preparation before the trip, the camping skills, and the moves to deal with emergency situations. Last but not least, we will also recommend the perfect sites for family camping. Some people out there always think camping is dangerous and too challenging. That’s not true! We assure you camping is relaxing and safe. Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, go as a family and feel the graceful nature. Let’s enjoy this ideal outdoor recreational activity for families today. Bon voyage!

Having good and thorough preparations is very important before setting off. Please make sure you don’t have any significant physical injury or illness as you’re about to go. Equally important, check if you’ve got the right equipment. Equipment Now take a pen, grab your favourite notebook and draw up a checklist of the equipment.          

Backpacks Clothing Compass and maps Cooking gears Cooking stoves Flashlight Insect protection Sleeping bags Tent Waterproof fire starter

Preparation for the trip

Preparation for the trip

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Preparation for the trip

Food

You don’t need to bring too much food with you. You can practically cook everything using the camping stove. Remember, pack light and be wise. After all, you don’t want to give yourself too much trouble climbing uphill. A few snacks and some water for emergency use will surely do. 3 Weather Check carefully the weather conditions before you go. Hold on your trips if rainy weather or heat wave is expected. Always log on to the official website of the Hong Kong Observatory (http:// www.hko.gov.hk) for the detailed breakdown and forecasts of the weather.

Camping is meant to be great fun but danger lurks around if you don’t pay attention. Read through the precautions; take care of yourselves and your family members.

Preparation for the trip

Safety Precautions

Play safe and make it a good time with no regrets!         

Bring along a first aid kit. (See next subsection) Take emergency supplies. 4 Check the weather conditions. Arrive at the camp site early. Inspect potential hazards upon arrival. Stay away from dangerous slopes and muddy areas. Build fires in a safe place and be attentive to the fire. Beware of poisonous plants, bugs and animals. Practise good hygiene.

Preparation for the trip

First Aid Box Any first aid kit would be a decent choice, but remember to pack especially for insect and snake protection.    

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   

Antiseptics for cuts and scrapes Bandages and plasters Bug spray Insect repellent Pain relievers Snakebite kit Sunscreen Tweezers

A. Setting up a tent

Useful skills

Useful skills

A tent is your shelter. It protects you and your family in the wild, so choosing the right type of tent is important. A family tent, which is designed to sleep four or more with zip-down windows, porch and extended 6 rain flies, would be the best for your family.

Useful skills

Procedures to pitch a tent: 1.Find the flattest surface with smooth soil. 2.Remember not to pitch your camp on the lowest ground in the area or your tent will be flooded in case of rain. 3.Lay your tarp out on your chosen spot and place heavy objects on them.

4.Refer to your tent's manual for exact instructions because the way of installation differs from 7 types of tents. 5.Make sure the front door is aligned along the wind direction for good ventilation. 6.Drive in pegs to secure your tent against hard winds. 7.Put on the waterproof topper or fly. 8.Check all pegs if they are secured properly.

Cooking outdoor with your family is fun. One or two camping stoves with an ignition switch, a few gas cartridges and a cook set would be enough for a single family. Before you cook, correct procedures of setting up fire ensure the fun of cooking.

Useful skills

B. Cooking

1.Check that no inflammable stuff, such as lighters, newspaper, is around the stove. 8 2.Make sure the stove and gas cartridges are firmly connected. 3.Turn on the switch gradually. When you hear the gas is leaking out, click the ignition switch. When you are cooking, remember to: - constantly stir the food. - always pay attention to the fire. - tightly cover the pans/ bowls in order to speed up heating.

Keep some distance for stoves

Useful skills

After cooking, don’t forget to: -leave the stoves for a while until they cool down. -roughly clean the cookware at least. -pack the rubbish and food waste in a rubbish bag. Tie and dispose of it in an appropriate site.

Notes: -Remember to bring along your multi-purpose pocket knifes and 9 utensils or else you have to use bare hands to cook and eat.

-Avoid using dish soap. Use biodegradable soap to protect our nature.

Emergency situations when camping will challenge all of your knowledge, experience and judgment. Make sure your mobiles always receive signals and you need to identify the public phone boxes accurately on your map. This is to ensure your communication with the outside world.

Emergency procedures

Emergency Procedures

How to survive when you are caught in a landslide? -Call 999 for help immediately. -Stay at the sides of the track. 10 -Swim up and try to reach the surface as far as you can. -Preserve energy and keep normal breathing. What to do when you are caught in a hill fire? -Call the police. -Locate the fire and move perpendicularly away from the flank of the fire.

Emergency procedures

How to treat bruises, muscle sprains and strains

-Stop any action and rest the affected part of body. -Rinse the affected area with cold water or apply ice packs to it. -Wrap the affected area with a bandage. -Elevate the affected area above heart level. 11 -Take pain-relievers and anti-inflammation drugs if you have any. How to treat Snakebites -Use a suction extractor in the Snakebite kit. -Keep the affected area at or below the level of the heart to slow circulation of the venom. -Splint the area to minimize the movement. -Drink fluids frequently. -Get to a hospital as soon as possible.

Hong Kong has 38 camping sites scattered at different country parks. However, not all camping sites are suitable for family camping, especially for family having children. Some camp sites are remote from towns and hard to access. In this section, we will recommend camp sites suitable for families and provide details and references for you to plan an enjoyable camping day. Hok Tau Campsite Location Hok Tau, Pat Sin Leng Country Park Route

By Bus – At Fanling At the minibus terminal next to Fanling Railway Station, take Minibus 52B to Hok Tau. Get off at Hok Tau Tsuen stop. Walk along Hok Tau Road and you will see the Hok Tau Reservoir on your left. Keep walking for 15 minutes and you will reach Hok Tau Campsite. See Figure. 1 on p.15.

Recommendations

Recommendations

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Recommendations

Twisk Campsite Location Twisk, Tai Lam Country Park Route

By Bus – At Tsuen Wan

At the bus terminal next to Tsuen Wan Railway Station, take Bus 51 to Kam Tin. Get off at Tai Mo Shan Country Park stop. You will see a sign directing you to Twisk Campsite. 13 Walk for 5 minutes along the road and you will reach the campsite. See Figure. 2 on Nam Shan Campsite p.15. Location Nam Shan, Lantau South Country Park Route

By Bus – At Tung Chung At bus terminal next to Tung Chung Town Centre, take Bus 3M or A35. Get off at Nam Shan stop. Nam Shan Campsite is right next to Nam Shan stop. See Figure. 3 on p.16.

Location Pak Tam Au, Sai Kung East Country Park ( Ngau Wu Tun) Route

By Bus - At Sai Kung At Sai Kung Bus Terminal, take Bus 94 to Wong Shek. Get off at Pak Tam Au stop. Walk along the second stage of MacLehose Trail towards Chek Keng. After walking for 10 minutes, you will reach the entrance of the campsite. Walk up the steps on your right and walk along the path for another 10 minutes. You will reach the Pak Tam Au Campsite.

By Bus - At Diamond Hill Railway Station (Only on Sundays and statutory holidays) At the bus terminal next to Diamond Hill Railway Station, take Bus 96R to Wong Shek. Get off at Pak Tam Au stop. Walk along the second stage of MacLehose Trail towards Chek Keng. After walking for 10 minutes, you will reach the entrance of the campsite. Walk up the steps on your right and walk along the path for another 10 minutes. You will reach the Pak Tam Au Campsite. See Figure. 4 on p.16.

Recommendations

Pak Tam Au Campsite

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Recommendations 15

Information Hok Tau Tent space Toilet types

40 Flushing toilet with sinks

Source of water

Tap

Campsites Twisk Nam Shan 10 40 Dry Flushing toilet toilets pits & with mobile sinks toilets Tap Tap

Pak Tam Au 10 Dry toilet pits

Stream water (seasonal supply)

Table 1. Information of Campsites Facilities Available

Hok Tau

Barbecue pits Benches Tables Drains Cloth lines Playground



Bathrooms



Pavilions



  

Campsites Twisk Nam Shan     

     

Table 2. Facilities Available in Campsites

Pak Tam Au   

Recommendations

Figure 1. Route to Hok Tau Campsite

16

Figure 2. Route to Twisk Campsite

Recommendations

Figure 3. Route to Nam Shan Campsite

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Figure 4. Route to Pak Tam Au Campsite

Phone numbers of country parks' offices and visitor centres are provided below.

Useful numbers

Useful contacts

Hill Fire control centre hotline 2720 0777 (A 24-hour hill fire hotline in operation during the dry season from October to April) Emergency contact

999

Ranger offices (Enquiries on hiking routes during office hours) Sai Kung 2792 3730 Hong Kong Island 2552 7907 New Territories (Central) 2427 2670 Lantau Island 2984 8191 New Territories (West) 2477 4896 New Territories (North) 2662 5015 Country Park Visitor Centres Aberdeen Visitor Centre Tai Mo Shan Visitor Centre Sai Kung Visitor Centre Plover Cove Country Park Visitor Centre Lions Nature Education Centre Shing Mun Visitor Centre

2555 2179 2498 9326 2792 7365 2665 3413 2792 2234 2498 1362

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Index Barbecue 15 Camping stove 3, 8 Campsite 12-15 Cooking 2, 8-9 Emergency 3, 4, 10, 16, 18 Equipment 2 First Aid 4-5 Food 3, 8-9 19 Fire 2, 4, 8, 10, 16 Hong Kong Observatory 3 Landslide 10 Notes:

Map 2, 10 Pocket knife 9 Rubbish 9 Safety precaution 4 Snakebite 5, 12 Suction extractor 12 Tent 2, 6-7, 15 Toilet 15 Ventilation 7 Weather 3-4

Thanks for reading our user guide! It is an EASY and RELIABLE way to let you embrace camping with your family. Follow the STRAIGHTFORWARD steps from packing your rucksack, setting up the tent for a good sleep to coping with emergencies. Take our INFORMATIVE recommendations of local campsites and useful contacts that keep you updated with the camping world in Hong Kong. You think you are ready… Wait… Bring your family Grab our guide And Go!