I often tell people that Hong Kong is like if you surrounded New York City with Hawaii, and it just takes one look at the picturesque beaches and hiking trails of Sai Kung to see why. While most people will only visit the skyscrapers and crowded streets of Central or Kowloon, a day trip to Sai Kung offers a true escape with arguably the best nature experiences in Hong Kong.
There’s a vast country park for exploration on foot, numerous small islands and inlets accessible by boat or kayak, and even the option to fuel your adrenaline with wakeboarding and other water sports. Or if you want to just relax, you can enjoy plenty of restaurants with seaside views and delicious food. So keep reading to see my personal favorite things to see, do and eat in Sai Kung.
Jump ahead: Where to Eat | Things to Do | Where to Stay
Getting to Sai Kung
By Taxi
The easiest way to get to Sai Kung is by Uber or taxi. It takes about 45 minutes from Central to Sai Kung Town (up to 60 minutes during peak weekend times due to traffic). Ask to get dropped off at Sai Kung Pier to take boats to other islands, and also to switch from the red Urban taxis to the green New Territories taxis to reach more remote destinations like the start of the Tai Long Wan Hike.
Note that Ubers and cars are not allowed to drive in many parts of Sai Kung, which is why you need to switch to green taxis.
By MTR and Bus
Take the MTR to Choi Hung via the Kwun Tong Line (about 30 minutes from Central), then go to exit C1 and find the green minibus 1A to Sai Kung Town, which takes another 40 minutes. (Tip: you can do a stop at Choi Hung Estate to break up your commute)
By Minibus
If you’re coming from Kowloon, you can take the red minibus from Dundas Street in Mong Kok to Sai Kung Town (about 30 minutes)
By Hiking
While there are plenty of hikes that start FROM Sai Kung, you can also hike TO Sai Kung instead by doing the Buffalo Hill hike from Sha Tin. It ends in Hebe Haven, which is then just a 5-10 minute drive to Sai Kung Town, so it’s a nice option if you want to get some outdoor activity in with gorgeous views before you explore the area. It’s also a nice way to avoid the weekend traffic reaching Sai Kung, though you do have to pay with your legs and a 3 hour hike.
Where to Eat in Sai Kung
Sai Kung Cafe & Bakery
You’ll find one of my favorite local bakeries in all of Hong Kong just past the taxi and green minibus drop off in Sai Kung Town, making it a perfect stop to carbo-load before a hike. They are constantly churning out freshly baked bolo bao, known as pineapple buns in English since the sugary, crackled coating on the fluffy, squishy buns resembles the outside of a pineapple.
I recommend ordering a bolo yao, aka a pineapple bun with butter, so you can watch them cut your pineapple bun with scissors to add a big fat pat of butter for the ultimate indulgence. The Portuguese egg tarts here are also excellent, with a not-too-sweet, creamy caramelized custard and flaky, buttery crust.
Chuen Kee Seafood
This Michelin bib gourmand pick is our go-to spot for fresh, affordable seafood with a view since it’s right along Sai Kung Pier with waterfront views. You might even see local fisherman pulling up on their boats to dump their fresh catch directly into the tanks.
We usually just order from their set menus for 2 or 4, where you can choose 4-5 entrees for a reasonable HK$298 per head. My favorite options are the scallops with garlic and vermicelli, an indulgent high-brow meets low-brow lobster noodles coated with processed cheese sauce, salt and pepper squid, black bean clams, and a whole steamed fish with ginger and scallion. They serve dim sum if you’re here during the day, and the outdoor tables are also dog-friendly though the service is the typical gruff Cantonese “service” of many local restaurants.
Chuen Kee has 2 locations—the first one is usually more crowded since it’s closer to the public pier and taxi dropoff, so I recommend going to the location on Sai Kung seafood street that’s just a block further down the pier for slightly better service.
Sing Kee Seafood Restaurant
For a higher quality seafood experience that’s off the beaten path, check out Sing Kee tucked in the back of Sai Kung Town. They only have a few outdoor tables so you won’t get as much of a seaside view, but the food and service more then make up for it.
Their signature tasting menu for 2 comes at a higher price of $549 per head instead of $298 at restaurants on the pier, but every single dish exceeds Chuen Kee in flavor and execution, especially the scallops with vermicelli in a red wine and dried shrimp sauce and their big juicy lobster with e-fu noodles in cheese sauce. You also get more food variety since the set also comes with their crispy sweet and sour pork, and the astonishingly crispy yet tender and perfectly chewy deep fried abalone.
Loaf On
For an even more refined indoor seafood experience, head to the Michelin-starred Loaf On. While you’ll find a lot of the same dishes as Chuen Kee and Sing Kee, they take everything up a notch in terms of the cooking, presentation and service.
For example, their signature mantis shrimp with fried garlic is cut open tableside by your server, and their excellent sweet and sour pork is served in a pineapple. Don’t miss their mixed seafood fried rice and clams in spicy red wine sauce as well.
CUÍT
This tiny bakery and cafe specialized in handcrafted sourdough, which is artfully displayed on the walls and wooden counter alongside other baked goods like chewy cookies (the passionfruit mango was divine) and banana bread. Reservations are recommended to sit down to try their full menu that includes sandwiches, open faced toasts, and other ways to enjoy their seriously delicious sourdough, though you can also order takeaway for the sandwiches and baked goods. We loved their mortadella and stracciatella sandwich with scallion ginger sauce on sourdough studded with cloves of garlic.
Momentai
If you’re looking for burgers and beers, then check out Momentai, which is run by the same folks as Mong Kok favorite Graceland. They’ve got a waterfront location just past the aforementioned Chuen Kee Seafood, but here you can find hearty burgers, burritos and crunchwraps along with a rotating selection of craft beers.
Top Things to Do in Sai Kung
Relax on the Beach
Sai Kung is home to the most stunning beaches in Hong Kong, including Tai Long Wan and Long Ke Wan, which I’ve written a full guide on since those are only accessible by hiking or 40 minute speed boat. You can also check out Hap Mun Bay or Kiu Tsui on Sharp Island, which is a short boat ride from the public pier, or the small, secluded Trio Beach which is near the Hebe Haven area of Sai Kung.
Go for a Hike
Sai Kung is the second largest region of Hong Kong, and it’s almost entirely made up of preserved nature parks. The only way to experience it all is to hike through its vast trails, so read my guide to my favorite Sai Kung hikes for ideas on where to explore.
Stroll the Sai Kung Promenade
Besides the waterfront restaurants mentioned earlier, there’s a long promenade that stretches from Sai Kung Pier where you’ll often find families strolling (especially with their dogs in literal strollers). There are benches to sit and enjoy the view, as well as full sports facilities with tennis and squash courts, a swimming pool, and shower facilities if you want to shower and change after a long hike before sitting down for dinner at one of Sai Kung Town’s restaurants.
Kayak through the Bay
There are a couple of kayak stands along the promenade where you can rent from (particularly at the tiny Sha Ha Beach), which allows you to explore the tiny islands just past the public pier for an easy water activity. I recommend bringing a waterproof bag to keep your belongings dry. There are also guided kayak tours that you can book through Wild Hong Kong to explore more of the geological formations that you see along the speed boat ride, though I have yet to try these.
Try Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing & Other Watersports
For an adrenaline rush, book a speed boat to do water sports from Sai Kung Public Pier. You’ll see legions of boats pulling riders all across Sai Kung. There are companies like Wakeplus that offer a variety of options, from wakeboarding and wakesurfing to kiteboaarding and jet skiing, though we usually book with an independent wakeboarding instructor named Michael who you can book by sending a WhatsApp to +852 9663 9666.
Swim through Rock Pools
This one is still on my own to-do list, but in between Sai Wan and Ham Tin Wan beaches is Sheung Luk Stream. Here you can find a series of rock pools and waterfalls to dive into, perfect for cooling down in between hiking or visiting the beach.
Where to Stay in Sai Kung
WM Hotel is a modern hotel with a rooftop infinity pool that is dog-friendly and located a short walk away from Sai Kung Public Pier. I have yet to stay here but have heard nice things about the hotel.
The Pier Hotel is a 5-10 minute ride from the Public Pier in Hebe Haven, offering views of the pier and boats from the modern, spacious rooms with kitchenettes, plus a rooftop pool. We stayed here back in 2020, though recent reviews seem to indicate that there may have been some slipping in quality of service, so I would do some research to decide if it’s worth staying here.
🎥 Watch our staycation at The Pier Hotel
