Weekend: Cycling, Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk

People are getting really into the cycling lifestyle, and I'm not referring to those ah-baks cycling around in the middle of the city delivering take-out food or giant canisters of gas. Cycling is a growing movement in the city, manifesting through cycling-devoted groups (ranging from government-sponsored bodies dedicated to cycle racing, mountain bike enthusiasts, and an NGO seeking to raise awareness towards the concerns of HK cyclists. For the latter, check out the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance website and facebook. They offer comprehensive info on carrying your bikes on public transport, safety tips, and more.) If you live in the New Territories like I do, you'll see die-hard cyclists in their lycra cycling outfits pedalling around on their racing bikes every evening. (There is also the amusing sight of lycra-wearing cyclists...on a tiny urban fold-up bike.) But for most people, the sport itself is a weekend activity for socializing. 

My friend and I chose to do the Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk route on a Saturday, which has been covered by CNN.go and HK Magazine. It is one of the most popular cycling routes (removed from traffic for the most part, is well-paved, and signposted**) in Hong Kong, offering paths through some of the nicest scenery. The routes are well paved, and are generally wide and spacious. (Because of the construction near the site of Providence Bay after passing the Science Park, there are barriers erected on the left side of the cycle path. It doesn't obstruct the path itself, but many cyclists bottleneck themselves along this stretch because they all swerve to the middle to avoid colliding with the wall.) 


The signposting is fairly consistent throughout the first leg of the journey, though it seems to be sparse upon reaching Tai Po. There was no sign pointing towards Tai Mei Tuk when we reached a fork after exiting a subway tunnel, and we had to ask another cyclist for directions. As a marker, if you pass by the Tai Po Industrial Estate on your right side, you are heading in the right direction. 

While the bike route is mostly self-contained (not having to share it with pedestrians or cars), there are certain sections where you will intersect with a pedestrian pavement or traffic crossing. In the latter case, even if it seems as though there is no car approaching, just wait until it is your light to cross. Cars have that uncanny ability to suddenly show up when least expected, and safety should always come first. As some would say, a car is 鐵包人 (person encased in iron), whereas a cycle is just 人包鐵 (iron encased by a person.) Upon impact, it isn't hard to guess who would come out with fewer injuries. 

The cycle shop we rented our bikes from in Tai Wai. We went with this one one because it was situated very close to the East Rail station, though you can ask locals for cycle shop recommendations if you need to. 

We were charged 80HKD/each for bike rentals, and that is for the entire day ('day' being defined as until daylight fades: returns must be made by 7pm.) I'm sure we got suckered since both my friend and I look like out-of-towners, but it wasn't an outrageous price so we went along with it. In regards with bike returns, most shops will have a drop-off point in Tai Mei Tuk (though if you choose to bring the bike back to Tai Wai, you might earn a bit of a refund with the bike rental fee, around 10HKD in this case), but you should ask explicitly where they are in Tai Mei Tuk. We learnt this the hard way; the drop-off point for this bike rental shop was actually a 5 minute bike ride (15 minute walk) outside of Tai Mei Tuk, on a small village road full of cargo containers. It took some luck to even spot the shop banner hanging from the mesh fence. It looked like something straight from the deserted streets of downtown Los Angeles.  

Do check the bike before leaving the shop, making sure the wheels are inflated, the front and back brakes are functional, the grips aren't worn down, and the height of the bike seat is appropriate (normally, I prefer the seat to be high enough so that my toe barely touches the ground when I'm standing straight. If the seat is any lower than that, my knees hurt during cycling because they are forced to bend too far.) Have the shop adjust these things for you, and don't be scared to ask for a different bike if you are not satisfied with the one provided by the shop staff. And if the cycle plan intends for stops at several locations for rest or sightseeing, ask about bike-lock rentals as well (or just bring your own.) 

The cycle path travels alongTolo Harbour, so there will be plenty of sights like this. This photo was taken a little off the cycle path (less than a minute away from it) just before entering Tai Po. 

No bike lock for us, so we were always keeping an eye out on our rides. It is worth stopping at Plover Cove for a bit of a sit and a think. There are some hipster-types by themselves, sitting on the rocks, looking into the distance, and writing in their Moleskin notebooks. It is a good place to contemplate the meaning of life, and have a bit of private angst...at least before the crowds arrive.  

Sitting at Plover Cove Reservoir. With such nice scenery, we brought our own snacks and lunched outdoors. (If anyone else plans to do so, please don't leave any rubbish behind.)  

The road at Plover Cover Reservoir. It isn't strictly a cycle path, but park authorities driving in their van are fairly patient (didn't even use their klaxon once) and will give cyclists time to move aside for them. But beware of the pedestrians along this stretch, and also at either end of the roundabouts! There are plenty of people who come up here to fly kites, and their kite strings can entangle an unwary cyclist.

View from the reservoir, people enjoying the watersports facility in Tai Mei Tuk. Windsurfing is another big thing in the Hong Kong sports mindset.  

Tai Mei Tuk is a great destination for cyclists, thanks to its scenery and its good selection of restaurants and places for refreshments. However, because the location has been on the tourist radar for quite some time, the prices and food venues have 'upgraded' itself. (Though it was good to see that the Thai restaurant I went to back in 2006 was still pretty much the same.)  If the price range of an indoor eatery is a little over one's budget, head to the waterfront area and there will be some cheaper outdoor eats, such as curry fishballs and noodles. Alternatively, if you are willing to lug a bag of coal, raw foods, and other BBQ equipment on your bike, Tai Mei Tuk has plenty of BBQ hearths for public use.  

Since a large part of Tai Mei Tuk is devoted for BBQ-ing visitors, so prepare for a lot of smoke and noise near these sites. There are quiet spots away from the Tai Mei Tuk crowds, such as this little bit of coast. There isn't any 'official' access to this stretch of rocky shore, but someone did gouge an earthy path from the road that leads to it. There were only several other people there picking up shells. 

If you return your bike in Tai Mei Tuk, you can catch the 75K bus at the bus terminus (close to the big BBQ site) back to Tai Po Market station, which will link you up with the rest of the MTR system. 

Note: If you are not sports-inclined, I would recommend cycling up to Tai Po, since the entire length of the route from Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk can reach around 20km. It might not sound like a great distance, but under the sun and wind, it adds up to quite a bit of physical exertion. There is a great Waterfront Park in Tai Po to explore, not to mention that Tai Po is interesting in itself. 

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Tips:

Tip 1: Start your journey early to avoid the post-lunch afternoon rush! We started around 10am, and arrived in Tai Mei Tuk a little before 1pm. By the time we left the area at 4pm, the crowds were starting to cycle in by the dozen...including those cyclists with the loud boombox (literally a boombox, not just any music player) strapped to the back of their bikes. They would make for an interesting anthropological study...the culture of boomboxing bikes. 

Tip 2: If you are cycling on the weekends, keep an eye out on the cycle path. Like the phenomenon of 'weekend drivers', those who only take their cars out for a spin on the weekends, there is such a thing as 'weekend cyclists'. They tend to be a bit unpredictable with their turns, and are prone to braking suddenly, so it would be ideal to overtake them when you can. (Unless said 'weekend cyclist' is your mate, in which case, there isn't much you can do short of making new friends.)

Tip 3: If you can't cycle uphill, walk it. There is no shame in doing so! Better be safe, than to struggle on your bike and zig-zag into someone else. (Notable uphill stretches; the subway tunnels near the Science Park; the road just before entering Tai Mei Tuk; and the path to Plover Cove Reservoir.) 

Tip 4: Some bike rental shops will require identification documents as a means of guarantee when renting their wares. Bring your ID card/passport with you. 


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** post edited due to the comment from Dennis (see below)